NYI Teachers

NYI’s Founding Teachers have the responsibility for the spiritual direction and vision holding of the Center and its meditation programs.

To teach our programs, NYI has Core Teachers who offer ongoing classes and courses and weekend and day long retreats. Since its inception, NYI has invited Visiting Teachers—beloved and often internationally known monastic and lay teachers from the Insight Meditation community as well as other Buddhist traditions—to offer teachings to the community. In addition to its Core and Visiting Teachers, NYI has Associate Teachers who may become Core Teachers as they gain in experience and meet other criteria.  Associate Teachers lead courses and workshops. NYI also has peer-led sitting groups led by senior students designated as Practice Leaders, who give basic meditation instruction and facilitate group discussions.

Our Core Teachers are guided by an advisory board consisting of Tara Brach, Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield and Sharon Salzberg.  NYI designates Core Teachers based on their years and depth of personal practice and training as well as capability in: pedagogy, study of Buddhist texts, meditation practices and techniques, a working knowledge of our Buddhist lineage and history, and teaching and embodying the application of Dharma in daily life.  Most of our Core Teachers are graduates of Community Dharma Leaders Programs (CDL) of Spirit Rock Meditation Center and/or other training programs. Our Teachers continue as students themselves, dedicated to ongoing study and dharma practice and to deepening their understanding and embodiment of the Buddha’s teachings.

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 insight meditation since 1994. She is a graduate of the Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leaders program and other training as well. Charmaine teaches insight meditation retreats as well as courses on integrating the Dhamma into daily life. She is on the board of directors of NYI and is a core teacher at NYI. She served on the board of directors of an organization of LGBTQ practitioners in NYC from 1999 to 2006.

George Pitagorsky blends Buddhism, systems thinking and non-dual philosophy.  He has practiced yoga and vipassana meditation since the early 1970’s.  He is a senior teacher at NYIMC and, as a multi-disciplinary consultant and coach, focuses on applying open-minded mindfulness to achieve optimal performance.  George is author of The Zen Approach to Project Management, editor of the Breakthrough Newsletter, and is currently working on a book on Conflict Management.  George seeks to help people to integrate meditation and Buddhist thinking into their daily lives.  He serves on the NYIMC Board of Directors.

Gina Sharpe is a founding teacher and a member of the Board of Directors of NYI. She discovered the Dharma many years ago and has studied and practiced in Asia and the United States. She was trained as a Retreat Teacher under the mentorship of Jack Kornfield.  She is also a graduate of the first Spirit Rock Community Dharma Leaders Program. She has been teaching since 1995.  She teaches at Retreat Centers and meditation communities around the United States, including at a maximum security prison for women.  She holds two meditation classes in Westchester County.

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 30  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 also teaches  addiction and recovery from the perspective of the Buddha’s teachings.  She is a psychotherapist in private practice in New York City.