Andres Gonzalez

Ali Smith, Atman Smith, and Andres Gonzalez, co-founders of the Holistic Life Foundation, share their transformative journey of implementing a meditation-instead-of-detention initiative in Baltimore schools. They discuss the challenges of working in underprivileged areas and the impressive results from teaching mindfulness, including improved student behavior and emotional well-being. Their insights emphasize the power of compassion, community, and mindfulness in fostering resilience among at-risk youth, offering practical strategies to enhance self-love and well-being.

Ali Smith, Atman Smith, and Andres Gonzales, co-founders of the Holistic Life Foundation, share their transformative journeys through yoga and mindfulness. They reveal how their godfather, a former Black Panther, inspired their deep commitment to inner evolution. The trio discusses the power of mindfulness for at-risk youth, their work in enhancing educational settings, and empowering individuals through yoga. They delve into breathing practices, mantra meditation, and the importance of emotional well-being and connections in fostering resilience and personal growth.

Andres Gonzalez, interviewer and Holistic Life Foundation rep behind the Living an Authentic Life Summit, chats with Omid Safi, a scholar of Sufism and spiritual teacher. They explore the rhythm of expansion and contraction in the heart. They discuss anger as a fuel for justice. They evoke ocean metaphors, the inner child’s wonder, and a guided breath practice.