We are pleased to introduce you to Mid America Dharma’s newest board members – Erik Hulse, Kyle Sorys and Mark Wiesman.
Erik Hulse
Greetings! I was deeply honored to be invited to join the board of directors of Mid America Dharma in January 2022 and look forward to working with my fellow board members to bring the teachings of Insight Meditation to practitioners in the Midwest.
I am a long time resident of Lenexa, Kansas and began practicing secular mindfulness in 2016, shortly after retiring from 25 years as a police officer. After being introduced to the teachings of the Buddha and many other contemporary teachers, attending retreats at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California, and discovering Temple Buddhist Center in Kansas City, my practice deepened and I decided to fully embrace the Dharma. I expect to feel like a beginner in this project for the rest of my life, but I find tremendous comfort and support in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) and am inspired to further deepen my practice in the company of fellow travelers like you.
When I’m not hanging out with my grandson, which I do a lot, I teach a variety of mindfulness classes, including MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) through Midwest Alliance for Mindfulness, Pause First, The Battle Within, Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center and other organizations.
I am also in the Buddhist chaplaincy training program at Upaya Institute and Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. As part of this program, I volunteer for several organizations, teaching mindfulness, facilitating grief support groups and working with lay chaplains. As I near the halfway point of this 2-year program, my intention is simply to serve as compassionately and wisely as I’m able, including in my role as a new board member of Mid America Dharma. I look forward to connecting with as many of you as possible!
Kyle Sorys
It was June 2011, when I first discovered Mid America Dharma. I attended a three-day mettā retreat with Sharon Salzberg and little did I know how rare that opportunity was. Much has happened in my Dharma journey since then. In addition to sitting more retreats, I earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Naropa University, lived in a Dharma community with thirty other practitioners for five years, became a teacher with Mindfulness Outreach Initiative in Omaha, Nebraska, and now happily offer my support as a Mid America Dharma board member. I am so grateful, not only for this opportunity to serve as a board member, but for the presence of Mid America Dharma in my journey since 2011. For me, accepting this opportunity to be a board member is simply another aspect of practice, allowing me to cultivate more compassion and wisdom for the benefit of myself and others. Even though I have walked this path for over thirteen years, I am humbled to be among the many accomplished practitioners and teachers of Mid America Dharma. In just the few board meetings I have already attended, I can tell how healthy and well-established this community is. I can only hope that my efforts on the board will continue to contribute towards the health and wellbeing of the Dharma in the Midwest.
Mark Wiesman
As a new board member of Mid-America Dharma, I want to express how honored and humbled I am to be a part of this sangha and to be able to contribute to it. I am a member of and teach for the local sangha here in Omaha, NE the Mindfulness Outreach Initiative. I first encountered Mid America Dharma at a retreat they hosted with Shaila Catherine and Phil Jones in 2018, and was deeply moved by the commitment and depth of this group. My first steps on the path were many years ago and my practice has been long and varied. It is my wish to bring my professional experience in business and as a volunteer and board member for other organizations as well as my experience with Dhamma to assist Mid-America Dharma in providing resources to people who wish to practice. I look forward to meeting many of you and getting to know you better as we walk together.
Back to Spring 2022 Newsletter
.