Austin Sarner

Hello, I’m Austin Sarner. I’ve been practicing TWIM since discovering it in 2019, and the Dhamma has become the cornerstone of my life since. I’ve done many in person retreats and have trained under Bhante Vimalaramsi, Doug Kraft, David Johnson, and Delson Armstrong.

How I Got Here

I encountered a good deal of success early on in my life, and jumpstarted a career designing and developing software as a teenager. I have a lot of gratitude for the circumstances that enabled this to happen. But, despite this apparent strong direction, I had little idea of how to establish real contentment and peace in my life.

For many years I burned hot. I struggled trying to align my external life in such a way that would lead to a true sense of ease. It proved elusive, and no amount of opportunity, friendship, or material attainment could address the internal dis-ease. After hitting a rock bottom of addiction and surrendering to the reality that I didn’t have the answers, a trusted mentor suggested I had to “figure out the spiritual side.”

What Happened

After an earnest search through various spiritual traditions and interpretations of Buddhism, I discovered TWIM and the 6R technique.

After stumbling around for a few months, I remember sitting by a river meditating one evening and being hit with a level of relief that I could not have imagined possible. All conception of what Buddhism is or should be faded away. This relief, I realized, was what it was all about. This was what the teachings were pointing to. The direct experience of mental relief.

Since then, my practice has been about developing a deeper sense of the path leading to this relief, and sharing that journey with others.