Now is Knowing ® is a hub for live, donation-based mindfulness and meditation courses with the simple goal of sharing the benefits with all.
The Teaching
“Yesterday is a memory. Tomorrow is the unknown. Now is the knowing.”
– Ajahn Sumedho
The courses focus on actively bringing acceptance, kindness, and compassion to what is here and now. This is achieved through the act of noticing the present experience without judgement or preference. While conceptually very simple, our minds, history, and conditioning make this quite a challenge. Hence a lot of emphasis is put on practicing and discovering this wisdom through experience for yourself.
The Teachers
Alex Magnano
Alex has been studying mindfulness philosophy for a decade and meditating daily for years. He has been an avid practitioner of meditation ever since. He is a certified mindfulness and meditation teacher through the MMTCP program by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, seasonally goes on 10-day and 7-day silent retreats, and is always in pursuit of deepening his own wisdom.
His approach to teaching is focused on helping others discover their own wisdom. He believes trusting ones own awareness and intuition is key to deepening mindfulness. We are all different, so finding what works for you is best. Alex also puts heavy emphasis on simplicity. Complex problems are built from the infinitely layered constructions of the thinking mind. Alex aims to help people see through these creations with the beauty and truth found in the uncomplicated nature of things.
Alex’s teacher training includes trauma awareness and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) skills with the goal of making a safe space for all people of all backgrounds. Alex recognizes that this includes a lifetime of growing and learning, and values the unique contributions of everyone.
Ally Kadel
Ally first began practicing mindfulness in a therapeutic setting 10 years ago and was amazed at how powerfully it could release her from painful narratives and calm her nervous system. As she deepened her knowledge of Yogic and Buddhist philosophy, she found the practices of awareness and compassion enlarging her heart to hold all of her experiences and freeing her from the suffering created by misunderstanding reality. She is committed to helping others realize this healing and freedom inside themselves.
She believes healing is inextricably linked to wisdom, and both develop when you see the nature of things at a pace that feels safe. It is important to create a stable and kind enough inner environment to start noticing how things unfold in reality. You might discover that you are larger than your experiences and that you are inherently good.
Ally is a forever-student and continues to learn and deepen her understanding in daily meditation practice and week-long silent retreats. Her trainings include a two-year Mindfulness Meditation teacher training with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield, 200-hour Hatha Yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India, and additional specialized trainings applying mindfulness and yoga to trauma and grief healing.