Kittisaro - from Tennessee USA, was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford before going to Thailand to ordain with Ajahn Chah in 1976. He was a monk for 15 years and during that time helped found Chithurst Monastery and Devon Vihara in the UK. He also taught extensively during this time and was involved in the training of monks. He disrobed in 1991 and since then has taught internationally, with his wife Thanissara, in the States, Europe, Africa, Canada and Israel. He has studied and practised Chan and Pure Land for 20 years informed by the Chinese school of Master Hua. Kittisaro has completed two one year long retreats and is currently writing in between continuing his teaching engagements.

Thanissara - from an Anglo-Irish background, started Buddhist practice in the Burmese school in 1975. She was inspired to ordain after meeting Ajahn Chah and spent 12 years as a nun being one of the first women to take ordination in the UK. During her monastic life she became interested in the placement of the feminine within Buddhism. She was involved in founding activities for families and children at Amaravati Monastery which later led to the establishment of the Dharma school in Brighton. Thanissara has an MA in Buddhist Pyschotherapy from Middx University & the Karuna Institute, UK. She has written a book of poetry, ‘Garden of the Midnight Rosary'.

Kittisaro and Thanissara spent 7 years as guiding teachers of the Buddhist Retreat Centre, KwaZulu Natal, S.Africa and initiated the Woza Moya HIV/Aids Outreach which they continue to fund raise for. Woza Moya operates from the Chibini community which is local to the Buddhist Retreat Centre. They are currently raising funds to support the launch of the Khuphuka Project in Mquatsheni, KwaZulu. They teach internationally in Europe, the US and Israel and regularly host one to three month retreats at Dharmagiri Hermitage.

Buddhist Retreat Centre, Ixopo, KwaZulu Natal see: http://www.brcixopo.co.za/

Woza Moya Project, Ixopo KZN: http://www.wozamoyabrc.org.za/