About Liza Kindred

I used to believe I needed to find what was broken in me so I could fix it and finally find peace. I thought spirituality meant constantly working on myself, always becoming someone "better."

I built a successful tech career thinking achievement would fill the void inside me. When hustle culture made me sick, I turned to spirituality—but kept searching for someone to tell me what was wrong and how to fix it. I left my NYC career behind, took Buddhist vows, and completed thousands of hours of training as a wellness teacher.

Then I discovered something the wellness industry doesn't want you to know: you are already whole. After a decade of study, I've learned the most radical truth of all—there was never anything wrong with me in the first place, and there's nothing wrong with you either.

The most profound transformation happens not when we try to become someone else or retreat from the world, but when we stop running from who we already are and start working with the beautiful, messy life we're actually living. You are already complete. My work simply helps you remember.

About Me

I'm a Buddhist meditation teacher, reiki master, and author dedicated to making spiritual transformation accessible and practical. You might know me from my books Eff This! Meditation and Calm Your Anxiety Journal, or perhaps from one of my keynote talks across five continents.

My work has been featured in the New York Times, Wired Magazine, Well+Good, and more. I've spoken at SxSW, Apple, and Columbia Business School—but what matters most is that I'm here to be your kalyana-mittata, your spiritual friend on this journey.

Through my writing, Sacred Space Sessions, and weekly newsletter, I offer tools rooted in more than a decade of Buddhist study (I took my vows in 2017) and over 1,000 hours of wellness teacher training. My approach combines ancient wisdom with modern practicality, because spiritual practice should be both profound and accessible.

My Approach

At the heart of everything I do is a simple truth: you are already whole. My work isn't about fixing what's broken—it's about helping you recognize and connect with the wholeness that's already inside of you.

My Core Philosophy

I approach spirituality as a practical pathway to reconnecting with our innate wisdom and compassion. The ancient traditions I've studied weren't meant to be separate from everyday life—they were created to help us navigate the messy, beautiful challenge of being human.

I am trauma-informed, an LGBTQIA+ ally, sex-worker friendly, and I’m comfortable with expressions of deep suffering. I aim to create a safe space, particularly for those from exploited communities or difficult backgrounds.

My Guiding Principles:

You are whole. A whole person, a fully-fledged human, a complete entity. There is nothing missing from you: no inherent lack, no emotional holes to be filled by anything or anyone outside of yourself.
Spiritual work is about finding and connecting to that wholeness; to that beauty that is in you–whether you feel it right now or not.
There is work to be done; there are teachings to grow from–but our work together starts from this place of wholeness.
The teacher's role is to help you learn to clean some of the dirt off of the mirror so that you can see yourself reflected as you truly are: brilliant, imperfect, full of primordial goodness and love.
If someone implies that you need to be "more," "better," or "fixed," then they are probably not connected to their own innate truth, and will likely not do a good job of helping you to connect with yours. I don't want to "fix" you–I want to help you see and feel your own wholeness.
The only way to love ourselves is to love ourselves as we already are–right now, today. We can't change ourselves into someone more lovable, or more worthy of love. We are already deserving.
I teach precise practices that allow us to begin to make friends with ourselves, because it's the most important relationship we will ever have–and it enriches every other relationship in our life, too.
The Pali word kalyāna-mittatā describes the Buddhist concept of spiritual friendship. I believe strongly that a teacher is a spiritual friend first and foremost; someone who has been down a certain path and can share from their own lived experiences.
In a world of self-styled gurus, self-appointed shamans, and prophets seeking profits, it is vital that a spiritual teacher always embodies the twin spirits of learning and friendship.
There is a vast ocean of fundamental truths out there for us to learn from, and I've spent many years studying with renowned spiritual leaders. By respecting our past, we can more thoughtfully meet the present moment.
While many ancient teachings are full of wisdom, they also come from eras of rampant racism, sexism, and classism. I take care to listen closely to the wisdom in the teachings, while rejecting the systems of hierarchy they might have been taught in. This is nuanced work.

