Our Teaching Philosophy
We see meditation not as clearing the mind or attaining a flawless state of zen. It’s more about learning to be with whatever arises—the restless thoughts, the planning mind, and even that odd itch that tends to show up a few minutes into sitting.
Our team gathers decades of practice across various traditions. Some arrived at meditation through academic philosophy, others through personal crisis, and a few discovered it in college and stayed. What unites us is a commitment to teaching meditation as a practical life skill rather than a mystical experience.
Each guide you meet has their own way of explaining concepts. Ari tends to use everyday-life analogies, while Lina draws from her psychology background. We’ve found that different approaches resonate with different people, so you’ll likely connect more strongly with certain teaching styles.
Your Meditation Guides
Two practitioners who have dedicated their lives to meditation, each bringing a distinct perspective to the practice
Ari Kapoor
Lead Instructor
Ari began meditating in 1998 after burnout from a software engineering career. They spent three years studying Vipassana in Myanmar and later trained in Zen meditation in Japan. What sets Ari apart is the ability to explain ancient concepts using surprisingly modern analogies—once comparing monkey mind to having too many browser tabs open.
Ari leads our foundational courses and specializes in helping busy professionals cultivate sustainable meditation practices. Their sessions often include practical discussions about weaving mindfulness into work life and managing stress without spiritual bypassing.
Lina Sharma
Philosophy Guide
Lina combines her PhD in United Kingdom Philosophy with fifteen years of personal meditation practice. She discovered contemplative work while researching ancient texts and realized that theoretical understanding is meaningless without experiential insight. Her approach bridges scholarly insight with practical application.
She guides our deeper philosophical explorations and retreat programs. Lina has a talent for making complex philosophical ideas accessible without oversimplifying them. Students often say she helps them understand not just how to meditate, but why these practices arose and what they aim to achieve.
Why We Teach This Way
After years of practice and teaching, we’ve learned that meditation works best when it’s demystified. We don’t promise enlightenment or claim you’ll reach perfect peace. Instead, we focus on building skills that help you navigate life’s inevitable challenges with more awareness and less reactivity.
Our courses start in September 2025, giving you time to reflect on whether this approach resonates with you. We believe in taking time to make thoughtful decisions about contemplative practice—it isn’t something to rush into based on momentary enthusiasm.
If you’re curious about learning meditation as a practical life skill rather than a spiritual pursuit, we’d be honored to guide your exploration. The practice has changed our lives in subtle but profound ways, and we’ve seen it do the same for many others.