Ācariya Delson Armstrong was born on 9 March, 1990, in Mumbai, India. He moved to the United States in 1995, where he grew up in New York. His spiritual journey began at the age of 13 when he was introduced to Hatha Yoga and instantly recognized his connection to it from his first practice onwards. He studied at Pathways World School from 2003-2006. In 2006, he traveled around different parts of India and then spent time in Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Uttarkashi, where he studied Advaita Vedanta and delved deep into the works of Yoga Vasishta, Yoga Sutras, and the Bhagavad Gita.
During his spiritual sojourn from 2006-2009, Delson was introduced to and initiated in the lineages of Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Lahiri Mahasya, and ParamahansaHariharananda. He also explored the practice of neti-neti, a deep method of self-enquiry practice, and began to imbibe the teachings of Tripura Rahasya, as recommended in the Jnana (wisdom) school of Ramana Maharishi. At the same time, he also learned from the schools of J Krishnamurti and UG Krishnamurti. In 2009, Delson went back to the US to study and then pursue a career in writing. He became a ghostwriter for various studios in Hollywood and publishers in New York.
He lived in San Diego from 2013-2019, where he founded the Source Living meditation app, under the entrepreneurial mentorship of Greg Halpern. During that time, he also studied under Lama Lena and received initiations in to both Dzogchen and Mahamudra. In 2016, he completed an online retreat with David Johnson, author of The Path to Nibbana. In 2017, he was authorized to teach Tranquil Wisdom Insight Practice under the American Forest Tradition, founded by Bhante Vimalaramsi. In 2021, he was given the title of Dhammacariya (Dhamma Teacher) by Bhante Vimalaramsi. In 2023, he was authorized by Forrest Knutson to teach Kriya under the lineage of Panchanon Bhattacharya and Lahiri Mahasaya. In that same year, Delson founded the Freedom of Mind Organization (FOMO), which caters to inter-lineage collaboration, offers free wisdom and meditation teachings, is a center for the study of ancient Sanskrit and Pali, supports monastics of all traditions aligned to world peace and harmony, and explores various research studies in different contemplative practices.
He has mastered the levels of Samadhi mentioned in the Yoga Sutras, received the six degrees of kriya under the lineage of Hariharananda, as well as the seven degrees of kriya under the lineage of Panchanon Bhattacharya. He has also mastered the eight jhānas and attained the ability to entered into the state of Nirodha Samapatti or cessation. Despite such attainments, he doesn’t proclaim to be enlightened or awakened. Instead, he chooses to offer his experience to the world as what some may call a teacher, mentor, guide, or coach. He doesn’t adhere to any labels. He is content to offer his support of practices to anyone who wishes to learn them. He does not claim to have a mission or vision – instead he goes where he is invited to teach, whenever time permits.
Delson does not charge for any teaching. He considers himself a “Dhamma Nomad,” earning his livelihood through “gurudakshina” or via the generosity of his students – he leaves it up to them to exercise their generosity towards him. He doesn’t adhere to a single school because he doesn’t wish to affiliate himself to a viewpoint, nor is he attached to any one school. He teaches both Dhamma concepts as well as Kriya practices. He offers his experience to the neuroscientificcommunity and has been the subject of multiple researches in the study of the brain during deep level of meditative attainments. His interests lie in the alleviation of suffering through methods aligned with the latest understanding of cognitive behavioral psychology and applied neuroscience.