Mindful.Dharma 2026
A Yearlong Deep Dive into
Buddhist Philosophy & Meditation
Live Class Sessions Wednesdays 7-9pm ET
January - December 2026
Led by Senior Buddhist teacher and acclaimed author, Ethan Nichtern, this yearlong program offers a deep dive into Buddhist philosophy and meditation, with a focus on the Tibetan tantric tradition. Designed to be geeky-yet- practical, this program explores ancient Buddhist wisdom through a modern lens, with a focus on how students can bring the teachings off the meditation cushion and into their daily lives.
This program is best suited for those who already have a strong foundation in basic Buddhist teachings, or have already completed the introductory Yearlong Buddhist Studies program at Dharma Moon*.
*If you’re new to Buddhism or seeking a more introductory program, check out the Yearlong Buddhist Studies program hosted by our friends at Dharma Moon, which assumes no prior background in Buddhism or meditation.
Five 6-Week Course Modules
with Live Class Sessions on Wednesdays, 7-9pm ET (New York City Time)
MODULE 1 : Deep Mindfulness and the Satipatthana Sutta
January 28 - March 4
MODULE 2 : The Philosophy Behind it All: Yogacara
March 25 - April 29
MODULE 3 : The Four Immeasurables
May 20 - June 24
MODULE 4 : The Tantric Wisdom of Shambhala: Drala & the Four Dignities
September 9 - October 14
MODULE 5 : The Tantric Nature of Mind
November 4 - December 9
Meet the Teaching Team
Ethan Nichtern is a Buddhist teacher and the author of The Road Home: A Contemporary Exploration of the Buddhist Path (Farrar Straus and Giroux, North Point Press), recognized as one of Library Journal’s Best Books of 2015 and featured on Tech Insider’s “9 Books That Define 2015.” His most recent book, Confidence: Holding Your Seat Through Life’s Eight Worldly Winds (New World Library), was released in June 2024 to critical acclaim.
In addition to his writing, Ethan hosts The Road Home podcast, which has been exploring modern Buddhism and meditation since its launch in 2018. Since 2002, Ethan has taught meditation and Buddhist psychology classes and workshops around New York City and North America and Europe, along with working with students privately. Ethan’s insights on Buddhism and meditation have been featured by CNN, NPR, ABC/Yahoo News, The New York Times, Vogue.com, Ten Percent Happier, Business Insider, Nautilus, and Vice.
Born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, Maho Kawachi first encountered meditation and Buddhism in downtown Manhattan in 2000. She became an avid practitioner in 2008 and has over a decade of experience, practice, training, and certification credentials including completion of the Interdependence Project Teachers Training, Mindful Meditation Teachers Certified Program, and Mindful Mentor Training. She has trained with and under many influential teachers, including Ethan Nichtern, Jack Kornfield, and Tara Brach, and was fortunate to meet with HH the Dalai Lama in 2017.
Panos Mavromatis has studied and practiced Tibetan Buddhism for the past sixteen years. He is a certified Dharma Moon and Tibet House meditation instructor, and joined the Dharma Moon teaching team in 2021. He has been teaching and researching music theory and the psychology of music at New York University since 2003, where he directed the music theory program until 2021. In addition to music, Panos holds degrees in math and physics and enjoys exploring connections between Buddhism and Western science.
Jackie Stewart is a meditation teacher and mindfulness advisor based in NYC. She is currently a student of Mingyur Rinpoche, and serves as a practice leader in his international community, Tergar. Jackie has an MA from NYU’s school of Culture, Education, and Human Development, with a professional background in the film and TV industries. She is a mother and wife, and has found the practice of meditation an invaluable tool to parenting (and partnering) with awareness and compassion.
