If you’re in the Seattle area, there are some incredibly supportive and thriving opportunities to learn and practice mindfulness meditation.
It feels like these spaces — and teachers — are filling the gap so many of us have been needing: Offering a point of connection, learning, gathering, authentic sharing, and mutual support.
Whether you’re seeking a space to meditate and reflect, a place to gather and share, or a community with which to learn and grow, here are six great ways to explore mindfulness meditation in Seattle.
Digital Mindfulness with Christina Malecka
Photo by Stevie Rotella
Seattle-based psychotherapist and digital wellness expert, Christina Malecka teaches mindfulness skills in the context of digital mindfulness, emphasizing, in her words: “How much we can gain from disconnecting.”
Christina’s regular mindfulness gatherings touch on all the traditional benefits of mindfulness meditation but are geared to helping us navigate the pressures of today’s very plugged in world. You can explore her work by trying her free self-guided digital mindfulness retreat, attending her free Meet-Up groups in Seattle, or taking a look at one of her upcoming events or retreats.
She’s got two retreats coming up in 2020: a week-long retreat at the Present Moment Center in Mexico and weekend at The Whidbey Institute near Seattle in June. Both look incredible.
Kadampa Meditation Center Washington
Kadampa Meditation Center Washington is a traditional Buddhist center, open to any who are interested in learning the practice of mindfulness meditation. Expect a welcoming community. They offer a wide variety of gatherings, classes, and prayers each week.
So if you simply want a sacred space to reflect, or if you’re seeking to learn more about Buddhist or mindfulness practices or engage in the community talks, all are available to you here. For those who live in Olympia or Tacoma, explore those branches of the Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Centers.
The Seattle Mindfulness Center
The Seattle Mindfulness Center is dedicated to offering high quality training and education that integrates contemporary mindfulness practices and skills with the science of psychology.
Offerings include individual and couples therapy, mindfulness-based classes, community meditation groups and retreats. You can explore this community by dropping in on their community meditations every Tuesday evening from 7:30 – 8:30pm and Friday mornings from 7:30am-8:30am. These drop in groups are free of charge (donations welcomed) and open to those who have completed an introductory mindfulness class OR have an ongoing meditation practice. For those who want to learn more, they also offer classes and workshops.
Mindfulness Northwest
Mindfulness Northwest offers heart-felt and insightful instruction in mindfulness to communities and organizations in the Greater Puget Sound region from Tacoma to Bellingham. Their classes, workshops and retreats are rooted in the well-researched Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), and Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) programs.
These evidence-based programs have each been shown to be helpful with a wide range of stress and anxiety-based challenges and disorders. You can experience their programs and approach by registering for one of their upcoming community classes or workshops at various locations across the greater Seattle area.
The Seattle Insight Meditation Society
The Seattle Insight Meditation Society welcomes people of all faith backgrounds and orientations to explore their Buddhist teachings on awakening. A solid and reputable organization worldwide, Insight’s vision is to be a dynamic center for awakening and to support all who seek spiritual guidance – on any level, including beginners.
On their website calendar, you’ll discover weekly meditation sits, dharma talks, classes and retreats with resident teachers including Tuere Sala, Keri Pederson and Tim Geil.
Dance Church
Dance Church: Ending this round up on a fun note, Dance Church is an all-ages, all-abilities, dance gathering that provides a communal space for people who want to move their bodies. I really believe in the power of dance to connect us to a more meditative space, so if you’re looking for something less serious but still meditative and bonding, this could be perfect for you!
As you explore some of these places, be sure to give each a couple tries, to get a real sense of what each offers to support your meditation practice. And if you’re wanting to dive into other wellness experiences, enjoy these sound meditation gatherings, breathwork events and top Seattle yoga studios to explore. Or you might consider trying a local Washington meditation retreat or a Washington yoga retreat.
Monica Krake is the founder of Head + Heart, your guide to living aligned. www.headplusheart.com
Follow Channels and Categories