Please introduce yourself:
- This topic has 27 replies, 26 voices, and was last updated 2 weeks, 5 days ago by
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Hello everyone!
I am excited to join the Meditation Teacher Training with all of you and our Teacher Susan.
My name is Susan Picascia
Email : susanpicascia@icloud.com
Mobile: 818-268-2281 -
Hi all-
My name is Alli Potter. I live in south florida.
I am looking forward to this journey with all of you. -
Hi everyone!
I go by Stina (short for Christina) and I live just outside of Boston, MA with my spouse and two kids (ages 6 and 9).
I started my meditation practice 9 years ago when my daughter was born and the yoga studio I attended for “Baby and Me Yoga” started offering a mommy meditation group meet-up through the OHP Mommy Sangha. What started as an outlet for a lonely new mom on maternity leave became a regular practice that I have been delighted to continue and I am so excited to join you all in this training. -
Hi everyone,
My name is Erin Schwartz. I live in Bloomington, Indiana with my wife and 3 rescue dogs. I’ve been meditating and taking Buddhist studies courses on and off since 2020. I’m very excited to be on this path with all of you.
ecschwartz16@gmail.com
503-680-7139 -
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Hi all! My name is Ana Ruiz. I live in Denver, CO with my teenage daughter and our dog Luna. We also have five chickens (don’t ask!). I’ve been meditating with and learning from Susan for the last 10 years or so. I’m very excited to be on this journey with you all.
anabruiz@gmail.com
303-332-1114 -
Hi! My name is Elizabeth Bonet. I live in Jacksonville, Florida. I moved up here about a year ago from South Florida. I live with my 20 year old daughter, two cats (14 and 1), and Trixie the rescue terrier (3). I’ve been meditating on and off for 30 years and almost every day for the last 15.
girrllie@yahoo.com
954-496-2034 -
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Hello All, I am Ankur. My husband and I live in Detroit with our two teenagers, two puppies, two kittens, managing our two jobs and two sets of parents across two countries – all the while keeping our sanity from splitting into two! Meditation has been our refuge on and off over the years and i am seeking to getting more consistency in my practice and gaining deeper understanding of the path through this training. I am looking forward to staying the course with all of you. Cheers.
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Hello. My name is Kimberly. I live in Haslett, Michigan. I’m a longish time member of the Open Heart Project although I have been more quiet than interactive. I have often considered participating in this training only to let fear get in the way. This time when the opportunity appeared I told fear to leave me alone. Here I am saying yes through the fear. I attended a retreat with Susan back in 2021. It was transformative. I’m very grateful and happy to be part of this experience!
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This is MaryBeth checking in and saying HELLO! I am a Hoosier by birth (Go IU!) and moved to Ohio in 2009, living in Westerville, just a little north of Columbus (deep in OSU land)! I’ve been an OHP member for a few years, and my faith journey isn’t unusual – cradle Christian who’s gone through many different denominations each time moving toward more open and loving theology. In 2021 I found a local Sangha and it’s been an anchor. I keep wanting to meditate more and that’s not the same as meditating … I’m stuck in the “wanting”. I’m a bit nervous about this commitment and yet see it as the possible pivot point I need.
Looking forward to meeting and growing together.
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Hi everyone! I’m so excited to start this journey with you all tomorrow. My name is Liana Merrill and I live in Middlebury, Vermont with my husband. I started meditating in 2015, when a therapist recommended one of Susan’s books. It wasn’t until about 8 years later that I even had the thought that maybe I wanted to teach meditation myself, to others in my community. And now here I am, almost 3 years after that, finally listening to that calling and signing up for the training.
Looking forward to learning with all of you at my virtual side!
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Hello. My name is Jodi Pirtle (she/her). I live in Juneau, Alaska with my husband and chocolate Labrador retriever. Some of my identities include, ocean scientist, yoga teacher, berry harvester, pie baker, auntie, wife, dog mom, friend. I look forward to meeting you and connecting with Sangha. This will be my first live training with Susan. See you all tomorrow.
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Hello everyone,
I’m Jo Westcombe. I’m from the UK originally but have lived in Southern Germany (Munich and environs) since my early 20s. I teach English at a small university, and yoga in our village sports club; in both places meditation is involved! I live with a man and a teenager and do dog things and choir things.
In terms of my reasons for doing this course, the expression “open-hearted rigour” has just popped into my head, so I will start with that and see how we go! -
Hi, I’m Jersey. I live in NYC with my partner B and a lovely deaf, feral Maine Coon called Greta Garbo who may sometimes grace us with her presence during class time. I began practicing Metta about 6 years ago at a friend’s encouragement and recently have been searching for ways to deepen my practice and connect with others on this path. Very grateful to be a part of this group and OHP and looking forward to the adventure ahead.
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Hi, my name is Kat. I still remember the first time I heard the word “Buddhism” in a Global Religions class at my Catholic school. Something about it stuck. The word lodged itself in my mind and never really left.
