Across the country, high-functioning urbanites are gravitating to oases of structured, meticulously branded serenity. In Northwest Portland, the white-walled space of Hush Meditation lures a dedicated crowd of execs, business owners, and tech gurus, all looking for a competitive edge along with a dose of mindfulness. But the start-up business is also courting patrons who simply want help dealing with stress.

This last point, according to Hush program director Krystyn Strother, speaks to a key aim: make “meditation” accessible to anyone, regardless of spiritual leanings or meditation experience. “We’re looking at the very simple—the anatomy of sitting, for example,” she says.

Founder Kristin Reiter agrees, adding that the evolving Hush curriculum is highly researched and focused. “This is something we’re working with neuroscientists on,” she says, explaining that Hush wants to unlock studied and documented physiological and psychological meditation benefits.