Discovering a Path to Genuine Well-Being

Dear CCR community,

Over the past few months, I’ve been honored to connect with so many of you through our Sustenance Campaign. I’m filled with inspiration as I recall the stories you’ve shared—stories of gain and loss, courage, dedication, and transformation. It’s clear that Dr. Wallace and Dr. Natanya’s teachings have supported so many of you, in a variety of ways, on your paths toward genuine well-being. 

And still: for every one of you I’ve met, there are twenty more members of this community that I haven’t. So, as the newest member of the CCR team, I wanted to take this opportunity to share a bit of my own story with you, and tell you more about my role at the CCR. 

My story starts with disillusionment.

 

Disillusionment

It was a few weeks before my junior year of college. The afternoon sun was hot, shining through my window as I read Paramahansa Yogananda’s Autobiography of a Yogi—my first real introduction to Eastern religion. 

I laid the book on my chest. If true, the stories in this book would blow the lid off of my Catholic faith. For years, I had struggled to believe in the God described at Mass. My spiritual life was barren and directionless. But in the Autobiography, I read about yogis finding true peace in samadhi, over and over again. Their worldview and their practice had real results.

As I considered them, the benefits of meditation seemed to far outweigh my frustrating efforts to understand whether God was “real.” As far as I could tell, the latter task hadn’t made my life better. In fact, it had only increased my sense of guilt and anxiety.

From that moment, I decided to really explore the potentials of meditation. What was I missing out on? Could I really find peace within my own mind?

 

Refuge

As I dabbled in meditation and pushed the boundaries of my old beliefs, I put my refuge in “science”—at least, that’s what I told myself. I think I really meant logical thinking, which for me, was the polar opposite of blind belief. It wasn’t until I encountered Dr. Wallace that I realized these two—science and logical thinking—didn’t always sync up.

Despite my angst, Buddhism caught my attention. At first glance, it was the least “religious” religion I had ever encountered (in hindsight, this initial impression was of course reductionistic). Meditation was central, which I liked, and I found its philosophy both fresh and practical. I was hooked. Still aching for a coherent worldview, I applied for a Buddhist Studies program in Bodh Gaya, India. 

The first weekend retreat broke me. It took a mere 48 hours of sitting with my own mind to realize that the Buddha’s teachings on suffering, arising, cessation, and path weren’t just compelling—they were true. In this experience, I got my first taste of refuge. 

Soon after I got back from the program, I happened upon Dr. Wallace and Dr. Natanya’s work on YouTube. Their teachings spoke to me on both a practical and mystical level: I found my meditation practice vastly enriched by Dr. Wallace’s detailed instructions, and Dr. Natanya’s ability to interweave Christian and Buddhist teachings was astounding. In fact, I found her presentation of Christianity so inspiring that I decided to give Jesus and his teachings a wholehearted second try. 

For the past five years, I’ve been on a journey of not only healing my relationship with Christianity, but diving into it with more intelligence and enthusiasm than ever before. And while it’s a bit ironic, the practices of shamatha and vipashyana as taught here at the CCR have been integral to my “coming home.” While my story continues to unfold, I know from experience that these practices have value far beyond their Buddhist origin.

 

My Role at the CCR  

In 2022, I was very fortunate to attend the CCR’s inaugural Fathom the Mind. Heal the World. Retreat. It was truly one of the most profound and special weeks of my whole life. Transformed by my experiences there, I was determined to stay involved with the CCR however I could. 

After two years of volunteering on various projects, I was honored to join the CCR full-time as Development & Operations Manager in the summer of 2024. While the title certainly covers a wide range of duties, at the core, I’m responsible for:

• Organizing and promoting events and other content, such as our Ghatika Monthly meditation sessions
• Spearheading new projects and initiatives, including an upcoming CCR podcast (more on this in the coming months…)
• Planning and executing fundraising campaigns like the Sustenance Campaign
• Deepening your connection with the CCR

Now let me linger on that last point. While most who have donated to the Sustenance Campaign have heard from me already, I want to reiterate my thanks for your generosity. Because of you, I can devote myself full-time to bringing the CCR’s message—and by extension, genuine well-being—to more and more people. I am so grateful for this opportunity, and I wouldn’t be able to help in advancing our mission without your support.

So, now that you know a little more about me, I’d love to hear from you. What’s your story, and how did you find us? What can we offer to help you on your journey toward genuine well-being? What are the impacts you want to see through the CCR? If you’re up for it, I’d love to discuss these questions and more with you. Send me a message at griffin.cunningham@centerforcontemplativeresearch.org—I look forward to getting to know you better. 

Wishing you well, 

 

Griffin Cunningham 

Development & Operations Manager

Center for Contemplative Research