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Journey Through Meditation

  • Home
  • About
    • About Journey Through Meditation
    • About the Founder
    • What We Teach
    • The Benefits
  • Ebook
  • Free Guide
  • Services
    • For Individuals
    • For Organizations
    • Price Brochure
  • Journal
  • Learn
  • Podcast
  • Contact Us
Featured
Protest as Presence: When Meditation Leads Us to Speak
Jun 15, 2025
Protest as Presence: When Meditation Leads Us to Speak
Jun 15, 2025

Meditation doesn’t always mean silence. In this week’s post, I share reflections from a peaceful protest in Santa Monica—and explore how speaking up, especially when guided by inner clarity, can be a powerful act of mindfulness.

Jun 15, 2025
Planting Lavender: Cultivating Calm, One Root at a Time
Jun 8, 2025
Planting Lavender: Cultivating Calm, One Root at a Time
Jun 8, 2025

Over Memorial Day weekend, I planted two dozen lavender plants along the orchard path at our Topanga retreat center. In this post, I share why we chose lavender, how i planted it, how we’re caring for it, and how it ties into our daily meditation practice, herbal wellness routines, and plans for the retreat property.

Jun 8, 2025
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Jun 2, 2025
Starting a 4:30 AM Routine: Why We’re Rising Before the Sun
Jun 2, 2025
Jun 2, 2025
The Spirit of Place: Meditation and Celebration at Topanga Day
May 26, 2025
The Spirit of Place: Meditation and Celebration at Topanga Day
May 26, 2025

Topanga Days is the canyon’s most spirited annual celebration—a music festival and parade that bring the whole community together in color and motion. In this journal entry, I reflect on how Katy and I found presence in the middle of it all—through music, movement, and moments of quiet awareness woven into celebration.

May 26, 2025
Feathered Friends and Buzzing Blessings: New Life at the Retreat
May 18, 2025
Feathered Friends and Buzzing Blessings: New Life at the Retreat
May 18, 2025

This week, our retreat center welcomed four new chickens and a collection of honeybee hives. After weeks of preparation—clearing space, safeguarding the coop, painting, and placing crystals—our hens have arrived, each with a name and personality. Alongside them, a local beekeeper introduced buzzing hives to the hills. This journal entry reflects on the meditative power of caretaking, and how sometimes, the most spiritual moments come with feathers and wings.

May 18, 2025
What Raising a Power Pole Revealed About Meditation
May 12, 2025
What Raising a Power Pole Revealed About Meditation
May 12, 2025

When a team came to replace the old electric pole at our retreat center, I watched three days of grit, humor, and coordination unfold. What started as a loud, dusty project turned into a surprising meditation on strength, alignment, and what it really takes to stay grounded.

May 12, 2025
Zen and the Art of Building a Shed
May 6, 2025
Zen and the Art of Building a Shed
May 6, 2025

What began as a simple plan to build two sheds turned into a deeper reflection on mindfulness, teamwork, and the harmony between form and feeling. Inspired by Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, this article explores the unexpected beauty of a practical project in the hills of Topanga.

May 6, 2025
Celebrating Love and Mother Earth at Butterfly Mountain
Apr 28, 2025
Celebrating Love and Mother Earth at Butterfly Mountain
Apr 28, 2025

To celebrate our one-year anniversary, Katy and I attended the Mother Earth Day Celebration at Butterfly Mountain in Topanga. The day unfolded with song circles, indigenous music, vibrant mandalas, and a powerful sense of community and reverence for the land. It was a beautiful reminder of how deeply love, art, and nature are intertwined.

Apr 28, 2025
A Family Weekend in Topanga: Hiking, Superbloom, and Local Magic
Apr 28, 2025
A Family Weekend in Topanga: Hiking, Superbloom, and Local Magic
Apr 28, 2025

This past weekend, my parents visited Topanga for the first time in spring. We explored the canyon’s hidden magic—from the rebuilding of Tuna Canyon to the sweeping yellow superbloom at Point Dume—and shared meals at some of the town’s best local spots. It was a weekend full of nature, reflection, and simple joys.

Apr 28, 2025
A Sneak Peek Into the Journey Through Meditation Tarot Deck
Apr 21, 2025
A Sneak Peek Into the Journey Through Meditation Tarot Deck
Apr 21, 2025

After months of quiet, intentional work, I’m excited to share a first look at the Journey Through Meditation Tarot Deck. Rooted in the symbolism of the Major Arcana and inspired by the land and spirit of Topanga Canyon, this deck is designed as a meditative tool—each card a portal to inner awareness. In this post, I walk through the creative process and reveal some of the finished cards, from The Fool and The Magician to The Tower and The Star.

