Welcome to Your Path of Growth and
Transformation
Whether you're seeking clarity in your career, personal growth, or a deeper connection with yourself, I'm here to guide you through life's challenges. Together, we'll explore your unique strengths, uncover new possibilities, and move you toward a life aligned with your deepest values.
→ Learn moreMy Offerings
1:1 Sessions
A private, unhurried space for personal inquiry and inner work. We meet one-on-one to explore your values, patterns, and aspirations — at your own pace.
→ Learn moreDuo Sessions
For two people who wish to grow together — partners, close friends, family members, or comrades in life. Deep relational exploration in a shared, safe container.
→ Learn moreGroup Sessions
A small circle gathered for collective contemplative practice. In community, something unique becomes possible — shared wisdom, shared vulnerability, diverse perspectives.
→ Learn more"There is no greater work
you can do than coming home
to yourself."
Creating Presence.
I'm Ignacio Ercole (they/she), a Contemplative Mentor based in Berkeley, California. For over two decades, I've explored meditation, somatic practices, and the art of being present — and I've made it my work to guide others on that same path.
→ My StoryExplore the Journal
Reflections on presence, contemplative practice, and the art of living with awareness.
My Offerings
My approach is grounded in practices that help you connect deeply with your inner life, align your actions with what truly matters, and embody meaningful change.
1:1 Sessions
Individual contemplative mentoring sessions offer a private, unhurried space for personal inquiry and inner work. We meet one-on-one to explore your values, patterns, and aspirations — at your own pace, in your own language.
Each session is guided by what you bring — a question, a challenge, a longing, or a stuck place. There is no fixed agenda, only genuine inquiry and compassionate presence.
Duo Sessions
Duo sessions are designed for two people who wish to grow together — whether partners, close friends, family members, or comrades in life. This shared container allows for deep relational exploration and mutual understanding.
Within the safety of the session, each person is invited to speak from their own truth, listen with openness, and discover new ways of being in relation to one another.
Group Sessions
Group sessions bring together a small circle of people for collective contemplative practice. In community, something unique becomes possible — the wisdom of the group, the safety of shared vulnerability, and the richness of diverse perspectives.
Groups are kept intentionally small to preserve the quality of presence and connection. Sessions integrate mindfulness, somatic awareness, and reflective dialogue.
The Elements of Contemplative Mentoring
These six components form the foundation of our work together.
Clarifying Values
Values are the compass that guides our life. Through inquiry we uncover your unique set of values and use them as anchors to navigate decisions, relationships, and life transitions.
Cultivating Inner Awareness
Developing inner awareness means becoming more attuned to your thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations without judgment. This creates space for insight and the ability to respond rather than react.
Committed Actions
Taking steps guided by your values, even in the presence of fear, doubt, or discomfort. Together we co-create a practical, values-based path forward — intentional, flexible, and resilient.
Unfolding Self
Who we are is not fixed but continually emerging. By bringing gentle attention to habitual roles and inner voices, outdated self-images soften and fall away — what arises moves with life.
Relational Intelligence
Navigating relationships with authenticity, empathy, and clarity is essential for a meaningful life. We explore how to communicate needs, set boundaries, and stay connected to yourself while in connection with others.
Embodied Presence
Paying attention to sensations and emotions that arise in the body. Using breath, movement, and grounding techniques to regulate the nervous system and build safety within.
Collaborative Programs
An open invitation to organizations, institutions, and communities who wish to bring contemplative practices into the heart of their programs.
Contemplative Practices
Mindfulness, meditation, somatic awareness, and silence practices — adapted for groups and organizations. These offerings support workplace well-being, educational programs, and community retreats. Each program is designed with the specific culture and needs of your organization in mind.
Interpersonal Exercises
Practices for deep listening, empathic presence, and nonviolent communication. These sessions build relational capacity and psychological safety in groups — creating the conditions for authentic collaboration, creative dialogue, and mutual care.
Connection with Nature
Outdoor contemplative sessions, slow walks, and eco-somatic practices in natural environments. This work invites groups to step outside the usual rhythms and find presence, wonder, and renewal in the living world around them.
About Ignacio
I'm Ignacio Ercole (they/she), a Contemplative Mentor based in Berkeley, California. I identify as vegan, non-binary, and queer.
A Path of Study and Practice
I hold an academic degree in Psychology and have supported clients as a licensed therapist in Argentina and as a licensed life coach in the United States. I specialized in psychodrama and have training in third-wave therapeutic approaches, including Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Twenty Years of Inner Work
For over two decades, I've explored a wide range of meditation practices and ways to implement them into day-to-day life. I've designed a mindfulness program for school teachers, illustrated and co-written mindfulness booklets for children and adults, and completed a teacher training in Full Presence Mindfulness and Mindful Eating.
I've also been deeply influenced by the SAT program created by Claudio Naranjo — which combines personality theory (Enneagram), authentic movement, Gestalt group therapy and various forms of meditation, including Vipassana, Zen and Tibetan contemplative practices.
Art as a Path to Presence
Beyond psychology and meditation, I'm a visual and sound artist. This creative background allows me to guide clients in unlocking their own creativity, helping them face challenges in authentic, innovative, and meaningful ways.
"What arises is a self that is responsive rather than reactive — one that moves with life instead of against it."
The Journal
Reflections on contemplative practice, inner life, and the art of living with awareness.
The Practice of Arriving
March 2025What does it mean to truly arrive in a moment — not just physically, but with the full weight of your attention?
→ ReadListening as a Contemplative Act
February 2025True listening is one of the most radical practices available to us — and one of the most undervalued.
→ ReadWhat Nature Teaches Us About Stillness
January 2025The natural world has much to offer those who are willing to slow down and pay attention.
→ Read