Sayadaw U Lakkhana is a senior meditation teacher in the Mahasi tradition. He is abbot of a monastery and meditation centre in northern Burma, and is a regular guest teacher at BMIMC.

Sayadaw U Pannathami is a senior student of U Pandita and the abbot of the Sydney Panditarama Meditation Centre. he was the first resident teacher of BMIMC. Sayadaw speaks excellent English, and frequently teaches overseas.

Sayadaw U Vivekananda is a senior meditation teacher in the Mahasi tradition and the abbot of Panditarama International Meditation Centre in Lumbini, Nepal. He also teaches a busy schedule in North America and Europe.

Venerable Pannyavaro is an Australian Buddhist monk and an experienced meditation teacher who has spent long periods of intensive practice in Burma and Sri Lanka. He teaches both insight and loving-kindness meditation. He is the founder and webmaster of BuddhaNet and the Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery and Retreat Centre, near Lismore NSW.

Venerable Ariya Nani is a Swiss-born Buddhist nun who lives and works in Burma at the Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Centre in Yangon, established by Sayadaw U Indaka where she guides foreign yogis in their vipassana and metta meditation practice.

Lay teachers at BMIMC

The foundation of Buddhist practice rests upon ethical guidelines (known as sila). In Buddhist countries meditation teachers are usually monks or nuns who have committed themselves to living by the traditional code of ethical conduct. For Theravadan monks this is governed by 227 vows contained in the vinaya and for nuns it is the 10 precepts. In countries that do not have a traditional Buddhist culture (like Australia) meditation is often taught by lay teachers who are not necessarily committed to one of the traditional codes of conduct. The Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre recognises the importance of maintaining the tradition of ethical integrity for teachers of the Buddha Dhamma. In keeping with this understanding all teachers at the BMIMC:

1. Have made a personal commitment to live in accordance with the Buddhist precepts.
For lay teachers this means the five precepts of - refraining from killing¸ refraining from stealing, refraining from sexual misconduct, refraining from false or harsh speech, and refraining from intoxicants that cause heedlessness or loss of awareness.
2. Are current meditation practitioners with at least 10 years experience in the tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw.
3. Have undertaken to maintain confidentiality in relation to each student’s personal information.
4. Offer their teachings at the Centre freely.

Patrick Kearney has been a resident and visiting teacher at BMIMC. He has over 30 years experience in Buddhist meditation and since 1984 has trained in vipassana insight meditation in the tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma. Please visit Patrick's site at www.dharmasalon.net for his further information about his teaching schedule.

Tara MacLachlan is a senior member of the Buddha Sasana Association has been closely involved with the establishment of the Centre. She has practised vipassana meditation for many years, in Burma, Nepal and Australia, with Sayadaw U Pandita, the senior disciple of Mahasi Sayadaw.  Tara is the resident manager of the Centre.

Steven Smith is a founder of Vipassana Hawai'i and Kyaswa Valley Retreat Centre and MettaDana health and education project both in Myanmar. Steve has practised and studied vipassana as a monk and layperson for more than 30 years and is anchored in theTheravadan tradition of

Lynne Bousfield is a co-founder of BMIMC. Trained in the Theravadan tradition in India and Burma for 30 years, Lynne combines teaching with her work as a clinical psychologist where she uses mindfulness meditation in her clinical practice. She teaches in Australia and North America.

Michael Dash has been a Buddhist practitioner for over 20 years, studying in Australia, Thailand and Burma, where he trained in vipassana meditation in the Mahasi tradition. He also teaches at the Buddhist Library and Wat Buddha Dhamma.

Lesley Lebkowicz (formerly Fowler) has practised vipassana meditation since 1983 and has spent several years in silent retreat in Australia, the USA and Burma. She has worked as a teacher, counsellor and writer and currently divides her time between formal spiritual practice and writing.

Danny Taylor has been a student of Eastern traditions since the early 1970s, and a practitioner of Buddhist meditation in the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition since 1986. He has worked as a psychologist and is a management consultant. Danny emphasises the integration of meditation with our daily reality. He is also a leader of the group’s meditation sessions in Sydney.

Graham Wheeler has been practising vipassana meditation for over twenty-five years, studying in Australia, Burma, Thailand and Sri Lanka. He also has been leading the centre’s group meditation sessions in Sydney since 1999. He has his own legal practice in Sydney and much of his work is with community-based organisations.