By Denise Everheart | Posted : August 12, 2020
With this year being one of tremendous stressors- learning to deal with shutdowns, challenging living situations, financial considerations, as well as racial and political tensions increasing, we can all use a meditation class to help us manage our stress. Meditation classes, whether in person or virtual, can give us a chance to throw off stress and find the inner peace we are missing.
What makes a meditation class better than learning on your own?
There are some things we can boast as having been ‘self-taught’, but with others, it is better to have a guide, expert, or master of that skill. Meditation is definitely that case where having a teacher is highly beneficial. A meditation expert can take you from having some low-level skills to mastering the art of meditation.
Managing our minds takes a special skill, especially during meditation. Without the support and guidance of an experienced, trained meditation instructor, you could find yourself struggling to attain the long sought after experience of ‘nirvana’, let alone the more common benefits of a meditation practice, like reduced anxiety, enhanced cardiovascular function, and improved relationships.
Meditation is often considered a solo practice especially as you start to mature in your practice. But if you are a beginner, being able to meditate in a class setting not only gives you more experience, it also brings the benefit of other’s ‘good energy’. Yoga International, cites “the unified field superstring theory in physics, waves of vibration flow from everything in the universe affecting the collective consciousness. Groups have the power to enliven that field”. Interestingly, the group meditation dynamic isn’t lost when meditators come together virtually across even great distances.
Over the years, when leading a meditation session for even a small group of participants, the most common sharing I hear is that ‘meditation is so deep in a group!’ But when the same experience was also happening over Zoom, I was a little surprised. I can only assume that connecting energetically is irrespective of the distance between us. This is especially good news for anyone who wants the convenience of meditating from home and still gain a deeper meditation.
Types of meditation classes
Meditation techniques come in all shapes and sizes, from simple to advanced with an equally wide spectrum of benefits. Let’s cover some of the more common ones and a couple of possibly unfamiliar ones now trending.
Breath-based meditation. More commonly referred to as breathwork, a breath-based meditation practice ranges from easy to challenging as well as low to high levels of benefits. Mindfulness techniques that observe the breath can start out relatively easy but can become more difficult to maintain long-term. Being able to be more aware is the primary benefit of a mindful practice. SKY Breath Meditation ™, uses the power of your breath to detoxify deep-rooted emotions as well as daily stress. If you can breathe, you can do SKY. SKY Breath Meditation ™ is highly effective which makes it easier to use it daily.
Mantra-based meditation. A mantra is an ancient sound, a vehicle for meditation, that is experienced on the level of the mind and not spoken aloud. Transcendental Meditation, a mantra meditation practice is credited with bringing meditation to the west in the late ’60s and was popularized by the rock band, The Beatles. Transcendental Meditation is relatively easy to do with a lot of scientific research to back it, though some may find it a bit pricey. Sahaj Samadhi Meditation literally means effortless meditation in Sanskrit, also uses a mantra for deep meditation. Having learned both of these methods, I would favor Sahaj Samadhi for a mantra meditation practice given the depth and ease, as well as the affordability.
Meditation retreat. The Buddhist tradition, as well as Christianity, offers meditation retreats with a religious aspect. Mindfulness organizations offer a retreat experience more along the lines of a spiritual meditation with the emphasis on mindfulness. There are also Silent Retreats ranging from 3 or 4 days to 10 days. These retreats combine simple yoga, mudras, advanced pranayama, guided meditations called Hollow and Empty meditations, and profound wisdom from Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living. Having taken more than 60 Silent Retreats in a little more than 25 years, it is possibly the most important component of my inner peace practices and my favorite ‘real’ vacation! These silent retreats are now available online so you can enjoy right from home. Participation in the Silent Retreats requires having taken the SKY Meditation ™.
Other types of meditation. Affirmation-based meditation, like Metta meditation, also called Loving Kindness meditation, evokes positive feelings with intention and can result in more inner peace. Zazen means ‘seated meditation’, which is a meditative discipline practiced by Zen Buddhist tradition, often means insight into the nature of existence. Body scan, or progressive relaxation, also called Yoga Nidra, is easy to do and very calming. Both breath awareness meditation and walking meditation (using a Labyrinth), are variations of mindfulness practices.
How should you choose a meditation class?
With so many choices you might not know which type of meditation to try. It’s important to look at both how effortless the method is as well as what your meditation goals are. Do you want a practice that you can use occasionally or one that you will want to use daily? Are you looking for stress relief, better health, or more positivity? You might want all three!
In general, affirmation-based meditation and mindfulness meditation offer the lower end of the spectrum when it comes to benefits. While breath-based and mantra-based give a wider range of benefits with longer-lasting results. But just like your gym membership, if you don’t use it you won’t get the results you want.
How can you find meditation classes online?
These days you can find meditation classes at yoga studios, community centers, churches, and even some doctor’s offices with some offerings being online. Typically these will be with a guided meditation session only and have a nominal fee, sometimes even free. You might have a pleasant meditative experience, but unlikely that you will come away with a technique you can use on your own.
The Art of Living Foundation has three in-person and online meditation classes, the SKY Breath Meditation ™, Sahaj Samadhi Meditation, and the Silent Retreat. Also, they offer meditation programs for children and youth, as well as Sri Sri Yoga classes and certified 200H yoga training, all online.
What should you look for in a meditation instructor?
For a meditation instructor to skillfully guide you in your meditation training, they should be properly trained as well. It’s just a waste of your time to take instruction from a willy-nilly make-it-up as you go, teacher. Look for a well-established organization that fully trains its teachers.
The best way to know whether a meditation instructor is viable for you is to attend a ‘freebie’ session that gives you a glimpse of the program and a chance to get a sense of their demeanor. A good meditation instructor should ‘walk the talk’. Are they calm and pleasant? Do they have evidence to back up their claims? And most importantly, how was your experience during the free session?
If you are curious about the SKY Breath Meditation ™ course, you can join, Beyond Breath, a free online breath and meditation session, where the instructor is live, not a recording, and can answer any questions you might have. SKY instructors go through rigorous training including a volunteer training program over two weekends before attending teacher training, which is an intensive, in-residence about 3-week training.
Not ready to try a meditation class yet?
Meditation apps can help you have a ‘virtual’ meditation studio experience. My two favorite apps are Sattva (currently ranked #5 among the best according to Women’s Magazine) and the Art of Living Journey app which is trending upward. Both have a wealth of guided meditations, wisdom, and more with free and paid versions. The Art of Living Journey app also has a searchable database of online meditation classes in all time zones. How easy is that?
Denise Everheart is a freelance writer, meditation coach, and recipe designer. Follow her @everheartstudio4meditation and @celeplateyourlife on Instagram.
