SAT CHIT ANAND

- CV LEELA VERITY -

 

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CV OF LEELA VERITY

Founder and Director

of Sat Chit Anand

 

 

 

 

 

Carol Leela Verity, BA LLB HDip Int Tax Law (Wits University), practiced as attorney at one of Johannesburg’s top law firms, Cliffe Dekker, and then as international tax consultant in the legal department of Deloittes.

 

After resigning from her professional career, she spent several years traveling in India, studying Eastern religion and philosophy, and doing retreat. In 2000, she founded SAT CHIT ANAND Buddhist Centre in Plettenberg Bay, and has been director and manager of SCA since then. SCA now comprises Buddhist Centre, Mindfulness Centre, and Healing Centre. Over the years, SCA has grown into an interfaith spiritual sanctuary for those seeking to find themselves.

 

Her main teachers include THICH NHAT HANH, well-known and much beloved Vietnamese Zen Master, and she is an ordained member of his Order of Interbeing. She has also studied and practiced extensively within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, under His Holiness the DALAI LAMA, Lama ZOPA RINPOCHE, and MINGYUR RINPOCHE. She has over 10 years of meditation experience, in the Zen, Vipassana and Tibetan Buddhist traditions.   

 

Leela has had several articles on Buddhism published in local and international magazines, including Mandala Magazine, a Tibetan Buddhist Journal, and The Mindfulness Bell, a Journal of the Art of Mindful Living. Leela is also a qualified Hatha Yoga teacher.

 

2010

 

January 2010: One-month Yoga Teacher Training Retreat

International Samvit Sagar Yoga School for Self-Knowledge

Swami Suddhananda Ashram, Tiruvannamalai, South India

 

Qualified Hatha Yoga teacher with international certification

recognised by the International Yoga Federation and the

European Yoga Alliance at the 500 hours level 


 

2009

 

January 2009: Living the Dharma

3-day teaching by His Holiness the KARMAPA

Refuge Vows

Bodhisattva Vows

Nongdro Transmission

Tergar Monastery, Bodhgaya, India

 

January 2009: Mahamudra Level 2

5-day Mahamudra Meditation Course by MINGYUR RINPOCHE

10-day Mahamudra Meditation Teachings by MINGYUR RINPOCHE

Pointing Out the Dharmakaya

Vajrasattva Empowerment

Tergar Monastery, Bodhgaya, India

 

March 2009: Mindfulness Meditation Retreat

5-day semi-silent retreat conducted by Leela Verity

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

April 2009: Mindfulness Meditation Retreat

5-day semi-silent retreat conducted by Leela Verity

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

June 2009: Zen Retreat

5-day silent retreat with Heila and Rodney Downey

The Dharma Center, Robertson, South Africa

 

August 2009: Mindfulness Meditation Retreat

5-day semi-silent retreat conducted by Leela Verity

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

September 2009: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

5-day teacher training retreat hosted by the Mindfulness Institute

Temenos Retreat, McGregor, South Africa

 

December 2009: Reconnective Healing

Seminar with DR ERIC PEARL

Cape Town, South Africa



2008

 

January 2008: Mahamudra Level 1

5-day Mahamudra Meditation Course by MINGYUR RINPOCHE

10-day Mahamudra Meditation Teachings by MINGYUR RINPOCHE

Mahamudra Aspiration Prayer

Vajrasattva Empowerment

Tergar Monastery, Bodhgaya, India

 

March 2008: Vipassana Meditation Retreat

5-day silent retreat conducted by Leela Verity

Pacha Mama Ecological Village, Costa Rica

 

May 2008: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction 

3-day retreat with DR JON KABAT-ZINN

Goudini Spa, South Africa

 

July 2008: Happiness and Its Causes

Weekend retreat by Leela Verity 

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

August 2008: The Miracle of Mindfulness

Weekend retreat by Leela Verity 

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

September 2008: Mindfulness Training Course

One week course by Leela Verity

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

December 2008: Mindfulness and Self-Compassion

10-day silent retreat with Rob Nairn

Cape Mountain Retreat, South Africa

 

