Online: The Wisdom of Being a “Bad Meditator”
with Yong Oh
Thursday, April 16th, 2026 | 6:30pm – 8:30pm ET
Yong Oh writes: While teaching on a recent retreat, I had a familiar experience while settling into our morning meditation period. My back felt achy, my neck tight and shoulders taut. I felt restless knowing we’d be sitting for the next hour. But rather than feeling I had to stay perfectly still, maintaining a ‘teacherly’ posture, I gave myself permission to move and adjust with care. That permission and kindness carried through the meditation, amidst discomfort and fatigue. A thought arose: “After all these years, I’m grateful to finally be a ‘bad meditator’.”
This class explores freeing ourselves from ideas of who we should be, experiences we should be having, striving to do it all ‘right’, and the wisdom that can arise when we allow ourselves to be as we are.
Through dharma talks, practice and discussion, we will explore our practice as truly a refuge we can return to and rest within.
Note: This program will be recorded. The recording will be sent to all registrants after the program, so please feel free to sign up even if you cannot join in real time.
Online Registration:
Please register below. If you are able, registering at the “Supporter” level enables others to attend at the “Subsidized” level. Thank you for your generosity! (Please note that the registration price includes a base level of teacher support, and you will have the opportunity to donate more after the program.)
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Bring a Buddy: If you are a member of our Circle of Friends, you’re invited to bring a Dharma buddy to this program for no additional cost. Simply select “1” from the drop-down next to the Bring a Buddy level, and enter your special discount code (provided in your Circle of Friends welcome email) to reduce the price to that of a single, standard registration. This registration will grant attendance for you and your buddy.
Volunteering
All of our programs rely on volunteers to support our teachers and staff with various tasks and responsibilities. Volunteering allows you to participate in our programs at no cost. To inquire about volunteering opportunities, please fill out our inquiry form, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Teacher(s)
Yong Oh
Yong is a core teacher at the Durango Dharma Center and for Sacred Mountain Sangha, and is a visiting teacher for other community centers across North America. He teaches retreats at the Insight Meditation Society, Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Big Bear Retreat Center, and Vallecitos Mountain Retreat Center. He is a graduate of the 4-year Insight Meditation Society Retreat Teacher Training program, Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s Community Dharma Leaders program, and the Sacred Mountain Sangha Dharmapala training, taught by his primary teachers Kittisaro and Thanissara. He is also a graduate of the 2-year Nature Dharma Retreat Teacher Training program, and is a member of the 2023 Eco-Advisory Group sponsored by the Bess Foundation. Yong is a retired acupuncturist, is passionate about Nature and Dharma, and has particular interests in devotional expression, supporting caregivers, and offering teachings to communities of color in the Dharma.