Information about this center is no longer updated. This data was last updated on 26 September 2013.

Contact Information

Address: 2301 12th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37215
Email: onedharmainfo@gmail.com
Website: http://www.onedharmanashville.com/index.html

One Dharma Nashville is a nonprofit religious and educational corporation in Tennessee. It serves as both a Buddhist study group and integrative Buddhist meditation sangha for attendees. One Dharma Nashville attracts practitioners from a variety of Buddhist traditions, such as Zen, Vipassana, and Tibetan. It is unique in the Nashville community as one of the few Buddhist groups led by an official authorized guiding teacher. Lisa Ernst, guiding teacher and founder of One Dharma Nashville, melded her experiences in Zen and Theravada Buddhism to create a special practice that reflected her personal Buddhist perspective. One Dharma Nashville maintains an extensive social media presence which includes a website, blog, Facebook page, and Twitter feed.  

History

One Dharma Nashville was founded in 2006 by meditation teacher Lisa Ernst and serves as a contemporary Buddhist sangha that maintains its roots in traditional Buddhist practice but is not bound to the cultural forms of Buddhism. Rather, One Dharma emphasizes meditation, mindfulness, and foundational approaches that seek to liberate the mind from suffering. One Dharma Nashville is a “sister sangha” to Insight LA, the Los Angeles premiere meditation and mindfulness education center. The center in Los Angeles was founded by Trudy Goodman, Ph.D., in 2002. Ernst, One Dharma’s founder and primary teacher, practiced and studied with Dr. Goodman before receiving authorization to establish her own sangha in Nashville. 

Activities & Schedule

One Dharma meets every Monday night, from 7:00-8:30pm, for meditation, chanting, and discussion about the dharma. The session begins with a five minute loving kindness (metta) meditation, followed by a 25 minute meditation, 5 minute walking practice, and concludes with another 25 minute meditation sitting. The session also includes a group chant, dharma talk, and a question-and-answer session led by Lisa Ernst, the guiding teacher and founder of the group. All are welcome and encouraged to attend, as One Dharma does not limit meditation sessions to those who are only experienced practitioners or well-familiarized with Buddhist teachings. Beginners are usually asked to come early for an introduction to meditation and instruction about the practice. The “Basics of Mindfulness Meditation and Study Group” is offered twice a month on Saturdays, and One Dharma offers a full schedule of events, classes, and meetings, which can be viewed online. One Dharma Nashville does not actively engage in collaboration with other Buddhist groups in Nashville, but in years past, it contributed to and participated in the Nashville Buddhist Festival, an event that was hosted annually from 2005-2008.  

Leadership

Lisa Ernst, guiding teacher and founder of One Dharma Nashville, began meditating in the late 1980s. Her first exposure to Buddhism came through Zen training, as she studied with two Rinzai Zen Masters and attended numerous Zen retreats. Gradually, as Ernst became more interested in Theravada Buddhism, she shifted her focus to vipassana meditation in the 1990s. Authorized to teach as an official guiding teacher by Dr. Trudy Goodman, founder of Insight LA, Ernst founded One Dharma Nashville. Ernst teaches mindfulness and meditation practice to university students, non-profits, and large corporations in the Nashville area. Meditation at One Dharma is also led by psychologist Tom Neilson, a Buddhist practitoner for over 20 years. He worked with Buddhist teacher Jeff Collins since 2003 and recently began teaching as a certified Realization Process meditation teacher.

Demographics

Beginners and experienced meditators are encouraged to attend services at One Dharma Nashville. According to guiding teacher and founder Lisa Ernst, approximately 10 people were a part of the founding One Dharma community in 2006. Since then, the group has grown to include over 50 practictioners. Usually about 20 people attend each meditation session. Ernst attributes the growth of One Dharma to the group’s web presence, devotees’ fascination with mindfulness, and the practical benefits of meditation. There is also an increased interest in the retreats that she frequently leads. According to Ernst, there is a balance between devotees who are new to the dharma and those who were raised in the Buddhist tradition. Many attend meditation sessions at One Dharma Nashville as beginners seeking to learn more about Buddhist practice. Ernst strives to bolster One Dharma’s sense ofsangha (community). She says that one of the greatest challenges for Buddhists in the United States is finding a practicing community of other devotees who yearn to share in a family-oriented sense of fellowship.