Diamond Heart 11 - Meet the Teachers

As the DH11 group continues to take shape, the teaching team is now established with Deb, Eme and Ben as the primary teachers, with Byron serving as supervisor and offering periodic teaching when appropriate. Together, the teaching team brings decades of combined experience in the Diamond Approach, offering guidance rooted in personal realization, professional training, and a deep commitment to the path of inner truth.

Eme Le Cavalier

In her early twenties, while studying Pure Mathematics, Eme experienced a sudden and life-changing spiritual opening that revealed a vastness of reality beyond anything she had imagined. This awakening ignited a lifelong journey into the nature of life and what it means to be truly human.

For over four decades, her path has been a deep exploration of human consciousness through spiritual traditions, body–mind disciplines, depth psychology, and daily practices of meditation and presence.

A student of the Diamond Approach since 1998, Eme teaches in French in Paris and online and accompanies students devoted to inner realization and truth.

Ben Centanni

Ben Centanni has been a student of the Diamond Approach since 1999 and was ordained as a teacher in 2016. He has taught Diamond Approach groups in New Orleans and Michigan, and currently works with private students in person in Santa Cruz, California, as well as internationally by Zoom. Ben has a background in education and spent several years teaching middle school, an experience that continues to inform his grounded and attentive approach to spiritual work. His teaching is guided by a deep respect for the individuality of each student’s path and a commitment to the unfolding of presence in everyday life.

Deb Sylvan

Drawn by a deep devotion to truth, Deb’s path has woven through Christian contemplative practices and silent meditation retreats. Her search eventually led her to the Diamond Approach, where inquiry and presence offered a way to bring spiritual exploration into the fabric of daily life. Before becoming a teacher, Deb worked as a documentary film director and producer, a craft that deepened her appreciation for the complexity and beauty of human experience. Deb co-teaches silent retreats and a weekly meditation class for Diamond Approach students, with a special focus on how practice meets the realities of parenting and everyday life.

Byron Brown

(Supervising Teacher who will periodically teach in the large group)

Byron has been a student of the Diamond Approach since 1982 and was ordained as a teacher in 1990. As the Director of Publishing for the books of A.H. Almaas, he brings extensive knowledge and decades of experience to his work with students and teachers alike. Byron is the author of Soul Without Shame: A Guide to Liberating Yourself from the Judge Within, and has introduced many people to the Diamond Approach through his teachings on the superego and self-judgment. He continues to teach individuals, lead groups, and support the development of new teachers. Byron lives in the SF Bay Area and teaches in the US and Europe.