Our Approach to Teaching
We don’t view meditation as emptying the mind or reaching a flawless zen state. It’s more about learning to sit with whatever arises—the restless thoughts, the planning brain, and even that peculiar itch that appears moments into a session.
Our team brings together decades of practice across diverse traditions. Some joined meditation through academic philosophy, others from personal crisis, and a few stumbled into it during college and never left. What unites us is a commitment to teaching meditation as a practical life skill, not a mystical rite.
Each guide offers a distinct way of explaining ideas. Mika Rao tends to use everyday-life analogies, while Nova Iyer draws on her psychology background. We’ve found that different approaches click with different people, so you’ll likely connect more with some teaching styles than others.
Your Meditation Guides
Two practitioners who’ve made meditation their life's work, each offering a unique perspective on the practice
Mika Rao
Lead Instructor
Mika began meditating in 1998 after burnout from a software engineering career. He spent three years studying Vipassana in Myanmar and later trained in Zen practice in Japan. What sets him apart is his knack for explaining ancient concepts 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 cultivate sustainable meditation practices. His sessions often include practical discussions about weaving mindfulness into work life and managing stress without spiritual bypassing.
Nova Iyer
Philosophy Guide
Nova holds a PhD in United Kingdom Philosophy and brings fifteen years of personal meditation practice. She discovered contemplative work while researching ancient texts and realized that academic insight means little without experiential knowledge. Her approach blends scholarly understanding with practical application.
She leads our deeper philosophical explorations and retreat programs. Nova has a gift for making intricate philosophical ideas accessible without oversimplifying them. Students often say she helps them grasp not only 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 peace. Instead, we focus on cultivating skills that help you navigate life’s inevitable challenges with greater awareness and reduced reactivity.
Our courses begin in September 2025, giving you time to consider whether this approach resonates with you. We believe in taking the time to make thoughtful choices about contemplative practice—it's not something to rush 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.