BECOME A CERTIFIED MEDITATION TEACHER

DHARMA MOON 100-HOUR MINDFULNESS MEDITATION TEACHER TRAINING

WITH DAVID NICHTERN AND THE DHARMA MOON TEACHING TEAM

March 21st – June 8th, 2025

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NOT JUST ANOTHER MEDITATION TEACHER TRAINING

 

The Dharma Moon and Tibet House online 100-Hour Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training is perfect for those who want to deepen their own meditation practice and develop the skill to present mindfulness to others - it is particularly suitable for teachers, business leaders, therapists, coaches, yoga instructors, health care professionals and anyone who wants to integrate teaching meditation into their current work or modalities.

The training will help you develop the confidence, knowledge, and vocabulary to guide others to experience the transformative benefits of mindfulness meditation.

This fully online program will give you a complete understanding of meditation and an overview of the Buddhist path. Participants will:

  • Learn the foundations of Buddhist philosophy and practice
  • Lead mock teaching sessions in one-to-one and group settings, receiving constructive feedback from teachers and other trainees
  • Learn how to relate clearly and precisely to the most frequently asked questions and difficulties from beginning students
  • Build a supportive learning community with your fellow classmates
  • Develop greater presence, balance, clarity, and insight by strengthening and stabilizing your own meditation practice
  • Receive a Dharma Moon - Tibet House Certificate of Completion for students who complete all training requirements, make a satisfactory teaching presentation, and pass a written final/oral exam on the course material

 

If you're interested in discussing this training with Dharma Moon Founder and Head Teacher David Nichtern, we've reserved some time in his schedule to meet with those who want to talk to him about the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training program. Because of limited availability, we ask you to sign up for an online 1-to-1 meeting only if you want to discuss the Meditation Teacher Training program.

Click here to schedule a free 15 minute 1-to-1 zoom meeting with David Nichtern.

DHARMA MOON'S MEDITATION TEACHER TRAINING STUDENTS HAVE GONE ON TO:

 

Build careers teaching meditation workshops and classes all over the world

Dharma Moon Graduate Lucienne Di Tempora teaching a meditation workshop
Dharma Moon Graduate Lucienne Di Tempora teaching a meditation workshop


Create a roster of recurring clients drawing from individual students, corporations, non-profits, sports teams, hospitals, yoga studios, prisons and schools

 

Become leaders in the field of mindfulness and meditation and create thriving businesses and personal brands 

 

Dharma Moon Graduate Lucienne Di Tempora teaching a meditation workshop
Dharma Moon Graduate Lucienne Di Tempora teaching a meditation workshop

 

Experience significant personal transformation and lead others to a more grounded, sane, and open-hearted existence

 

Incorporate mindfulness training into their social justice work and activism

Dharma Moon Graduate Lucienne Di Tempora teaching a meditation workshop

"David is the best kind of teacher. Gentle. Insightful. Helpful. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn from him." 

- Jamie Lee Curtis

Actor, Producer, Author, and Activist

 

"David is a warm, loving, and deep teacher, and the Dharma Moon teaching team is top-notch. If you want to learn to teach meditation, look no further; take this training." 

- Krishna Das

Grammy-nominated Kirtan performer, Author and Teacher

"This program is not just a teacher training course, it’s a journey of self-discovery, acceptance and gratitude. I highly recommend it."

- Eve Lewis Prieto

Director of Meditation at Headspace and a Dharma Moon Meditation Teacher Training Graduate

"David Nichtern is one of the most effective teachers I have ever met. He's funny and smart, but even better, he uses his humor and intelligence to transmit a deeper message that can truly change your life." 

- Pete Holmes

Comedian, Actor, Producer and Author

                                                                            

REGISTRATION OPTIONS

The Spring 2025 100hr MMTT Training Levels take place over five weekends from March 21st, 2025 – June 8th, 2025 on Fridays from 6–8pm ET, Saturdays & Sundays from 10am–5pm ET. 

Register before Tuesday, February 18th, 2025 to take advantage of our Early Registration $500 off discount!

