Our Teaching Philosophy
We believe meditation isn’t about emptying your mind or reaching a flawless state of calm. It’s more like learning to sit with whatever arises — restless thoughts, a planning mindset, and even that peculiar itch that appears five minutes into practice.
Our team blends decades of practice across varied traditions. Some began meditation through academic philosophy, others through personal crisis, and a few stumbled into it in college and never left. What binds us is a commitment to teaching meditation as a practical life skill rather than a mystical experience.
Each guide you meet explains concepts in their own way. Niko tends to use everyday-life analogies, while Leila draws from her psychology background. We’ve found that different approaches click with different people, so you’ll likely relate to certain 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
Niko Rao
Lead Instructor
Niko began his meditation journey in 1998 after burnout in 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 concepts through surprisingly contemporary analogies — 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 frequently include practical discussions about weaving mindfulness into work life and managing stress without spiritual bypassing.
Leila Chen
Philosophy Guide
Leila 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 academic understanding means little without experiential knowledge. Her approach bridges scholarly insight with practical application.
She guides our deeper philosophical explorations and retreat programs. Leila has a gift for making complex philosophical concepts accessible without oversimplifying them. Students often say she helps them understand not just how to meditate, but why these practices emerged and what they’re truly meant 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 reach perfect tranquility. 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 2025, giving you time to reflect on whether this approach resonates with you. We believe in taking the 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.