About

In my youth, I felt a strong pull to the East, where I studied Buddhism and Vedanta. I was drawn to the majestic peaks of the Himalayas and spent time as a part-time monk at the Kopan Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Kathmandu. 

I eventually returned to California to help promote the teachings of the Eastern teacher Jiddu Krishnamurti who famously said that “truth was a pathless land.” I was invited to be a Trustee of the Krishnamurti Foundation of America by Mary Zimbalist and served the organization for 16 years. I also served on the board of Meditation Mount in Ojai for a few years after the pandemic.

My first experience with Ayahuasca was in 2009 in Peru. I have been working with plant medicine for twenty years. My practice got supercharged when my Mother died. I’ve sat in close to 50 ceremonies in the last two years.

I have a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration, specializing in Behavioral Development. I also served as an adjunct professor at the European School of Management in Spain and Universidad del Noreste in Mexico. 

I am a creator at heart. I have founded several companies and love surfing the spiritual and physical realms. I live in Ojai, California, with my partner Mar and an adorable cat named Millie. 

~ Derek

Ojai, California | 3-2023