Judith Simmer-Brown

Raised a minister's daughter in Nebraska, Judith Simmer-Brown began meditation practice as a student of Suzuki Roshi. It was while teaching religion and Buddhism at Western Washington University in Bellingham that Judith received a flyer inaugurating The Naropa Institute. Meeting the Vidyadhara at that first summer session in 1974 "blew her world apart," and Judith fled back to Bellingham, "not sure whether to hide or pack." But when offered a position in the new Buddhist Studies M.A. program at The Naropa Institute in 1977, Judith accepted one-week's notice to join the tiny faculty. She never left.

During her early years of teaching at Naropa, Judith worked with the Vidyadhara on various projects. He always encouraged her to trust her own experience, to teach, and to "not care so much what other people think." Judith taught at Seminaries, served on the founding faculty of the Ngedon School, directed a series of Buddhist-Christian conferences, and influenced Naropa Institute through its early, difficult years. Judith continues to teach at what is now Naropa University, chairing the religious studies department; guides the Ngedon School; and serves on several international Buddhist-Christian dialogue groups. Judith founded Naropa's Engaged Buddhism program, and has been a member of the Board of Directors of Shambhala International since 1995.

In 1980 Judith married Richard Brown, chair of the education department at Naropa. They have two children, Owen and Alicia. Judith's special passion has long been the Vidyadhara's teachings on "feminine principle," which led her to research and write Dakini's Warm Breath: The Feminine Principle in Tibetan Buddhism, published by Shambhala Publications in 2001.

Teaching Schedule


2008
Spring 2008 Boulder Semester teaching at Naropa University Religious Studies Department
Jun 9 - 12 Karme Choling Acharya Meeting
Jun 12 - 14 Rochester, NY Keynote speaker, International Thomas Merton Society meeting, Nazareth College

Jul 6 - 27

Shambhala Mountain Center Lead Acharya, Vajrayana Seminary
Jul 29 - Aug 4 Boulder Contemplative Pedagogy Seminar, Naropa University
Aug 29 - 31 Denver Women in Buddhism conference, Denver Shin Temple
Sep 12 - 14 Seattle Romantic Love program, Nalanda West
Sep 19 - 21 Boston Dialogue and Discernment Conference at Boston College
Sep 25 - 28 Boulder Translator's Conference, Light of Berotsana Translation Group
Oct 10 - 12 New York City Weekend program at Shambhala Center
Oct 13 - Nov 3 Chicago "Thomas Merton Meets Tibetan Buddhism," Paper for the Society of Buddhist-Christian Studies, American Academy of Religion
Dec 26 - Jan 11 Shambhala Mountain Center Dathun "Nurturing the Seeds of Peace"


2009
Spring 2008 Boulder Semester teaching at Naropa University Religious Studies Department
Jan 29 - Feb 1 Berkeley Bay Area teaching: Awakening from the Nightmare: The Transformation of Klesha and Karma
TBA Davis Romantic Love evening talk
Mar 1 - 7 Shambhala Mountain Center Meeting the Queen of Dakinis: A Vajrayogini Practice Intensive at the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya

Apr 10 - 12

Atlanta Romantic Love program
May 15 - 17 Toronto Romantic Love program
Jun 12 - 14 Rochester, NY Keynote speaker, International Thomas Merton Society meeting, Nazareth College, Rochester, NY
Sep 10 - 13 Boulder Frederick P. Lenz Conference, Naropa University

 

Books

"Buddhists Comment on the Rule of St. Benedict" (Penguin/Putnam, 2001), co-authored with Joseph Goldstein, Norm Fischer, Yifa, and Br. David Steindl-Rast.
"Dakini's Warm Breath: The Feminine Principle in Tibetan Buddhism" (Shambhala, 2001)