Meet Our Teachers
Hildegard Huber
Hildegard Huber has been a student of Venerable Ajarn Tong Sirimangalo since 1992. In 1998 he authorised her as Vipassana teacher and gave her the name Dhammacari. In 2004 she gave up her worldly professional life completely.
Through her own long term extensive meditation practice, she can pass on the acquired knowledge and the realization of the teaching in an understandable way.
Her kind nature allows her to guide her students in an empathetic manner through their practice.
Khun Thanat Chindaporn
Director of the International Meditation Department at Wat Phradhatu Sri Chomtong Voravihara.
Khun Thanat is a senior disciple of Venerable Phra Prom Mongkol Vi (Ven. Phra Ajarn Tong Sirimangalo). He is a teacher of Satipatthana Vipassana meditation in the Theravada Buddhist tradition of Thailand and is the Director of the International Meditation Department at Wat Phradhatu Sri Chomtong Voravihara, which was established in 2000.
He studied Vipassana meditation with Venerable Ajarn Tong Sirimangalo in the mid 1980s and he began his teaching apprenticeship with late Venerable Phra Banyat Akkayano, the late Director of Thailand’s Northern Insight Meditation Centre at Wat Ram Poeng (Tapotaram), Chiang Mai. Since 1988, he has conducted meditation courses in Thailand, Hawaii, America, Canada, Mexico, Columbia, Germany, Spain, Slowenia, France, Israel, India and Nepal.
In 2004 Khun Thanat received Thailand’s “Sema Dhammacakka” for his dissemination of Buddhism worldwide.
Khun Kathryn Chindaporn
Assistant Director of the International Meditation Department at Wat Phradhatu Sri Chomtong Voravihara.
Khun Kathryn Chindaporn (Kate Johnston) is a senior disciple of Venerable Phra Prom Mongkol Vi (Ven. Phra Ajarn Tong Sirimangalo) having studied Vipassana since 1986. Khun Kathryn has been teaching Vipassana for more than 20 years. Since 1988 she has led courses in Thailand, North-America, Hawaii, Europe, Israel and India.
Khun Kathryn has been a lecturer at the Mahachulalongkorn Rajavidyalaya Buddhist University in Chiang Mai since 1999 and is currently Thai-English interpreter, Assistant Director and meditation teacher at the International Meditation Department at Wat Phradhatu Sri Chomtong Voravihara, Chiang Mai.
Since 1989 she has interpreted for Thai meditation masters and has published five Thai-English Buddhist translations.
In 2000 Khun Kathryn received the “Benefactor of Buddhism Award” of Chiang Mai Province and the “Sema Dhammacakka” in recognition of International Dissemination of Buddhism. The latter conferred by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand.Since 1989 she has interpreted for Thai meditation masters and has published five Thai-English Buddhist translations.
Asher Gal
Asher Gal from Israel is practicing Vipassana meditation since 1988. He was student of the late Luang Poh Banyat Akkayano Bhikkhu at Wat Rampoeng, Chiang Mai, and is still student of the Ven. Ajahn Tong Sirimangalo of Wat Phradhatu Sri Chomtong.
Since 15 years he assisted Thanat Chindaporn and phra Ajarn Ofer in the meditation courses which take place in Israel, He has been teaching at The Newman Vipassana Meditation center in Israel and Dhammacari Vipassana center in Germany regularly since its establishment. He also teaches in Russia and other places to which he is invited.
received the “Benefactor of Buddhism Award” of Chiang Mai Province and the “Sema Dhammacakka” in recognition of International Dissemination of Buddhism. The latter conferred by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand.Since 1989 she has interpreted for Thai meditation masters and has published five Thai-English Buddhist translations.
Martin Pack
Martin Pack has been meditating for more than 30 years. 14 years ago he came across this particular form of Vipassana meditation and it was a life changing experience.
He subsequently spent years practicing in Northern Thailand often going straight from one retreat into another. Soon he was asked to assist in leading retreats by revered teacher Thanat in Chom Thong in Thailand and Phra Ofer in Isreal under the authority of the venerable Ajarn Tong Sirimangalo coming from the Mahasi lineage.
In 2008 martin was asked by his teacher to set up a Vipassana meditation centre in the mountainous region of Pai. His years of experience in leading retreats show especially during the ‘report times’ (private daily talks between the teacher and the retreat participants) where he helps the students through their challenges with his compassion, characteristic humour and deep understanding of the processes they are going through. In the last years Martin has also organised and taught retreats in Northern Italy, England, Wales, Israel, France and Austria.
Since 15 years he assisted Thanat Chindaporn and phra Ajarn Ofer in the meditation courses which take place in Israel, He has been teaching at The Newman Vipassana Meditation center in Israel and Dhammacari Vipassana center in Germany regularly since its establishment. He also teaches in Russia and other places to which he is invited.
received the “Benefactor of Buddhism Award” of Chiang Mai Province and the “Sema Dhammacakka” in recognition of International Dissemination of Buddhism. The latter conferred by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand.Since 1989 she has interpreted for Thai meditation masters and has published five Thai-English Buddhist translations.