Renowned meditation teacher and sound-therapy expert Anthony Profeta leads transformative retreats in spiritual destinations worldwide such as India, Greece, Italy, Bali, Thailand and Nepal. Over the past 26 years, he has dedicated his life to studying Eastern and Western contemplative traditions under the mentorship of esteemed teachers, including Sharon Salzberg, Jack Kornfield, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the Dalai Lama.

Profeta developed an interest in sound healing during his time in an Indian monastery where Tibetan monks used Himalayan singing bowls in meditation. He conducts transcendent sound baths in sold-out venues across the U.S. and provides singing bowl therapy at the Cleveland Clinic and New Horizons of the Treasure Coast & Okeechobee, a mental health and substance abuse recovery agency. In 2025, Profeta earned the award for Best Sound Therapist in the U.S. from Evergreen Awards.

Profeta’s upcoming trips include The Soul of Egypt Tour from September 13 to 24, offering private access to all three chambers of the Great Pyramid; a Sedona retreat from October 29 to November 2, featuring therapeutic hikes among the area’s world-famous red rocks; and a return to Egypt in 2027 for The Veil of Ra Eclipse from July 28 to August 4, allowing participants to experience six minutes of midday darkness among the temples of ancient Thebes.

 

Why are your tours unique?

They are all spiritually oriented, though spirituality isn’t required to participate. We visit sacred locations and always include meditation sessions, both in the morning and at the sacred sites. In Italy, my tours feature sound baths. While a local guide often accompanies us, I also provide insights into the spiritual philosophies of the places we explore.

This type of travel is especially powerful when it helps people form a connection to something. We’re not just visiting beautiful locations; we’re immersing ourselves in places imbued with wonderful energy.

In Rishikesh, we visit the Beatles’ ashram, now a museum, which delights fans standing where John Lennon and George Harrison once did. I discuss Transcendental Meditation, which the band members practiced, and we engage in a meditation session there. We might also talk about how their meditation and spirituality influenced their music.

In Bodh Gaya, where Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree, there’s always at least one person moved to tears when they sit under the tree. It changes them. In Egypt, some feel like they’ve had a past life there, and now they’re reconnected with it. These trips often become pilgrimages of connection and awakening. 

Because it’s group travel, it becomes a shared experience that creates lasting bonds. Whether we’re watching a sunset in Sedona, walking through sacred sites, sharing meals or riding a bus, we share stories, get to know each other and laugh together. Those moments become emotional anchors that connect people long after the trip ends. Some of the most meaningful journeys are the ones we share.

Experiencing a different culture takes you beyond your own culture, broadening your perspective. Seeing how others live fosters gratitude and appreciation for what we often take for granted. I can easily turn on the air conditioner in my home, but many people in India or Thailand cannot. A guide I use in India has become like a brother, often inviting our group to his home for lunch so we get to see how an Indian family lives modestly. It’s an education. I believe traveling is one of the best forms of education.

 

What makes a place sacred?

That’s a tough question to answer because what people consider sacred is subjective. For some, the awe-inspiring peaks of Mount Shasta are as sacred as a 4,000-year-old temple. The beauty of a place can make it spiritual.

Because Assisi is a UNESCO World Heritage site, it cannot be modernized, so you are transported back to medieval Italy. I lead discussions about the life of St. Francis, including his spiritual ideas and practices. People have told me they can feel a deep connection to St. Francis there, sensing his spirit in the olive groves and streets. It’s as if they’re taking his same footsteps, and it becomes a very spiritual experience.

On the other hand, Varanasi, India, is one of the seven sacred cities to Hindus, where many go to die. In the Hindu tradition, it’s a place where cremations occur along the Ganges River. When I take Westerners to witness this, they can’t believe it’s happening out in the open like that. So, what makes a place sacred is subjective.

 

Do you encourage travelers to set an intention for the trip at the beginning of a tour?

