Walter Köchli

Walter first came into contact with Buddhism in the early 1980-ies in Japan. He started practising Vipassana in 1987 under his first teacher, U Nyanika, at the Burmese Vihara in London. After meditating in Switzerland on his own for many years, he turned to Mahayana Buddhism and learned other techniques.

In 1998 he decided to dedicate several years to the full time practice and study of the Dhamma. He spent many years in Buddhist study centres and monasteries in England and Spain. After about two years of intensive practice in a forest monastery, he went to Burma, where he became a traditional monk at a Mahasi centre. Not happy with his teacher, Walter went looking for another and met Ashin Tejaniya. He immediately moved to Shwe Oo Min Centre, where he soon became one of U Tejaniya's assistants. He spent in total about three years at the centre, practising intensively and helping U Tejaniya edit and write his books.

In 2009 he got married and returned to Switzerland, where he has been working as a carer in a home for mentally and physically handicapped children. He continues practising in daily life and teaches mindfulness meditation courses.

Retreat with Walter Köchli occured in April 2012.