About Mitra

I’m Mitra. Old friends call me Peter, and I like that too. But Mitra is the dharma name I received—it means “friend”. That’s the heart of what I do: I help people befriend themselves, others, and the world.

I’ve lived many lives: A Buddhist monastic, a coach for high performers seeking deeper meaning, a teacher of meditation retreats, and a Relateful facilitator. I’ve spent thousands of hours meditating in silence, led transformational retreats, and walked alongside countless people as they wrestled with life’s biggest questions. 

Initially, I was introduced to relational practices through meditation communities. While they were very healing and cultivated a deep sense of presence, I found them over time to be too restrictive. Where was the room for intimacy? For conflict? For real meeting? I found Circling and... it didn't start well. My first immersion, I yelled at the facilitators saying they were doing a terrible job and wasting my time. And, then, I signed up for their facilitator training and kept coming back.

I help people find themselves. Sometimes it’s about softening the parts of you that feel unworthy of love. Sometimes it’s about finding the courage to step fully into your life, your work, your relationships. Whatever it is, we go through it together. I'm not your teacher and I don't have all the answers, no one does. Humans aren't machines. We don't need to be solved or healed or figured out. We naturally unfold and that's what we will do together.

My background? It’s rooted in both rigorous training and lived experience. Seven years of monastic life at the Monastic Academy taught me how to meet life with presence and responsibility. My time as Executive Director there taught me how to lead people. Along the way, I’ve trained in Circling, Relatefulness, and Aletheia Unfolding coaching, and I’ve built communities of practice like the Hearth in Asheville—a home for those who want to live with intention and purpose.

What I care about most is showing up with you, here and now, just as we are. Life is messy, and there’s no perfect way to navigate it. But we can face it together, with courage, humor, and a little bit of grace. That’s the work—and I love it.