Ever since I picked up a copy of Shinzen Young’s book, The Science of Enlightenment, I’ve been continually impressed by the conceptual clarity and practical utility of his style of teaching. I’m thrilled to carry it forward as a Teacher of Unified Mindfulness.
Before training in Unified Mindfulness I was intent on ordaining as a Buddhist monk. My aspiration was rooted in philosophical conviction and brief experiences of self-transcendence following a long period of severe depression and anxiety in adolescence. Seeking relief from my own suffering while despairing at the present state and projected trajectory of the world, actualizing the Bodhisattva ideal appeared the appropriate response.
I trained in monasteries in Thích Nhất Hạnh’s lineage as a lay-person and briefly an anagārika dedicated full-time to Buddhist practice, after which I turned to monasteries in Ajahn Chah’s lineage. However, it eventually became clear ordained monastic life was not my path. Nonetheless, monastic life and ideals continue to greatly influence me. Subsequent to certification as a Unified Mindfulness Teacher I completed a year of intensive practice and service in residence at Zen Mountain Monastery.
I continue to explore various traditions and practices all the while integrating a secular life with all its complications and joys within continuous and committed practice.
I teach grounded in Shinzen’s secular system of attention training; my competency and certification therein is my primary qualification. That being said, my ongoing experience in several Buddhist traditions’ conceptual and practice paradigms combined with Unified Mindfulness’ universal applicability and adaptability afford traction and enthusiasm discussing and advising any and all attentional practices spiritual, religious, or otherwise identified.
In my own practice I’ve been greatly fortunate to be supported by Shinzen Young and Unified Mindfulness’ teacher training program, Leigh Brasington’s instruction in jhāna, Rob Burbea’s writing and recorded retreats, The Mind Illuminated, Stephen Snyder’s work, innumerable other teachers’ texts and recordings, and broadly what’s been called Pragmatic Dharma. Finally, and especially as my practice has matured, I’ve been humbled and helped by teachings and teachers of Vajrayana, Dzogchen, and Zen.
Some of my other interests include philosophy of mind, morals, and metaphysics, cognitive and neuro-science, qualia computing, psychedelics, and any art which poignantly depicts the homeostatic activity of autopoietic agents eliding entropy.
I intend to realize, research, and make available the benefits of dedicated contemplative practice for all. To that end, in addition to furthering my own practice and teaching, I am studying philosophy and cognitive science at the University of Toronto.
I teach within the guidelines, ethics, and professional standards of Unified Mindfulness, which I encourage you to read about here: https://unifiedmindfulness.com/ethical-guidelines-2/.
Julianna received her BA in psychology from Duke University. As founder, president, and head trainer of Unified Mindfulness, she is dedicated to disseminating Shinzen Young’s comprehensive mindfulness meditation system through the creation and presentation of educational programs and teacher-training certification programs.
Dr. Hunter serves as associate professor of practice and is the founding director of the Executive Mind Leadership Institute at the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management, Claremont Graduate University. He also serves as visiting professor at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, where he developed and co-teaches the Leading Mindfully executive education program..
Dr. Eisendrath serves as chief psychologist and president of the Institute for Dialogue Therapy, P.C., where, as a Jungian analyst, she offers psychotherapy with individuals and couples, psychoanalysis, supervision, and training.
Dr. Vago serves as the research director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine and the director of the Contemplative Neuroscience and Integrative Medicine (CNIM) Laboratory at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He is an associate professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Department of Psychiatry.
Stella is a psychologist, professor, and Zen practitioner. She became a formal student in 2008 in the Soto Zen tradition. She teaches courses in mindfulness based psychotherapies and the psychology of compassion at the Union Institute & University. She also co-facilitates a family program and young adult program at Shao Shan Temple, in Woodbury Vermont.
Dr. Creswell serves as a tenured associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University. He is also the director of the Health & Human Performance Laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University.
Dr. McCormick currently serves as director of education at Unified Mindfulness. In 1975, he received a B.A. in psychology from the University of California Santa Cruz, where he was part of Dr. Elliot Aronson’s research team that examined cooperative approaches to reducing interracial conflict and academic performance problems in newly integrated school, and made Honors in Psychology, College Honors, and Thesis Honors.
UnifiedMindfulness.com is the official teacher training platform for Shinzen and the Unified Mindfulness System.
Created over 50 years of research and testing by Shinzen Young, Unified Mindfulness is a system of meditation that’s easily researchable by science, with clear terminology and rigorous precision around concepts and procedures.
The Unified Mindfulness system is a comprehensive, robust and refined support structure that any individual at any stage of meditation practice can rely on to go deeper in their insight and their ability to share it with others. It is also a secular form of meditation, which means it’s not religious in any way so anyone, of any faith, can do it.