Bala (he/him) had a deep meditation experience 5 years ago that changed how he experiences all of life. He spent a year working with teachers of a variety of lineages in Encinitas and India. Eventually he met his teacher Ram Dass where he also met Jack Kornfield. Bala wanted to become a meditation teacher to help people find greater purpose and alignment with life. When not in the forest, he lives in Atlanta with his husband and dog, Winnie.

He’s a certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, Graduating from Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach's 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certificate Program through the Awareness Training Institute and the University of Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center. As part of this 2-year program, they also completed a 6-month DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Accountability) training.

Helen (she/her) after decades of struggling with an unruly mind and a restless heart, Helen found solace in Meditation/Mindfulness which, for the last five years, has become the most essential part of her life. It is her experience with, and confidence in these practices which inspired her to train as a teacher. Helen believes that a vibrant and loving connection with diverse people and the planet is necessary to thrive as a human being. Her intention, as a member of the community at Just Love Forest, is to facilitate these connections. Helen lives in Norcross, GA with her two cats (Annie and Estrella) and a thriving plant family. She’s a certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, Graduating from Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach's 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certificate Program through the Awareness Training Institute and the University of Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center. As part of this 2-year program, they also completed a 6-month DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Accountability) training.

Shri Ganga Das ji Maharaj, Ganga Das (he/him) for short, is an American spiritual figure, practitioner, and ascetic. He lives and serves as a Sanyasi: an ordained ascetic monk of the Ramanandi Sampradaya lineage. He resides at a Hindu and Buddhist temple near Baltimore, MD. Ganga Das lives what he teaches: radical love and compassion.

He feels that silence is the language of the soul. Within the confines of quietness, the mind becomes quiescent: revealing its true nature. Ganga Das spreads his message of Big Love throughout the country, giving spiritual insight and guidance to those that seek comfort and community. He is looking forward to spending time in this Forest with you, both guiding each other back to our true nature: Love.

Matt Casey (he/him) "Everything is important, but Nothing matters" were the words the Universe gifted me as I reconnected with this world and my body after the immensely beautiful time spent bathing in the Ocean of Love I refer to as God's Mind. This intense and awe inspiring spiritual awakening happened for me in 1992. My spiritual awakening allowed me to meet the challenges of 25 years as an Air Force F-16 pilot through rigorous training and intense combat situations, but more than anything it pushed me to explore and endure the massive highs and lows of my own spiritual path. While the meaning of these words have morphed with the passing of time, I have used them as an all important life code through today. To me, they remind me to still my monkey mind daily in order to reveal the truth of each and every moment as being precious and important, but to accept the inevitable and beautiful change of every-single thing in this material world and Universe.