​Buddhist Training and Sīla ​​Coaching
Buddhist Therapy and Dharma-based Counselling
​Analytical Meditation (yonisomanasikāra) Instruction
​Advanced Buddhist Path Guidance with an Ariya-puggala
Anagārika Michael Turner Buddhist Teacher and Trainer | Pasannacitta: having a bright, clear, purified, and confident mind; having faith in the three jewels and in kamma and its results
Michael Turner (Pasannacitta)

My Philosophy & My Purpose


​Hello, my name is Michael Turner (my Dhamma name is Upāsaka Pasannacitta).  I am advanced Buddhist Dhammavinaya trainer, an analytical meditation teacher, a Buddhist therapist, a personal life coach, and a full-time precept-holding Buddhist having formerly been an anagārika for eight years.

Many years ago — after nearly thirty years of study, working with teachers, and deep practice — I renounced my professional career, my relationships, my possessions, and my worldly life, and I boarded an aircraft for a monastery in Southeast Asia so that I may dedicate myself full-time to Buddhist practice, study, and teaching — continuing along my path with the intention of receiving higher-ordination as a Buddhist monk, scholar, and teacher.  My life has been an unexpectedly eventful journey ever since, bringing me to where I am today.

In my present capacity as a Buddhism-based coach and therapist, I work with Buddhist practitioners of all skill and experience levels to guide them on how to overcome the things that hold them back from true progress; that is to say, true progress toward genuine happiness, peace of mind, and contentment — i.e., the Buddhist path.  If you are looking for an insightful and skilled early Buddhist Dhamma-based teacher, mentor, coach, or therapist, or if you strive to become a stream-enterer, an awakened being, then you've found the right teacher.

Hitherto, I had been a successful and accomplished Fortune 200 professional, board member, and non-profit mentor; while at the same time, being an advanced non-sectarian teacher-practitioner who, for years, has been guiding others on the Buddhist path, while personally working with my own teachers and gurus, cultivating the understanding, the behaviours, and the dedication that are in accordance of those who genuinely strive to realise the Buddhist path toward Nibbāna.

​​Despite spending much of my life as a mentor and counsellor/therapist, I am not a casual Buddhist.  I am academically oriented and have been deeply involved in meditation and in the study and practical application of the Dhammavinaya for a long time.  I have been training/studying under Buddhist monks for more than 15 years.  Because I've directly experienced the transformative benefits of Buddhist mind training and compassion, I have a strong motivation to help others overcome the challenges they face in doing the same.

Born in 1975, I first took an interest in Buddhist studies and meditation more than 30 years ago, and I currently continue to expand my primary studies under the direction of monks from the Sri Lankan Theravāda and Thai Forest traditions while also engaging in scholarly cross-tradition dialogue with monastics from the Tibetan Gelugpa tradition.  My personal practice is that of a monastically-minded early Buddhist with a firm emphasis on the time-honoured core of the Buddha's traditional pre-sectarian Pāḷi teachings (e.g., the sutta and vinaya piṭaka), but I am also one who sees practical value in the compassion- and lovingkindness-based innovations found in Tibetan Buddhism, and I have developed an efficient method that works them together to make veritable and measurable progress to awakening, stream-entry, and beyond; more on that below.

​I came to this form of practice after spending many years balancing my Buddhist Philosophy and Dhamma studies with my daily meditation practice, when I could have otherwise just been spending that time working with the Dhamma (both on- and especially off-the-cushion) and directing my practices toward cultivating my sīla instead.  Once I dropped all of those very-Buddhist distractions, my own personal progress toward awakened enlightenment accelerated rapidly.  What that demonstrated to me was that the time we spend on- and off-the-cushion should be directly conducive to actually attaining Nibbāna rather than to satisfying our ego-centric thirst for academic knowledge, or our attachments to sectarian views, monastic rituals, or our desire for resting in blissful altered states of concentration.

I created this community of students after having helped countless numbers of people get past the intermediate and more advanced challenges associated with their meditation and Dhamma practice by enhancing their activities with time-tested Buddhist techniques coupled with personalised, insightful, and deeply knowledgeable training, coaching, and guidance for the practical application of Buddhist practices in real life.

