Nancy has been a student of Vipassana meditation since 2002. Her teachers include Steve Armstrong and Kamala Masters, Ajahn Sucitto, Ayya Anandabodhi and Sayadaw Tejaniya. She is drawn to the Thai Forest practices and the Early Buddhist practices but also receives wisdom from many other Buddhist practices.
Nancy finds great joy and fulfilment in teaching Insight Meditation to beginners and experienced students alike. In 2019, she opened Karuna Cottage with her husband Ewen Thomson where she teaches three groups per week. Vipassana is the oldest of Buddhist meditation practices. It comes directly from a discourse attributed to the Buddha, whose teachings promoted a gradual development of l life-supporting skills for the student. It begins with a simple direct awareness practice. The meditator notices the flow of experience without judgement or interference & cultivates compassion, wisdom and much more.
Here’s information on Nancy’s online classes: https://nancylasseter.com/vipassana-insight-meditation-3/
and the Karuna Vipassana sangha that is led by rotating teachers (in person only): https://nancylasseter.com/vipassana-karuna-sangha/
Nancy is a senior instructor of the “Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program” that she taught in the Gainesville community and at UF Health between 2004- 2019, retiring after her 35th class. Nancy is an Integrative Therapies Wellness Educator for the UF Health Arts in Medicine Program where she teaches “Beginners Meditation” online.
Nancy is a (mostly) retired Licensed Mental Health Counselor, working in Gainesville, Florida since 1987. She was the founder of the Arts in Medicine “Mobile Meditation Station” for hospital staff, the Brushes with Hope program for cancer patients and families and co-created and managed the Contemplative Arts programs that include yoga, meditation and stress reduction.
Nancy is a member of the University of Florida Mindfulness team. For 5 years, she taught a yearly course for UF medical students called “Mindfulness in Medicine.”
In the spring of 2024, Nancy had a vision to invite all of the meditators of Gainesville to get together for a monthly sit. This is now happening at the Thomas Center, on the last Saturday of each month at 9 am under the great, sacred live oak tree, led and sponsored by the Gainesville Buddhist Alliance. which she co-founded and co-leads with Dr. Shakoor of KTC.
Nancy is the co-founder and past president of Rwanda Sustainable Families, a non-profit in Rwanda that still provides schooling for 60 impoverished children through the African Peace Partners org. and their families. RSF was founded in 2010.
Here are some samples of the email reflections that Nancy writes weekly to her class and sangha practitioners on her email list. https://nancylasseter.com/reflections/