From Doing to Being
Making mindfulness practical, playful, and relevant to real life.
Our lives are increasingly defined by doing: achieving, managing, planning, producing, and moving from one thing to the next. But what happens when we pause long enough to actually experience the life we have created?
In this engaging and accessible introduction to mindfulness, River Morgan invites you to explore the art of moving from constant doing into a more spacious experience of being. Through simple practices, conversation, humor, and experiential exercises, you will discover that mindfulness doesn’t require sitting perfectly still or escaping everyday life; it can be woven into the moments we are already living.
Together, we will explore how to become more present in conversation, more aware of our thoughts and emotions, less reactive under pressure, and more capable of actually enjoying the moments that make up our lives.
This is practical and playful mindfulness designed for real people with full lives.
The Art of the Pause: Creating space between stimulus and response
Mindfulness 101: It’s Not What You Think: A practical introduction for curious skeptics
The Joy of Being Present: Learning to actually experience the life you’re living
Less Reacting, More Responding: Mindfulness for relationships and communication
The Busy Mind: Working skillfully with thoughts, worry, and mental chatter
From Stress to Spaciousness: Simple practices for regulating the pace of daily life
Mindful Aging & Longevity: Presence as an essential part of living well
The Mindful Morning: Beginning the day with intention rather than momentum
Being Here Now: An experiential meditation journey into presence
The Happiness Practice: Why attention may be one of our greatest resources for well-being
Weaving the Practice Into Your Life: Tools for cultivating a home practice
River Morgan is a third-generation mindfulness and meditation teacher based in Aspen, Colorado, with more than 29 years of experience guiding individuals toward greater presence, vitality, and well-being. Her work brings together a lifelong study of movement, meditation, mindfulness, and the art of living well.
For more than 15 years, River has been a sought-after guest lecturer where she presents regularly on the transformative role of mindfulness and meditation in health, longevity, and quality of life. Her work has also taken her to some of the world’s most distinguished wellness destinations, including The Greenhouse Spa and The World Residential Yacht, as well as private retreats, international symposiums, and gatherings devoted to mindfulness, happiness, longevity, and human potential. She is currently the director of Lead With Love- an international organization that creates heart-centered leaders.
In 2007, River created “From Doing to Being,” a private program designed for newly retired CEOs and accomplished leaders navigating the transition from lives defined by achievement into a new chapter centered on presence, purpose, and deeper fulfillment. Her approach speaks to the increasingly important intersection of longevity and quality of life—inviting people not simply to live longer, but to live more fully.
River’s perspective and teaching have been featured in Yoga Journal, Forbes Magazine, Elephant Journal, and Aspen Peak Magazine. She has also been featured as a model for Gaiam and Jade, authored a wellness column for The Aspen Daily News, and has had her classes featured on Golf Forever, Healthy Backs Forever, Aspen82, and The Healthy Life channels.
Known for her warm presence, depth of experience, and ability to make contemplative practices both accessible and profoundly relevant, River creates experiences that invite guests to slow down, reconnect, and cultivate a more meaningful relationship with themselves and the world around them.
About Tony “The Marine” Lattimore
Pepper Schwartz, Ph.D
Duo Mundi: George & Gulimina
Alexander Kopelman is a writer, social entrepreneur, advocate, and coach who has devoted thirty years to advancing social justice and personal empowerment. As Founding President & CEO of the Children’s Arts Guild, he has led the development of nationally recognized programs in authenticity-based social-emotional learning, serving hundreds of educators and thousands of students across the United States. Alex is the author of For Real: Helping Children Remain Their Authentic Selves in a Limiting World (Page Two Books, June 2026), as well as ten previously authored and co-authored books, including The Empress Has No Clothes: Overcoming Self-Doubt to Embrace Success. He is a member of the Authors’ Guild. The Guild’s programs have been presented at South by Southwest EDU, the National School Boards Association Conference, and the National Art Education Association Conference. The Guild is a recognized New York State CTLE Sponsor and an official ASPDP Partner with the NYC Department of Education.
Jessica Zemple helps people shuck open their shells of fear with love to let their pearls shine leading to a more fulfilling life! 
Sheila Elaine, aka The Grateful Goddess, is a coach and speaker specializing in transformative topics such as the law of attraction, gratitude, women’s empowerment, and the mind/body connection in health and wellness. With a dozen years of speaking at world-renowned resorts and spas, she has inspired and empowered thousands to cultivate lives filled with meaning, purpose, and joy. Sheila champions the pursuit of one’s deepest desires, encouraging all to embrace the adventure of living authentically and passionately. She fosters leaders in all aspects of your life so you can exponentially expand your impact without sacrificing your health and well-being.
Laila Tarraf is a leadership coach and human capital advisor with over 25 years of experience working with founders, owners, and leadership teams at critical moments of transition, growth, and complexity. She has held three Chief People Officer roles, first as a founding member of Walmart.com during the height of the first internet bubble, then at Peet’s Coffee & Tea as it evolved from a regional retail company into a national, multi-channel brand. Most recently, she served as Chief People Officer at Allbirds, where she built the leadership and people infrastructure required to navigate a global pandemic, significant social unrest, and the company’s successful path to becoming a public company.
