About
Michael Stone worked at the intersection of personal, political, and ecological awakening. He had the gift of being able to share complex and interdisciplinary ideas in a way that was contemporary, relatable, and heartfelt.
Michael Stone (1974-2017) was a Buddhist teacher, author, and mental health advocate.
Michael often told the story about how when he was a kid, his closest friend was his uncle, who’d been diagnosed with schizophrenia. After school, he would visit his uncle at Canada’s largest mental institution. His uncle talked to him about meditation, they read books together—including the early teachings of the Buddha—and they listened to the Beatles’ White Album.
Paradoxically, Michael said that he felt most normal and safe when he was with his uncle. When he left the institution to take the bus home, the city would seem insane. What he sensed was that, outside of the institution, everyone was pretending to be coherent selves, perpetuating the myth that we’re all stable.
From an early age, Michael knew vividly what is true for all of us—that the mind is more unstable than it seems. The goal of mindfulness practice is not shoring up a solid self; it’s waking up to the reality of the fluid, ever-changing ground we live on, a ground that cannot be fully knowable and can even at times be disturbing. In the face of this knowledge, Michael remained open, bright, and curious.
Michael taught silent meditation retreats in North America and Europe, as well as yoga and meditation workshops that combined practice and study. He gave talks, trained other professionals, and mentored future dharma teachers. He wrote and published several books and hosted the Awake in the World Podcast. He worked at the intersection of personal, political, and ecological awakening. His style was smart, instructive, calm, direct, and funny. He had the gift of being able to share complex and interdisciplinary ideas in a way that was contemporary, relatable, and heartfelt.
Because of his diverse training, Michael was able to reframe and synthesize mindfulness traditions from the east with western psychology—the former being helpful in identifying one’s problems and patterns, the latter being helpful in terms of learning how to let go of reactivity in order to work with those problems.
In 2003, Michael had many urban friends who wanted to learn about meditation practice but didn’t have the opportunity or weren’t interested in studying in temples. He also had friends who wanted to go deeper into their yoga practice, but couldn’t find what they were looking for in their local yoga studios. So, he renovated a garage in downtown Toronto that became the charitable organization known as Centre of Gravity. The organization integrated yoga and meditation practice and built a community that—over time—outgrew four locations. Meanwhile, Michael began publishing books, participated in the Occupy Movement, and started teaching in other countries too. In 2014, he closed Centre of Gravity and shifted focus to building an international community without walls.
Formally speaking, Michael had a Masters of Arts in psychology from Vermont College where he studied with James Hillman. He also trained in the practice of Insight Meditation and was authorized to teach in the Vipassana lineage. In his own practice, he studied and was influenced by Zen teachings and forms. He studied yoga postures and breathing with Richard Freeman. Other mentors included Roshi Pat Enkyo O’Hara, Norman Feldman, and Stephen Batchelor.
Michael believed in depth without dogma. He was interested in an ethics-based spirituality that was sophisticated and accessible for contemporary, urban people. People who studied with him all shared his desire to actively respond to personal, environmental, and economic challenges. Above all, he wanted people to feel ignited and consoled.
Michael worked hard. He also lived his life with richness in every way. He appreciated art and beauty, was a connoisseur of his environment and was generally aroused by life. He mined for sparks and tended them. He was a beautiful and loving father and husband. How well he lived was a testament to the tools he used.
Michael did amazing work in the world and impacted the lives of many. He loved his life, his work, and his students deeply. His capacity to hold and accept others with compassion was huge. After his death, the outpouring of love and support from around the world (including the Carina Stone Family Fund) felt like a direct reflection of his generosity.
He continues through his teachings, his children, the three people who received his organs, and those who loved him. He is loved immeasurably.
Books by Michael Stone
