Awaken In Toronto
Meditation classes, spiritual training & community
About us
Awaken in Toronto (AIT) is a community of dharma students (awakening beings) drawn together by a common vision of transforming life in the city from a challenging and isolating struggle to one of exploration and connections. We have regular weekly meditation class, as well as discussion-based gatherings on the topics of Abundance and Death & Dying. We also organize weekend meditation retreats at the Dharma Centre of Canada to give opportunities for deeper dives into silence. And last but not least, we are honoured to host our root guru teachers, Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat, for longer meditation retreats.
History
We have been meeting together since 2010. The group began with 3 students of Senseis Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat who were living in Toronto and studying annually with their teachers in BC, but wanted to incorporate more Sangha interactions throughout the year. We started by meeting together to meditate in private homes, but eventually others joined and we outgrew this. We met for 2 years at Inhabit Pilates in the Annex, before moving to our present location, The Village Healing Centre, near High Park on the west side of Toronto. This new location is centrally located and easy to get to by public transit or car. We use MeetUp as the primary way of attracting new members and sharing up-to-date information about our programming. We distribute a monthly e-newsletter to our subscribers on our mail list sharing upcoming programming activities, and welcome new subscribers (Sign Up Link).
AIT Teacher
AIT receives its spiritual guidance from Lama Linda, a long-time meditator and student of Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat.
Dāna
All classes are offered by dāna to give people the opportunity to practice generosity and contribute what they value and are able to pay. Monies received go to support the teacher and the teachings, including covering the costs of organizing the group.
Upcoming Classes & Events
Click below to see our upcoming events and RSVP classes, outings and retreats
Our team
Linda Hochstetler
Primary teacher and trainer
Linda Hochstetler has been studying mindfulness meditation and Vajrayana Buddhism for over 20 years. Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat are her primary gurus, and she follows their tradition of encouraging exploration of everyday life beyond the spiritual realms, particularly while living in the city. She weaves together her meditation experiences, her professional background as a social worker, her years as a mother and step-mother, and her passion for awakening in this life time into each of her classes.
Bat Hon Tong Fung
Organizer
Bat Fung has been studying with Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasaratt since 2003. He brings his wry sense of humour and pragmatic sensibilities to teaching meditation, and enjoys expounding on traditional Buddhists practices as well as interpreting meditation practices for everyday urban life. He brings to life meditation practices for new and old students alike.
Sarah Rix
Organizer
Coming soon!
Richard Clark
Organizer
Coming soon!