I help people be a better friend to themselves, others, and the world through teaching meditation, facilitating group Relatefulness practices, and coaching people through their transformation.
I primarily work with high performers who have checked all the traditional boxes of success (health, fitness, relationships, money) but still feel like something is missing around meaning, love, and self-discovery. In weekly calls, we explore how they can integrate meaning into their lives and connect to their innate love and wisdom.
I also love those who’ve devoted years towards personal development and spirituality but now struggle to integrate into daily life with questions around livelihood, community, and relationships.
If you are interested in working with me, schedule a no-cost introduction call. We will feel each other out, answer any questions, and get a sense of pain points and intentions.
My Background:
- Monastic Training: Seven years of full-time residential modern-monk training at the Monastic Academy (MAPLE), specializing in the integration of Awakening & Responsibility.
- Teaching Experience: Led week-long meditation retreats and daily 1-on-1 meditation interviews at MAPLE, including co-teaching with renowned teacher Shinzen Young. Empowered to teach by Soryu Forall & Shinzen Young.
- Meditation Practice: Over 10,000 formal hours of meditation, including three solitary cabin meditation retreats totaling 200+ days.
- Coaching Training: Completed Aletheia Coaching Level 1 and Level 2.
- Circling Training: Certified with Circling Europe, completing three SAS 6-month training programs (2016, 2017, 2018), and serving twice as a leader-in-training.
- Relational Retreat Facilitator: Over five years at MAPLE, I taught several week-long immersions, led weekly circles, and was an assistant teacher for LevelUP immersions.
- Leadership Experience: Executive Director of the Center for Mindful Learning (2019–2022), overseeing mindfulness and leadership programs including construction of a 124 acre retreat center and Mindful Village.
Feedback:
“Mitra has changed my relationship to work. His presence is patient and piercing. Within minutes of the session beginning, we stepped several layers down beneath the surface of the presenting issue. His capacity to steer us into unconscious – and often uncomfortable – root causes is a unique gift. My trust in him and his process has enabled me to face some of my most painful patterns.” – Mitch
“Mitra is an incredible friend, collaborator, facilitator, and teacher. He’s the rare kind of being that I would trust with a painful, heartfelt question or situation, to lead a circle or other collective space or ritual, or to work out a tricky challenge facing a collaborative work project. In other words, he is a wise, trustworthy human, competent and capable across multiple dimensions of excellence, uniquely well suited to thrive and flourish in a variety of diverse contexts. You would be lucky to work with him, whether as a teacher, coach, or collaborator.” – Tasshin
“Working with Mitra was an absolute pleasure. He brought out the best in me. He was able to see my struggles clearly in a way I could never have realized on my own. He approached my inner challenges with a gentle firmness that allowed me to feel seen and respected while still holding me accountable for the changes I needed help to make. He is wise, humble, and incredibly caring. If you are seeking help with your inner journey, or a particular challenge in your life, I recommend him highly.” – Cam Joyner
“As a result of a traumatizing upbringing I’ve had an admittedly complex array of obstacles to overcome. Working with Mitra has been a powerful remedy for finding my way through my deepest-set struggles. Because of his help I’ve been able to let go of a lot of the fear I had around the unknown and I now enjoy the creative act in a way I haven’t since I was a small child. I’m grateful for Mitra’s guidance and support.” – Neil Gordon
Recent Endeavors:
- Teaching & Leadership: Facilitate on the Relateful platform, advise & co-teach with Boundless Refuge retreats, and coach unfolding 1:1 sessions online. By request, I do daylong therapeutic sessions in NYC & AVL.
- Entrepreneurial Ventures: Founder of the Metanoia Guild, an incubator for Right Livelihood. I am also part of the core team of the startup, Madrona Meditation, bringing the integration of psychotherapy modalities and meditation practice together.
- Community Building: Established the Hearth, a dharma house network in Asheville, fostering a community of former monastics, entrepreneurs, coaches, and bodhisattvas working towards a more wholesome world. Launching ISH, a 3 month residential incubator for integrated spiritual heroes. (YCombinator for Bodhisattvas).
See workshops and events.
Previously, I worked as a programmer, lived in a RV across the country for two years, and completed a Masters at American University in Philosophy and Religion. I taught myself to design and build a rural cabin in the Vermont woods (2022 – 2023).
You can also check out my Facebook or Twitter, I post a lot of draft writings there.