This guided meditation is an invitation to soften, open, and reconnect with the inner gold of our hearts. Guided by Oscar and rooted in somatic awareness, contemplative stillness, and ancestral wisdom, this session offers a sacred pause for those who hold space for others. Through presence, we begin to lay down the armor we’ve carried—and return to what is unbroken: the essence of who we are.

This guided practice is one of a three-part series by Mark DiPerna, Micah Anderson, and Oscar Medina in the Contemplation By Design Summit. The other sessions include a lecture with Mark and Micah titled Uncovering the Gold: Presence, Compassion, and an interactive workshop with Micah and Oscar titled Education in Times of Crisis on October 20 and Presence as Practice: Cultivating Connection, Resilience, and Transformational Education on October 21. 

Oscar Paul Medina is a transformative leader whose work bridges contemplative practice, cultural restoration, and systemic change. Raised between East LA and the Mojave Desert, he carries an embodied understanding of complexity that informs his work across the education, justice, and health sectors.As a Dalai Lama Fellow and Culture of Health Leader with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Oscar explored how mental health and collective care are foundational to reimagining our social systems. That arc gave rise to Conscious Cultura, an initiative bringing culturally rooted healing practices to Latino communities.

He now serves as the Executive Director at the Mind Body Awareness Project, where he develops healing-centered programs for youth, educators, and incarcerated populations. He also maintains a private practice as a leadership development consultant and guide, supporting mission-driven leaders and bi-cultural communities.His work integrates somatic, ancestral, and presence-based practices to support those navigating change in embodying their wholeness and service.

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