Mirabai’s spiritual studies include two years in India with Hindu teacher Neemkaroli Baba. She also practiced meditation in Bodh Gaya with Buddhist teachers Shri S.N. Goenka and Anagarika Munindra, and studied with Pir Vilayat Khan and Tibetan Buddhist lamas Kalu Rinpoche, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Gelek Rinpoche, and Tsoknyi Rinpoche. She did five years of intensive practice in Iyengar yoga and five years of Aikido with Kanai Sensei.

Mirabai co-founded The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society, a nonprofit organization for integrating contemplative practice into contemporary life. She worked closely with a diverse board, cross-disciplinary working group, and an organically growing organization. She guided innovative experiments in introducing diverse contemplative practices in key sectors of mainstream American life, including business, law, education, environmental activism, journalism, social justice activism, computer technology, and the military. Major accomplishments include the Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education, development of Search Inside Yourself: Mindfulness Based Emotional Intelligence for Google, Inc., and direction of the Contemplative Mind Fellows (150 nationally) in collaboration with the American Council of Learned Societies.

She co-authored two books with Ram Dass, including his last teachings on dying, and taught with him for many years, including for his last 10 years at Open Your Heart in Paradise annual retreats.

She co-developed Seva Foundation, an international development organization (programs in India, Tibet, Nepal, Guatemala, Chiapas, and Native American reservations) dedicated to finding skillful and contemplative response to the interconnections between disease, poverty, and oppression by bringing to the task of serving others the fullness of our spirit, wit, wisdom, and courage. Developed, managed, and raised all funds for a program of integrated development in the Guatemalan Highlands that gave support to thousands of Mayan people after widespread Army-led violence in their communities. Entered a dangerous, impoverished, and traumatized region where no other development agencies would go and collaborated with leaders and elders to restore and sustain agriculture, education, health, and culture. Directed a program of accompaniment by North Americans, based on contemplative practice and values, for the return of the refugees from Mexico.

She co-founded and directed a gift design and distribution company that incorporated ideals of “right livelihood,” employed a staff of 70 people, distributed to 10,000 stores products that would “inspire and delight,” including a transparent rainbow (the universal symbol of peace and harmony) which became an icon for the late seventies. She developed program and raised funds for an urban alternative learning organization, The Learning Tree, in Springfield, MA, and co-developed the James Baldwin Scholars Program with the Tree and Hampshire College under President Greg Prince. She taught workshops and courses at universities and learning centers internationally on awakening consciousness, including right livelihood, meditation, spirit and social action, and women’s spirituality. She has taught at Smith College, Amherst College, Harvard School of Education, Omega Institute, Esalen Institute, Zen Mountain Monastery, Garrison Institute, 1440, Sivananda Retreat Center, Fetzer Institute, Kripalu, Insight Meditation Society, Open Center, Cape Cod Institute, and Hollyhock. Coordinated many large conferences and public events on these subjects, including a multi-part event with the Cathedral of St. John the Divine to educate the public and raise funds for the homeless.

She was first professional woman on Cape Canaveral to work on the Saturn/Apollo (first man on the moon) launch, where she edited manuals of fueling the Saturn V.