Delson Armstrong is a trailblazing meditation teacher and author who leads students to deep personal transformation through traditional and innovative approaches. Affable and playfully irreverent, Delson takes meditation “beyond mindfulness” to bring access to rarified states such as jhāna (deep peace), cessation (awakening experiences), and “mundane Nibbana” or enlightenment in everyday life.

A meditative prodigy since an early age, Delson is a Mumbai-born American who began Hatha Yoga at thirteen and quickly mastered a range of meditative systems. These include Advaita Vedanta, the Yoga Sutras, Tibetan Mahamudra, and Theravada-inspired jhāna and cessation events of recent popular interest. Delson has been studied by neuroscientists seeking to quantify his mastery of nirodha samapatti and arahatta phala, experiences once thought exclusive to reclusive monks and yogis.

In 2017, Delson was authorized to teach TWIM (Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation) by its creator, American Buddhist monk Bhante Vimalaramsi, and since then he has been teaching online and onsite retreats and workshops globally. In 2023, he was authorized to teach Kriya Yoga by Forrest Knutson, a well-known Kriya Master and author of Mastering Meditation. Delson explains, “The Kriya Yoga I teach is not about awakening Kundalini. It is a collection of processes that allow for the total rest and relaxation of the nervous system to prime it for meditation practice.” Not confined to any one school, Delson teaches a blend of practices drawn from meditation, insight, and energy work, known as the Optimal Mind™ system.

Delson has embraced a sustainable teaching model. “I’m grateful for the many donations I’ve received since 2022. Currently, from 2024 onwards, I’ve shifted to a fee-based model which is sustainable for me in the long term as a non-monastic with financial and family responsibilities. It offers me a reliable way of earning my living so that I can continue doing what I do best – teach, whether that’s in the form of writing, speaking, or instructing. For the foreseeable future, my time teaching at DSMC will always be dana-based.”

Regarding his personal choices, Delson asserts, “People have questioned how I present myself. I ask that others respect my choices and not impose their opinions on my lifestyle. We all have the right to live our own lives.”

Delson values his independence as a teacher. “I don’t belong to one school of practice. I don’t adhere to the exclusive expectations of any one teacher, community, or school of Dhamma or ideology.” He also emphasizes the practical nature of his teachings, stating, “Regarding attainments, I urge you not to believe any claims blindly, whether by myself or others. Test my understanding of the teachings for yourself. Come and listen if you wish; take what works and leave the rest behind. I’m an ordinary human being. Kindness matters more than any talk of attainments.”

Delson Armstrong continues to inspire and guide individuals on their meditative journeys, offering profound insights and practical techniques to achieve lasting personal transformation and well-being.