The group is hosted by Sanghamitta (Mary Dumka), a retired psychiatrist who has been practicing Buddhist meditation since 1991 and has done several years of training as a meditation teacher.

Sanghamitta’s first teacher was Mechele Calvert, a student of Bhante Piyadassi of Sri Lanka. Her current teacher is Ajahn Sona of Sitavana/Birken Forest Monastery near Kamloops, BC. She has also done retreats with Bhante Piyadassi, Thich Nhat Hanh, Bhante Gunaratana, Bhikkhu Thanissaro and Ayya Medhanandi.