Bliss Hippy

The Dharma is desperately needed in our world at this time. Music can touch the heart in ways words alone could not. It is an honor to be in service to the Dharma through music.  - Maureen Hall

Maureen Hall is an accomplished singer/songwriter and Dharma teacher. Growing up against the backdrop of 1960’s America in the south, her personal experiences drew her heart to champion the cause of racial harmony. During the 70’s and 80’s she played an active role as a civil rights activist using her music and her voice while participating regularly in marches across the country.  As someone who has been and continues to be involved in the evolution of this cause, she has a strong belief that these problems have not gone away but rather, “… have become more hidden, institutionalized and sinister. Our work is not yet finished.”

Maureen’s introduction to Buddhism came in the form of a four day retreat in 2001, led by well-known Buddhist teacher, Jack Kornfield. Shortly after her experience with that retreat, she met Ginny Morgan (1948- 2011) of Columbia Missouri, the woman who would become her beloved teacher and friend. Ginny guided Maureen’s practice from 2002 until passing from complications related to breast cancer in 2011.  

Ginny served as Maureen’s mentor when she embarked on her Community Dharma Leader (CDL) training through Spirit Rock Meditation Center but transitioned before Maureen completed her training. Ginny recommended Venerable Pannavati who agreed to mentor her through the remainder of the CDL4 program. Maureen completed her training and received her meditation teaching certification in 2012 through the Community Dharma Leader Program.  

Maureen was ordained as an Acharya (Buddhist Reverand) after completing her training in the Dharmacharya Program  which was taught by Venerable Pannavati and Venerable Pannadipa.

Maureen was trained by Jon Kabat-Zinn Ph. D. and Santi Santorelili, Ed.D. in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in 2002 and then taught Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) classes at Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Missouri, for staff, faculty and students from 2010-2012 until University funding was cut for the program. She also taught MBSR for the Center for Integrative Medicine, in Springfield Missouri in 2006 and 2008. (This program was offered for nurses and chaplains with continuing education credits for nurses.)

Maureen offers Dharma talks and daylong retreats. She integrates Dharma songs throughout the talks as a way of emphasizing the principles being presented. Maureen’s Dharma talks focus on the Four Bramaviharas, Mindfulness and Non-Dualism. She also currently offers individual meditation and mind training classes.

Maureen and Richard (Bliss Hippy) have traveled with Venerable Pannavati as much as possible serving as the Venerable’s Dharma Troubadours, providing a musical compliment to the Venerable’s Dharma talks when she was still traveling extensively.

Richard and Maureen now spend several months each year on self-directed music and meditation retreats at Venerable Pannavati’s monastery, Heartwood Refuge and Retreat Center in Hendersonville, NC.

They also travel from their home in the Missouri Ozarks to record and perform with DharmaVoci, a musical group affiliated with Heartwood Refuge. DharmaVoci creates and shares music with a spiritual and uplifting focus,  incorporating Buddhist themes and practices. The group is directed by Venerable Pannavati.