Lead Teacher:
Jonathan Gustin is the founder of the Purpose Guides Institute and creator of the Purpose Discovery Program. Jonathan teaches majority of the sessions for this program, assisted by a great roster of associate teachers. A purpose guide, psychotherapist, meditation teacher, and integral mentor, Jonathan has served in private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 25 years. He also serves as adjunct faculty at John F. Kennedy University in the Consciousness and Transformation Studies program. Jonathan has taught at the California Institute of Integral Studies, Green Gulch Zen Center, Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Open Circle, Bay Area Integral, The Nondual Wisdom & Mental Health Conference, iEvolve, San Quentin State Penitentiary, Marina Counseling Center, and iRest Institute. He has co-taught with human potential pioneer George Leonard, Buddhist activist Joanna Macy and depth psychologist Bill Plotkin.
Recent Guest TeacherS:
Dr. Sharon Blackie is an award-winning writer, psychologist and mythologist. Her highly acclaimed work is focused on the development of the mythic imagination, and on the relevance of myth, fairy tales and folk traditions to the personal, cultural and environmental problems we face today. As well as writing five books of fiction and nonfiction, including the bestselling If Women Rose Rooted, her writing has appeared in anthologies, collections and in several international media outlets – among them the Guardian, the Irish Times, the i and the Scotsman. Sharon is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and has taught at several academic institutions, Jungian organisations, retreat centres and cultural festivals.
Stephen Cope is a best-selling author and scholar who specializes in the relationship between the Eastern contemplative traditions and Western depth psychology. Among his seminal works in this area are: Yoga and the Quest for the True Self, The Wisdom of Yoga, and The Great Work of Your Life. His most recent work, The Dharma In Difficult Times, the sequel to The Great Work of Your Life shows us the way through our darkest times to our truest calling. Cope helps give readers a roadmap for the journey to their true calling. Stephen is a psychotherapist, Kripalu Yoga teacher, and author of several books on yoga and meditation. He is the founder of the Kripalu Institute for Extraordinary Living.
Associate Teachers:
Brody Hartman is the co-founder of SoulTrue and has worked with many Fortune 100-500 clients, start-ups and nonprofits. He helps CEOs, employees, and organizational leaders embody their purpose.
Niharika Sanyal lives in Auroville, India, a community centred around the philosophy of Integral Yoga. She completed an Ed.M in Human Development & Psychology from Harvard and her work serves the Way of the Heart.
Michael Denmeade has spent most of his adult life learning what he calls the Mitakyasin Way—how to live in Right Relationship and Reciprocity with all life. He is a spiritual mentor, vision quest guide and fire keeper for sacred ceremony, answering the call when medicine people need him.
Katherine Haig is the Associate Director at PGI. With a background in classical music, she brings attentiveness to her interactions with clients and hopes to serve as a witness to the freedom of Being beyond Knowing.
Tara Byrne is the creator of Shamanic Awakening. Her work is shaped by her own soul awakening experience, which took her to live in Peru, where she completed a life-changing plant medicine apprenticeship.
Here’s What Some of Today’s Leading Luminaries Have to Say About Jonathan
“Jonathan is wonderfully skilled in the art of guiding people to discover and embody their unique life purpose. There are few things I appreciate more than good teaching, and so I enthusiastically recommend Jonathan’s work with people. Jonathan is a person of great integrity, from whom I am ever learning. ”
“Jonathan Gustin is a very rare example of a seasoned meditation teacher who understands the spiritual necessity of the descent to soul and sacred darkness — as well as the ascent to the light and the One. He guides his students in both directions, down as well as up. I have had the pleasure of witnessing Jonathan teach — he is delightfully personable and humble and is exceptionally clear, thorough, penetrating, engaging, and inspiring. Don’t miss the opportunity. ”
“Jonathan Gustin brings passion, subtle insight and disarming humor to his work as a presenter of the three-worlds model and as a skillful ‘midwife of the soul’.”