About

Our Story

Our Origins: Transforming Tragedy Into Inspiration

Meditating Mascots started as a peace-oriented response to the tragic Valentine’s Day shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas (MSD) High School in Parkland, FL, which was the high school of our founder, Dr. Eden Goldman. A 1998 graduate of MSD and a professor for 10+ years in LMU’s internationally renowned Yoga Studies Department, Dr. Goldman was at home meditating about one month after the incident at MSD’s campus when an idea popped into his head. The thought was to bring more peace and inclusivity to school campuses by reminding people of their own inner peacefulness, through something familiar and dear to them – albeit almost sacred – their school mascot.

And so, Meditating Mascots was born!

Our Products: School Spirit + Yoga and Mindfulness in One

The mascots, themselves, are the playful synergy of the love and passion people have for their University and the love and passion they have for their Yoga and mindfulness practices and traditions. Essentially, Meditating Mascots is School Spirit + Yoga and mindfulness in one!

Our Mission: Building Wellness Communities On College Campuses

Similar to how the Greek system and athletic participation promote feelings of belonging and inclusivity in campus life, Meditating Mascots is designed to develop University comradery around popular like-minded activities and shared values about healthy lifestyle practices. Our mission is to create and cultivate an identity for the Yoga, mindfulness, and wellness communities on college campuses around the country. The goal is to support inclusivity, camaraderie, and belonging through popular like-minded activities and shared values about healthy lifestyle practices. Ultimately, we feel that uniting people in inspiration, fun, empowerment, and through life-enhancing teachings can have a profound effect on the students, faculty, alumni, and people on each campus and community, who are dedicated to peace, love, and seeking health and happiness in life.

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Our Coat of Arms

The Wisdom Behind The Design
Our coat of arms for Meditating Mascots has 4 main elements: The Prayer Hands, The Meditator, The Om, and The Heart. Each element shares and conveys an aspect of the intention behind our brand.

The Prayer Hands
The Prayer Hands are a sacred, symbolic, and respectful gesture of greeting people in many cultures. In the Yoga world, too, we traditionally fold our hands in a prayer and bow, known as a “pranam,” upon meeting new and old friends. Metaphorically, we believe that one’s view of the world is different when we bow than when we stand up and The Prayer Hands remind us to be humble in the presence of the things we value, care for, and honor in life.

The Meditator
The Meditator is the most essential aspect of our products and the creative inspiration behind our brand. The Meditator represents our purest goals and aspirations, the silence from where our greatest inspirations are born, and the essential goodness of our highest Self. In this light, The Meditator also conveys the hard work and discipline that we all must develop in mastering ourselves, in becoming successful, and in living a more peaceful life.

The Om
The Om is deeply rooted within Eastern traditions and cultures. It has been adopted in modern times by the Yoga community as generally being representative of two things: (1) The underlying Universal sound from which all of creation emanates and (2) A call to attention for practice. For us, the Om is a symbol that is familiar and recognizable within our community and supports the essential alignment and dharma of our work with something greater than just ourselves.

The Heart
The Heart has many names in the Yoga world: the anahata chakra, the hridaya, the heart center, and the cave where The Self is hidden. Classically, the heart is a symbol of compassion. For us, The Heart represents the dedication and passion we have for the things we are committed to in our lives. What’s more, The Heart also signifies our efforts to empower and give back to the college campuses, communities, and people we represent and to pay it forward for those in need.

Our Team

Paul Goldman

Paul Goldman, MBA is CFO at Meditating Mascots and has over 40 years of experience as a successful business executive and consultant.
Paul is certified in both CHC (Certified in Healthcare Compliance) and CHPC (Certified in Healthcare Privacy Compliance) from the Healthcare Compliance Association, and is currently Chief Compliance Officer for the telehealth company, MDLIVE.

LinkedIn:
Paul Goldman, MBA, CHC, CHPC

Dr. Eden Goldman

Eden Goldman, D.C., C-IAYT, E-RYT500 is Founder and CEO at Meditating Mascots. Eden is also the Director of Loyola Marymount University's Yoga & The Healing Sciences Program, author of The Secret Art of Yoga Assists, and co-author of Yoga Therapy and Integrative Medicine: Where Ancient Science Meets Modern Medicine.

Instagram:
@Dr.EdenGoldman

Jay Valin

Jay Valin is COO at Meditating Mascots. An entrepreneur by trade, Jay is also co-owner & CEO of famed Steve’s Pizza in North Miami Beach and he co-created & launched Green Monkey Yoga & Balanced Living Center in 2008 in Miami, FL. He is a lifelong student of Kriya Yoga, the discipline of deliberate action with awareness.

Instagram:
@Stevespizza

Albert Soratorio

Albert Soratorio is the Artistic Director at Meditating Mascots. What’s more, Albert is also a Los Angeles based Artist working in Film, Theater, Arts. Actor, director, filmmaker, painter, and more.

Instagram:
@AlbertSoratorioArts