There’s no shortage of advice in the wellness world. What’s rarer is finding teachers whose practice is lived—not performed. People who embody the work they share.
This is the Sovereign Teacher Series, a recurring collection of conversations and guided practices with meditation teachers, therapists, movement practitioners, coaches, and sound healers whose perspectives have shaped our own relationship to presence.
Each week we’ll share a new teacher, a guided meditation from their practice, and reflections on what it means to live with greater awareness in a world that constantly pulls us away from ourselves.
This week it’s James Crawford, a NYC based former consultant & techie turned fitness founder who traded spreadsheets for sweat. He runs Terra Pilates Studios, building strength, community, and a little bit of magic every day.
Hi James!! Welcome. First things first, how did you find your way to meditation? What was the turning point?
James: Honestly—chaos and heartbreak. I was juggling a high-pressure job and teaching 10 classes a week, and then life hit. Hard. Meditation became less of a “nice to have” and more of a lifeline—something that kept me steady enough to keep showing up for myself and for others.
Heartbreak can be SUCH a blessing. Literally heart opening… Describe your personal daily practice. What does it actually look like?
James: On a good day? 5–20 minutes every morning, just me and the cushion. But the real practice is everything after—catching myself in the natural chaos of my day, coming back to my breath, pausing, and choosing to stay grounded instead of getting swept up in it.
What tradition or approach shaped you most, and why does it resonate?
James: I trained and studied at Three Jewels in NYC, rooted in Tibetan Buddhism, and earned my 200hr Meditation Certification. What stuck with me most is this idea: you’re not just reacting to your life—you’re creating your experience of it. That shift is powerful. It means you have more agency than you think.
What does “presence over performance” mean to you in your own life?
James: It means choosing authenticity over approval. I’m in front of people all the time, and instead of teaching the “perfect” class and what I think they want, I give the honest one—the one that’s most real to me at the moment. It’s more vulnerable, but it lands deeper. People can feel the difference.
The approval piece is so real. What is the practice or moment that consistently brings you back to presence?
James: My breath. Every time. Slow, deep breaths that pull me out of my head and back into my body. It calms my nervous system and then I can feel more and think less. Bonus points if I’m outside—best case, near water. The ocean fixes a lot.
What has your practice given you that you didn't expect?
James: Perspective—and with that, a lot more compassion. For myself, for other people, for how messy life can be. You realize not everything is as personal or permanent as it feels in the moment.
Who do you teach, and what transformation do you witness most often?
James: I teach New Yorkers, seekers, and anyone craving more strength—physically and mentally. The biggest shift I see? People start trusting themselves. They get stronger in their bodies, clearer in their minds, and more grounded in who they are.
What is your hope for presence culture in the world right now?
James: Less reacting, more listening. Less certainty, more curiosity. I think we need a little more softness—a willingness to understand each other, to change our minds, and to lead with compassion instead of ego. More peace.
SS: MORE PEACE. Thanks James.
Practice a short walking meditation with James at the link below!