 

2007

 

February 2007: Vipassana and Mahamudra retreat

One-month silent meditation retreat with Ven Antonio Satta

Root Institute, Bodhgaya, India

 

Teachings on Dependent Origination

By His Holiness the DALAI LAMA

Mahabodhi Stupa, Bodhgaya, India

 

Visit to Thrangu Rinpoche’s Monastery in Sarnath, India

Teachings: Calling the Guru from Afar

Nongdro Empowerment

Medicine Buddha Empowerment

 

April 2007: Summary of Mahamudra by Naropa

7-day retreat with Donal Creedon

Cape Mountain Retreat, South Africa

 

May 2007: Introduction to Meditation

Weekend retreat by Leela Verity

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

  

July 2007: Introduction to Buddhism

Weekend retreat by Leela Verity

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa 

 

August 2007: The Miracle of Mindfulness

Weekend retreat by Leela Verity

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa 

 

September 2007: Chan and Pure Land

Teachings by Master Hui Re

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa 

 

September 2007: Feeding your Demons

Workshop with Pieter Oosthuizen & Charlotte Rotterdam

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa 

 

October 2007: The 7 Points of Mind Training

Weekend retreat with Geshe Phende

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

November 2007: Living a Meaningful Life

Public talk by VEN TENZIN PALMO

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

December 2007: Kagyu Monlams

Teachings by His Holiness the KARMAPA

Medicine Buddha Empowerment by HH KARMAPA

Bodhgaya, India

 

 

2006

 

February 2006: Empowerments by DR AKONG RINPOCHE

Cape Town Tibetan Buddhist Centre, South Africa

Guru Rinpoche Empowerment

Vajrasattva Empowerment

Green Tara Empowerment

 

February 2006: Vipassana Meditation

Weekend retreat with Rev Pannasekara

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

March 2006: Transforming Consciousness into Wisdom

Weekend teachings by Ken Holmes

Cape Town Tibetan Buddhist Centre, South Africa

 

March 2006: Emptiness Explained

Weekend retreat with Geshe Phende

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

April 2006: Discovering Buddhism

Weekend retreat by Leela Verity

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

May 2006: Mindful Awareness in Action

Weekend retreat with Heila and Rodney Downey

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

June 2006: The Breath of the Buddha

Teachings on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness

21-day retreat with THICH NHAT HANH

Plum Village Monastery, France

 

Visit to Lama Tsongkhapa Institute, Italy

 

August 2006: The Miracle of Mindfulness

Weekend retreat by Leela Verity

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

September 2006: Heart of Enlightenment

Weekend retreat with Geshe Phende

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

October 2006: Four Foundations of Mindfulness

Weekend retreat with Karma Shenpen

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

November 2006: Mind Training, the Five Strengths

Weekend retreat with Jennifer Woodhull

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

December 2006: Acceptance and Letting Go

10-day silent retreat with Rob Nairn

Cape Mountain Retreat, South Africa

 

 

2005

 

March 2005: Transforming Negative Emotions

Weekend retreat with Geshe Phende

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

April 2005: Buddha Nature

Weekend teachings by Ken Holmes

Cape Town Tibetan Buddhist Centre, South Africa

 

May 2005: The Path to Happiness

Weekend retreat by Leela Verity

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

June 2005: Mindful Awareness in Action

Weekend retreat with Heila and Rodney Downey

The Dharma Centre, Robertson, South Africa

 

July 2005: Being Human is Divine

Weekend retreat with Karma Shenpen

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

August 2005: Vipassana Meditation

Weekend retreat with Reverend Pannasekara

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

September 2005: Zen Retreat

Long weekend retreat with Heila and Rodney Downey

The Dharma Centre, Robertson, South Africa

 

September 2005: Turning Painful Emotions into Allies

Weekend retreat with Jennifer Woodhull 

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

November 2005: Understanding Karma

Weekend retreat with Geshe Phende

Sat Chit Anand, Plett, South Africa

 

