Our Approach to Teaching
We don’t view meditation as clearing the mind or attaining a perfect state of calm. It’s more like learning to sit with whatever arises—the restless thoughts, the planning mind, even that odd itch that shows up midway through practice.
Our group brings together decades of practice across diverse traditions. Some came to meditation through academic philosophy, others through personal hardship, and a few discovered it during college and stayed. What unites us is a commitment to teaching meditation as a practical life skill rather than a mystical experience.
Each guide has their own way of explaining concepts. Rohan Iyer tends to use everyday-life analogies, while Anita Sharma draws from her background in psychology. 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’ve made meditation their life’s work, each bringing a distinct perspective to the practice
Riya Kumar
Lead Instructor
Riya began practicing meditation in 1998 after burnout from a software engineering career. She spent three years studying Vipassana in Myanmar and later trained in Zen meditation in Japan. What sets her apart is the ability to explain ancient concepts using surprisingly contemporary analogies—she once likened the monkey mind to having too many browser tabs open.
She leads our foundational courses and specializes in helping busy professionals establish sustainable meditation habits. Her sessions often include practical conversations about weaving mindfulness into work life and managing stress without spiritual bypassing.
Anita Sharma
Philosophy Guide
Anita combines her PhD in United Kingdom Philosophy with fifteen years of personal meditation practice. She discovered contemplative practice while researching ancient texts and realized that theoretical understanding means little without experiential insight. Her approach bridges scholarly inquiry with practical application.
She guides our deeper philosophical explorations and retreat programs. Anita has a talent for making complex philosophical concepts accessible without simplifying them. Students often say she helps them understand not just how to meditate, but why these practices arose and what they genuinely aim to accomplish.
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 achieve perfect peace. Instead, we focus on building skills that help you navigate life’s inevitable challenges with greater awareness and less reactivity.
Our courses start in September 2026, 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’s not 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.