Why I Focus on the Practical

In my own life, I discovered that the most profound shifts happened not when I was trying to escape my life, but when I found ways to transform within it. The practical approach I teach isn't about spiritual bypassing or toxic positivity—it's about developing real tools that work in real life. And, when you are at the threshold of big change, I am here to help you walk through doorways, supported and confident.

You don't need special clothes, perfect circumstances, or hours of free time to begin transforming your relationship with yourself and the world. And, you don’t need to be afraid of the big changes life might present.

What Makes My Approach Different

My unique perspective comes from bridging seemingly different worlds—business and spirituality, ancient wisdom and modern science, deep transformation and lighthearted accessibility. Having walked the path from traumatized child to ambitious entrepreneur to dedicated spiritual practitioner, I understand the challenges of integrating these practices into a busy, full life.

Most importantly, I believe in meeting people exactly where they are—without judgment, without prerequisites, and without the need to look or act or speak a certain way. True spiritual practice isn't about becoming someone else; it's about becoming more fully yourself.

My Training and Credentials

I take my training seriously because I believe spiritual teachers should be properly prepared, not performative. My work is built on a foundation of dedicated study—I've invested thousands of hours in training because to effectively guide others, I must continually deepen my own understanding

Buddhist Studies and Spiritual Teachers

Ten years of dedicated Buddhist study, taking my vows in 2017 through Shambhala Buddhism's intensive Warrior In the World program.

Direct study with Pema Chödrön, Marianne Williamson, Eckhart Tolle, and Ram Dass's final retreat.

Reiki Master and Energy Work

Practicing since 2016; certified in Reiki levels I and II through Reiki Master Brian Brunius.

Completed Reiki Master training through Cynthia Santiago-Borbon, specializing in a decolonized version of energy healing .

Direct transmission from Phyllis Furumoto, the late lineage holder of the global Usui tradition.

Somatic Trauma Therapy Certification

Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy certification through The Embody Lab.

Trauma training with Bessel van der Kolk (The Body Keeps the Score) and Peter Levine (Waking the Tiger).

Liza Kindred. with Reiki Grandmaster Phyllis Furumoto

Here I am in 2018 in NYC with Phyllis Furumoto, the late Usui lineage-holder and Grandmaster

Additional Trainings

Additional trainings and certifications in Chakra Work, EMDR for healing, sacred breathwork, aromatherapy. plant medicine, and herbalism.

Licensed minister since 2002.

Corporate and Brand Clients

My corporate clients include VOGUE, Hearst Magazines, Microsoft, and Bloomingdales.

Brands I have worked with include The Well, Dagne Dover, and MNDFL.

Media and Speaking

Featured in the New York Times, Wired Magazine, Well+Good, and more.

Over 100 keynote talks across five continents including SxSW, Apple, and Columbia Business School.

Me on stage in 2017, just before I left the tech grind behind.

Me speaking on stage in Australia in 2016.

My Story

Before I became a spiritual teacher, I was a serial entrepreneur in NYC's fashion and tech world, building "disruptive" technologies while simultaneously escaping to Buddhist retreats where I tried not to be disrupted. The irony wasn't lost on me.

I had what looked like success: a thriving business, media attention, speaking gigs around the world. I loved the work itself—the innovation, the impact, the challenge of building something meaningful. But I had lost the ability to find balance. I was working eighteen-hour days, completely disconnected from my body and spirit, running on pure adrenaline.

Eventually, my body demanded I pay attention. I got sick—really sick—in a way that made it impossible to ignore what I'd been sacrificing in pursuit of my goals.

That's when the irony became my teacher. Here I was, building technologies meant to disrupt everything, while desperately seeking practices that could help me find some undisrupted peace. I realized I didn't have to choose between meaningful work and inner wholeness—I just needed to learn how to hold both.

I dove deeper into Buddhism and energy healing, discovering ancient practices that could support me in living fully without burning out.

Now I help other driven professionals find that same integration—how to pursue what matters to you while staying connected to who you are.