Allan Lokos (emeritus) was the Founding Guiding Teacher of The Community Meditation Center and served as guiding teacher for fourteen years. He is the author of Through the Flames: Overcoming Disaster Through Compassion, Patience, and Determination; Pocket Peace: Effective Practices for Enlightened Living; and Patience: The Art of Peaceful Living. He has been featured on more than one hundred radio and television programs. Places he has taught include Columbia University Teachers College, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, The Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, The Rubin Museum, Tibet House US, and Upaya Zen Center. Allan has practiced meditation since the mid-nineties and studied with many of the world’s most renowned teachers, including Thich Nhat Hanh, Sharon Salzberg, Joseph Goldstein, and Stephen Batchelor. Earlier in this life, Allan enjoyed a successful career as a professional singer.