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The guiding and founding teacher of Mountain Stream Meditation Center, John M. Travis, has been a student of vipassana meditation since 1969. His work and teaching have been very important in the growth and development of Buddhism and meditation in the Northern Sierra Nevada region. His background and many years of training ideally suited him to this role, having spent many years with recognized Asian Buddhist masters. Initially he studied Tibetan Buddhism, first under Thubten Yeshe and later with the Venerable Kalu Rinpoche. Mr. Travis took Initiation with His Holiness the 16th Karmapa who then became his primary teacher. In 1970 he began his studies in the vipassana tradition with Munindra, later becoming a student of S. N. Goenka. In 1979, Mr. Travis became a monk under the Venerable Taungpulu Sayadaw. His teachers are widely recognized today as among the great Asian masters of Buddhism of our time.
Mr. Travis continued his studies in Asia and later in the U.S. where he began teaching at a weekly sitting in Nevada City, CA, in 1986. He began leading daylong retreats as well at this time. From 1988 to 1993, Mr. Travis devoted himself to formal teacher training with Jack Kornfield, Ph.D. at Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. After completion of his training he was ordained and given Dharma transmission in the vipassana tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw and Achaan Chaa. Mr. Travis is thus authorized to lead meditation retreats and give religious instruction. He has functioned in the role of resident teacher of Mountain Stream Meditation Center since its inception. His responsibilities include planning, preparing for, and conducting various observances and instructional activities including retreats, sitting groups and introductory courses on behalf of Mountain Stream.
John has a private practice as a meditation counselor and has trained in Hakomi body-centered therapy. For appointments call (530) 263-4096. In addition, he works as a teacher for Spirit Rock Center. He travels extensively and is much in demand, leading retreats all over the United States.
During the year 2006, John was in Asia. Some of that time was spent with His Holiness The Dalai Lama in Dharamsala. He also spent time in solitary retreat in the caves of Ladakh.
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