History of True North Insight

In the late summer of 2003, some Dhamma (Sanskrit - dharma) teachers and dedicated yogis gathered together on a back porch to discuss a vision for a Canadian insight meditation centre. Within six months True North Insight Meditation Centre was incorporated as a non-profit organization and granted charitable status by the federal government of Canada. Since those beginnings, several committees were formed, and a team of Guiding Teachers came together. The committees were actively involved in building community awareness and support, creating a business and fund raising plan, and a facility search. There have been numerous expressions of support and confirmations of the timeliness of this project, coming from meditators, teachers and existing retreat centres that have offered much advice and encouragement. Members of the True North Insight committees traveled to a number of cities in Ontario and Quebec to discuss the vision and listen to the questions, concerns and suggestions of interested meditators. TNI's inaugural retreat was held in August, 2006, in Arnprior, Ontario.

Current Status

In November, 2006, the True North Insight organizing committee was created and has been instrumental in moving TNI forward. Five retreats were held in 2007, and 12 residential and non-residential retreats are being held in 2008 in Arnprior, Kingston, and Ottawa, as well as a study course in Montreal. Our first retreat held in French will take place in December 2008. We are currently holding our residential retreats at Galilee Centre in Arnprior, Ontario, and have entered into a partnership with them for the next few years, until we have our own centre. Over the next several years we will focus on developing our retreat schedule, including retreats in French, as well as developing and implementing our fundraising plan. We have many volunteers who help us in many areas, including translation, fundraising advice, graphic design, etc.

Board of Directors

Pascal Auclair has been immersed in the Dhamma since 1997 (more ...)

Norman Feldman is a Founding Member of TNI, a Guiding Teacher, and the teachers' representative on the Board of Directors. He attended his first meditation retreat in India in 1971 (more ...)

Marie Murphy is a yoga teacher and a member of both the New York and Quebec bars. She has been practicing Vipassana meditation since 1978 (more ...)

Daryl Lynn Ross is a member of the True North Insight Board of Directors and will be the Centre's resident teacher (more ...)

David Schouela is a graduate in business administration from the University of Western Ontario (more ...)

Molly Swan has been engaging in spiritual inquiry and dharma practice since 1985, both in Asia and the West (more ...)

Organizing Committee

Melodie Benger, Ottawa

Gail Guy, Ottawa

Janet Maxwell, Montreal

Daryl Lynn Ross, Montreal

The organizing committee meets by telephone every week and furthers the development of TNI through organizing retreats, developing the goals and objectives and business and fundraising plans, working with volunteers and doing numerous other activities.

Advisors to True North Insight Meditation Centre

Gil Fronsdal, Founder and primary Teacher, Insight Meditation Center of the Mid-Peninsula
Joseph Goldstein, Co-founder and Guiding Teacher of the Insight Meditation Society
Myokyo Judith McLean, Abbess of Centre Zen de la Main
Amy Schmidt, Resident Teacher of the Insight Meditation Society
Gina Sharpe, Co-founder of New York Insight
Bhante Wimala, Spiritual Director of the Triple Gem Society