Interview with Franca Leeson

Franca Leeson is the founder of Look Again. In this interview, Franca discusses her inspiration to practice meditation, finding her place in the meditation community and some of the teachers who have influenced her practice and teaching. Franca also explores how our motivations to meditate impact our practice.

In Franca's words, "Waking up isn't about getting somewhere, or becoming something that we are not. We are already awake -- it's just covered over with notions of who we are, who we should be, and how everything else should be. Meditation practice helps us observe, work with, and ultimately let go of delusions that block our experience of life."

Background: "I became interested in Buddhist meditation in the early 1980s, and took refuge in 1981 with Chöje Lama Namse Rinpoche in Toronto. Since then I have received teachings and initiations from several very senior Tibetan teachers, including Kalu Rinpoche, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Thrangu Rinpoche, Ponlop Rinpoche, and others. I also had the benefit of the teaching and encouragement of a number of outstanding Western teachers, including Catherine Jetsun Yeshe. These days I study in the Dzogchen tradition with Ruth Gilbert and Jon Parmenter, and benefit greatly from the mentoring, encouragement, and friendship of Ken McLeod.

"My particular interest is in helping people develop their own meditation practice in the context of a full 'outside' life, whatever that includes: work, children, marriage, family responsibilities. I like to show how eastern techniques and their attendant philosophies can be accessible and relevant to western people."
(source: www.lookagain.ca)

Check out Franca's profile and the profile for Look Again.