 

Select the tuition option below that works best for you.*

 

*We now offer both Afterpay and Klarna for the single payment option below, which allows you to pay for this course with up to a 12month payment plan.

Spring 2025 Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training Single Payment

Register before Tuesday, February 18th, to take advantage of our Early Registration $500 off discount!

Register with one payment of $2,495 $1,995

Spring 2025 Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training Monthly Payment

Register before Tuesday, February 18th, to take advantage of our Early Registration $500 off discount!

Register with 4 payments of $623.75 $498.75

 

CERTIFICATION

Students who complete all training requirements, make a satisfactory teaching presentation, and pass a written final/oral exam on the material covered will receive a Certificate of Completion and be co-certified by Dharma Moon and Tibet House US, the United States Cultural Center of HH the Dalai Lama. 

Level 1 - Intro to Mindfulness & The Path of Meditation 

Friday, March 21st – Sunday, March 23rd, 2025

Friday from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm ET, Saturday & Sunday from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm ET

Level 1 can be taken as a standalone course separate from the 100-hour teacher training, and serves as a comprehensive introduction to the foundational Buddhist meditation practices.

Register for Level 1: Intro to Mindfulness & The Path of Meditation here!

Meditation is not just a means of calming down or becoming more productive. It is a practice that can open the door to genuinely life-changing insights and lead to a profound new way of relating to ourselves, others, and the world around us.

This introductory level of Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training serves as a comprehensive introduction to the foundational Buddhist meditation practices.

Through talks, discussion, guided practice, breakout rooms, and experiential exercises, you will:

  • Learn the fundamentals of mindfulness meditation practice
  • Get an overview of the Buddhist path and stages of practice
  • Develop your personal meditation practice and gain a direct and intimate understanding of mindfulness practice
  • Create a strong foundation for becoming an authorized mindfulness teacher

 

Level 1 Topics:

  • What is Mindfulness? The History and Current Landscape
  • Mindfulness Meditation Instruction, Philosophy, and Practice
  • Somatic Awareness: Working with the Posture and Relating to the Body During Meditation
  • The Difference Between Mindfulness and Awareness and How They Work Together
  • Bringing Attention to the Present Moment without Bias or Judgment
  • Learning how to let go of fixations and habitual tendencies through mindfulness meditation practice
  • Working with thoughts, strong emotions, and relating to our sense perceptions during meditation.
  • Cultivating Gentleness and Precision in Practice
  • Introduction to Loving-Kindness / Maitri / Metta Meditation
  • The Buddhist View on Impermanence, Causes and Conditions, and Absolute & Relative Bodhicitta
  • An Examination of The Three Marks of Existence: Impermanence, Suffering, and Non-self and how they relate to our practice
  • Introduction to Awareness Meditation
  • Understanding Spiritual By-Passing
  • Working with Hot & Cool Boredom
  • Introduction to Walking Meditation
  • Overview of Other Meditation Traditions
  • Facilitating Ongoing Study & Practice

Level 2 - Guiding Groups

Friday, April 4th – Sunday, April 6th, 2025

Friday from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm ET, Saturday & Sunday from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm ET

During this Level, we will be shifting our emphasis away from exploring the view and history of the Buddhist tradition and focusing on how to give solid, cohesive mindfulness meditation instruction in a group setting.

While there will always be room for individual style and expression, we will emphasize a consistent and cohesive approach toward presenting mindfulness practice based on the methodology in this teacher training.

Through talks, discussion, guided practice, breakout rooms, and experiential exercises, you will:

  • Develop clarity and communication skills for presenting meditation to others in a group setting
  • Discuss the role of the teacher
  • Learn the sequence, principles & guidelines for giving mindfulness instruction
  • Practice presenting mindfulness meditation instruction and leading simulated intro-level classes for beginners. 
  • Examine the nuances of teaching mindfulness in various contexts and settings, ranging from yoga classes to schools, corporate environments, hospitals, community centers, etc.

* Please Note: In order to attend Levels 2 - 5, you must first complete Level 1. Each Level must be taken sequentially.

