Cara Lai spent most of her life trying to figure out how to be happy or at least avoid total misery, which landed her on a cushion for the majority of her adulthood. Throughout many consciousness adventures, including a few mind-bendingly long meditation retreats, she has explored the wilderness of the mind, chronic illness, the importance of pleasure, and lots of other things that sound too risqué to mention here.

Cara once worked as an artist, wilderness guide, social worker, and psychotherapist, but traded it in for an all-out mindfulness rampage. She’s a working mom whose teaching is relatable, authentic, funny, and sometimes crass, and is accessible for many people. She teaches teens and adults at Inward Bound Mindfulness Education, Spirit Rock, Insight Meditation Society, and UCLA, ultimately hoping to get woke enough to bend spoons with her mind in front of large audiences. And to help people be happier.