Ali Smith

Ali Smith is a meditation and yoga teacher, author, social entrepreneur, and pioneer in bringing contemplative practices to schools, communities, and trauma-impacted environments. Born and raised in Baltimore, Ali began meditating as a child, learning from his father and growing up attending the Divine Life Church of Absolute Oneness, founded by Swami Shankarananda and rooted in Kriya Yoga and the teachings of Self-Realization Fellowship. He later deepened his practice with his teacher and godfather, Will Joyner. For more than 25 years, Ali has taught internationally, drawing from mantra, bhakti, jnana, kriya and kundalini yoga, chakra work, pranayama, mindfulness, self-inquiry, and several forms of meditation. Ali co-founded the Holistic Life Foundation in 2001, helping grow its grassroots work in West Baltimore into an internationally recognized organization. He is co-author of Let Your Light Shine: How Mindfulness Can Empower Children and Rebuild Communities. His work has been featured on Good Morning America, CBS News, CNN, NBC Nightly News, and PBS, as well as in O, The Oprah Magazine and The Washington Post. Today, through Ishwara and the Ishwara Human Potential Development Group, Ali explores ancient wisdom, trauma-informed practice, neuroscience, and human development. At the heart of his work is the belief that every person carries tremendous potential within them, and contemplative practice can help us access and express that potential in everyday life.

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