Hi, my name is Monica Halka. I have studied and practiced Tibetan mind-training at the Drepung Loseling Buddhist Center in Atlanta for more than a decade. As a Ph.D. physicist, I was invited by the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative to teach introductory physics at two of the Dalai Lama’s monasteries in India. That extraordinary experience with the monastic community reinforced my dedication to share mindfulness meditation techniques with anyone who wanted to integrate these useful practices into their everyday lives.
Fortunately, as Associate Director of the Georgia Tech Honors Program, I had the opportunity to create a course called “Mindfulness for Mental Acuity” for Georgia Tech freshmen, which I taught for eight years. The popularity of that class and the remarkable benefits reported by the students led me to develop a second, modified course, specifically designed for and in collaboration with law enforcement officers.
I started painting in January 2025 while taking art classes from Daniel Mantilla at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, GA.
Fortunately, as Associate Director of the Georgia Tech Honors Program, I had the opportunity to create a course called “Mindfulness for Mental Acuity” for Georgia Tech freshmen, which I taught for eight years. The popularity of that class and the remarkable benefits reported by the students led me to develop a second, modified course, specifically designed for and in collaboration with law enforcement officers.
I started painting in January 2025 while taking art classes from Daniel Mantilla at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, GA.
Monks and I at Drepung Loseling Monastery, Mundgod, India, viewing the world through diffraction-grating glasses.