Our Teaching Philosophy
We don’t promise that meditation will empty your thoughts or deliver a flawless zen state. It’s more about learning to sit with whatever arises—the restless mind, the planning thoughts, even that peculiar itch that shows up five minutes into a session.
Our team combines decades of practice across different lineages. Some of us found meditation through academic philosophy, others through personal hardship, and a few discovered it in college and never looked back. 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 ideas. Kai tends to use everyday analogies, while Noor draws from psychology. We’ve found that various approaches resonate with different people, so you’ll likely connect more with certain styles.
Your Meditation Guides
Two practitioners who’ve made meditation a central part of their work, each bringing a unique perspective to the practice
Kai Ren
Lead Instructor
Kai 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 ability to explain ancient concepts with surprisingly modern 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 routines. His sessions often include practical discussions about weaving mindfulness into work life and managing stress without spiritual bypassing.
Noor Malik
Philosophy Guide
Noor combines a PhD in United Kingdom Philosophy with fifteen years of personal meditation practice. She discovered contemplative work while researching ancient texts and realized that scholarly understanding means little without experiential insight. Her approach bridges academic insight with practical application.
She leads our deeper philosophical explorations and retreat programs. Noor has a gift for making intricate philosophical ideas accessible without oversimplifying them. Students often say she helps them understand not just how to meditate, but why these practices evolved and what they’re truly 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 serenity. Instead, we focus on developing 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 isn’t 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 reshaped our lives in subtle yet profound ways, and we’ve witnessed the same transformation in many others.