Apr 21, 2025
Listening to the Wild: A Day of Stillness and Birds in Topanga
Apr 14, 2025
Listening to the Wild: A Day of Stillness and Birds in Topanga
Apr 14, 2025

This weekend, I spent a full day outside at the retreat center in Topanga—lounging in the sun, slowing my breath, and tuning into the sounds of the natural world. As spring blooms across the hills, I found myself drawn into a deeper relationship with the birds around me: hummingbirds, falcons, owls, and a stunning pair of California quail. Their songs, dances, and quiet presence became the soundtrack to a day that reminded me how nourishing stillness can be.

Apr 14, 2025
Mindfulness Mushroom Walk: Lessons in Awareness, Curiosity, and Caution on the Trail
Apr 6, 2025
Mindfulness Mushroom Walk: Lessons in Awareness, Curiosity, and Caution on the Trail
Apr 6, 2025

While visiting Ojai for the weekend, Katy and I joined a guided Mindfulness Mushroom Walk at the Ventura River Preserve. Alongside a group of curious hikers, we encountered colorful mushrooms, crossed rivers, and even spotted three rattlesnakes. The experience left me with a deeper appreciation for the power of attention—both in spotting the beauty of fungi and staying alert to nature’s dangers. It was a walk that sharpened my senses and reminded me how much wisdom lives along the trail.

Apr 6, 2025
A Birthday Retreat in Ojai: Orange Groves, Meditation, and the Wisdom of Krishnamurti
Apr 6, 2025
A Birthday Retreat in Ojai: Orange Groves, Meditation, and the Wisdom of Krishnamurti
Apr 6, 2025

For Katy’s birthday, we made a quiet getaway to Ojai—just an hour from the retreat center, but a world of its own. We stayed at a small inn with sweeping views of the valley, visited the Oak Grove where Krishnamurti once walked and taught, and sat in silence in his former home. With blooming wildflowers, citrus trees, and stillness all around, the weekend offered a moment to reflect on attention, freedom, and the simple beauty of being present.

Apr 6, 2025
Together on the Trail: Finding Community in Nature
Mar 30, 2025
Together on the Trail: Finding Community in Nature
Mar 30, 2025

Every Saturday, I’ve made it a ritual to hike the trails near the retreat center in Topanga. This week, I was joined by a group of retreat guests—and the experience reminded me how powerful it can be to walk through nature with others. From quiet conversation to shared silence, the trail became a space for community, reflection, and vision. In this journal post, I reflect on the magic of hiking in groups and the quiet way nature helps us return to ourselves.

Mar 30, 2025
Stillness in the Canyon: A Meditative Hike Along the Backbone Trail
Mar 23, 2025
Stillness in the Canyon: A Meditative Hike Along the Backbone Trail
Mar 23, 2025

I recently hiked the Backbone Trail in Topanga, one of my favorite trails for its long, winding beauty and hidden corners of peace. Midway through, I paused at a rock overlook above a small gorge—where a trickling stream forms pools full of dragonflies and frogs. I meditated by the water, imagining what it might be like to be a cave yogi tucked away in silence. This journal entry captures the magic of that day: the quiet, the reflections, and the grounding energy of the land.

Mar 23, 2025
Honoring My Grandfather: Crossing a Threshold and Embracing Change
Mar 16, 2025
Honoring My Grandfather: Crossing a Threshold and Embracing Change
Mar 16, 2025

Returning home for my grandfather’s funeral was more than a moment of remembrance—it became a journey of transformation. From the solemn beauty of his military service to an unexpected speech at the reception, I found myself reflecting on presence, letting go, and the quiet ways we step into new roles within our families. In honoring his life, I also recognized a shift within myself—one that felt like both an ending and a new beginning.

Mar 16, 2025
Planting Seeds: A Garden, A Practice, A Path
Mar 9, 2025
Planting Seeds: A Garden, A Practice, A Path
Mar 9, 2025

Spring has arrived, bringing new life to the retreat center. As Katy and I planted a garden, we saw reflections of the spiritual path in the process—loosening the soil like moving qi, tending to seeds like tending to meditation. Growth, whether in a garden or within, takes patience and care. Read on for reflections on gardening, mindfulness, and the lessons nature teaches.

Mar 9, 2025
A Week of Worship: Part 2 – Birthday and Kali Mandir
Mar 2, 2025
A Week of Worship: Part 2 – Birthday and Kali Mandir
Mar 2, 2025

Turning 35 felt like stepping into a new phase of spiritual growth. To celebrate, I took a road trip with my girlfriend, Katy, to Kali Mandir, a serene temple dedicated to the goddess Kali. The day unfolded as a journey of renewal—starting with an intense Thai massage, followed by a fiery lemongrass soup, and culminating in a kirtan that filled the temple with rhythmic drumming and chants. As Katy meditated on a yantra, I reflected on a simple truth: the real pilgrimage is always within.

