Gary Hillesland is a long-time meditator and has been on 35 silent retreats over the past ten years, while studying Vipassana (insight) and Samatha (concentration) meditation with teachers with Jonathan Foust and Tara Brach. He is a 2012 graduate of their two-year Meditation Teachers Training Program (MTTI).

Gary is active in IMCW, and coordinates IMCW’s mentoring program.

As a support to his sitting meditations, Gary practices Qi Gong as taught by Master Mintong Gu. He is involved with a 12-step program. In the 1970s, his teacher for 10 years was Arica founder Oscar Ichazo. Gary particularly appreciates the importance of compassion and the heart practices of insight meditation, and tries to practice loving kindness in all aspects of his life.