Awaken In Toronto (AIT)

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Awaken in Toronto (AIT) is a community dedicated to awakening in this lifetime.  They practice Vajrayana Buddhism with an emphasis on eco-dharma, trauma-informed dharma, and active sangha participation. They find these explorations cultivate a deep sense of belonging amongst members and allows for profound spiritual growth. 

They host weekly online meditation classes and offer meditation retreats at the Dharma Centre of Canada that allow them to explore some of life's deepest questions and their application to daily life. They meet socially and interact online to build friendships and community. All classes and discussion are based on Daná, which is a pay-what-you-value model. 

Lama Linda (Linda Hochstetler) has explored consciousness and awakening for more than 30 years. She trained with Namgyal Rinpoche—the first Canadian-born Rinpoche—from 1995 until his passing in 2003, grounding herself in Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhist practices. She later continued her studies with Qapel (Doug Duncan), a successor in the Namgyal lineage, and received permission to teach under his guidance. She is the co-founder and leader of the Awaken in Toronto Sangha, where she teaches weekly online classes on consciousness and awakening principles, and leads retreats 4 times a year.

A registered social worker specializing in illness, dying, and death, Lama Linda also maintains a thriving private psychotherapy practice, has presented widely at conferences, and has been interviewed extensively on end-of-life topics. In 2021 she published her first book, 21 Days to Die: The Canadian Guide to End of Life. A mother, wife, and friend to many, she encourages her students to use their relationships as gateways to love more deeply and explore dharma more fully. She is devoted to weaving Buddhist teachings with Western psychotherapeutic approaches to support transformative change. 

www.awakenintoronto.org or www.meetup.com/AwakenInToronto/