December 2005: Mind Training

10-day silent retreat with Rob Nairn

Cape Mountain Retreat, South Africa

 

December 2005: Understanding Emptiness

10-day silent retreat with Rob Nairn

Cape Mountain Retreat, South Africa

 

 

2004

 

March 2004: Empowerments by DR AKONG RINPOCHE

Cape Town Tibetan Buddhist Centre, South Africa

Bodhisattva Vows

Chenrezig Empowerment

 

June 2004: The Feet of the Buddha

Teachings on the Nature of Consciousness

21-day retreat with THICH NHAT HANH

Plum Village Monastery, France

14 Mindfulness Precepts

Ordination into Order of Interbeing

Ordination name: True Stream of Light

 

November 2004: Mind Training and the Six Paramitas

Weekend teachings by His Holiness the DALAI LAMA

Durban, South Africa

 

December 2004: Chan and Pure Land Retreat

10-day silent retreat at Nan Hua Chinese Buddhist Temple

Bronkhorstspruit, South Africa

 

 

2003

 

March 2003: DALAI LAMA Annual Public Teachings (3 weeks)

Shantideva The Bodhisattva Way of Life

Mind Training Like Rays of the Sun

Dharamsala, India

Refuge Vows

Bodhisattva Vows

Chenrezig Intiation

White Tara Long Life

 

December 2003: Insight (Vipassana) and Zen Retreat

7-day silent retreat with Stephen and Martine Batchelor

Buddhist Retreat Centre, Ixopo, South Africa

 

 

2002

 

10-day Goenka Vipassana Meditation Retreat

Hermanus, South Africa

 

June 2002: The Hand of the Buddha

Teachings on the Bodhisattva Path 

21-day retreat with THICH NHAT HANH

Plum Village Monastery, France

Refuge Vows

5 Mindfulness Precepts

Dharma name: Wondrous Voice of the Heart

 

November 2002: One-month Meditation Course

Lam Rim Stages on the Path to Enlightenment

Teachings by Ven Sangye Khadro and LAMA ZOPA RINPOCHE

Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal

Refuge Vows

Bodhisattva Vows

Tantric Initiation (Mitrugpa)

 

 

2001

 

January 2001: Integrative Spirituality

13-day silent retreat with Thanissara and Kittisaro

Buddhist Retreat Centre, Ixopo, South Africa

Theravada Buddhist Retreat

 

March 2001: DALAI LAMA Annual Public Teachings (3 weeks)

Lam Rim Stages on the Path to Enlightenment

Dharamsala, India

Refuge Vows

Bodhisattva Vows

Chenrezig Initiation

White Tara Long Life

 

 

2000

 

Founder and Director of SAT CHIT ANAND

Plettenberg Bay, South Africa

 

 

1999

 

OSHO Commune

Pune, India

 

Satsang with TYOHAR

Goa, India

 

One-month silent retreat with TYOHAR

Mahabaleshwar, India

 

One-month retreat with TYOHAR

Sajla, Himalayas, India

 

TYOHAR Commune

Costa Rica

 

 

1998

 

OSHO Commune

Pune, India

 

Satsang with TYOHAR

Pune, India

 

10-day silent retreat with TYOHAR

Mahabaleshwar, India

 

10-day silent retreat with TYOHAR

Sweden 

 

 

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

 

BACHELOR OF ARTS (BA)

1985 Wits University

 

BATCHELOR OF LAWS (LLB)

1988 Wits University

 

HIGHER DIPLOMA IN TAX LAW

1993 Wits University

 

 

PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE

 

PUBLIC PROSECUTOR 1988

Department of Justice, Johannesburg, South Africa

 

ATTORNEY 1988 - 1991

Specialised in Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution

Cliffe Dekker Law Firm, Johannesburg, South Africa

 

INTERNATIONAL TAX CONSULTANT 1994 - 1996

Deloitte and Touche Legal Department, Johannesburg, South Africa