Insight coach? - Discussion
Insight coach?
Hi there ya'll.
I was wondering if any of you know of insight coaches? Of course someone who has SE or more...
I thought of this after reading a bit in another log a while ago. It seemed as if Michael Taft was coaching?
I am getting a job soon and could therefore afford a coach. Yay!
I would love to have one for insight practices. Perhaps one where I could check in once a week or something like that.
Does that exist? "Enlightenment for hire"? Lol.
Or perhaps just someone you can hire to wack you with a stick if you doze off?
Or someone who can sit crossed (eyed) legged, one you can go to and talk about your practice after which he/she just yells "MAKYO!!!" and continues to confuse you with riddles and pointless stories.
Anything..?
Of course writing in here and getting some response/feedback is good. And very much appreciated (dhamma badasses, you know who you are!)
But being able to talk, in depth, with someone who know what questions to ask, what I should focus on instead, etc. That would just be ri-goddam-diculously valuable.
If this thing doesn't exist, I'm sure there's a market!
Hit me up with your vast knowledge, fellow Dharmies.
Love
I was wondering if any of you know of insight coaches? Of course someone who has SE or more...
I thought of this after reading a bit in another log a while ago. It seemed as if Michael Taft was coaching?
I am getting a job soon and could therefore afford a coach. Yay!
I would love to have one for insight practices. Perhaps one where I could check in once a week or something like that.
Does that exist? "Enlightenment for hire"? Lol.
Or perhaps just someone you can hire to wack you with a stick if you doze off?
Or someone who can sit crossed (eyed) legged, one you can go to and talk about your practice after which he/she just yells "MAKYO!!!" and continues to confuse you with riddles and pointless stories.
Anything..?
Of course writing in here and getting some response/feedback is good. And very much appreciated (dhamma badasses, you know who you are!)
But being able to talk, in depth, with someone who know what questions to ask, what I should focus on instead, etc. That would just be ri-goddam-diculously valuable.
If this thing doesn't exist, I'm sure there's a market!

Hit me up with your vast knowledge, fellow Dharmies.
Love

I highly recomend Abre Fouriner who a bunch of use on this forum. She's way past SE. She really knows her stuff. Let me know if you want her mail.
Sam Gentile
I highly recomend Abre Fouriner who a bunch of use on this forum. She's way past SE. She really knows her stuff. Let me know if you want her mail.
I highly recomend Abre Fouriner who a bunch of use on this forum. She's way past SE. She really knows her stuff. Let me know if you want her mail.
I don't know how to PM on this new Liferay. But, I'd like her email please. Does she work with pre-streamenterers? Is she dana-based or flat-rate>
Zero
I don't know how to PM on this new Liferay. But, I'd like her email please. Does she work with pre-streamenterers? Is she dana-based or flat-rate>
Sam Gentile
I highly recomend Abre Fouriner who a bunch of use on this forum. She's way past SE. She really knows her stuff. Let me know if you want her mail.
I highly recomend Abre Fouriner who a bunch of use on this forum. She's way past SE. She really knows her stuff. Let me know if you want her mail.
I don't know how to PM on this new Liferay. But, I'd like her email please. Does she work with pre-streamenterers? Is she dana-based or flat-rate>
She takes pre-streamenterers. She is sliding scale. Send me a message to mscoree42@gmail.com
Zero
I don't know how to PM on this new Liferay. But, I'd like her email please. Does she work with pre-streamenterers? Is she dana-based or flat-rate>
Sam Gentile
I highly recomend Abre Fouriner who a bunch of use on this forum. She's way past SE. She really knows her stuff. Let me know if you want her mail.
I highly recomend Abre Fouriner who a bunch of use on this forum. She's way past SE. She really knows her stuff. Let me know if you want her mail.
I don't know how to PM on this new Liferay. But, I'd like her email please. Does she work with pre-streamenterers? Is she dana-based or flat-rate>
I set him up with Abre.
I've been working with Abre for a few weeks now and am getting lots of value out of it so far.
Michael Taft would also be a good bet I think. I watch his YouTube livestream guided meditations and Q+A he does weekly on Thursdays... and they'are always really, really good.
Michael Taft would also be a good bet I think. I watch his YouTube livestream guided meditations and Q+A he does weekly on Thursdays... and they'are always really, really good.
I would like to formally complete this tripartite endorsement for Abre by including my own. Been working with her since May of last year and have had an excellent experience. She also offers a sliding scale that is the most accesible I've found so far.
Others to consider:
Miles Bukiet. I've chatted with him before and he is a swell guy with lots of experience and high standards. Not sure what his rates would be. https://www.milesbukiet.com/services
Deep Mindfulness. I think they've got the experience, but I found their coaching prices to be a bit high. https://deepmindfulness.io/mentorship
Others to consider:
Miles Bukiet. I've chatted with him before and he is a swell guy with lots of experience and high standards. Not sure what his rates would be. https://www.milesbukiet.com/services
Deep Mindfulness. I think they've got the experience, but I found their coaching prices to be a bit high. https://deepmindfulness.io/mentorship
Sorry for offtopic but I am dying to know how this topic fits "Births and Deaths" category?
I would say you need good Zen teacher XD
I would say you need good Zen teacher XD
She will be filthy rich


