Background

Rachel’s journey into the world of Dharma was a winding path marked by academic pursuits and personal struggles. Beginning with a teenage initiation into meditation outside the Buddhist tradition, she delved into philosophy and Asian studies during her undergraduate years, focusing on Chinese history and language. Despite her academic engagement, her spiritual practice remained separate at that time.

In her twenties, Rachel faced the challenges of active addiction, but after graduating in 2002, she embraced sobriety and embarked on a twelve-step recovery program with a significant spiritual component. Overcoming the difficulties she experienced with spirituality in her teenage and early adult years, Rachel engaged in a lengthy process of self-discovery.

In 2006, tragedy struck when two friends committed suicide. This event prompted Rachel to explore meditation as a means of coping, inspired in part by the writings of dharma punk Noah Levine. Her therapist supported this exploration, recognizing the potential benefits for navigating complex bereavement. Rachel initially approached meditation with the aim of escaping from thoughts and emotions, but the irony was evident as she discovered that meditation, in fact, facilitated a healthier relationship with her thoughts and emotions while fostering connection with others.

In Nashville, Rachel found a meditation group at the bottom of a Tibetan Buddhist center, where she began her practice. Despite her initial misperceptions about the purpose of meditation, the group embraced her, and she experienced the transformative effects of meditation on her grieving process. The group’s members, affiliated with Against the Stream Nashville, guided Rachel through her practice, introducing her to Dave Smith, who became her teacher for the following years.

Dave’s perspective, rooted in a mental health framework with a touch of recovery, resonated with Rachel, leading her practice in a new direction. This marked a shift towards a holistic approach that integrated mindfulness with mental health considerations. Rachel’s evolving journey reflected the unexpected twists of life and the transformative power of meditation in navigating personal challenges and growth.