​I evolved into this service as a natural by-product of deep study, followed by steady practice and direct insights paired with the successful tutoring at the request of countless colleagues and Dhamma/meditation practitioners over the years.

My Practice & My Path Progress

"...the Dhamma that this venerable one teaches is profound, hard to see and hard to understand, peaceful and sublime, unattainable by mere reasoning, subtle, to be experienced by the wise. This Dhamma cannot easily be taught by one affected by greed, hatred, or delusion." (MN 95 §17-19)

The most concise way to describe my spiritual progress is as a "sakadāgāmi" (a once-returner), reflecting my advanced progress along the path toward arahantship, having experienced the results of the first two fruits and currently pointed toward non-returner practice.

​I share my path's attainments because I believe it can be beneficial to those seeking proper guidance on the Path.  From a Dhamma perspective, only those who have directly understood the Four Noble Truths can accurately teach the Dhamma, and it's inappropriate for those who have not attained at least stream-entry — at a minimum — to teach this Dhammavinaya to others.  Learning from someone who lacks direct knowledge has many disadvantages and can even be harmful.  The truth is that there are very few awakened teachers who are accessible, and many people who claim to have achieved such a state are mistaken or misguided.  To avoid being misled, it would be wise to approach teachers who claim to have attained stream-entry or higher stages of awakening with caution and to assess their views and teachings carefully (including my own).

I share my attainments not as a casual act of ego but rather with humility, as an act of compassion for those who are sincerely seeking an appropriate teacher to learn from, because finding an authentically qualified teacher is very difficult, especially one who is a genuine member of the ariya-saṅgha and is able to provide proper and knowledgeable instruction on the Dhamma.  I encourage you to remain open-minded but discerning when seeking guidance on the Path.  Seek out teachers who have an established record of providing skilled and authentic instruction (i.e., confidence and insights in line with canonical Dhamma) to others.  Only they can offer a genuine potential to lead you to stream-entry and beyond.

That being said, what I bring to my advanced Path training, or alternatively, to my sagacious Buddhist life coaching is direct experience and a deep interdisciplinary expertise in the early Buddhist teachings on meditation, insight, ethics, rationality, compassion, and happiness that fills a space between the rigours of Southeast Asian monastic Buddhism and the laissez-faire attitude of its Western counterpart and my focus is foremost on the practical application of Buddhism to actually achieve happiness and peace-of-mind through meditative stability, analytical insight, and Dhamma practice to help you make your way toward (or through) the Stages of Enlightenment.
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Note: As a professional therapist and coach, I offer my professional services to guide and support individuals on their spiritual and personal journeys. While I am deeply committed to the teachings of Buddhism, this is also my livelihood. Like any professional therapist, I earn a living from the expertise and time I dedicate to each client. If you are interested in establishing a relationship with me, you can find my rates here. For more details, please refer to the FAQ near the bottom of this page. Your understanding and respect for this are appreciated.​​

My Teachings & My Style

Sīla, samādhi, and paññā.  And, in that order.
My coaching style is warm, kind, yet incisive, and it's focused on compassionately developing your sīla and on recognising and abandoning the bad habits, wrong views, and incorrect understandings of the Buddha's teachings that are holding you back from the progress that you strive so hard to achieve; while at the same time, developing the skilfulness of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions to lean toward more compassionate, positive, and peaceful states of mind — despite the problems of life — to support a strong and productive meditation and dharma practice.

I do not teach boilerplate Buddhism, and I don't specifically teach the suttas; I also don't teach the same thing to all students from a fixed curriculum — there are countless other Buddhist resources that are readily available for those high-level, boilerplate purposes, and even better, most of them are available for free.

What I provide is different.  I guide using a discussion-based Q&A format.  This approach allows me to address specific knowledge, understanding, and practice gaps while providing guidance unique to the individual needs of each of my students.  Through weekly dialogue and interactive discussions, I intentionally facilitate a deeper understanding of the Dhamma and provide a framework for structured, wise contemplation and real-world practical application of the teachings in my students.  This method not only cultivates genuine progress but also fosters a supportive and trusted learning environment and encourages them to actively seek answers and understanding.

