As we approach our second meditation teacher training (today's the last day to apply!) we're sharing interviews with members of our community who completed the program the first time around. 

Read below for a beautiful interview with Catrina Armendariz, Founder and Executive Producer of Revived On. 

What initially drew you to the teacher training program? 

I began meditating when I was 8 years old and had a solo practice for 20+ years.  I met Dina while in the midst of expanding my meditation practice into social and collective settings and that's when I first heard about her program.  Though I had a pretty disciplined (and what I thought was a well-informed and supported) practice for many years, I experienced a lot of challenges in my sits that I couldn't navigate effectively on my own.  I decided to enroll in the program because I recognized a need to share the experience with others (teachers and fellow students), especially like-minded peers who were in a similar creation and companionship phase of life (career, friendships, relationships, etc.).  

The practice is wonderful, but as I experienced and learned, not meant to be a solitary practice.  The support I received through the curation of experienced and well-informed teachers and like-minded peers was priceless.

How did it impact you and your career and/or personal life?

The teacher training connected me with a world-class mastermind of Eastern and Western science and philosophy, Dr. Joe Loizzo, who distilled ancient knowledge in the most authentic, scientific and relevant ways possible.  It also connected me with an amazing cohort of students - all movers and shakers in their respective fields: parents, doctors, tech entrepreneurs, teachers, etc.  

The synergy was great for my practice and for my development as a conscious start-up founder.  I left with more clarity around my desire to share these conscious lifestyle practices with the world and with a network of people to support that path.

Were there any unexpected results from your time in the program? 

I didn't realize how popular meditation was until I joined this cohort.  Suddenly, it no longer felt like an esoteric practice that was reserved for the monk or nomadic hippie (or our modern-day version of the wandering messicant).  Everyone is becoming hip to meditation: corporate and entrepreneurial modern city exponents alike are looking for more authenticity in their lives.  

I also felt more connected with people in my life as a result of hearing a common thread coming through every student's question or story: that we all desire connection, with ourselves and with those around us.