Background to the Community Dharma Leaders Training Programme
The first CDL training programme offered by the Gaia House Teacher Council was launched in 2015.
It was offered in response to the growth in local Insight Meditation groups, which regularly run sitting days and other activities around the UK and in some other countries. Organisers and practitioners in these sanghas had expressed a strong desire and need for more locally-based support for practice in their daily lives. In response to this, Catherine McGee, Yanai Postelnik and Jenny Wilks as the core teaching faculty, and several other Dharma teachers as mentors and faciliatators, trained a number of senior Dharma students to enable them to offer service to their local sangha or community.
Participants were nominated and mentored by Gaia House teachers who knew them well, and were confident that they could be of service in this way. The training included a broad framework of Dharma study and training for Dharma service, and required a minimum of 18 months and participation in at least one residential training week.
On completion of their training, Community Dharma Leaders are able to share their love and knowledge of the Dharma with new and existing practitioners, through offering short courses, sitting groups and one-day retreats, in communities (geographic or otherwise) where they are connected and involved in an ongoing way. They are also able to provide facilitation and leadership functions within those sanghas, if needed.
The Gaia House Teacher Council holds overall responsibility for CDLs and is the point of reference if any concerns arise about a participant or graduate of the programme.
A second CDL training programme is now open for applications, please click here for details.
Andy Wimbush of London
Anshin Devin Ashwood of Ogwell
Bernat Font of Barcelona*
Brigid Avison of Oxford
Chris Carter of Norwich
Clare Brunt of London
Ella Titman Tamari of Llanwrtyd, Wales
Gareth Fysh-Foskett of Machynlleth, Wales
Gilles de Obaldia of Paris, France
Greta Moldestat of Norway
James Blake of London
Jiva Masheder of Brighton
John McLane of Tunbridge Well
Juha Penttilä of Finland*
Julia Wallond of Machynlleth, Wales*
Kathryn Tulip of Oxford
Lotta Ekelund of Sweden
Nicky Roland of Brighton
Ramiro Ortega of Totnes*
River Wolton of Sheffield*
Sari Markkanen of Finland*
Tim Blanch of Bridgend, Wales
Walter Young of Whitley Bay
* Graduated also from a teacher training programme