Meditation Instructors

We offer free introductory instruction to newcomers and follow-up instruction to other practitioners at open sittings and open houses.

Meditation instruction is not just for “new” meditators – it is also recommended as part of an ongoing practice. For members of the Chicago Shambhala Meditation Center, we can facilitate the formation of an ongoing relationship between you and a trained meditation instructor.

Depending on a student’s interest and experience, meditation instruction might include:

Introducing the practice of meditation – Introductory meditation instruction presents the basic meditation techniques taught in the Shambhala community.

Clarifying the view of meditation – In our tradition, meditation instruction involves more than the communication of a technique; it is, at heart, about the transmission of the revolutionary view that unconditional wisdom and compassion are the very ground of our being, and that by learning to relax more and more fully, we allow this fundamental nature to flower.

Instruction on working with obstacles to meditation – Common obstacles to meditation include disheartenment, resistance, procrastination, discursiveness and spacing out. The obstacles are well documented in the Shambhala Buddhist teachings—and so are their antidotes.

Guidance on the path of practice and study – Shambhala presents many opportunities for students to deepen their practice and study—public meditation sessions, weeknight classes, weekend programs, retreats and seminaries, to name a few. A meditation instructor can help you decide what to do next and when to do it.

Guidance on joining meditation and daily life – The workaday world is where the rubber meets the road. Getting the tools to meet life’s ups and downs with a strong and pliable mind and an open heart is another potential benefit of working with a meditation instructor.

Please contact [email protected] for more information about connecting with a Meditation Instructor.