Thanissara

Thanissara, originally from London, is a long-time Dharma practitioner and former Buddhist nun, training for 12 years in the Thai Forest Tradition. She is co-founder, with her husband and teaching partner Kittisaro, of Dharmagiri Sacred Mountain Retreat on the South African and Lesotho border and Sacred Mountain Sangha (SMS) in California. Recently she initiated PAEAN, Peoples Alliance for Earth Action Now, a Dharma-based Climate Initiative under the umbrella of SMS Non-Profit.

Thanissara trained as a psychotherapist and has an MA in Mindfulness-based Psychotherapy from the Karuna Foundation in the UK. She is co-author, with Kittisaro, of Listening to the Heart and author of several poetry books and the feminist-based climate book Time to Stand Up published by North Atlantic Books. Thanissara is currently resident in Sebastopol, CA, and is on the Spirit Rock Meditation Center Teacher Council.