My training and coaching are highly personalised and focus on the individual and unique needs and gaps that each student brings to the table.  As a result, the kind of teacher I am is a function of the kind of student I am working with, and I am rarely — if ever — as provocative as I am in my blog writings, where it's occasionally my intention to challenge, disrupt, and dispel widespread, common myths and distortions of the Buddhadhamma.

For some students, I am a highly academic and Dhamma-oriented course-corrector; for others, I am a soft and guiding life coach or Buddhist therapist — and I can skilfully navigate everything in between.  What is important is that I show up in ways that are most beneficial to what is needed from the person with whom I am working.

​I do this by investing the time and effort to understand each of my students as a person and as a Buddhist practitioner, and by course-correcting their understanding of the teachings, rebalancing and fleshing out their studies, honing and focusing their meditation practices, and helping them cultivate their innate capacity for resilience, compassion, patience, generosity, kindness, and equanimity.

​Actually learning how to leverage these built-in skills when the going gets tough will not only fundamentally transform your life, but will flow into, and directly fuel your progress in your practice, your meditation, and your wisdom.

I coach, guide, and train with a high degree of emphasis on sīla and the Early Buddhist Texts (EBT); and, the practical application of the Three Higher Trainings (i.e., adhisīla-sikkhā, adhicitta-sikkhā, adhipaññā-sikkhā), the Three Characteristics (i.e., anicca, dukkha, anattā), the Four Noble Truths,  the Four Brahmavihārās (a.k.a., the four immeasurables of loving-kindness, compassion, altruistic joy, and unbiased equanimity), the Five Aggregates, the Eight Worldly Concerns, and the Ten Pāramīs (a.k.a., the ten perfections) coupled with a strong and stable ānāpānasati meditation and analytical meditation (yonisomanasikāra) practice as a practical and realistic path to the clearly defined stages of Buddhist awakening, enlightenment, and Nibbāna.

It's worth noting that I do not teach a singular "direct path" or shortcuts toward stream-entry; stream-entry doesn't work that way, and you're going to have to put in the work.  But with my guidance, when you get really good at observing-and-guarding your mind, and actually using the tools, techniques, and practices that are available to you through Buddhism in your moment-to-moment experiences, and when you can support those practices with honest self-inquiry and the proper cultivation of correct understandings, skilful views, compassionate interactions, and positive mind-states, then your moment of spiritual awakening becomes natural by-product of your skilful and practical application of the Buddha's teachings.  This is what I teach.  And while this isn't as difficult as rocket science, it also isn't for those without a keen mind, supportive conditions, sincere determination, ample time, and a deep commitment to study, contemplate, and practice what's on offer. 

It is also worth noting that what I offer can genuinely lead to stream-entry (a.k.a., awakening, "partial-enlightenment") for those so inclined and dedicated.  Remember that true awakening is a rare and profound experience; it takes time and dedicated effort to develop the level of insight required to achieve it.  I am an authentic Dharma trainer, and I ask a lot of my students.  In return, they mature their sīla, develop concentration, and experience sustainable and measurable spiritual progress toward nibbāna.  Be prepared to let go of some long-held beliefs, views, practices, and other personal peccadilloes that are, in fact, keeping you from the success that you are working so diligently to attain.

As I mentioned on my home page, my teachings and my teaching style are not for everyone, but if they are for you... if you are willing to put in the time and effort... they are going to change your life.

Quick Note About This Website


​If you haven't perused my teachings blog, listened to one of my session excerpts, or subscribed to my Buddhist teachings newsletter, you are missing out on the most beneficial parts of this website and that which I offer.

My Caveats & My Emphasis


​I work with a wide variety of people: from those who are relatively new to the Dhamma but who are genuinely dedicated to learning how to successfully and realistically apply Buddhism to their life; to those who already possess a deep understanding of the Dhamma/Dharma, have subscribed to the Buddhist worldview, and have established a stable meditation practice; but most importantly of all, to those who have already attained awakening, stream-entry or once-returner stages of Buddhist enlightenment.  All across this broad skill and experience spectrum, I work with practitioners to help them better understand what's next for further progress along the Path — how to take the teachings out of the suttas and off the cushion, and how to actually use the Buddha's teachings to address their human problems while living out here in the "real world."

