Applied Mindfulness Training began with a compelling vision: the transformative power of contemplative practice needn’t be confined to meditation centers or spiritual communities. Patton Hyman, an attorney who saw how valuable mindfulness was in his work, wanted to bring its benefits to every sector of society. In 2005, he founded Tail of the Tiger, an educational organization based at the Karmê Chöling retreat center in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, which introduced hundreds of professionals – doctors, educators, executives, therapists, artists, and lawyers – to practices that were simple, evidence-grounded, and genuinely impactful.

As the work expanded beyond its original home, a new identity was needed – one better suited to serving the broader culture as Patton had always intended. Tail of the Tiger became Applied Mindfulness Training, Inc., an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit. When Patton’s health declined, his wife Carol Hyman stepped in to lead. After his death in 2019, she carried the organization forward, honoring his vision by keeping the mission alive.

Today, with support from two generous grants, AMT enters a new phase in our growth. We believe that in this moment of stress, division, and distraction, the world needs more than ever what contemplative practice offers: a sane, grounded, and wakeful way of being human. Science is catching up to what many wisdom traditions have always known – that the mind is workable, that awareness can be trained, and that human beings are, at their core, fundamentally good.