Ruth Denison (September 29, 1922 – February 26, 2015) was the first
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
teacher in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
to lead an all-women's retreat for Buddhist meditation and instruction. Her center,
Dhamma Dena Desert Vipassana Center is located in the
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily in ...
, in
Joshua Tree, California
Joshua Tree is a census-designated place (CDP) in San Bernardino County, California, San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 7,414 at the 2010 census. At approximately above sea level, Joshua Tree and its surrounding c ...
. She was also a teacher at the
Insight Meditation Society
The Insight Meditation Society (IMS) is a non-profit organization for study of Buddhism located in Barre, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1975, by Sharon Salzberg, Jack Kornfield, and Joseph Goldstein and is rooted in the Theravada tradition. Its ...
in
Barre, Massachusetts
Barre ( ) is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,530 at the 2020 census.
History
Originally called the Northwest District of Rutland, it was first settled by Europeans in 1720. The town was incorpora ...
. She sometimes taught at
Spirit Rock Meditation Center in
Woodacre, California
Woodacre is an unincorporated town and census-designated place (CDP) in Marin County, California, United States. The population was 1,410 at the 2020 census.
Geography
The community is located at in the eastern half of the San Geronimo Valley ...
.
Spending her youth and young adult years in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, she was a fervent Nazi, later imprisoned by the Russians. She immigrated to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. In the 1960s and 1970s, she was part of the alternative and counterculture scene.
She was one of four Westerners to receive permission to teach from Burmese master
U Ba Khin
Sayagyi U Ba Khin ( my, ဘခင်, ; 6 March 1899 – 19 January 1971) was the first Accountant General of the Union of Burma. He was the founder of the International Meditation Centre in Yangon, Myanmar and is principally known as a leading ...
, a layperson known for a particular method of awareness practice called
Vipassanā
''Samatha'' (Pāli; sa, शमथ ''śamatha''; ), "calm," "serenity," "tranquillity of awareness," and ''vipassanā'' (Pāli; Sanskrit ''vipaśyanā''), literally "special, super (''vi-''), seeing (''-passanā'')", are two qualities of the ...
, in which the meditator closely observes bodily sensations.
Denison died on February 26, 2015, after suffering a stroke. She was 92.
Ruth Denison, Western Dharma Pioneer and Vipassana Innovator, Dies at 92
/ref>
Bibliography
* ''Dancing in the Dharma: The Life and Teachings of Ruth Denison'' by Sandy Boucher Sandy Boucher is an American writer, Buddhist, and feminist. She lives in Oakland, California.
Life and career
Boucher received a master's degree from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. Her degree was in the history and phe ...
(Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2005. hardcover, $25.95 )
* ''Meetings with Remarkable Women: Buddhist Teachers in America'' by Lenore Friedman (Boston, MA: Shambhala, Revised and Updated Edition, 2000 )
References
External links
Dancing in the Dharma
Bowing to Life Deeply: An Interview with Ruth Denison
Dhamma Dena Desert Vipassana Center
{{DEFAULTSORT:Denison, Ruth
1922 births
2015 deaths
American Buddhists
American Theravada Buddhists
German Theravada Buddhists
German Buddhists
Theravada Buddhist spiritual teachers
Female Buddhist spiritual teachers
People from Joshua Tree, California
Students of U Ba Khin