With the above being stated, if you are seeking instruction on how to be a "dry-insight arahant," or how to use jhāna as a form of escapism (i.e.,  becoming a "jhāna junkie"), or if you are deeply attached to religious rituals; or, if you are particularly sensitive to, or defensive of, the internal beliefs or teachings of the various Buddhist traditions and sects, I may not be a good fit for you; the Buddha had no place for sectarianism and circuitous routes to enlightenment, so my focus is deeply rooted in the canonical and time-honoured teachings found in early Buddhism (e.g., emphasising the sutta piṭaka, ānāpānasati, and yonisomanasikāra), coupled with some mind-training and applied-dharma techniques to accelerate your Buddhist progress toward stream-entry and through the first two Stages of Buddhist Enlightenment.  I am pragmatic, and from that perspective, all the other bells and whistles are viewed as distractions from the goal.

Along those lines, I also don't encourage a focus on the practices of post-schismatic Buddhist doctrines or rituals.  I guide my students away from their attachments to the alluring eddies of post-sectarian doctrinal dogma, religious practices, spiritual materialism, Buddhist metaphysics, and most importantly, contemporary shortcuts via meditation and Wrong Views — these are all distractions and are not conducive to progress, stream-entry, or spiritual enlightenment, so I strongly de-emphasise notions and practices that don't directly support the development or cultivation of the views and skills required to make measurable progress along the Path toward Buddhist enlightenment and to your general sense of contentment — because our time is limited and precious and so are the opportunities that we have to practice.

What I emphasise is developing your innate potential to be happy, patient, and peaceful through the deepening and focusing of your daily meditation, your Dhamma studies, and your applied dharma practice.  With my help, you may be able to become a veritable stream-enterer; and, along the way you will learn that while life isn't always good, it doesn't ever have to be bad, and that's one of the most valuable lessons I believe anybody can learn, especially in these troubling times of ours, and what could possibly be more important than developing your capacity to be unshakably peaceful and happy?
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Thank you for reading all of this.  Now, I invite you to see what students have had to say about working with me and to message me today to start yourself down a better path.

With mettā,
Michael Turner
Buddhist Therapist & Coach
Applied-Buddhism & Sīla Trainer
Analytical Meditation (yonisomanasikāra) Instructor

FEELING READY TO TALK?
​Opportunities to meet someone who can veritably teach what I do don't come by often.

LET'S BEGIN

If you’d like to explore Buddhism-based guidance, support, training, or coaching, click the button below to arrange an initial discussion.
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My Dharma Teachings.

Frequently Asked Questions.

I've come here for your business consulting services.  do you still offer them?
My main interest has become helping individuals achieve greater peace-of-mind and happiness in life by way of the Dhamma and meditation.  I am occasionally available to share my business acumen, taking a special interest in helping companies that are looking to do some good in the world, but, I do so for free (pro-bono) on a case-by-case basis, and not as a professional service, but rather as a community service.

If you are nonetheless still interested in such things, you are welcome to contact me find out more.
A MAHAYANA practitioner vows not to enter into nirvana until all beings are liberated.
YET YOU CLAIM TO Teach enlightenment and nibbĀna?
Thank you.  This is a remarkably common misunderstanding of the Mahayana Bodhisattva Path and the altruistic intention to guide others; understanding the root texts and commentaries can help us to better understand the intent and esoteric meaning of the teachings on this concept.  Despite being a Buddhist teacher who comes from an Early Buddhist perspective, my beliefs, views, and practices remain in accordance with the traditional Mahayana texts and practices and are influenced by my direct experience of entering into the stages of Enlightenment, the path of a Bodhisattva.

Nevertheless, I hear this frequently, so I have written a teaching to address the most common myths and misunderstandings surrounding the Altruistic Intention and Enlightenment, which I have published to my dharma blog.
ASKING for DONATIONS for your time and skills with the dhamma? is that Ok?
Thank you.  As mentioned above in some detail, I do not specifically teach the Dhamma; there are many, less advanced and less personal resources and teachers for basic Dhamma and Sutta studies.  What I offer goes far beyond Dhamma/Dharma teachings.  First and foremost, I am a professional coach and therapist, through the lens of the Dhamma; this is my profession.  What I offer, and receive donations for, are my unique expertise, experience, guidance, and counselling through the perspective of my skilled ability to lecture extemporaneously on subjects deeply and with a fluidity and appreciation for the place along the spiritual spectrum of my audience that is uncommon among my peers. These are not common skills, and my understandings and perspectives are not readily found in other teachers and coaches.

