meditation: grouplessons useful?

[waterdrinker]

I'm quite interested in meditation and I am trying this for a while now. But when I do it, I don't know the best things to get started and what to do. So now I am in doubt of joining grouplessons in meditation. Does someone got experience with that? I'm in doubt because meditation is something you do for yourself, but learning some basis might by handy.

 

[Ufostrahlen]

Zen monks meditate in groups, so can you.

They also have a guy who pats you on the shoulders if you get tired or want to bail out.

For a start: Mindfulness with Jon Kabat-Zinn

[YOUTUBE]

Kabat-Zinn was a student of Buddhist teachers such as Thich Nhat Hanh and Zen Master Seung Sahn and a founding member of Cambridge Zen Center. His practice of yoga and studies with Buddhist teachers led him to integrate their teachings with those of science. He teaches mindfulness, which he says can help people cope with stress, anxiety, pain, and illness. The stress reduction program created by Kabat-Zinn, called Mindfulness-based stress reduction, is offered by medical centers, hospitals, and health maintenance organizations.

Jon Kabat-Zinn - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

These are all pointers, you may find an even better meditation practice that suits you.

 

[Mustelid]

Meditation in the Church I was raised into was done in groups, but you also did it at home alone as well. I was told you need tranquility to start, but you should eventually be able to meditate sucessfully next to a jackhammer. I think I could only pull that off if the jackhammer was 1. off, and 2. there wasn't anyone around who was going to turn it on.

This wasn't mindfullness meditation, I'm learning that now from my therapist, it's a secular version the psychiactric community has been working with as a great alternative to medication.

That of course is sort of done as needed, alone if you happen to be alone when you say start having an anxiety attack, or in a crowded place if it happens there.

I dont see any reason you can't learn any any type of meditation, Samadhi, Kundalani, Zen, Mindfullness, or any other, from books or youtube.

 

[obliguhl]

Yes i have and can recommend it. The reason is, that you get a)a basic pointer b) The group and c) a way to commit to something "difficult".

I think the energy flowing in a meditation circle can be awesome. Try it!