Our Founder
Bill Manning

Bill Manning has long had a strong interest in creating an intentional neighborhood where those who are drawn to both dharma practice and to community can live. The framework for this project is Cohousing.

Bill began exploring Buddhism nearly 50 years ago, the common connecting thread of his practice has been in the Vipassana tradition where his primary teachers have been Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg, Jack Kornfield, and Guy Armstrong. His other guiding teachers include the Tibetan teacher Tsoknyi Rinpoche and Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh.

As interest in Buddhist meditation has grown in the West in recent decades, the need for more teachers became apparent. With this in mind, in 1998 senior teachers in the Vipassana tradition created an early-stage two-year teacher training called The Community Dharma Leader program through Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California. Bill was asked to be part of the initial cohort.

Over 30 years ago he was a cofounder of the Durango Dharma Center. It has continued to be a very vibrant place of practice and a valued part of this Southwestern community in Colorado.

Since moving to Albuquerque 6 years ago, his primary practice focus has been on bringing a Dharma Cohousing Community to fruition. The first phase of this project is now ready for occupancy.