Meditation Instructors
Instructors are ordained Buddhist monks or laypeople trained in The Middle Way Meditation Method. Each instructor donates and volunteers their time to teach us. We thank all our instructors for their generosity and loving kindness.
Teaching Monks
Venerable Dr. Nicholas Thanissaro, Ph.D
Venerable Dr Nicholas Thanissaro, Ph.D. is a Buddhist monk of UK origin. He has been a monk for twenty years and has over thirty years of meditation experience. He pioneered popular meditation courses in Europe since 1997 and has several TV guest spots, audio CD’s, books, book translations and academic articles to his name. He is also a UK Complementary Medical Association qualified teacher of meditation.
Venerable Pisit Jittasutdho
Venerable Pisit is an experienced Dharma and meditation teaching monk from the Dhammakaya Temple. Thousands of students and many groups of meditators from over 30 countries around the world have traveled to Thailand to receive his training. He has taught in various places such as the United States of America, Switzerland, Italy, South Africa, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Japan and the Philippines. He is currently based in Thailand at the World Dhammakaya Reception Center and teaches for an international Temple Stay Program. Venerable Pisit teaches weekly meditation and dharma classes live via facebook (‘Great Teaching Monk’) every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday since the end of 2016 until today.
Venerable Choo
Phra Wanchalerm Lamyaipongsatorn, or “Monk Choo,” is a Buddhist monk ordained from the Theravada Buddhist tradition in Thailand. He has been living a monastic life and training himself for sixteen years. He believes meditation can improve the quality of life in both physical and mental well-being. Anyone can benefit from meditation regardless of their race or belief. So, he has traveled to different locations in different countries to share his knowledge of meditation with the locals for over a decade. He has spent years sharing meditation with people in Thailand, Mongolia, America, and Mexico. He is the director of the Mindful Relaxation Program and currently lives and dedicates his time to helping people find peace and happiness through meditation in the US.
More info: https://www.mindfulrelaxation.org/about-9-1
Venerable Klint Kunachawo
Venerable Klint Kunachawo was born and raised in the United States. Grew up learning and practicing Buddhism and meditation from a young age. Until finally making the choice and ordaining as a monk since January 5, 2010. He now teaches meditation at the Dhammakaya International Meditation Center in Fanwood, New Jersey. While ordained as a monk he studied at Drew University and got a Bachelor Degree in Psychology. He continues to practice meditation and does his best to help those around him and share happiness and peace to the world one person at a time.
Founding Members
Lar Nimit – Director and Founder
Lar Nimit is the director and founder of the Meditation Center of Alabama. With over 25 years of meditation experience, she has explored various techniques and has been dedicated to practicing the Middle Way Meditation method for more than two decades.
Beyond her deep commitment to meditation, Lar is a certified public accountant and previously owned Bangkok Thai Cuisine, a beloved local Thai restaurant. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Kasetsart University in Bangkok, Thailand, and a Master’s degree in Economics from Western Michigan University.
Her passion for holistic healing has led her to study Universe Energy Healing and Pranic Healing in depth. She is a Qigong coach, having attended multiple Qigong classes at the Omega Institute in New York. Lar is a certified Mindfulness & Meditation Coach from World Peace Initiative and has completed MBSR Instructor Training from the Mindfulness and Health Institute.
She is dedicated to spreading true inner peace and happiness, helping others cultivate mindfulness and well-being through the transformative power of meditation. Lar’s vision is to create a Meditation Retreat Center for the community, providing a sanctuary where individuals can find peace, clarity, and deeper spiritual connection.
Nena Nimit, M.D. – Co-founder
Nena Nimit, M.D., is a Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist who finished medical school, residency and fellowship at the University of South Alabama. She is a cofounder of a non-profit organization, the Meditation Center of Alabama, and the University of South Alabama Meditation & Mindfulness Club. She is an accredited Mindfulness & Meditation Instructor, has undergone a 3-month intensive residential training, and has worked as a Wellness Physician in Thailand at wellness destination retreat sites. She is passionate about finding peace and sharing this wisdom with others.
Cay Welsh, Ph.D. & Kent Welsh Ph.D. – Guest Lecturers
Cay Welsh, Ph.D. is a retired clinical psychologist who earned her graduate degrees at the University of Alabama and completed her internship at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. She has been a faculty member at several universities and retired from the University of South Alabama after more than 30 years as Director of the Psychology Clinic. Her professional training and experience has included the use of relaxation, biofeedback, hypnosis and mindfulness as a component of psychotherapy & behavior change.