A Year of Growth in Mindfulness

by Meditation Teacher Training graduate & assistant teacher Olga Pinn

Let me take you back 20 years ago when my meditation and yoga journey began! It all started during my time studying in China. I was fully immersed in the rich Chinese philosophy, culture, and traditions. Alongside that, I experienced the hustle and bustle of cosmopolitan cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong when I was working for an international consulting firm.

Back in the early 2000s, China was buzzing with the booming trend of yoga, and like many others, I hopped on the bandwagon. Initially, I saw it as a fantastic way to keep my body in shape and improve flexibility. What happened next was a pivotal moment in my journey.

As I continued with my yoga practice, something truly fascinating unfolded. While holding my Warriors and Downward Facing Dogs, I noticed myself slipping into meditative states of mind where I experienced profound states of inner peace and silence.  Amidst the hustle and bustle of Chinese megapolises, I couldn't help but be drawn to the ancient principles of yoga, a new world that opened up the moment I stepped on my yoga mat.

I became curious about the effects of my yoga practice on my mind, and I delved into both scientific and philosophical perspectives. It was a journey of self-discovery, trying to grasp the true essence of yoga and its effects on the mind. I found some of the answers I sought.

Traditionally, according to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Asana (yoga pose) is used to prepare for Pranayama (yogic breathwork), and Pranayama is used to prepare for meditation. I discovered that yoga could help calm the ever-fluctuating mind and bring serenity even in the most noisy and demanding environments. It was like tapping into my inner sanctuary, regardless of the chaos around me. That’s when I added meditation to my practice.

As I kept practicing and delving deeper into my practice, something interesting started to happen. People around me began reaching out, curious about how to start meditating. They saw the positive changes in me, and they wanted to experience it too. And that's when I realized that I wanted to do more than just practice meditation for myself; I wanted to help others find their path to inner peace too.

I realized I needed more guidance and training to become a meditation facilitator. That’s how I found The Path and completed a meditation teacher training program in August 2022. I’m celebrating my first-year anniversary this month! It’s been incredibly rewarding to share my knowledge and experience with others on their meditation journeys.

My First Year After the Path

My first year after graduating from the Path has been full of new experiences and growth, both personally and professionally, it was like the path literally started to unfold even though it has been a bumpy ride at times.

One of the highlights of my post-graduation journey was attending the Mindful Leader Summit in October, 2022. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with thought leaders who are leading the charge for mindfulness in their respective organizations. Being in the presence of visionaries from companies like Google, Toyota, SXSW, Boeing, Lender Toolkit, Schlumberger, Humana, and many more was truly inspiring. The summit opened my eyes to the immense impact mindfulness can have in the corporate world.

After the summit, I was motivated to make a difference in my own workplace. I created a Mental Fitness Pilot program for a tech startup I was working for at the time to help my team members better manage stress and prevent burnout. At the same time, I teamed up with a dear friend of mine to facilitate yoga and meditation sessions in a neighborhood park in Encinitas for our local San Diego community. It was incredibly rewarding to share our practice and see how friends started to invite their friends to join in.

November 2022: Second Vipassana Course

In November 2022, I did my second Vipassana, a 10-day silent meditation course in Twentynine Palms, CA. As I shared in my Vipassana – was it worth it blog post. It was like progressing from an open water diver in PADI scuba training, who can explore up to 60 feet, to an advanced open water diver, where depths of up to 100 feet become accessible. In a similar way, my second Vipassana allowed me to dive deeper into my practice, offering insights and a stronger connection to my inner self.

January-March 2023: MBSR Program with Bob Stahl

In January-March 2023, I had the privilege of taking an MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) program with a fantastic teacher, Bob Stahl, PhD, a renowned figure in the field of mindfulness, has made significant contributions to the community, including his work at Spirit Rock. The course gave me a new angle on how to combine various mindfulness techniques, including gentle yoga, breathing exercises, journaling, sitting and walking meditation styles.

Interestingly, the very concept of MBSR was conceived by its founder, Jon Kabat-Zinn, during a Vipassana course. “As he sat through that unbearable pain and scanned his body to focus on his experience, the pain dissolved into pure sensations. On this retreat Jon had an insight that there might be a way to share the benefits of meditation practices with medical patients, especially those experiencing chronic pain that wouldn’t go away just by changing their posture. Coupled with a sudden vision that came to him a few years later on a retreat at IMS, the program now known around the world as MBSR, came into being in September of 1979 at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center,” as mentioned in the book "Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body.”

March 2023: Starting new company

In March, an exciting chapter began as we started a new company in the mindfulness tech space with my friend, co-founder and CTO, Josh Kvavle. Both of us joined the Founder Institute Program, the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator, where only 15 companies graduated from a pool of 150 applicants. Our meditation platform, Inward VR, aims to improve emotional and mental well-being of people by combining cutting edge technologies like Virtual Reality, Biofeedback, and AI personalization for an immersive multi-sensory meditation experience.

The program was instrumental in refining our idea, validating it with feedback from mentors, investors, and potential customers. We're currently in the process of raising funds and building out our team, and we're excited to share Inward VR with the world soon. To learn more about our vision and progress, please check out this deck.

June 2023: Served at California Vipassana meditation center in Yosemite

In June, after successfully graduating from the Founder Institute, I had the incredible opportunity to volunteer as a server at the California Vipassana meditation center in Yosemite. There were so many great lessons about real teamwork, leadership, and adapting to change - all within the Vipassana kitchen, of all places! There needs to be a proper study on creating a work environment that fosters flow at meditation centers. Here’s an inside look into the meditation kitchen where tasks seamlessly align, communication creates synergies, and a sense of unity leads to operational harmony and even sparks innovation.

Photo credit: Maud R.

Future Milestones Along the Path

It’s been an eventful year of growth and change so far, and there are a couple milestones I am especially looking forward to:  

September 2023: Launching a Surf, Yoga & Meditation Retreat in San Diego

Surfing has been an important part of my wellness and mindfulness journey. I'm thrilled to announce the launch of our boutique Surf, Yoga & Meditation Retreat in San Diego in partnership with Ravi Retreats. This 4-day ocean getaway will offer a perfect blend of physical and mental well-being through surfing, yoga, and meditation. With the stunning beaches of San Diego as our backdrop, we'll embark on an adventure to unleash our inner surfer while forging a deep connection with our true selves and the vast ocean.

Photo: my surfing family in San Diego. Photo credit: Alex Dykman

October 2023: Joining the Path as an assistant teacher!

This Fall, I'll have the honor of assisting one of my favorite teachers, Samuel Morales Jr., in the training course. I'm excited to share my knowledge and experiences with aspiring meditation and mindfulness facilitators, helping them on their own paths.

June 2024: Both co-founders work Full-time for Inward VR ;)

A Few Lessons Learned

I've learned a lot in the past year, here are a few of my takeaways:

•  Mindfulness is a lifelong journey. There is no end point, and there is always more to learn.

• Mindfulness is not about being perfect. It's about being present and accepting of whatever is happening in the moment. Even when it’s not how we want things to be.

• Mindfulness can help us to deal with difficult emotions. When we're mindful, we can observe our emotions without judgment. This helps us to let go of them more easily.

• Mindfulness can help us to improve our relationships. When we're mindful, we can listen to others more deeply and communicate more effectively.

Much Metta,
Olga Pinn

Let’s connect!

Website: https://mymeditatemate.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/meditate_mate/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olgapinn/