Christina Boyd-Smith, PhD
Priya Ford, M.S., CMPC
Brandee L. Waite, M.D., is a sports medicine physician who strives to keep her patients active. She has been a medical director for over 20 marathons and ultra-marathons over the past 15 years. With a dynamic personality, Dr. Waite has a passion for educating her patients, other physicians and the public about relevant sports medicine topics. She has served as a team physician for the USA Track and Field program, the Sacramento Kings (NBA) as well as the Sacramento Ballet and now works with Professional Soccer and Division I NCAA teams. Dr. Waite currently sees patients and teaches medical students and residents at the University of California, Davis. Her educational pedigree is impressive, having received her medical training at Stanford, UC San Francisco and Johns Hopkins. However, she credits her pre-medical years as a fitness instructor at Rancho La Puerta in the 1990’s with shaping the inclusion of sports and fitness into her medical practice.
Pei-Chun Tsai from Tainan, Taiwan, winner of the Taiwan National Violin Competition, made her debut at the Weill Recital Hall in Manhattan, and has enjoyed summers at the Alfred, Encore, Yellow Barn, and Taos festivals as well as the International Holland Music Sessions. Joseph Fuchs, Daniel Phillips, and Harvey Shapiro have been her teachers and mentors in the United States. She is the founding director of the Campanile Music Festival at San Diego State University and has been a member of the San Diego Symphony since 2005 in addition to being violin lecturer at SDSU. She released an album of solo violin works entitled “Chaconne” in 2021 highlighting Baroque and contemporary masterpieces of this form. Pei-Chun holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts degree from City University of New York, with Bachelor and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School. She performs on a violin by Boston luthier Charline Dequincy, and a bow made by Abe Liebhaber in San Diego.
Described as “outstanding” (Melómano) and “sublime” (Augusta Read Thomas), L’Étoile Violin Duo was founded by violinists Hsin-Lin Tsai and Miguel Pérez-Espejo Cárdenas to explore and expand the violin duo repertoire. They perform throughout the United States, Europe, and Taiwan, with appearances at the Instituto Cervantes of New York, European Day of Music celebrations broadcast across Europe, and recordings with RTVE Música, Spain’s National Radio label. Renowned for their elegant style, superb ensemble technique, and expressive artistry, the Duo performs repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary works, with a strong commitment to new music. They have premiered and commissioned works by leading composers including Augusta Read Thomas, David Lefkowitz, Michael Ippolito, José Zárate, and Kareem Roustom. Recipients of the Granoff Music Fund Grant, they are also creators and Co-Artistic Directors of The Renewal Series, an interdisciplinary concert project uniting music with dance, literature, and visual arts. Deeply committed to education, L’Étoile presents master classes, residencies, and community programs internationally. Their students are prize winners in national and international competitions, reflecting the Duo’s dedication to artistic excellence and meaningful engagement.
Kristen Strom has played alongside many well-known artists, including Manhattan Transfer, Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, Johnny Mathis, Jimmy Heath, Pamela Rose, and the touring company of Blues is a Woman. She also performs in a celebrated duo with husband/guitarist Scott Sorkin. In addition to her albums, Intention, Sojourn and Moving Day: The Music of John Shifflett, she has recorded more than 40 CDs with various jazz and pop artists. Her latest album, Moving Day, was listed as one of Best Jazz Albums of 2018 by The Mercury News and has gotten national and international airplay.
Scott Sorkin is a Bay Area guitarist, composer, producer, teacher and recording engineer who performs and records in styles ranging from jazz to Brazilian and Latin styles. His solo CD “Laika” was released in 2017. Performance credits include the Count Basie Orchestra, Mary Wilson (The Supremes), Nnenna Freelon, Paula West, Louie Bellson, Vince Giordano, Tammy Hall, Pamela Rose, Kristen Strom, touring shows “Dream Girls” and Disney’s “Newsies”, Symphony Silicon Valley, Great Performances, PBS Television and SFJAZZ. Sorkin has extensive recording credits as well as film scores (including composer credits). Scott co-leads the international jazz group “Crossing Borders”, featuring Kristen Strom, Jennifer Scott, and Rene Worst. He’s been a featured artist at many festivals.
Dr. Diane Snyder is a gynecologist who has been in private practice for more than 35 years. She cares for girls and women of all ages, including pediatric patients, and is passionate about teaching and sharing her years of experience to help women better understand their bodies and become proactive about their health throughout every stage of the reproductive lifespan. She is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and practices in Rockville, Maryland.
Dr. Jay H. Goldstein has been awarded the status of Diplomate by the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. This credential is widely recognized as the gold standard for excellence in dental sleep medicine. Dr. Goldstein has presented nationally and internationally covering topics on cosmetic dentistry and sleep apnea. Dr. Goldstein has been an instructor at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital’s General Practice Residency program. Dr. Goldstein has spoken at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation on oral appliance therapy for obstruction sleep apnea.
Chef Denise Portillo’s path to the kitchen began with beauty. She was a florist first — arranging color, texture, and form long before she plated it — and that eye for how things make us feel never left her. Cooking became her language, and across more than two decades in professional kitchens she came to understand food as far more than something that satisfies hunger: it nourishes, it balances, it brings people to the table and holds them there.
Born in San Diego and raised between Tijuana and Mexicali, Raul’s culinary journey is deeply rooted in his family’s traditions. He grew up cooking alongside his grandmother, learning to make everything from fresh tortillas and salsas to chilaquiles and refried beans. His early experiences in the kitchen became a foundation for his passion, especially after the loss of his mother at a young age, which led him and his father to cook together out of necessity.