Buddhist Geeks does one-on-one sessions:
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=16763938
https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=16763938
Tim Farrington, modified 24 Days ago.
RE: Insight coach?
Posts: 2397 Join Date: 6/13/11 Recent Posts
This is good, soon we will be able to blame all DhO shortcomings on Abre!
Also, if someone has a breakthrough while working with Abre, is it called a "Fournier Transform"?
Also, if someone has a breakthrough while working with Abre, is it called a "Fournier Transform"?
I have worked with Ron Crouch (approx. 10 sessions - he stopped teaching), had 1 session with Abre Fournier and 3-4 with Vince Horn.
Ron was my teacher at a period of my life where I wanted to explore the progress of insight map and my experience with him was superb.
When he stopped teaching I had a session with Abre Fournier. I found the one-on-one price very high, especially compared to my previous experience with Ron who accepted dana. She also referred to me being "a client" and as I didn't want to be one, I decided to move on. Based on the 1-hour experience with her, I'd say that she really knows her stuff and she will be more than enough for those that can pay to receive POI based pragmatic coaching.
Then I had 3-4 sessions with Vince Horn (like Ron he also uses the dana model). At first I did not like the fact that he was not like the others. He was not "one size fits all". The sessions with him were more like a conversation with a spiritual friend and less like a student-teacher experience. When contacted him, I really had the need for a typical relationship. I needed a teacher to ask me to do a very specific practice and then report. Vince did not do it. On the contrary, he tried to understand my mentality and came back suggesting a different meditative approach. He suggested that I should try different techniques etc.. Then, I was not ready for this. Now, I know that these conversations with him were an eye opener for me.
Please note that I am not an advanced practitioner and that as I am writing these words I consider my path very far away from both the traditional and the pragmatic POI/4-path one.
Ron was my teacher at a period of my life where I wanted to explore the progress of insight map and my experience with him was superb.
When he stopped teaching I had a session with Abre Fournier. I found the one-on-one price very high, especially compared to my previous experience with Ron who accepted dana. She also referred to me being "a client" and as I didn't want to be one, I decided to move on. Based on the 1-hour experience with her, I'd say that she really knows her stuff and she will be more than enough for those that can pay to receive POI based pragmatic coaching.
Then I had 3-4 sessions with Vince Horn (like Ron he also uses the dana model). At first I did not like the fact that he was not like the others. He was not "one size fits all". The sessions with him were more like a conversation with a spiritual friend and less like a student-teacher experience. When contacted him, I really had the need for a typical relationship. I needed a teacher to ask me to do a very specific practice and then report. Vince did not do it. On the contrary, he tried to understand my mentality and came back suggesting a different meditative approach. He suggested that I should try different techniques etc.. Then, I was not ready for this. Now, I know that these conversations with him were an eye opener for me.
Please note that I am not an advanced practitioner and that as I am writing these words I consider my path very far away from both the traditional and the pragmatic POI/4-path one.
Hey just wanted to tag on to this -- at what point does it make the most sense to pay for instruction? Beyond the obvious, "When you need the guidance"?
Does it make sense to begin with one if possible? In that case maybe you will have one person who can very accuratley chart your progress and provide feedback? That would seem to if not accelerate things, then at least reduce all of this diagnostic confusion that seems to go on with mapping progress.
I'm looking at it from a general life perspective, where common sense approaches tend to end up, well, making common sense and often the handwavy dismissals of things like, "incorporate later, just get started today" or, "eh, see if it goes ok, THEN hire a structural engineer" tend to look like arbitrary/ strange later on...That being said I'm choosing this community as my square one guidance so probably more likely than not to take the consensus opinion, at least for awhile.
Does it make sense to begin with one if possible? In that case maybe you will have one person who can very accuratley chart your progress and provide feedback? That would seem to if not accelerate things, then at least reduce all of this diagnostic confusion that seems to go on with mapping progress.
I'm looking at it from a general life perspective, where common sense approaches tend to end up, well, making common sense and often the handwavy dismissals of things like, "incorporate later, just get started today" or, "eh, see if it goes ok, THEN hire a structural engineer" tend to look like arbitrary/ strange later on...That being said I'm choosing this community as my square one guidance so probably more likely than not to take the consensus opinion, at least for awhile.
One thing to consider is that, once your local covid restrictions are sufficiently lifted, there is a lot of sense in finding a teacher in the community. You may find a face-to-face sangha that sits together weekly and is lead by an experienced teacher who may be able to give you pointers specific to your situation. This is probably the most traditional way of going about meditation practice, and it's generally free (with options for donations). It's comparable to joining a local tennis club, while hiring a personal teacher is comparable to hiring a private tennis coach. Of course, this is more difficult if you don't live in a large city, but there are some online assemblies out there too.
@Martin
the problem with that is the so called "mushroom culture" of western dharma . That teachers treat students like one grows mushrooms - keep them in the dark & feed them shit .
edit - to clarify - I enjoy going to local dharma groups for a sense of community & for silent sitting in groups of nice people in beautiful spaces. But I don't expect to have real practice conversations or get technical , awakening oriented advice .
the problem with that is the so called "mushroom culture" of western dharma . That teachers treat students like one grows mushrooms - keep them in the dark & feed them shit .
edit - to clarify - I enjoy going to local dharma groups for a sense of community & for silent sitting in groups of nice people in beautiful spaces. But I don't expect to have real practice conversations or get technical , awakening oriented advice .
From my limited experience, I would say find a teacher once there is a clear forward momentum of practice. For me, this came after my A&P where there was no doubt about making a commitment to practice.
Prior to this point there's a real question of whether or not you'll be able to put the time in to make it worth the money or effort of either party. It also makes sense post A&P since that's when all the destabilizing stuff can happen, and it's a really good idea to have an experienced guide at that point.
Prior to this point there's a real question of whether or not you'll be able to put the time in to make it worth the money or effort of either party. It also makes sense post A&P since that's when all the destabilizing stuff can happen, and it's a really good idea to have an experienced guide at that point.