This portrait of me was painted by Los Angeles based artist Bonnie Lambert. You can learn more about her amazing work by visiting www.bonnielambert.com. On July 6, 2023, I taught a mindfulness drop-in on “appreciative joy” at the Hammer Museum. Bonnie was in the audience. After class, Bonnie approached me, introduced herself, shared how moved she was by my teachings and felt inspired to paint my portrait. The oil painting above is the result. I am forever grateful for that chance encounter between Bonnie and me.
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Wise Heart Mindfulness Mission and Vision
The Wise Heart Mindfulness mission is to bring the practice, art, and science of mindfulness to a diverse range of individuals and clients including the K-12, higher education, and non-profit sectors. Wise Heart Mindfulness gently holds a vision that supports an ever expanding local/global consciousness built around practices of compassion, genuine care, kindness, generosity, and a deep reverence for life. Dr. Ali is founder of Wise Heart Mindfulness and a UCLA certified mindfulness facilitator. He was trained at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC) located in the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior. Ali teaches for UCLA/MARC as an affiliate MAPs teacher and is authorized to teach MAPs I (6-week introductory mindfulness course), and MAPs 2 (6-week Positive Emotions course). He is recognized by the International Mindfulness Teachers Association (IMTA) as a Certified Mindfulness Teacher, Professional Level (CMT-P).
Ali is a member of UCLA/MARC’s Training in Mindfulness Facilitation (TMF) staff. TMF is a year-long immersive/intensive Mindfulness training program that certifies future facilitators in the art and science of mindfulness. Between 2018 – 2022, Ali was a Teacher’s Assistant for UCLA’s Mindfulness and Psychiatry 175 course taught by Professor Marvin Belzer, Ph.D. Ali holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership with 43 years of experience in the higher education as both administrator and faculty member. He is a retired College Vice-President (Student Affairs/Chaffey College), and a retired Senior Adjunct Professor (University of La Verne) with dual faculty appointments in the Colleges of Business and Public Management and the La Fetra College of Education. |