John Haspel is an author, meditation teacher, retreat leader, and workshop leader. John's interest in Eastern philosophy began in his teens and developed further in his mid twenties. Having taken the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1981 as they were originally intended, John recovered from alcoholism and addiction and his interest in meditation deepened.
Upon a foundation of self-reflection and service to others, John learned various meditation techniques. He came to study in many of the modern schools of Buddhism. John eventually focused his study on the direct teachings of the Buddha as preserved in the Pali Canon, free of cultural and individual influences that led to the later developments common to modern Buddhism.
Through study and application of the direct teachings of the Buddha John has found a deeply profound but accessible and understandable path for anyone interested putting aside all confusion and suffering common to humankind.
John is the founder and Dhamma teacher at Cross River Meditation Center in Frenchtown New Jersey. John is the author of the book
The Truth of Happiness which is a ten-week personal study of the Buddha's original teachings. John is also the author of
the root of a tree, an empty hut - A Practical guide to Meditation and Mindfulness, available March 2015. Additional information about John, his weekly classes, retreats, Dhamma articles, Dhamma talks, and individual instruction can be found at
CrossRiverMeditation.com.
John leads 12 step workshops based on his book
The Spiritual Solution - Simple and Effective Recovery Through the Taking and Teaching of the 12 Steps. Additional information about John, his recovery, and the Spiritual Solution 12 Steps workshops can be found at
johnh12steps.com
