Upasaka Upali is a Dharma teacher who aims to demystify meditation, provide tangible instruction, and create a rewarding experience for practitioners. Upali received transmission in a lineage traced back to the Buddha through Namgyal Rinpoche (Ananda Bodhi), and he took his Upasaka vows in 2015. He has a degree from St. Olaf College and has studied Dharma and meditation with Tucker Peck, Ph.D., and Upasaka Culadasa. Upali was the founding director of Open Dharma Foundation and currently serves as the Board Chair for Center Space, a non-profit community meditation studio. He co-hosts the Teaching Meditation podcast and is a somatic facilitator for Neurosystemics Dharma. Upali trained formally in the Shamatha Vipassana path in The Mind Illuminated. He teaches with a student-centric approach, meaning the student guides the practice based on personal benefits rather than adhering to a single tradition or technique. Upali has taught a broad audience, including Amazon employees, elementary students, and prison inmates. His current focus is helping people create depth and consistency in their practice amidst daily life. He accomplishes this through online teaching in addition to 5 to 6 residential retreats across North America and Europe each year.