Mar 2, 2025
A Week of Worship: Part 1 – Shivaratri Celebration
Mar 2, 2025
A Week of Worship: Part 1 – Shivaratri Celebration
Mar 2, 2025

Shivaratri is always an intense experience, and this most recent celebration was no different. From sundown to sunrise, we immersed ourselves in meditation, chanting, and ritual offerings. Held in my guru’s old art studio—an expansive space filled with his visionary paintings and sculptures—the night carried an unmistakable energy. For the first time, I managed to stay awake through every session, feeling deeply connected to the tradition, the teachings, and the moment.

Mar 2, 2025
Hot-Cold Therapy: A Daily Experiment in Detox and Clarity
Feb 23, 2025
Hot-Cold Therapy: A Daily Experiment in Detox and Clarity
Feb 23, 2025

At our retreat center, my girlfriend and I have embarked on an exciting experiment with hot-cold therapy. By alternating between relaxing sauna sessions and invigorating cold plunges, we've discovered a practical routine that supports detoxification, boosts circulation, and clears the mind. Dive into our journey to learn how this practice is enhancing our overall wellness and inner clarity.

Feb 23, 2025
Envisioning a Regenerative Future: Reflections from the RegenWorld Summit
Feb 17, 2025
Envisioning a Regenerative Future: Reflections from the RegenWorld Summit
Feb 17, 2025

The RegenWorld Summit brought together forward-thinking leaders in sustainability, innovation, and community living. From fire-resistant geodesic homes to radical ideas about self-sufficient societies, the event sparked conversations about what a regenerative future could look like. I even took the stage to share my own vision—one inspired by the loss of my Topanga home in a wildfire.

Feb 17, 2025
Healing and Moisture – A New Chapter at the Retreat Center
Feb 9, 2025
Healing and Moisture – A New Chapter at the Retreat Center
Feb 9, 2025

After a period of fire and transformation, I find myself embracing the healing qualities of water and earth. Living at a retreat center in Topanga, I spend my days working the land and my evenings in the sauna, practicing hot and cold therapy. Through self-care rituals, Ayurvedic oils, and time in nature, I’m rediscovering balance and renewal. This journal entry explores how I’m shifting from destruction to nourishment—grounding into the elements of stability and flow.

Feb 9, 2025
A Journey Through Unconventional Living: Finding Home in Unexpected Places
Feb 2, 2025
A Journey Through Unconventional Living: Finding Home in Unexpected Places
Feb 2, 2025

Living in Los Angeles doesn’t have to mean sky-high rents and cookie-cutter apartments. My journey through unconventional living took me from a pod in a wellness coliving space to a trailer in Topanga, a dream house lost to fire, and now a wellness retreat. Each home shaped my understanding of community, nature, and resilience. In this post, I share the highs, the heartbreaks, and the lessons learned along the way.

Feb 2, 2025
Embracing Impermanence: Lessons from Losing Nearly Everything
Jan 26, 2025
Embracing Impermanence: Lessons from Losing Nearly Everything
Jan 26, 2025

Losing my Topanga home to the Palisades Fire has been a heart-wrenching journey, but it’s also been a profound lesson in impermanence and resilience. Among the ashes, I found two items untouched: a Buddha statue and a lava-formed obelisk crystal. These symbols of serenity and transformation remind me that even in loss, there is an opportunity for spiritual growth and renewal.

Jan 26, 2025
Finding Peace Amid Devastation from Palisades Fire
Jan 19, 2025
Finding Peace Amid Devastation from Palisades Fire
Jan 19, 2025

Losing my Topanga home in the Palisades Fire has been an unimaginable heartbreak. Amid the ashes, only a serene Buddha statue remained, a powerful symbol of non-attachment, resilience, and inner peace. This tragedy has deepened my understanding of gratitude—finding appreciation for what remains and the lessons life continues to offer, even in the face of profound loss.

Jan 19, 2025
The Case for a Flexible Spiritual Practice When Life Gets Overwhelming
Dec 8, 2024
The Case for a Flexible Spiritual Practice When Life Gets Overwhelming
Dec 8, 2024

Life isn’t a series of perfect routines—it’s a dynamic, unpredictable journey. While spiritual practices like meditation and yoga can ground us, it’s just as vital to embrace flexibility when life disrupts those routines. Missing a practice doesn’t diminish your spirituality; instead, it offers an opportunity to practice self-compassion.

Dec 8, 2024

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