Behind the HLP

What began as a search for meaning following military service became a library preserving the collective knowledge, history, and science that has sustained humanity across civilizations from our past. 

Zach left the Marine Corps in early 2020, being immediately faced with the COVID-19 pandemic added complexity to the transition process back into society. During that time Zach focused on his mental heath in unconventional ways for a Westerner. However, being stationed in South East Asia for 4 years made the notion of mindfulness, yoga, and Vedic thought familiar and comfortable. 

Zach enrolled into Naropa University. Studying Psychology with a  focus on Health and Healing as well as a double minor in Yoga and Psychedelic Studies. Following the path of yoga and psychedelics lead to living in the jungle with the Shipibo people outside of Iquitos, Peru. For months Zach studied under a Shipibo Maestro to continue to address his metal health and learn healing from centuries old plant medicine. 

In the final semester at Naropa University Zach created Holistic Life Paths as a graduation project. HLP has since evolved into a humanitarian-anthropological library focused on making contemplative education affordable, globally accessible, self paced, and community centered.