Michael Viradhammo

After discovering the healing power of Buddhism and meditation, Venerable Michael decided to abandon material pursuits, paid back his loans, and left his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia to become a Theravada Buddhist monk in Thailand where he has been ordained since 2017. Since then, Venerable Michael has helped with teaching meditation and wisdom to thousands of travelers at the Pa Pae Meditation retreat in Chiang Mai as well as teaching and mentoring men who become a monk with the international ordination program.

He is also an avid writer and is the co-author and narrator of the books/audiobooks that he writes with Venerable Nick about practical wisdom to help readers overcome their suffering. He is also making many other resources, running events and retreats, and traveling the world with his brother monk Venerable Nick on a shared mission to bridge mental health with spiritual health. Venerable Michael is deeply dedicated to continuously aligning his life with his true nature and helping others do the same.