Jon Aaron Headshot Small.jpeg

Hi, I’m Jon.

I first came across meditation in the 1970s, and then became involved with the Insight Meditation community in the late 1990s, studying mindfulness meditation and Buddhism, which have since become central to my life. Along the way, I was asked to become a Practice Leader. I started formally training to teach, both in Buddhist contexts and in secular mindfulness programs such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Breathworks. I had no plan, things just unfolded as I increasingly turned towards what was life-giving and meaningful. I have now taught over 90 cycles of the seminal MBSR curriculum, and am supporting MBSR teachers-in-training in the US, and more recently in Hungary and Japan. To deepen my understanding of this work as it relates to trauma, I have also trained in Somatic Experiencing.

I continue to be nourished by the Dharma and teach at the New York Insight Meditation Center, and at the Makom Meditation Havurah program at the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan.

My primary Dharma teacher has been Matthew Flickstein with whom I studied Buddhist meditation in the Theravada and non-dual traditions. I recently completed a two-year Dharmapala training program with Thanissara and Kittisaro of the Sacred Mountain Sangha.

Before turning to teaching full-time I was an agent and producer in the performing arts for over 30 years.

Let’s practice together

 

You can find what I am up to on my calendar of events, which includes courses, retreats and drop in sessions, offered in a number of different contexts, in person and on-line.

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays you can generally find me offering morning meditation for the Space2Meditate on-line community, founded with my partner Upayadhi.

Certifications & Accreditations

 

Teacher Certification in MBSR from the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center

MBSR Teacher Trainer Certification from the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and the Mindfulness Center of Brown University

Teacher Accreditation in Mindfulness for Health from Breathworks in the United Kingdom (Mindfulness for pain and illness)

Somatic Experiencing Practitioner®, by Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute

Affiliations & Collaborations

  • The Mindfulness Teacher Training Alliance (MTTA) is dedicated to evidence-based mindfulness training and teacher education in service of decreasing suffering and increasing thriving for humanity and the planet. I co-founded this Alliance with colleagues in the US in 2020.

  • The Global Mindfulness Collaborative is an international network of MBSR teacher trainers and colleagues, all of whom are committed to offering evidence-based MBSR teacher training in alignment with high-quality standards. I am a founding member of the GMC and current sit on the Governance Committee.

  • The NYC MBSR Collaborative is a community of practicing teachers committed to sharing the benefits of the program and providing support to one another as we deepen our own practice. I co-founded the Collaborative with fellow colleagues in 2009.

  • Looking for a live mindfulness course? Looking for a trained teacher? MML (Mindfulness Meditation Live) makes it easier to connect credentialed mindfulness teachers & learners. I am a founding partner of this project since 2021.

Always Learning

 

Dharmapala training program with Thanissara and Kittisaro, Sacred Earth Sangha, 2019-2021

Integrated Study and Practice Program at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, 2009

Foundations in Buddhist Contemplative Care program with the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, 2010

Ongoing training around white privilege and patriarchy including work with a group of experienced other male dharma teachers.

Where I teach (selection)

  • Following the closure of the physical space my partner and I opened in 2019, Space2Meditate re-emerged as an on-line community since March 2020 — the Space2Meditate Community, with meditation offerings six days a week. We are delighted to be joined by wonderful team of guest teachers across 3 continents, each with a fascinating background and journey, willing take part in this emerging adventure.

  • New York Insight is an urban center for the practice of mindful awareness, called Insight or Vipassana meditation. NYI programs include talks, weekly sittings and courses as well as daylong and weekend retreats and workshops for the integration of meditation teachings into daily life. NYI strives to be a center that reflects the vivid diversity of the city in which we live. I have been part of the NYIMC Teaching Team since 2009.

  • A leader in the area of mindfulness meditation, Makom at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan offers the well-known program Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) several times a year and related classes in mindfulness. Additionally, we explore Jewish spiritual practice and illuminate various aspects of Jewish mysticism. There are also workshops and retreats centered on Jewish contemplative practice. I have been the co-Guiding Teacher for the Havurah program here since 2011.

  • Mindful Leader offers mindfulness training, professional certification, conferences and education resources to help people create more mindful and compassionate work environments. I have been offering MBSR programming here since 2020.