At the highest of levels, there are countless Buddhist resources available that provide their offerings in exchange for compensation: from the many Buddhist book and magazine publishers, both online and traditional (e.g., wisdom, shambhala, snow lion), to the countless (and famed) Buddhist authors, speakers, counselors, coaches, and trainers out there, and everything in-between.  Further, I am not charging for the sutta-dhamma (which is, of course, free and available to anyone), but rather for my time — and for the effort required to effectively coach others using my specialised expertise and interdisciplinary experience, coupled with practices I've developed that use Buddhism to directly overcome our human problems.  I also invest the majority of my time working with my pro bono student community, requesting dāna only from those who can affordably help me sustain my practice.

Nevertheless, the question of receiving donations for these services reflects a common misunderstanding of the Buddha's teachings, and one that seems to be unduly and inappropriately applied to those who have not taken up monastic vows.  Understanding the root texts can help us to better understand the teachings on this concept, and my beliefs, views, and practices in this matter are well in accordance with the guidance I have received from my teachers, in addition to being in accordance with Buddha's instruction found within the early Buddhist texts.

I plan to write a teaching on this, but in the meantime, I'd respectfully refer you to the disclaimer at the top of my 'student tiers and suggested donation' page, coupled with Itivuttaka § 107. {Iti 4.8; Iti 111} which covers the skilful exchange of teachings for the four requisites.  This is what allows even those who are within monastic communities and under the restrictions of the vinaya rules (i.e., monks and nuns) to make requests for food, clothing, medicine, and these days, for labour, skills, materials, and money in skilful exchange for their spiritual services, offerings, and support — which is all well and good, however please bear in mind that I am not a monastic, and thefore am I not under the protection or support of a monastic community for my financial and physical well being.  Without dāna to cover my basic needs, it would not be possible for me to survive as a person who has to cover food, housing, and healthcare expenses, and so, if not for the generosity of dāna that makes it possible for me to spend as much time doing what I do, I would not be available to be a teacher to anyone at all.

In summary, I do not charge for the Dhamma itself — I charge for my time, energy, effort, and presence that I provide to my students, and for the commitment to the progress of each student I commit myself to taking on, meeting with them weekly for an hour or more, often spending hundreds of hours over the course of years with each person.  The Dharma I share is shared freely; it's the coaching container of my time, energy, personalised mentoring, and the significant investment of myself in each and every one of my clients' lives that's compensated.  There are occasional times when someone comes by to suggest that I am guilty of "selling the Dhamma."  The Dhamma is priceless and is not mine to own; such suggestions are both unskillful and uninformed; and they are welcome to work with anyone they choose, including those who offer personal, dedicated, and hundreds of hours of their time for weekly one-on-one teaching for free, if they can find such persons to work with.  What I offer is myself and my efforts to personally and thoughtfully support and help my students integrate these teachings into their lives in profound ways that have eluded them without the appropriate instruction of a skilled and qualified guide.

This is where dāna comes in.  Right Livelihood (samma-ajiva) is about earning a living in a way that is ethical, honest, and doesn't create harm.  My Buddhism-based coaching and therapy is informed by Buddhist wisdom and decades of study, progress, and practical experience.  Just as teachers from a broad spectrum of traditional communities are supported by dāna or the income they receive for their time and dedication, your dāna enables me to fully serve and continuously expand my ability to help others.  If cost is a genuine barrier, I have a sliding scale and a generous pro bono (no-charge) program.​

It is with this perspective that I have the humble opportunity to share my skilled instruction with others: by relying on the kind generosity of others so that I may be able to cover my four requisites as I dedicate my time to the Path and to help others along theirs.
Please contact me if you would like more information or if you would like to schedule a discussion to learn more about how Buddhist training with an awakened teacher can help you develop the skills, practices, and views that cultivate the kinds of peaceful and positive states of mind that will help you navigate the rough waters of your daily life.