A native of El Salvador, Nils started meditating at the age of 16 after an event that changed his life. He studied major religions at Lancaster University in England and did research on gurus in Pune, India. He stayed in Hindu and Benedictine monasteries until he went to Thailand to ordain in Ajahn Chah's Forest tradition. He made a commitment to be a monk for seven years and lived in monasteries in England, New Zealand and Italy. He helped translate talks by Ajahn Chah and has given his own talks in a variety of venues including Common Ground Meditation Center in Minneapolis. The first discourse of the Buddha is the framework by which he lives his life. He currently teaches mindfulness four times a week to teens in Oakland. Nils is a member of Casa del Corazon and EBMC’sAlphabet Brothers of Color Deep Refuge Group. His teachers continue to be Ajahn Viradhammo and Ajahn Sumedho.