About Greg
Short Story
I am a mindfulness coach, teacher and facilitator.
I founded The Power of Presence in 2008 to bring to the world what was hidden in the monasteries—techniques to relax the body and focus the mind and touch eternity. In my teaching, I add neuroscience and positive psychology.
To benefit from mindfulness you don’t have to shave your head and disappear for 7 years. You just have to train your mind–regularly and properly. Simple–but not easy. That’s why for millennia teachers have been guides, mirrors and support on this path. I am forever indebted to mine.
Here’s what I learned: “I am not a perfect monk…but I am a happy monk.”
Acknowledging imperfection is wisdom. Recognizing our power to influence our mental and emotional states is terrifying and, ultimately, liberating.
That’s what work with clients boils down to:
-Acknowledge reality
-Practice calm, courage, compassion and connectivity. In short, feel good.
Because it’s almost impossible to do this on your own, let me help. I’ll give you the gifts my teachers gave me.
Not perfection, just clarity, focus and peace.
Below is the long version of how I got here.
Greg
Long Story
I have been interested in the depth and breadth of what is possible for human beings for as long as I can remember. As a child my curiosity led me away from home so often Mom pinned a note on my shirt: “My name is Greg Burdulis. Please call my mom at 256-0893.”
My senior year of high school was in Switzerland.
My interest in the natural world led me to guiding wilderness canoe and mountaineering trips—which paid for college, where I investigated the deeper layers of human experience while studying psychology, counseling and dance.
Exploring the breadth of human experience, I traveled in Central and South America, Europe, Middle East and Africa. I rode freight trains, soloed mountains and the Great Pyramid of Cheops, and did famine relief work in the Sahara.
Expanding creativity, I made a living as a storyteller. And volunteered for hospice.
I danced on and choreographed for the low-flying trapeze.
Articles about my hospice experiences and travels and teaching with Matthew Fox were published in national journals. Newspapers wrote warmly about my dance. A fiction piece was published in a literary journal.
In hopes of understanding the spiritual dimension of life I gained a Masters of Spirituality degree. What I learned about compassion and the inter-web of life motivated me to reach out more toward others. I trained and served as a chaplain.
I learned that “study” only goes so far. I was hungry to completely immerse myself in spirituality. I lived in Asia for 9 years, studying philosophy and practicing meditation.
Meditation is hard work. I thought being a monk might magically make meditation easier and hurry up the process. Nope.
However, I experienced profound fulfillment and elated, but serene states of freedom. I knew from direct experience that time didn’t exist and realized the transience of all phenomena. I could see that pain is inevitable in life and suffering is optional. I connected with our tremendous human potential for positive change.
My father was dying. I returned to the States. I saw being a happy hermit was no longer the challenge. Being a happy, peaceful layman and husband while contributing to society are the new challenges.
What I experienced as a monk is invaluable. It changed my life profoundly for the better…and still does. My work is to help others learn what I did. This is one way to contribute to the inter-web of life.
I’ve been consulting regularly at one of the hottest ad agencies in the world. Stress and pressure are extreme. Though employees don’t have the benefit of a cave, they are learning mindfulness, concentration, patience, perseverance, appreciation, the power of intention and the vigor of happiness.
They look better, smile more, and manage stress effectively.
They are happier…and everyone around them is better off.
After all, we’re all in this together.
The Facts
Education & Training
2020 Certification: Professional Level: International Mindfulness Teachers Association
2019 Certification 200 Hr. Yoga Teacher Training, East+West, Yoga Alliance
2017 Interpersonal Mindfulness Practice, Mindfulness at the Center, Indianapolis IN
2014 Professional Coaching Certification, International Coaching Federation
2104 Certification Fearless Leaders Coaching & Facilitation, CO
2012 Certification from Body and Movement Program, Newfield Network, Boulder, CO
2012 Graduate of Coaching Certification Program, Newfield Network, Boulder, CO
1999 Chaplaincy Training; Pastoral Education, 5 units, Meriter Hospital, Madison, WI
1994 M.A. Spirituality; Institute of Culture and Creation Spirituality, Oakland, CA
1982 B.S. Counseling and Education; The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA
Meditation Training
25,000 + hours of practice
Daily practice—30 years
Intensive meditation practice; Burma, 2001-07
Livelihood
Currently developing “Monk and Shrink”; an online, discreet forum to bring mindfulness, psychiatry and companionship to adults who suffer mood disorders
Design and facilitate courses at Google, eBay, Facebook, Eli Lilly… in US, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Korea…
Instruct live, online mindfulness sessions and courses; eMindful.com
Write and record “Mindfulness Resources” for women with advanced breast cancer for Novartis
Introduce and lead mindfulness sessions; WisdomLabs and Salesforce
Keynote for Nutrition Business Journal Summit CA, and Social Ventures Network, MA
“Monk” Consultant; engage employees in mindfulness and broaden their perspectives through group sessions and individual meetings—Crispin, Porter + Bogusky, Boulder, CO
Teach Vipassana meditation; Thailand, Burma, USA
Choreograph and dance for Cycropia Aerial Dance Inc., Madison, WI
Facilitate with Julia Cameron; The Artist’s Way—Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, Taos, NM
Teach and travel with Matthew Fox; Creation Spirituality, Europe and Philippines
Teach Yoga, AZ, WI, India and Nepal
Volunteer; Hospice Family Care, Tucson, AZ
Tell stories professionally; Arizona Commission on the Arts, USA, Mexico, Bolivia and Peru
Manage grain shipments at desert airport; European Economic Community, El Fasher, the Sudan
Guide mountaineering, canoeing and whitewater trips, USA
Facilitate Wilderness Therapy with At-Risk Youth, Santa Fe Mt. Center, NM
Thanks for getting this far! You’ve learned a lot about me. Please contact me so I can learn about you.
Warmly,
Greg
Cave to Corporate--in 11 minutes
Interviews & Articles
The Hero’s Journey Podcast interview Greg Burdulis (audio)
The Who, What, Why of Mindfulness Exercises for Women with Advanced Breast Cancer, Blog for Canadian Breast Cancer Network
5 Mindfulness practices for women with advanced breast cancer (Video and audio recordings with Gabe Burdulis, Virgo Health and Norvartis Oncology)
Leadership, Stress and Mindfulness on “My Time is Now podcast” (with Charlene Gilman)
Perficio (Netherlands) interviews Gregory Burdulis (video)
Walking Mindfully (article by Greg Burdulis)
3 Days Silence Retreat with Greg Burdulis (article by Ryan Baggett)
Who’s in control of your emotional intelligence? (co-written with Noel Brady)
The Business Case for Mindfulness (guest blog post by Greg Burdulis)
Boulder Buddhist brings mindfulness to CP+B (article by Megan Quinn)
4 steps for dropping into peaceful meditation – at your desk (article by Caren Baginski)
The (mindful) evolution of business (article by Radha Marcum)
Selection of Happy Clients
And others in the Netherlands, France, UK, South Africa and South Korea