Simon is a mindfulness and meditation teacher and the author of the forthcoming book An Introduction to the Self Salutation: How to Resolve Negative Emotions Through Mindfulness Meditation. Simon spent sixteen years as a Hindu monk. When he left the monastic life in 2011, he recognized the need for a meditation practice to help resolve the negative feelings within him—rather than just help lift above them temporarily. This prompted him to explore different modalities of personal transformation and ultimately to develop The Self Salutation. Simon has a Masters in Religion from Yale and lives with his spouse, Allyson, in Washington, DC.