In college, I followed that pull. I studied Buddhism, Tai Chi, and Chinese language, earned a degree in East Asian Studies, and began meditating at 18. It felt less like a choice and more like a calling.
In the 1980s, I had the opportunity to travel to Tibet, which was especially meaningful because I had fallen in love with Vajrayana Buddhism and the teachings of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. When I was 24, I went on a vision quest and spent seven days alone in the woods, learning how to meditate with nature under the guidance of John P. Milton, an ecologist and meditation teacher.
From 2001 to 2016, I studied mindfulness meditation with Thích Nhất Hạnh’s niece at the Mindfulness Practice Center of Fairfax. For the past ten years, I’ve continued my practice on my own.
This introduction is probably long enough, but I’ll end by saying how genuinely excited I am to be here with all of you and to share in the discoveries we’ll make along the way.
Here’s my contact details: Katdruid8@gmail.com, 703-624-9251
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Hello! I’m Niki Pappas and I’m thrilled to be part of this training with you all. Meditation has had at least a small role in my life for about 15 years, as I transitioned out of a business career and into holistic coaching, yoga, bodywork, the enneagram, and end-of-life work. I first learned about Susan by reading her wonderful book, The Buddhist Enneagram, about a year ago. I quickly joined OHP and have dived into Susan’s podcast, more of her books, and my own meditation practice.
All of this feels like perfect timing for me, given the current challenges and wonderful opportunities in my life, including aging parents, a new home (Santa Fe), and a new romantic relationship that is delightful and also complicated logistically. I am confident that this training will enhance my ability to meet and work with it all, while also supporting me with kindness and care, and I hope to offer that kind and caring support to my fellow participants.
My email is niki.t.pappas@gmail.com and phone 513-378-8657.
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Hi everyone! Colin here, living in the Champlain Islands in Northern Vermont. Juggling work in the ecommerce world, a homestead operation, family life, and now very happy to explore the possibilities of deeper practice and new paths it may lead to. Looking forward to sharing this experience with all of you, getting to know you, and learning from you.
email cdodgsonx@gmail.com, text 802-578-5226
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Hello everyone! My name is Mike McCabe and I’m delighted to join you in this program of exploration and discovery. During our first meeting yesterday I could feel the energy of our group, and I look forward to working with you as we all move forward together. I am a retired economist and I live in the Washington DC area. I’ve been meditating for a few years now, and I’m curious to see what emerges in my practice from this training. Wonderful to meet you all! Be well.
PS: email is mikemccabe32@gmail.com
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Hi Yall,
My name is Joe Emery, I’m a graduate of Naropa University and a former hospital chaplain. I’ve been studying and practicing Buddhism since I was 24 – about 12 years. I am a student of Anam Thubten Rinpoche in the Nyingma tradition (and a mentee of Susan’s). I currently lead a few meditation groups in prisons and I’m really excited for this chance to reflect and refresh about what it means to be a meditation teacher!
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Hello, all; what a delight to read your introductions and get to know you a bit. 🙂
I live in Central Texas with my husband and dog, and I come to this training with a desire to be of service in the world. Susan has spoken of “strengthening our friends” when we feel unable to defeat our enemies, and I think that’s something that training as a meditation teacher will better equip me to do.
In addition to this course, I’m in training as a spiritual director and non-profit leader. I’m very excited to fit these skills together in a way that makes (at least my little corner of) the world a better place.
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Hi, all!
I’m Caitlin. I’m originally from the Bay Area, California, but live in Washington DC now. I’ve been practicing/studying for about 10 years now, mostly in the Tibetan and insight traditions.
I’m excited to be participating and looking forward to practicing with you all <3
My email is cscandee@gmail.com.
Caitlin
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Hello Everybody,
Born in November 1965 on Bonaire, a small island in the Caribbean, which at that time was the part of the country known as The Netherlands Antilles. My parents named me Glenn. We moved from Bonaire to live in Aruba, where I grew up mostly. In my late teens I relocated to The Netherlands to study medicine, but after 3 years of study I dropped out and returned to Aruba to help a friend set up a Windsurf business. That was 1988, when that sport started to boom. I grew up in a Catholic / Protestant family within a multicultural society with multi-spirituality, particularly impregnated with African / American indigenous belief patterns. Asian beliefs are also influential in my life. At this moment I live in Groningen, The Netherlands, where I teach and research at the University of Groningen.
Being able to participate in this course and meet you all is a true blessing! During our first session I experienced how practicing and learning together is a powerfully magical way to connect and generate merit. I look forward to continue on this path with you all and am thankful to the Open Hearth Project and Susan for the space and the guidance.
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Hi all,
My name is Kristin (Kris) and I live on-and-off in central/eastern Florida (where I was raised), Cape Cod MA (currently back on the Cape, with my new road-side puppy), and the Twin Cities MN (where my grad school is based). I have been practicing meditation and forms of yoga for ~13 years, starting under the teachings of an OHP member. It is the biggest delight to fall back on the practice and I have been eager to deepen my study in a formal training. I am grateful to be part of this teacher training with you all and am looking forward to more discussions. Thank you!
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