With Brightmind (a social enterprise), Toby designs products that accelerate global engagement with practices that lead to greater fulfillment and less suffering.

Toby believes that the pursuits of mindfulness and social entrepreneurship mutually support one another and such a combination of methodologies may be powerful enough to change the course of human history. At least this is his best bet. Accordingly, Toby feels honored to engage in this exciting work.

As a child, Toby's interest in mindfulness began with Yom Kippur fasting, wood wandering, and shamanic sweat lodges. In 2011, Toby met Shinzen Young and Soryu Forall and began practicing, teaching, and researching mindfulness more seriously. As a practitioner, he likes mining his emotional body sensations as a source of wisdom and using his physical senses to - like a ninja - be hyper aware of his surroundings. As a teacher, Toby specializes in Self Actualization and working with people who suffer from chronic pain. Toby has taught mindfulness in a variety of settings including: in-person and phone-based retreats, after school programs, and college campuses.

While at Vassar College, Toby conducted a Social Studies research project entitled, Reflection, Reproduction, and Challenging at the Brooklyn Zen Center and a Cognitive Science research project entitled, Breath, Self, and World: Pioneering Meditation Pedagogy (see links to projects below).

Toby's interest in social entrepreneurship began with an 18-month business model development internship at the Center for Mindful Learning in Johnson, VT. In this position, Toby designed a scalable business model to support a modern monastery/start-up accelerator (see more info and link below).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

My work is semi-portable, so I might as well hit the road! Looking to see new sights, hear groovy music, and feel warm breezes.

Interests

• meditation
• live music
• nature
• beach
• social justice
• mindfulness

Music, Movies, and Books

Music - Rubblebucket
Movie - Lord of the Rings

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Cocain in a Bolivian jail

Teach, Learn, Share

Happy to teach mindfulness

What I Can Share with Hosts

A super solid 'good morning'

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Portugal

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, United States