Guide to Free Mindfulness Meditation Classes, Workshop, Events in NYC
free meditation workshop nyc
Free Mindfulness Meditation Classes
Are you interested in free meditation classes or workshop events in NYC?
BeU now offers free and donation based meditation classes weekly on Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
We all know that working in Manhattan can be fast paced, ultra competitive and quite stressful—where finding peace, tranquility and relaxation is not always easy to find in downtown NYC. Attending a free beginner guided meditation workshop might just be what you need! Whether you’re a native local new yorker, a Brooklyn commuter, new in town, or just passing through,
we have workshops that make it simple for you to get introduced to meditation practice by removing the myths surrounding meditation (it’s boring or too ”new age”) and offering accessible, easy-to-follow classes that can benefit anyone!Maybe you have heard about the importance of practicing meditation, whether on television, on social media, on apps such as Headspace, from friends or perhaps it was recommended as a way to reduce stress and promote healthy living from your therapist or doctor.
Maybe you were not sure if it is right for you or you were not sure where was the best place to get started as a beginner. BeU wellness center located in downtown Fidi, is starting to offer beginner sound meditation and breathwork workshops instructed by Kirtan musician and yoga instructor, Nirmal Chandraratna.
The next class is on Thursday, March 5, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. You can sign up here. The use of sound and voice is found in many different aspects of yoga; in this workshop we will sing invocations in class, use mantra as a tool for meditation; and sing together as a community practice in Kirtan.
In this workshop, we’ll explore the philosophy of sound vibration in yoga and how these meditative practices have been supported by scientific research, supporting mental and physical wellness.
This is a two hour class which you will learn time-proven foundational concepts of working with meditation and breathing to help regulate mood and energy and cultivate peace of mind in our busy lives. As spring will soon begin to set in, take a meditation session to slow down, find your center and experience the joy available in all seasons.
Mr. Chandraratna says “we’ll discuss scientific research that supports these techniques and we’ll engage firsthand in some basic, accessible skills to help turn these powerful practices into life long habits.”
Nirmal Chandraratna is a NYC–based Kirtan artist and composer with a passion for nurturing connection— to spirit, to community, and to one’s deeper self— through music. There are many kinds of meditation practice, mindfulness meditation, spiritual meditation, focused meditation, movement meditation, mantra meditation, transcendental meditation.
According to Healhline the two major styles of meditation are:
- Focused-attention meditation: Concentrates attention on a single object, thought, sound or visualization. It emphasizes ridding your mind of attention and distraction. Meditation may focus on breathing, a mantra or a calming sound.
- Open-monitoring meditation: Encourages broadened awareness of all aspects of your environment, train of thought and sense of self. It may include becoming aware of thoughts, feelings or impulses that you might normally try to suppress.
BeU wellness center offers a variety of classes, all of which are easy to understand and practice. One of the main goals is to encourage you to stay in the present and let go of all that extra ‘stuff’ cluttering up your mind! Come join us, we’ll teach you the life-changing skills of meditation and mindfulness in our fun beginner workshop sessions.
Science Based Benefits of Practicing Meditation Regularly?
Meditation is a habitual process of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts. People also use the practice to develop other beneficial habits and feelings, such as a positive mood and outlook, self-discipline, healthy sleep patterns and even increased pain tolerance. An article in Healthline discusses the 12 benefits to meditation.
- Improved memory
- Reduces insomnia
- Anti-aging
- Manages anxiety
- Positive heart health
- Promotional emotional well being
- Enhances self awareness
- Increases attention span
- Can generate kindness
- Help overcome addictions
- Helps to control pain
- Decreases blood pressure
What is a Mindful Meditation class like?
(Image credit:Skye Gould/Business Insider)
During a meditation class in Fidi NYC, you will be seated on the floor, sitting upright, closing your eyes, resting your palms on your lap, with your feet placed flat on the ground, as you listen to your instructor Nirmal Chandraratna, who will guide you to focus everything on the present and pay very close attention to your body’s sensations, emotions, thoughts, and your breathing especially.