For some trips, we have a formal intention-setting process. On the first day of our Sedona trip, Nourish Yourself in Nature, I give everyone a red string. This comes out of the Buddhist tradition. We tie three knots into the string: the first to remind us to be kind, compassionate and loving; the second to encourage us to do as little harm as possible to others and ourselves; and the third knot is for each person to set a unique intention for the retreat. We then have someone tie our string onto our wrist. Throughout the trip, this string reminds us why we’re there—whether we’re hiking, showering or sharing a meal.

My own intention on every trip is to create an experience that enables people to make lasting memories, develop new, lifelong friendships and have a transformational experience in their mind and heart.

 

What kinds of transformations have you witnessed?

Very often, when I guide a meditation in a pyramid or a beautiful location, people start to cry. Some feel connected to a past life; others share that they have received a crucial message they needed to hear. Couples have walked away transformed by the shared experience and the meditations, promising to continue meditating together at home to support each other’s journeys.

In Sedona, I’ve seen people pushed beyond their comfort zones. Whether we're walking or hiking, when they reach the top of the mountain and they’re looking out over the valley, they begin to cry and say, “I can't believe I did this.” This achievement makes them feel stronger, accomplished and capable of breaking through limiting barriers. They return home feeling more courageous and ready to face other challenges bravely.

 

What advice do you have for people to maintain that feeling of transformation when they return home?

It’s common to revert to default patterns, but we can overcome this through perseverance, determination and willpower. We have to keep calling upon our inner strength or motivation to meditate a little bit each day and avoid slipping back into familiar ways that hinder the progress that has been made. Changing old habits is a very hard thing to do.

The Buddha said that there are two problems with the spiritual path. One is not starting, but the second is not going all the way once you do start. These spiritual trips and immersive experiences can light a spark. I provide tools for transformation, but once they leave me, it’s up to them to use the tools. I always encourage people by saying that the reward for maintaining their daily practice surpasses any treasure in this physical world. Maybe keep that little red string as a reminder.

 

What words of encouragement do you have for those afraid of joining strangers in a group-travel setting?

We help people step out of their comfort zones. I often tell them that the beautiful surprises that come from the unknown can be incredibly rewarding. Sometimes the strangers we travel with become the people that transform us. Strangers can become friends, and these friends can feel like family.

I limit my tours to 15 to 20 people, creating an intimate atmosphere. We travel together in one vehicle, so we don’t get split up. Before the trip, I have a joint Zoom call with everybody. Since most of the participants are strangers with one another, I encourage them to sit with someone new each time we’re on the bus or at dinner. Don't just sit with the same person every day. That’s the best way to get to know each other. A shared journey can affect us in many ways—physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Traveling together definitely has a way of turning strangers into lifelong friends.

 

How would you define success?

I believe success is defined by the positive impact we have in our communities and with our families and friendships, not by the size of a bank account. You don’t need to start a nonprofit that changes the world; simply bringing a smile to a stranger’s day can change their whole outlook.

The Buddhist perspective is that our kind words, thoughts or deeds accumulate a positive bank account of what they call “merit”. Sharing compassion and love with others results in favorable outcomes in our current and future lives, whether through reincarnation or rebirth. On the other hand, unkind, negative, deceitful, greedy, hurtful or selfish deeds create a negative bank account that must be repaid now or in a future life.

 

Do you have a favorite mantra?

A prayer I use the most is: “Not my will, but thy will be done.” I consistently strive to think, act and speak in ways that serve the greatest good, reducing my selfishness. To evolve the world, we need to focus on humanity and the world at large, not just ourselves. 

The highest level of spirituality is unconditional love for all beings. This is not exclusive to Eastern traditions. Jesus instructed us to love everyone, even our enemies. The Metta Sutta teaches us to radiate boundless love for all beings. The Bhagavad Gita states, “The way of love leads sure and swift to me,” meaning that by cultivating unconditional love, we unite with Brahman or God.

“Not my will, but thy will” motivates us to do more, be better and work toward a kinder, more compassionate and loving world—one that a higher power, if you believe in one, would want us to create. I believe in God. It is not God’s responsibility to create a heaven on Earth; it is ours. Many traditions teach that we were made to be Earth’s caretakers and to co-create the world we desire.

 

Sandra Yeyati is national editor of Natural Awakenings.

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