I began meditating because I didn't know what else to do. It helped, however, not in the way the apps promise. Some days, the breath is a friend. Some days it's a fire alarm, and I need to open my eyes, feel the chair, and look at the wall for a while. That's the practice, too.

So I make short, plain practices with the choices built in: eyes open or closed, still or moving, breath or another anchor—three to ten-ish minutes, no music, nothing new-age. If a practice makes things worse, stop, look around the room, and count that as a good sit.

I'm a yoga teacher (RYT 500), an ordained Zen Buddhist lay priest, and a clinical social worker. My clinical work is with veterans at a nonprofit in San Francisco, where I'm a Registered Associate Clinical Social Worker (California #105191) under the supervision of a licensed clinician. What I offer here is education and practice, not treatment, and I don't see private clients. If you're in crisis, please reach out to a person.

California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Department of Consumer Affairs

Donna Vibes

I primarily teach seated meditation, and vinyasa and restorative yoga. My teaching is practical and accessible while remaining deeply rooted in Zen tradition. I approach meditation as an embodied practice, inviting curiosity as a pathway to cultivating self-compassion and presence. My yoga sequences are focused and designed to help students progress in their poses, building confidence alongside strength and flexibility.

Malcolm Bowles

Malcolm Bowles began meditating because he didn't know what else to do. It helped, however, not in the way the apps promise. Some days, the breath is a friend. Other days, sitting still in the dark with closed eyes is the last thing that helps, and he has learned to work with that rather than against it.

That is what he makes here: short, plain-spoken practices for people meditation hasn't served—eyes open, if you like; anchors other than the breath; a chair instead of a cushion; and permission to stop, shift, or leave at any point. No music, no Sanskrit, nothing to get right. Every practice is an offer, not an instruction.

Malcolm is an RYT-500 yoga teacher and an ordained Zen lay priest. He works as a therapist with veterans at a nonprofit in San Francisco, where he is a Registered Associate Clinical Social Worker (California #105191) under the supervision of a licensed clinician. What you'll find here is practice and education, not treatment. If you're in crisis, please reach out to a person.