John is currently enrolled in the PhD program of philosophy at the University of South Florida, with a concentration in "philosophy and religion". He is also a certified yoga instructor, obtaining his certificate from Lotus Pond Center for Yoga & Health in June 2024.

 

While John aspires to adopt the role of 'teacher', he understands that aspiration must come from someone who orients themself as a lifelong student. As a philosopher, he understands that there is an ever-expanding horizon of literature and ideas which a devoted practice of studying helps maintain sight of. As a yogi, he understands that the wisdom sought through philosophy comes from an openness to the experience of the world which yoga helps cultivate. This principle, too, is one he strives to impart upon his students, both on the mat and in the lecture hall.

 

John offers tutoring services for undergraduates to help them produce strong research essays as well as helping them understand difficult philosophical texts. Some of the research projects currently preoccupying him are developing a style of guided meditation based on Gaston Bachelard's Poetics of Space, understanding the importance of ritualized communal drinking through the lens of kava culture and kava ceremony, and how to be properly oriented for survival and success in an increasingly automated world.