John with Adyashanti

Jon’s first awakening experience at the age of sixteen led him to spend many years practicing in the Zen and Vipassana Buddhist traditions. In the late 1980s, Jon’s spiritual trajectory was profoundly altered when he met Advaita master Jean Klein, with whom he studied intensively for an extended period. Jon subsequently spent time with H.W.L. Poonja and Robert Adams, both direct disciples of Ramana Maharshi.

Jon with Brother David

Jon’s spiritual development was also greatly aided by his relationship with Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Christian monk who also studied with several well-known Zen masters and has since been instrumental in building interfaith networks worldwide.

After Jon met Adyashanti in 2002, his spiritual journey came to fruition, and subsequently Adya asked Jon to teach.

Jon expresses deep gratitude to Adya and all his other teachers for being clear reflections of truth, which allowed him to find his way.

Clear Water Sangha

Clear Water Sangha was established to support the teachings of Jon Bernie. Our board of directors and dedicated volunteers help coordinate a variety of activities including the production of written publications, management of satsangs, retreats and other events, and ongoing maintenance of this website.

Clear Water Sangha is a non-profit organization that has been granted tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code. Our federal tax identification number is 26-1271037.

Clear Water Sangha’s activities are supported primarily through the generosity of our community. We deeply appreciate all whose contributions continue to make our work possible.