He studies meditation with Upasaka Culadasa, author of The Mind Illuminated and lives in the Southeastern United States where he teaches meditation both locally and online. Upali believes in equity for all things empowering, including the dharma, and manifests this by teaching in underserved communities in the Southeast. The first meditation retreat he ever attended was made possible by a scholarship. Everything has snowballed from there. Upali is the Executive Director of the Pragmatic Dharma Foundation.