Our People
Hutia te rito o te harakeke
Kei hea te kōmako e kō?
Kī mai ki ahau
He aha te mea nui o te ao?
Māku e kī atu
He tangata! He tangata! He tangata, hī!
Pull out the shoot of the flax bush
Where will the bellbird sing?
Say to me
What is the greatest thing in this world?
I will say
The people! The people! The people!
Guiding Teacher - Jill Shepherd
Jill Shepherd began practicing insight meditation in Thailand in 1999, and since that time has lived and worked at several meditation centres and monasteries in the US, Australia, England, and Thailand.
She spent seven years on staff at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, where she participated in several long retreats and Buddhist study programmes, as well as offering weekly meditation classes at a nearby men's prison.
She is a graduate of the IMS/Spirit Rock teacher training program in the US, under the guidance of Joseph Goldstein and Gil Fronsdal. Currently, she divides her time mostly between the US, Australia and New Zealand, teaching vipassana and brahma vihara retreats and offering ongoing study and practice groups focused on bringing the dharma into daily life. Visit Jill’s blog
Visiting Teachers
Former Buddhist monastics Willa Thaniya Reid and Elizabeth Day work alongside Auckland Insight, offering guidance and retreats. They provide a regular schedule of meditation and yoga from their centre, Kihikihi Meditation and Yoga and lead retreats locally and internationally.
Meet our Facilitators…
(our facilitators, along with our teachers, take turns in presenting our Thursday evening programmes)
Bruce Gabites - I’ve been a member of the Auckland Insight Meditation community (sangha) since 2018. Some of the benefits I’ve felt from over 30 years of almost daily meditation practise are: less anxiety, anger, better mood and a greater understanding of and kindness towards others. I come from a science background so I approach the Buddhist teachings from a perspective of curiosity and scientific enquiry. I’m particularly interested in the many ways in which the 2500 year old teachings of the Buddha are being reflected or rediscovered in modern science such as in physics, psychology, neurophysiology and ecology. As an environmental educator am especially interested in the relevance of the Buddha’s teachings to contemporary societal issues and enjoy the challenge of examining these aspects in my facilitations.
Clare Battersby - I have spent many years working as an educator in the Performing Arts. Meditation has become a natural part of my journey of self-development, increasing my understanding of compassion, empathy and awareness of the benefits to the wider community. Auckland Insight has been not only a great anchor to my continued commitment to developing my practice; I get so much from it in my daily life, as I do with the Performing Arts. I want to encourage others to benefit from it to and I do this by leading some Thursday sessions as a facilitator. I am looking forward meeting you at one of our Thursday evening sittings.
Deborah Shepard - I am an Auckland writer who teaches memoir and other forms of life writing. I encountered Auckland Insight five years ago in the midst of a turbulent life passage and knew on that first night, as I was welcomed with friendliness and warmth that I had come home. Slowly as I immersed myself in the teachings, and as I attended retreats and workshops, absorbing the richness of the Buddha’s insights into the human condition I found I had all I needed to live by. This was particularly so through the challenges of the pandemic and recent climactic events. Through cultivation of the meditation practice and application of the wisdoms, especially the way of the noble eightfold path, I find myself now living with greater ease and equanimity and peace.
Jane Gabites - Meditation, mindfulness and compassion are a huge part of my life. I work as a psychologist in my own private practice and I am a teacher on the app InsightTimer. In my psychology practice I draw on my mindfulness skills and mindfulness-based therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Compassion-Focussed Therapy. The Auckland Insight community has been an inspiration in both my work and my personal life. I often use the knowledge gained from Auckland Insight when developing my meditations and courses for InsightTimer. Coming to Auckland Insight, and facilitating some of the Thursday evening sessions has really enhanced my practice and understanding of meditation, mindfulness and compassion.
Liz March - I have always had an interest in the spiritual dimension. In my early twenties I practiced transcendental meditation, later Christianity and then my own journey of investigation. When I looked more deeply into insight meditation. I found it to be a very practical and effective way of gaining insight and wisdom about my life. For me this has been the most transformative and helpful path, not always easy to put into practise, but definitely beneficial. Although the teachings are drawn from Buddhism, I don’t consider insight meditation a religion, as it is not a matter of accepting a belief system, but learning through your own practice. I consider my life as a training ground and have a regular daily practice plus have been able, since retired, to make space for many longer retreats. I have a background in science, teaching and photography.
Marysia Schlaadt - It's a pleasure to facilitate for Auckland Insight and be a part of our warm, welcoming community. With a background in international education, I have a special interest in social, cultural and spiritual mutuality, and how the Buddha's teachings on wisdom and compassion can foster appropriate responses for our times. I'm also interested in exploring ways we can integrate meditation into our daily lives to live more peacefully and harmoniously with ourselves, each other, and the natural world.
Sue Dykes - As one of the Founding members of Auckland Insight, I still love coming to Thursday nights and retreats to explore the Buddha’s teachings as part of this supportive community. I’m an experienced Clinical Psychologist, and meditation practice has helped me hugely over the years. Awareness and care for my own internal world (body, heart and mind) helps me maintain steadiness, compassion and care, especially during hard times, such as when family and friends are ill or dying or when someone is suffering intensely. Constantly learning from the blending of Buddhist and Western psychologies, I’ve taught and explored the benefits of mindfulness and compassion with my clients, especially using the DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy ) model and as an MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction ) Teacher. These practices transform lives. I’ve been very fortunate to have learned from wise and caring teachers and I aspire to pass what I’ve learned on to others.
Meet our Navigators…
(our navigators guide the direction of our community)
Bruce Gabites (see above)
Clare Battersby (see above)Emmy Spijker - I work as a companion for elders. I started coming to Auckland Insight around 2020. I had done several mindfulness courses which I really enjoyed and wanted to know more about meditation. What I found was much more than meditation. I found a very welcoming community, amazing teachings and inspirational guidance. In 2022 I joined the committee as I wanted to contribute a bit more and I am enjoying growing in this role.
Jill Shepherd (Guiding Teacher - see above)
Liz March (see above)
Prue Fea
Wendy Sheffield - The practice of Insight Meditation enables me to look at what lies underneath my emotions and thoughts and why. This is a fascinating and practical teaching that offers skills to observe and modify habits that don’t serve me anymore. It opens up the possibility for me to have honest, empathetic and more skilful relationships, to feel more peaceful and grounded, with my feet firmly and lovingly on our Papatūānuku.