Our Teaching Philosophy
We don’t see meditation as merely emptying the mind or reaching a flawless state of calm. It’s more like learning to sit with whatever arises—restless thoughts, a busy planning mind, or even that peculiar itch that appears five minutes into a session.
Our team draws on many decades of practice across various traditions. Some arrived at meditation through academic philosophy, others through personal upheavals, and a few wandered into it during college and stayed. What we share is a commitment to teaching meditation as a practical life skill rather than a mystical experience.
Each guide brings their own approach. Jordan Reed tends to use everyday-life analogies, while Mira Chen draws on a background in psychology. We’ve found that different methods connect with different people, so you’re likely to resonate 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
Jordan Reed
Lead Instructor
Jordan began meditating in 1998 after burnout from a software engineering career. He spent three years studying Vipassana in Myanmar and later trained in Zen meditation in Japan. What sets him apart is his knack for explaining ancient ideas through surprisingly contemporary analogies—he once compared monkey mind to having too many browser tabs open.
He leads our foundational courses and specializes in helping busy professionals establish sustainable meditation practices. His sessions often include practical discussions about weaving mindfulness into work life and handling stress without spiritual bypassing.
Mira Chen
Philosophy Guide
Mira 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 scholarship means little without lived experience. Her approach bridges academic insight with practical application.
She guides our deeper philosophical explorations and retreat programs. Mira 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 developed and what they’re truly meant to accomplish.
Why We Teach This Way
After years of practice and teaching, we’ve found 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 meet life’s inevitable challenges with more awareness and less reactivity.
Our courses begin in September 2026, giving you time to reflect on whether this approach resonates with you. We believe in taking time to thoughtfully decide 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 enriched our lives in subtle but meaningful ways, and we’ve seen it do the same for many others.