Australian by birth, Brother Phap Hai or Dharma Ocean, was ordained as a monk in 1997 and a Dharma teacher in January 2003 by Thich Nhat Hanh. He is a senior brother at Deer Park Monastery in Southern California and is an active Dharma teacher who leads retreats, days of mindfulness and talks throughout the western United States, Australia, South America and Asia. He is currently working on his first book, Nothing To It: Ten Ways to Be at Home with Yourself, which will be published by Parallax Press in Fall 2015.

Brother Phap Hai has been the co-chair of the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation since 2011 and feels very moved to have the opportunity to be in contact with so many friends with such depth of practice and generosity. He is known for his ability to share complex teachings in an accessible and humorous manner.