 

Level 2 Topics:

  • Getting Clear About Our Goals and Aspirations Around Our Practice, Training, and Teaching Others.
  • Understanding the Role Personal Practice Has in Teaching Meditation.
  • Identifying Signs of Progress on the Path
  • Knowing What You Know and What You Don’t Know: Remaining Honest and Humble as a Teacher
  • Incorporating Ongoing Self-Assessment and Peer Feedback As a Teacher 
  • Holding Space During Practice
  • Trusting your students’ intelligence and allowing them to experience their own wisdom and insight
  • Incorporating Deep Listening Exercises to Hear the Subtleties of What is Being Communicated
  • Leading Effective Group Discussions
  • When Students Get Stuck: Addressing Common Problems and Most Frequently Asked Questions

Level 3 - Providing Personal Instruction

Friday, April 25th – Sunday, April 27th, 2025

Friday from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm ET, Saturday & Sunday from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm ET

In this segment of the training, we will introduce core principles and skillful means for presenting meditation to individual students and explore ethical guidelines in a 1:1 setting. 

In small group sessions, you will be presenting mindfulness meditation instruction and leading a simulated initial individual class.

 

Level 3 Topics:

  • Responding to Students in an Appropriate, Compassionate, and Responsible Way. 
  • Distinguishing the Role of a Meditation Teacher from A Therapist
  • Respecting the Student’s Intelligence and Leaving Room for Discovery
  • Getting to Know Your Student
  • Being Mindful of Potential Physical Conditions or Histories of Trauma or Mental Health Issues
  • Mixing modalities
  • Creating a Comfortable Boundary between Students and Teachers
  • Being Conscious of Power DynamicsLeading Q&As and Making Sure the Student Feels Supported and Understands the Technique

Level 4 - How to Give a Dharma Talk

Friday, May 16th – Sunday, May 18th, 2024

Friday from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm ET, Saturday & Sunday from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm ET

Having established a strong practice/teaching foundation, in Level 4 we will explore the fundamentals of presenting dharma talks.

Giving a dharma talk is one way we can deepen our understanding of dharma - or things as they are - and of the methods we can bring to bear to skillfully develop clarity, insight and compassion for ourselves and others.

Due to the diversity of each participant’s background, experience, and interests, rather than prescribing a particular curriculum of topics to follow, you will be presented in this training with a formula and methodology for how to choose dharma topics that are relevant and meaningful to you and your students, and how to present them skillfully and effectively to others.

Through talks, discussion, guided practice, breakout rooms, and experiential exercises, you will:

  • Learn the sequence, flow, guidelines, and principles for giving an effective dharma talk
  • Understand the importance of developing the “view” and how to present it
  • Learn how to integrate dharma principles with mindfulness meditation practice
  • Practice Presenting Dharma Talks in a Group Setting

 

Level 4 Topics:  

  • Using the framework of Ground/Path/Fruition to Structure Talks
  • Using Metaphor and Analogy in Dharma Talks
  • Incorporating Personal Stories and Experiences Without Making it About You
  • Learning How and When to Use Supportive Quotes and Content From Other Teachers
  • Taking Your Seat as a Teacher
  • Maintaining a “Beginner’s Mind” and Staying Fluid As the Communication Unfolds
  • Speaking From Your Own Experience.
  • Cultivating Space and Spaciousness 
  • Embodying the Teachings and Creating Trust and Confidence In You as a Teacher.
  • Knowing Your Goals for Evolving Study and Practice and Identifying Obstacles to Achieving These Goals

Level 5 - Sealing the Practice & Closing Ceremony

Friday, June 6th – Sunday, June 8th, 2025

Friday from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm ET, Saturday & Sunday from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm ET

In this part of the training, we will focus on how to bring your teaching practice out into the world. There will be a final review & summary of the entire program as well as presentations on the business of teaching meditation and understanding teacher ethics & skillful means.

