The Holistic Life Foundation (HLF) shares its origin story and evolution as a national leader in bringing mindfulness and contemplative practices to underserved communities. This keynote highlights HLF’s transformative work in Baltimore City Public Schools and its expansion across the country. It will explore key evaluation findings that underscore the impact and necessity of HLF’s school-based initiatives. A special focus will be given to the Mindful Moment Program, HLF’s flagship intervention fostering emotional regulation, academic resilience, and community healing within school environments. 

This lecture is one of two sessions taught by Atman Smith in the Contemplation By Design Summit. You are welcome to attend one or both sessions. His other session is a guided practice titled Roots of Compassion: A Trauma-Responsive Loving Kindness Practice on October 17th. 

Atman Smith is one of the co-founders of the Holistic Life Foundation. Since 2001, he has been teaching yoga and mindfulness to a diverse population, including underserved and high-risk youth in drug treatment centers, wellness centers, detention centers, mental crisis facilities, corporations and colleges world wide. A native of Baltimore, Atman attended the University of Maryland, College Park, where he was a letter award winner for the university's men's basketball team. He graduated with a B.A. in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Atman's work with the Holistic Life Foundation has been featured on Steven Spielberg's Discovery Channel ‘Why We Hate’, Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and CBS, as well as in O, The Oprah Magazine, The Washington Post, Upworthy, Mindful Magazine, and many other publications. In 2024, Baltimore Magazine named Atman and the other co-founders of the Holistic Life Foundation "Game Changers." He is also a published author in the Journal of Abnormal Childhood Psychology, and co-authored "Let Your Light Shine". Smith also Partneredwith the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, and Penn State's Prevention Research Center on the first randomized control study on the effectiveness of yoga and mindfulness on urban youth.

This sessions is part of the FREE Contemplation by Design Summit, Oct. 15-27, 2025.

The full summit schedule is posted at: https://med.stanford.edu/contemplation/summit.html.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stanford-contemplation-by-design-summit-2025-online-oct-15-27-registration-1520413249959