Robert Beatty is one of the early Theravada Buddhist teachers who helped bring Insight Meditation and Mindfulness practices to the West in the 1970s. His approach to teaching focuses on meeting students where they are in their journey, combining traditional Buddhist methods with Western psychotherapy. He has worked with thousands of students, guiding them in integrating meditation and mindfulness into their lives. His teachings combine meditation with humor, music, poetry, and movement, offering a way to engage with life’s challenges through compassion and clarity.

Throughout his path, he has had the privilege of learning from several influential teachers. He studied with a respected teacher for over forty years, gaining authorization to teach within the Burmese Buddhist tradition in 1982. Additionally, Robert studied non-dual spirituality and took novice ordination in Burma. His training continued in India, where he studied under various teachers who enriched his understanding of Buddhist teachings.

After receiving his BSc in Psychology and Chemistry from McGill University, Robert traveled extensively, living and working in Australia and Switzerland. His life changed in 1972 when he attended a Buddhist meditation retreat that deeply impacted him, leading him to ordain as a monk in India. However, due to health concerns, he returned to Canada and began exploring the connection between Western psychotherapy and Buddhist meditation. This became a central theme in his future work.

Upon returning to Canada, Robert pursued a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies, focusing on how humans impact the natural world and how people can live in greater harmony with nature. During this time, he also encountered Western psychotherapy, which influenced his approach to integrating it with meditation and mindfulness.

In 1979, Robert moved to Portland, Oregon, where he earned a Master of Social Work degree. He worked in addiction treatment before moving to hospice care, providing emotional and psychological support for those facing illness and death. In 1980, he founded a meditation group, the Portland Insight Meditation Community. Under his leadership, the community flourished and acquired a dedicated space for meditation classes and retreats. In 2024, Robert stepped down from his leadership role to focus on individual teaching and consultations.

Robert is the author of Mindfulness for a Happy Life: New Teachings of an Old Tradition for Today's World. With over four decades of experience, he has helped countless individuals address emotional and psychological challenges through meditation. His teachings have reached thousands through residential retreats, conferences, and classes across the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada.

Robert continues to offer individual consultations and teachings in meditation, Buddhist psychology, and emotional well-being. For more information about his work, please visit his website.