Teachers Council

New York Insight’s programs are taught by both renowned visiting teachers and our own Teachers Council. Since its inception, NYI has invited teachers from the international Insight Meditation community as well as other Buddhist traditions to offer teachings in New York. More recently, NYI formed the Teachers Council, comprised of local teachers and senior students to offer ongoing classes and daylong retreats. Our selection of visiting teachers and our Teachers Council is guided by an advisory board consisting of Tara Brach, Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield and Sharon Salzberg. NYI also utilizes Practice Leaders to lead certain sittings. Practice Leaders have been trained to give basic mediation instruction and to facilitate group discussions but are not considered teachers.

Peter Doobinin is the guiding teacher of the Downtown Meditation Community. Peter is a co-founder of New York Insight Meditation Center and a member of the NYI Teachers Council. He is a graduate of Spirit Rock’s Community Dharma Leaders program. He’s an instructor in the Insight Meditation Correspondence Course. Peter is a writer and lives in New York City. Downtown New York Meditation Community web site

Charmaine Henderson has practiced vipassana meditation since 1994. She has taught insight meditation at NYI, Tibet House, Pratt Institute and elsewhere. Charmaine is a member of the NYI Teachers Council and serves on the NYI Steering Committee. Currently she is a participant in the third Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leaders Program.

George Pitagorsky integrates spiritual practice into daily family life and work as director of product development for International Institute for Learning. He has practiced and studied yoga, meditation and tai chi in the context of an eclectic Buddhist framework, with spiritual influences from Advaita, Dzogchen, Vajrayana and Vipassana traditions. George co-developed both the Conscious Living and Working Wisely workshops. He is a member of the Board of Directors of NYI and the NYI Teachers Council.

Gina Sharpe is a co-founder, member of the Teachers Council, and Board of Directors of NYI. She discovered the dharma over thrity years ago and has studied and practiced in Asia and the United States. Having retired from the practice of law several years ago, she trained at the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and is a graduate of the first Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leaders Program. She has taught at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Insight Meditation Society, Vallecitos Mountain Refuge, Mid America Dharma, Garrison Institute, Asia Society, Tibet House, the New York Open Center, the Katonah Yoga Center, a maximum security prison for women, and at other venues around the United States

Sandra Weinberg is a co-founder, member of the Teachers Council, and Board of Directors of NYI. She has studied and practiced mindfulness meditation for over 25 years and is a graduate of the first Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leaders Program. Sandra has taught insight meditation at NYI, the New York Open Center, City University of New York and elsewhere. She is a psychotherapist in private practice in New York City