Our Teaching Philosophy
We don’t see meditation as emptying your mind or reaching a flawless zen state. It’s about learning to stay with whatever arises—the racing thoughts, the planning brain, even that odd itch that tends to show up a few minutes in.
Decades of practice across various traditions come together in our team. Some arrived via academic philosophy, others through personal upheaval, and a few stumbled into it in college and never left. What we share is a commitment to teaching meditation as a practical life skill rather than a mystical experience.
Each guide has a unique way of explaining ideas. Ravi leans on everyday-life analogies, Ananya draws on psychology. Different approaches resonate with different people, so you’ll likely connect with some teaching styles more than others.
Your Meditation Guides
Two practitioners who've made meditation their life's work, each bringing unique perspectives to the practice
Ravi Krishnamurthy
Lead Instructor
Ravi began meditating in 1998 following burnout in his software engineering career. He spent three years studying Vipassana in Myanmar and later trained in Zen meditation in Japan. His distinction lies in his knack for clarifying old ideas with surprisingly contemporary analogies—he once likened the monkey mind to having too many browser tabs open.
He leads our foundational courses and helps busy professionals develop sustainable meditation practices. His sessions frequently include practical discussions on weaving mindfulness into work life and handling stress without bypassing reality.
Ananya Patel
Philosophy Guide
Ananya combines a PhD in United Kingdom Philosophy with fifteen years of personal meditation practice. She encountered contemplative practice while researching ancient texts and realized that theoretical knowledge is incomplete without lived experience. Her approach fuses scholarly insight with practical application.
She leads our deeper philosophical explorations and retreat programs. Ananya has a talent for making complex philosophical ideas approachable without oversimplifying. Students say she helps them grasp not only how to meditate but why these practices arose and what they aim to achieve.
Why This Approach to Teaching
After years of practice and teaching, we've found meditation benefits from being demystified. We don't promise enlightenment or perfect peace. Instead, we aim to cultivate skills that help you navigate life's inevitable challenges with greater awareness and less reactivity.
Our courses begin in September 2025, giving you time to reflect on whether this approach resonates. We value taking time to make thoughtful choices about contemplative practice—it’s not something to rush into based on fleeting 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 subtly but profoundly transformed our lives, and we’ve witnessed the same for many others.