David Johnson
David is the Director and senior resident meditation teacher at the Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center. He leads residential and Zoom retreats of all levels. He is a book author and has interviews and talks on mediation on YouTube. As the director at DSMC, He hosts 10-day TWIM retreats with guest teachers that include Delson Armstrong, Venerable Obhassa, Venerable Dr. Saccānanda Mahāthera, Venerable Bhante Kusala, Drew Litchy, and others.
”Teaching meditation offers rewards that can only be measured by the gratitude of those who experience profound transformative insight as expressed above to their teacher and guide; David’s scholarship in early Buddhist texts and meditative practices accords him a broad foundation to teach introductory and accelerated meditation training to beginners or experienced meditators seeking to experience greater awakening.”
- DAVID C. JOHNSON
- PROFILE: Meditation Teacher, Author, and Director at the Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center
- LOCATION: 8218 County Road 204 Annapolis, MO 63620
- CONTACT: david@dhammasukha.org
David is the author of The Path to Nibbana: How Mindfulness of Loving-Kindness Progresses through the Tranquil Aware Jhanas to Awakening. The latest edition has added chapters that dive deeper into the profound levels of mind. A new summary of progress and instructions was added for 2021. (available in Spanish and Italian)
He co-authored A Guide to Tranquil Wisdom Meditation (TWIM) with his teacher, Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi.
From the age of 19, David began a longtime practice of vipassana using the Mahasi Sadaw method of mindfulness meditation. He practiced meditation intensively through the 1990s, participating in retreats led by Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, Venerable U Silananda, and other prominent meditation teachers. In 2006, David changed techniques to exclusively practice tranquil wisdom insight meditation (TWIM), attending dozens of residential retreats led by Bhante Vimalaramsi.
TWIM Meditation: A Relaxed Path to Deep Insight and Awakening HERE
David was ordained temporarily as a samenera by Bhante Vimalaramsi. During Bhante’s teaching years at DSMC, David was his executive assistant and director of the Center. And treasurer of the United International Buddha Dhamma Society.
“From my experience, it is not easy to be mindful as a beginner because of mental activity and a need for calm mind, But once mental activity has slowed down or one has established a samadhi mind, it’s much easier to observe the mind, its reactions, and intentions. It takes patience, but it delivers results. Thank you for explaining the Dhamma Cleary.” –
YouTube Review 2023
David was ordained temporarily as a samenera by Bhante Vimalaramsi. During Bhante’s teaching years at DSMC, David was his executive assistant and director of the Center. And treasurer of the United International Buddha Dhamma Society.
Media
Intro Jhanas and Mindfulness -David Johnson
From my experience, it is not easy to be mindful as a beginner because of mental activity and a need for a calm mind. But once mental activity has slowed down or one has established a samadhi mind, it’s much easier to observe the mind, its reactions, and intentions. It takes patience, but it delivers results. Thank you for explaining the Dhamma clearly.
— YouTube Review 2023
Letter to David
Dear David,
I was deeply touched my your interview in Guru Viking channel which I listed today. During the interview, when you mentioned about how today people teach and practice meditation without including the Buddha, my eyes teared up. I see that happening among very senior monastics, in fact few months back I was speaking with the caretaker of the retreat center that belongs to our monastery and I told her in the retreat center I see quotes of the head monk and also his teacher, but I don’t see even a single word of the Buddha. She quite honestly said people come for Ajahn Brahm.
Also in the recent times because I am getting more closer to the Buddha’s teachings I realize how the senior monk gives Dhamma talks with absolutely no reference to the Buddha and His words even to the monastics let alone the lay people. Then I realized why I am not feeling inspired by his talks and also why the monks here not practicing well & getting any fruits of the path. When we take the Buddha out, what is left is just an empty shell. Also every time I bow down I bow down recollecting the Buddha Dhamma and the four fold arya sangha, but when the head monk says that every time he bows down he bows down to peace, kindness & virtue what message is subtly communicated to the juniors and the lay community. In the name of secularism the core teachings of the Buddha is lost and people would never be able to get the results for which the Buddha so compassionately taught the Dhamma.
For over 6 months or so I have frankly told people that my teacher is the Buddha. It’s not any individual monk. Others can help me, coach me, but ultimately it’s the Buddha who is really my teacher. This has empowered me so much and maybe it’s bordering over confidence as someone who has still not attained any fruits of the path. But just that feeling is so much better than being dependent on any individual, even if he maybe a arahant.
Just wanted to share with you as I was so uplifted and inspired by your interview as it was rooted in the Dhamma and the suttas. After listening, I immediately sat down for two hours of meditation and the mind was very quite and the meditation was deep.
With much metta
Bhante Saddhavihari