Our Teaching Philosophy
We don’t view meditation as emptying the mind or reaching a flawless state of serenity. It’s more about learning to sit with whatever arises—the restless thoughts, the planning mindset, even that peculiar itch that shows up midway through the session.
Our team combines decades of practice across diverse traditions. Some arrived at meditation through academic philosophy, others through personal upheaval, and a few stumbled into it during college and stayed. What unites us is a commitment to teaching meditation as a practical life skill, not a mystical experience.
Each guide brings their own way of explaining ideas. Maya tends to use everyday-life analogies, while Arjun draws from his psychology background. We’ve found that different styles connect with different learners, so you’ll likely gravitate toward certain approaches.
Your Meditation Guides
Two practitioners who have made meditation their life’s work, offering distinct perspectives on the practice
Raman Varma
Lead Instructor
Raman 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 distinguishes him is his talent for explaining ancient ideas with refreshingly modern comparisons—he once likened monkey mind to having too many browser tabs open.
He leads our foundational courses and specializes in helping busy professionals cultivate sustainable meditation practices. His sessions often include practical discussions about weaving mindfulness into daily work life and managing stress without spiritual bypassing.
Anita Gupta
Philosophy Guide
Anita 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 academic insight means little without lived experience. Her approach links scholarly understanding with practical application.
She leads our deeper philosophical explorations and retreat programs. Anita has a knack for making complex philosophical ideas accessible without oversimplifying them. Students often say she helps them grasp not just how to meditate, but why these practices developed and what they’re meant 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 cultivating skills that help you navigate life’s inevitable challenges with greater 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 make thoughtful choices about contemplative practice—it's not something to rush based on momentary excitement.
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, profoundly changed our lives, and we’ve witnessed it do the same for many others.