Our mind’s attention span wanders all the time (ADHD) some people more often than others, either ruminating on the past or thinking about the future. Mindful meditation classes will help teach you the skill of paying complete attention to the present by being 100% aware when your mind starts wandering off. Mastering the technique of “coming back to the breath, its place where you can rest and settle your mind.”
According to an article published in The Harvard Gazette “studies say that eight in 10 Americans experience stress in their daily lives and have a hard time relaxing their bodies and calming their minds, which puts them at high risk of heart disease, stroke, and other illnesses. Of the myriad offerings aimed at fighting stress, from exercise to yoga to meditation, mindfulness meditation has become the hottest commodity in the wellness universe.”
The difference between mindfulness and meditation
The Headspace meditation app article does a pretty good job of describing what is mindfulness is how it is connected to meditation. Stating “ere’s the thing that many people find confusing about mindfulness: it’s not a temporary state of mind that is present during meditation and then vanishes for the rest of the day. Rather, mindfulness is a way of living in which — when we remember — we are able to step back and be in the present moment in any situation.”
Mindfulness doesn’t eliminate stress or other difficulties; instead, by becoming aware of unpleasant thoughts and emotions that arise because of challenging situations, we have more choice in how to handle them in the moment — and a better chance of reacting calmly and empathetically when faced with stress or challenges. Of course, practicing mindfulness does not mean we never get angry — rather it allows us to be more thoughtful in how we want to respond, whether that’s calmly and empathetically or perhaps, occasionally with measured anger.
Meditation is the training ground for learning mindfulness. At first, we meditate to become familiar with the here and now for a limited period of time. Over time, however, regularly practicing mindfulness helps us develop the ability to be present throughout the day, every day.
Background on Mindful Meditation’s scientific research
Part of mindfulness’ appeal lies in the fact that it’s secular. Buddhist monks have used mindfulness exercises as forms of meditation for more than 2,600 years, seeing them as one of the paths to enlightenment. Back in 1975, Herbert Benson, who is considered a pioneer of scientific research on meditation, praised its benefits on the human body — reduced blood pressure, heart rate, and brain activity.
He also helped demystify meditation by calling it the “relaxation response.” During the 1980s, mindfulness had yet to become a “buzzword”, recalls Paul Fulton, a clinical psychologist, a lecturer in psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at HMS and co-founder of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy, who has practiced Zen and insight meditation (vipassana) for more than 40 years.
Tips on attending your first Mindfulness meditation class
-
- Arrive and settle in – find a space in our studio using a cushion, sit up straight but not stiff; allow your head and shoulders to rest comfortably; place your hands on the tops of your legs with upper arms at your side.
- Now Breathe – Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and relax. Feel the fall and rise of your chest and the expansion and contraction of your belly. With each breath notice the coolness as it enters and the warmth as it exits. Don’t control the breath but follow its natural flow.
- Stay focused – Thoughts will try to pull your attention away from the breath. Notice them, but don’t pass judgment. Gently return your focus to your breath. Some people count their breaths as a way to stay focused.
- Incorporate into your routine – A daily practice will provide the most benefits. It can be 10 minutes per day, but starting with attending a meditation class once a week is good place to start.
Doing mindfulness meditation is like a fitness routine for your brain, it keeps your brain healthy. Practicing the process in a group with an instructor guiding you is important especially for beginners because despite the rising acceptance of mindfulness, many people still think the practice involves emptying their minds, taking mini-naps, or going into trances.
And some meditation newbies sometimes can fall asleep, feel uncomfortable, struggle with difficult thoughts or emotions, and become bored or distracted. Mindfulness meditation is not about stopping thoughts or emotions, but instead about noticing them without judgment. Mindfulness builds resilience and awareness to help people learn how to ride life’s ups and downs and live happier and healthier lives.
We invite you to attend our mindfulness and meditation class offerings that can support you in exploring and developing a regular practice.
