Founder, Coach

Hello & Welcome! My name is Sean Phillips, I am the founder and

coach here at Rounding Edges. Teaching, coaching, and

discussing meditation is my passion and I look forward to our

sessions together. First, let me tell you a little bit about myself and

how I ended up here: 

 

I was first introduced to meditation in 2012 by a high school teacher, but it wasn't until my freshman year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, after a friend lent me a book titled "Search Inside Yourself" by Chade-Meng Tan, that I started my own practice. I was fascinated by the mind, and meditation became a nice break in my days as I pursued a degree in neurobiology and aimed to go to medical school to become a physician.

 

In the latter half of my four years of undergrad, I struggled with severe bouts of anxiety, depression, and general unease. I remembered the states of peace I had experienced through meditation and began practicing guided meditations every night to help fall asleep. In time, it worked, and I remember this feeling to me like a miraculous discovery – almost a superpower.

 

I graduated with my neurobiology degree and went straight into medical school. COVID hit, school went virtual, and I decided to take a year away from classes and began independently studying the mind, philosophy, religion, spirituality, consciousness, and meditation with the vigor and intensity of a medical student used to long days in the library. I was again putting into practice all that I learned and cultivating a deep sense of inner peace, happiness, and mental wellness that I couldn't fully explain nor previously thought possible for myself. Having personally experienced and witnessed the prevalent states of poor mental health among my classmates and colleagues, I understood the significance of finding ways to heal. I was determined to further understand my experience and dropped out of medical school to continue this new journey I found myself on.

 

I spent the next four years traveling, exploring, meeting with different meditation and spiritual teachers, and continuing my studies and practice. I published a book of poetry inspired by my experiences and created many blogs, videos, and pieces of art sharing what I was learning. In time, my searching was laid more and more to rest as I found stability in the underlying principles that ran like a thread through all the different forms. The understandings and practices that were now more ingrained in my life brought peace and comfort – even in the face of relatively much greater challenges. In time, the meditative state of alert, peaceful presence began to integrate with everyday life; although life's challenges never cease and therefore neither does the practice.

 

I started Rounding Edges in 2019 as a blog to share my experiences and what I was learning. It grew and expanded, and in 2022, I started offering classes and guided group meditation sessions to the public. In 2023, I began Mindful Moment – our recurring virtual group meditation series – and in 2024, Rounding Edges completed its first private contracts with prominent Wisconsin organizations such as The Badger State Girls Choir and the UW-Madison Division of Continuing Studies to offer tailored meditation courses to staff and members.

 

It has been a long and winding journey that is ever-evolving. I am happy to now share what I currently understand with others and walk the path beside you.

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- Sean