Jonathan worked as a clinical psychologist and tried different meditation techniques in the 1990’s. In 2002, inspired by the book Living Masters, he went in search of a meditation teacher in Thailand and was fortunate to find the renown Vipassana master, Ajahn Tong. He started practicing intensive Vipassana and ordained as a monk with Ajahn Tong. Later he trained as a Vipassana teacher and worked for more than 10 years at Wat Chom Tong International meditation center.
Anna started practicing intensive Vipassana meditation in 2005 and combined her practice with residential work at Vipassana meditation centers in Belgium and Germany. In 2008 she travelled to Thailand and continued her practice and training as a teacher at Wat Chom Tong with the Thai Vipassana master, Venerable Ajahn Tong Sirimangalo. Anna completed her Master of Arts in Buddhist Studies in 2019 and wrote her dissertation on the transmission of Vipassana from Burma to Thailand and the transformation of the method by Ajahn Tong.
Jonathan and Anna have taught Vipassana together in Thailand, Mexico, Italy, Spain and South Africa. Since 2014 they have taught and managed the Tisarana Vipassananusorn Meditation Center in Prague.
Libor believes that his first Vipassana retreat in Thailand in November 2013 helped to save his life and was his motivation to co-found the Tisarana Vipassananusorn meditation center in Prague in 2014. Thanat, the late director of the International Vipassana center, described Libor as the engine of Tisarana. Not only is he the co-founder, he is also the Chairman of the non-profit association, the main donor, a teacher and student. Since 2014, when he set up the meditation center and invited Jonathan and Anna to teach at Tisarana, he has supported the International center in Thailand and arranged for Ajahn Tong, Thanat and Kate to visit Tisarana. In recognition of his work, he received the Sema-Dhammachaka Award from 'Her Royal Highness Maha Chakri Sirindhornis' in Bangkok in April 2023.
Libor co-founded the NEO alcohol and drug recovery center in July 2017 and
ensured that Vipassana meditation was offered to help clients gain insight into the underlying causes of their addiction and to help them to stay sober.
Ondřej completed his Masters degree in theoretical sociology at Charles University and worked in the non-profit sector. He completed the foundation Vipassana meditation course in the tradition of Ajahn Tong under the guidance of Jonathan and Anna in 2016. The excellent results he experienced from Vipassana motivated him to continue intensive meditation practice and to work closely with the teachers and at Tisarana center. Ondřej interpreted, translated, helped with the students and started training as a teacher. He ordained as a monk at Wat Chom Tong and finished his teacher training with Ajahn Tong and Thanat Chindaporn and received his teaching certificate in 2021. He works as Vipassana teacher at Tisarana and Neo Center for alcohol and drug rehabilitation.