The practice program
Dive Into Presence
Open to everyone, by the World Happiness Academy. No prerequisites, no credential — the first breath of contemplative diving, for certified divers and complete beginners alike.
Join Dive Into Presence →Academy
Teach presence where it's most natural to find.
Become a Mindful Dive Instructor™.
A practical starting point
Coach the decision, not the performance of calm.
A student says “I'm fine” while rushing equipment checks. Describe what you see, then ask privately: “What would help us prepare?” Listen, check understanding and offer time or a simpler plan within your standards. Debrief observable events afterward. Coaching supports choice and learning; it does not diagnose trauma or replace skills instruction.
A restoration-team example
A volunteer says, “I’m just getting through the tasks.” Ask what has become demanding and what support would help. Review workload with the project lead before the next dive. Underwater, keep attention on the task, buddy and dive plan. Make room for appreciation and reflection once safely ashore; never make calmness a test of commitment.
Explore a community dayThe Water Gallery
Two doors, one water.
The Foundation opens the practice to everyone; the Institute holds the professional path. They meet in the same water.
The professional path
Mindful Diving Instructor Academy
MD-4 and MD-5, held by the Mindful Diving Institute. For active instructors and divemasters who want to teach the standard inside their own agency.
See the certification pathwayWho it's for
Active instructors and divemasters of any recognized agency who want to bring a wellbeing layer to the diving they already teach.
Curriculum
Mindfulness applied to diving
How attention, breath and intention integrate into real dive plans, from briefing to debrief.
Neuroscience of wellbeing
The physiology of calm and presence, explained in language you can teach.
Emotional regulation & group state
Reading and steadying a group's arousal before, during and after a dive.
Breath techniques within scuba safety
On scuba, breathe naturally and continuously as trained; never hold, skip or deliberately restrict your breathing. Keep attention on your buddy, buoyancy, gas and surroundings. Leave optional exercises out of descents, ascents and any demanding task.
Designing Before / Below / Between / Beyond
Building a session around the four moments of the Mindful Diving arc.
Measurement & ethics
Use wellbeing questionnaires with informed consent and appropriate privacy. FP20 is a reflection tool: its score is not a diagnosis, medical clearance or proof that a programme works. Consult the research registry for study methods, validation evidence and results.
Instructor self-care
We train you to care for yourself, not only your divers.
Format
Online learning plus a 3-day in-water intensive at partner centers. First cohorts open in 2027.
First cohort locations
Canary Islands
El Hierro — Mar de las Calmas, the Sea of Calm.
Bali
Volcanic walls, temple reefs and a deep contemplative culture.
Riviera Maya
Cenotes — stillness, light and silence in fresh water.
Red Sea
Desert coast, warm water and some of the richest reefs on earth.
Before you apply
The Academy builds on MD-4, the Mindful Dive Instructor™ certification.
Join the waitlist
Leave your details and we'll reach out as cohort dates are confirmed.
Teaching is a practice too.