FREE WEBINAR
My Meditation Journey with Aaron Stryker
Connecting young people to meditation
How can meditation help young adults face the chaos of modern life with wisdom?
Don’t miss this free webinar on July 26, 2025!
Awakening the Next Generation: Connecting Youth with Meditation and Meaning
Aaron Stryker’s meditation journey began not in a temple, but in a dorm room — amidst panic attacks and a growing sense that something essential was missing in his life. While studying at Wesleyan University, Aaron’s mental health crisis led him to the mountains of New York, where he encountered deep meditation practice for the first time at a Zen monastery. That experience changed everything. In the silence of retreat, he found clarity, purpose, and a new direction—not just for himself, but for his entire generation.
Aaron went on to co-found Dharma Gates, a nonprofit connecting young people to intensive spiritual practice and contemplative traditions. In this inspiring 60-minute conversation, he shares how meditation became not an escape from the world’s problems, but a path to truly engage with them.
“What if the anxiety and confusion of college life were actually a gateway to spiritual awakening?"
—Aaron Stryker
Why Attend?
Discover how a meditation practice can help you find direction, clarity, and a way to serve the world with compassion and wisdom. Join this free webinar to explore how to transform the challenges of modern life into opportunities for spiritual growth and a meaningful life.
Whether you are just starting out in your professional life, seeking direction, or someone interested in supporting the next generation's spiritual well-being, this conversation offers profound insights.
Don't miss this inspiring conversation. Reserve your spot today.
What Can I Expect?
My Meditation Journey is a light-hearted discussion with a serious message intended to empower, inspire curiosity, and help develop self-confidence and joy amidst life’s challenges. Aaron Stryker will share his personal story and the insights gained from his dedicated spiritual practice and work with young adults.
What Will I Learn?
Drawing on his own journey from crisis to clarity, Aaron Stryker will share how a meditation practice can provide young people with the tools to navigate anxiety, find purpose, and engage with the world in a meaningful way. Learn how meditation and spiritual practice can be a source of resilience and inspiration for a new generation.
What’s Included in the Program?
An interview with Aaron Stryker based on carefully curated questions
An open Q&A for participants to ask questions in the last segment of the program
Requirements for Participation
This program is open to everyone.
Date and time
This event takes place on Saturday, July 26, 2025.
10:00-11 a.m. EDT (New York)
4:00–5 p.m. CET (Berlin)
10:00-11p.m.HKT (Hong Kong)
Register below to access the event link and also receive the recording if you are unable to join live. The event is open for everyone, and is free of charge — no payment is required!
Register now
About Aaron Stryker
Aaron Stryker’s spiritual journey was ignited during a period of intense personal challenge while a student at Wesleyan University. Facing anxiety and a sense of meaninglessness, he discovered meditation at a Zen monastery in the mountains of New York. This profound experience set him on a new life path, dedicated to exploring and sharing the benefits of deep spiritual practice. Recognizing a need for accessible pathways to these traditions for young people, Aaron co-founded Dharma Gates. This non-profit organization is committed to connecting youth with opportunities for intensive spiritual practice and engagement with contemplative wisdom. Through his work, Aaron strives to help young individuals find clarity, purpose, and a compassionate way to engage with the complexities of the modern world.
About Cortland Dahl
Cortland Dahl is a scientist, translator, author, and meditation teacher with a lifelong interest in meditation and the science of flourishing. His journey began in the early 1990s when he first learned to meditate. His passion led him on a journey around the world, from monasteries in Burma to zendos in Japan, as well as eight years living in Tibetan refugee settlements in Nepal and India.
During his travels, Cort became fluent in Tibetan and became a translator and scholar, receiving a master’s degree in Buddhist studies and publishing twelve volumes of translations. He went on to study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was mentored by the renowned neuroscientist Dr. Richard Davidson and received a Ph.D. in Mind, Brain, and Contemplative Science, the first ever degree of its kind awarded by the university. He has since published numerous scientific articles, including a new scientific framework for the cultivation of well-being, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
As part of his Ph.D. dissertation, Cort created the Healthy Minds Program, now a free mobile app that has been featured by the New York Times, Vogue, Sports Illustrated, and many other publications. More recently, he authored A Meditator’s Guide to Buddhism and the forthcoming Born to Flourish: How to Thrive in a Challenging World, with Dr. Richard Davidson.
Cort currently serves as Executive Director and board member for Tergar International, the organization that oversees the Tergar community in the West, as well as a senior instructor for the Tergar community. He is also a scientist at the Center for Healthy Minds and Chief Contemplative Officer for its affiliated nonprofit, Healthy Minds Innovations.
Cort currently lives with his wife and son in Madison, Wisconsin.
2025 Tergar International. The Tergar logo is a registered service mark of Tergar International.