Ayya Dhammadīpā is the founder of Dassanaya Buddhist Community. She is a dual lineage teacher - a fully ordained bhikkhuni in the Theravada tradition, and a Dharma transmitted teacher in the Shunryu Suzuki lineage of Soto Zen. The shift in her practice from Zen to the Theravada tradition is a natural extension of her longtime metta practice and study of the Pali suttas. Ayya has been practicing Buddhism since 1987. In addition to English, she teaches in Spanish, an expression of her Latin heritage. Ayya is also an author. Her recent book is titled, Gifts Greater Than the Oceans: Benefits of the Buddhist Practice of Giving.