The Summer Retreat

the Summer Retreat

TEACHERS

VENERABLE SUMATI MARUT has attracted thousands of followers from around the world, people of all ages and walks of life, who gather to hear his call for a revolution of true and lasting happiness. Lama Marut was a professor of comparative religion at Columbia University and the University of California at Riverside for 25 years. He was ordained a Tibetan Buddhist monk in 2006. At present, Lama Marut teaches internationally in retreat settings, sharing his engaging style of teaching the dharma, yoga philosophy and Sanskrit. Lama Marut is on the board of the Yoga Studies Institute, and serves as Spiritual Director of the Asian Classic Institutes of Los Angeles, Cape Ann Massachusetts, and Reno Nevada. www.lamamarut.org

CINDY LEE has been studying Buddhism and meditation for nearly 15 years, taking teachings from masters from many different traditions. With Lama Marut, Cindy has completed an intensive course of study of 18 foundational and 18 advanced courses of Buddhism, as well as rigorous training in the classic texts of yoga philosophy. She now teaches with Lama Marut at regular retreats internationally. Having also trained in yoga asana, dance and martial arts, Cindy enjoys taking visceral and experiential approaches to the teachings – inspired by stories and poetry of saints and siddhas, and the integrated and energetic aspects of yoga.
Cindy Lee Cindy holds a Bachelor of Arts and Advanced Diploma in Electronic Design and Interactive Media, which she has taught at university in Australia. Working as a professional digital artist, film editor and VJ (video-jockey) in Australia, Europe, the UK, and the US, Cindy uses these digital media to share the teachings of her Lama. www.siddha-songs.com

Pat O'Brien PAT O'BRIEN, Ph.D. Pat O’Brien trained at Harvard Medical School as an immunologist and clinical research scientist. She has practiced meditation for twenty years, and various forms of Hatha yoga for fifteen, and is a certified Baron Baptiste yoga teacher. Dr. Pat teaches meditation and many levels of yoga in classes and one-on-one, and conducts clinical research on the effects of yoga on health. Dr. Pat is a student of Lama Sumati Marut, and has studied Tibetan Heart Yoga with Geshe Michael Roach and Lama Christie McNally. Her teaching of yoga emphasizes the connection of the true self and healing. www.theyogaclinic.com

JULIE UPTON has been a student and teacher of Tibetan Heart Yoga and Buddhist dharma since 2004. Her main teachers are Geshe Michael Roach, Lama Christie McNally and Lama Sumati Marut. She has also studied with Dharma Mittra, Mira Shani, Darren Rhodes, and Upasaka Culadasa. Julie also works in video production and is responsible for many video pieces and podcasts that are online for her teachers and clients.

DAVID THORNTON is a certified yoga instructor, has completed the 18 Asian Classics Institute courses, and is currently continuing his Buddhist studies under Winston Mccullough. David began his studies in 1999 and has maintained a steady meditation and yoga practice ever since. His yoga practice and studies have centered around Geshe Michael Roach's teachings on Tibetan Heart Yoga, and now, Lady Niguma. David has studied with Geshe Michael Roach, Lama Marut, Brandy Davis, and Amie Diller. David resides in Nashville with his wife Michelle and daughter Maeve.

RICK BLUE and
LINDSAY CROUSE Husband and wife Rick Blue and Lindsay Crouse completed the Asian Classics Institute teacher-training program in 2004, and graduated from the advanced program in 2010. They helped found the Mahasukha Center in Los Angeles, and are now senior teachers there. They have taken teachings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the United States and India, and continue to study with with Venerable Sumati Marut, Geshe Michael Roach, and Lama Christie McNally.

Lindsay is an Academy Award-nominated actress, who has taught directing at USC Graduate Film School, and acting at major universities around the country. Merging her love of Buddhism and art, she has created a unique series of teachings blending the craft of acting with the philosophy of dharma. She has developed her own series of classes based on Tibetan Buddhist principles: No More Enemies, Spelunking Into Paradise, Freedom in the Field of Play, and Creative Where it Counts.

Rick works in the television and film industry as an editor and director. He wrapped a nine-year run on the hit series Scrubs, and his next assignment is with the new NBC series, Up All Night. Rick continues to keep a foot in the documentary world, and is developing a feature documentary about non-violence. He also edited the feature film “In Search of Kundun with Martin Scorsese.”

In addition to their individual teaching schedules, they teach Spiritual Partnership together around the country.

MICHAEL JOHNSON ERYT-500 and
STEPHANIE JOHNSON Cindy Lee

are certified Jivamukti and Tibetan Heart Yoga instructors who have studied directly with Geshe Michael, Lama Christie, Sharon Gannon, David Life, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, Sri Swami Satchidandanda and many others. Michael has been a full-time yoga teacher in the Detroit area since 2001. Stephanie is also certified in restorative yoga and Thai Yoga Massage. They both live in Asheville, North Carolina and continue to study Yoga and Buddhism closely with Kimberley Theresa. Learn more at

BOB ARNOLD has been studying meditation and sacred movement, including Tibetan Heart Yoga and Tai Chi, for more than 20 years. He is a graduate of the Yoga Studies Institute 300-hour teacher training and is YSI Essentials Staff for Tibetan Heart Yoga and the Classics of Yoga. He also teaches a special style of Tai Chi which combines the true philosophy of yoga with a gentle Tai Chi form. Bob continues to study with his Heart Teachers, Lindsay Crouse and Rick Blue, and also with Geshe Michael Roach and Lama Marut.