  • Through talks, discussion, guided practice, breakout rooms, and experiential exercises, you will:
  •  Review all course materials
  • Understand and discuss teacher ethics
  • Learn the business principles of teaching meditation
  • Certificate ceremony and group celebration

 

Level 5 Topics: 

  • Creating a Welcoming Space for All
  • Protecting Confidentiality
  • Helping Students Feel Safe and Supported to Explore the Unknown Parts of Their Mind and Experience
  • Staying Centered in your Own Experience and Not Offering Unsolicited Advice or Feedback
  • Acknowledging Differences in Backgrounds, Experience, Interests, and Values.
  • Creating Ethical Classroom Boundaries
  • Opening to Whatever Arises with Gentleness and Curiosity 
  • The Three “Zones” of Experience Working with Challenges
  • Ongoing Professional Development
  • Teaching Friends & Family
  • Teaching in Corporate / Fitness / Education / Health & Wellness environments
  • LGBTQI+, Trauma, Racial Equity, Addiction and Recovery, & Incarceration Resources
  • Cultivating Business Skills to Develop your Brand and Platform

 

 

ABOUT THE TEACHER

David Nichtern is a senior teacher in the lineage of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. This tradition combines a contemporary, secular approach to meditation with the ancient practices and philosophies of Tibetan Buddhism.

David is also a four-time Emmy winner and two-time Grammy nominee, and a successful entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience integrating spiritual practice and everyday living.

He is the author of Awakening From The Daydream: Reimagining The Buddha’s Wheel of Life and Creativity Spirituality and Making A Buck on Wisdom Publications.

TEACHING TEAM

Rebecca D'Onofrio

Brittaney Valentino

Jasmine Lamb

Michael Kammers

Susan Layden

Noel Coakley

RenĂŠ Fay

Stephanie Belhomme

Eric Gerard

STUDENT FEEDBACK

 

"This program was incredible. As a student of meditation for years and a yoga teacher, this program offered me the tools necessary to teach meditation and to deepen my own practice."

 

"This training added a whole other facet to my coaching practice." 

 

"I’m teaching the last class of a 4-week Intro to Mindfulness course today at noon. The course has been SUCH a success. Students are telling me that they’ve been able to be calm in the face of hardship. That they’ve had a “good month” but don’t know why because nothing has physically changed. I’m writing the dharma talk now on Letting Go and feeling so grateful for the simple outline your team has given me to spread these messages in such a succinct and clear way. It works! Thank you! 🙏"

 

"There are many meditation teacher training programs out there and I'm so glad I chose this one. To me it felt grounded and rooted in truth and love. I feel like I was gifted with this knowledge and practice and am excited to go spread it out to others."

 

"I came to the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training program because I'm looking to make a significant career shift. I already had a meditation platform (as a side gig) but this certification has given me the inspiration to move that platform to the center of my life so I can make a living teaching meditation, help others learn the practice, and deepen my own practice and path."

 

"It’s been amazing. I have deepened my practice and learned a useful and fulfilling skill. I also feel like I've just begun walking what will be a long and joyful path for myself."

 

"Taking the Dharma Moon MMTT has meant so much to me in ways I never could have predicted. There was connecting with such a fantastic group of people. There was the container Dharma Moon provided for all of us to collect and gather our thoughts and intentions towards bringing clarity and sanity into our minds and then learning how to effectively start to do this for the hearts and minds of others. So unbelievably powerful and productive. And then, the most effecting part was the amazing curriculum, teacher, and staff. I have been studying and teaching Dharma and heart-centered services for 20 years. This training was, hands down, the most comprehensive, usable, and clarifying professional training I have ever taken! I've continued to participate and take classes with Dharma Moon because of its enormous impact on my personal and professional life. So grateful." 

 

"I had taken another online teacher training a few years ago and it pales in comparison to this program. This program is of very high quality. Well done."

 

"This training was EVERYTHING! I have been teaching mindfulness meditation for about 5-6 years. My teaching lacked clarity & focus. This program has given me so many gifts. The View. Ground / Path / Fruition. Precision / Gentleness / Letting Go. Practice giving Dharma Talks. An amazing Sangha of Dharma Moon teachers & students and the vast but always accessible teachings from David." 

            

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Dharma Moon is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. In this training and in everything we do, we welcome people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, gender identity or expression, differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, and other qualities that make us unique.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

We are here to help! If you have questions about the training, Dharma Moon, or scholarships, feel free to email us at [email protected]

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