Meditation is one of the most popular types of therapies nowadays. Besides being therapeutic and medicinal, people opt for it as a personal choice because of its various benefits. Plus, doctors and experts all around the world encourage everyone to meditate. It is free, it is beneficial, and it has no side effects! Quite often, the only thing standing between a person and meditation is the lack of proper guidance. This is what meditation teachers are for.
Types of classes taught by meditation teachers
Before we move on to the teachers, let’s talk about the types of meditation classes that you can opt for. Primarily, there are three, and you can choose one that fits your requirements and preferences.
Online classes
Of course, the digital age has brought ease in this particular field as well. Amid the rising trend of online high school and university classes, you can now opt for online meditation classes. You and your teacher will fix particular timings and a price in which both of you feel comfortable. Then, you will each be online at that specific time to make the class happen.
There are also guided meditation apps, such as Declutter The Mind, that can offer online guided courses with a meditation teacher. The best meditation apps usually contain guided practices led by respected meditation teachers. You don’t need to leave your house to learn to meditate. You can learn meditation on your own at home.
One-on-one classes
If you are more comfortable with in-person meditation teachers and classes, you will most likely prefer this form of class. One-on-one classes are a great way to have a private, more in-depth session that is primarily focused on you. The teacher will assess your previous knowledge and awareness on the subject and then continue to teach you accordingly. He or she will fix your mistakes in person and ensure that you can understand everything correctly. This might cost more than online sessions, but it mainly depends on your budget and your teacher’s rates. You can negotiate and figure out a package that is feasible for both of you.
Group sessions
For people who are fond of learning in groups, these sessions will be ideal. Not only are they fun and exciting, but you can also learn more in this way. Watching other people and learning from their mistakes is always a proper educational technique. Apart from this benefit, having people around, who have similar problems as you, is a source of psychological comfort. It makes the person feel as if they are not alone stuck in a challenge. Being able to relate to other people is always reassuring and comforting, and group sessions make that happen.
You can join group sessions either by finding an offering on a website such as Meetup, or by finding a meditation retreat in your area.
Why do you need a meditation teacher?
A lot of people think that meditation is a mainstream concept. It is a common misconception that these techniques can be learned on your own using the internet and random websites on it, without finding the right teachers. Thus, a lot of people wind up getting frustrated and give up. They cannot do it properly, or they do it completely wrong and miss the whole point of it. This leads to an increasing mistrust in the idea of meditation. The individual not only loses hope in the concept but also generally starts to feel helpless. Such a feeling results in comorbidities such as depression, anxiety, and psychological issues.
A meditation teacher is, thus, necessary. An expert will make sure that you are making no mistakes and getting the maximum benefit from your efforts.
A teacher will also break any meditational myths that circulate the world and lead you in the wrong direction. They will make sure you know the right path and only go that way.
What are good meditation teachers like?
It is rather easy to find meditation teachers. The real job is to find a good one. While it may seem like a daunting task, there are three primary features that you can look for and figure out a teacher’s capabilities.
Quality over quantity
A good meditation teacher will not focus on gathering people. Instead, he/she will be more concerned with the quality of the people learning from them and what their progress is. They will be more interested to know your progress and how you feel rather than giving 20 classes a day to make more money. For them, it is more about quality than quantity.
Selflessness
Instead of raving about his talents, a good meditation teacher appreciates the students’ efforts and gives them credit. He focuses on the appreciation and encouragement of his students rather than blaming them for their mistakes. A good teacher is selfless when it comes to taking credits and recognition. He acknowledges the dedication of the students and gives praise to those who taught him.
Proper focus on engagement
All good teachers have a similar trait: they try to engage their students instead of bulking them up with information. To ensure that a student is learning correctly, it is essential to involve him in the process. Direct communication and interactive activities are a great way to do this. If a teacher is including these tactics in his teaching routines, you can most likely trust him with his skills and abilities.
The best 8 meditation teachers you should consider checking out
Elena Brower
Elena is a popular meditation teacher, a talented author, and a YouTube star. She gives different meditation classes to couples as well as one-on-one classes online. As a 47-year-old self-help author, she is doing a tremendous job educating people about meditation and self-help. A popular book she wrote is The Art of Attention, and people love it. If you have ever been interested in yoga, or want to start soon, she will be a perfect choice.
You can check out more details about her work and availability on her website.
Angel Kyodo Williams
One of the world’s best meditation teachers, Angel is a writer, an ordained Zen priest, and an activist. Some of her well-known books include Being Black: Zen and the Art of Living with Fearlessness and Grace, and Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love, and Liberation. She has been entitled as the “most vocal and most intriguing African-American Buddhist in America.”
The best thing about her is how she talks about compassion. She preaches about it being a useful tool to combat the injustice of the world. She teaches all about mindfulness and meditation when she appears on international platforms and websites.
You can find out more about her and her services on her website.
Tara Brach
Tara is a psychologist based out of Maryland and one of the most well-known and well-respected teachers of Buddhist meditation in the west. She’s also an author and has contributed many great meditation books to the world including a favorite of mine, Radical Acceptance.
She’s also well known for teaching a type of meditation known as RAIN. It’s an easy to follow way to practice mindfulness in moments where you may need some emotional relief.
You can learn more about Tara, watch her talks, and listen to her on her website.
Josh Korda
Josh is one of the meditation teachers at Dharma Punx, and he resides in the Lower Eastside and Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Josh talks about Buddhist meditation merged with punk philosophy. He is recognized as one of the top meditation teachers people can relate to and makes it easier to sit with yourself.
According to him, people who have issues with anxiety and panic attacks can benefit from his meditation approach. Depression, confusion, and frustration are also under the umbrella. His style of meditation creates an essential space in one’s mind. This space is required to process the difficulties they are facing in their lives. It is an excellent way to let go of stress and relax your mind and body. The overall concept results in comfort and healing. He can be found on his website.
Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche
Probably one of the most helpful teachers you will ever meet is Khandro Rinpoche. She is polite and generous, but she is also a professional personality who understands her students’ needs and requirements. Not just them, she cares for the benefit of those around her as well. A well-loved book of hers is This Precious Life: Tibetan Buddhist Teachings on the Path to Entitlement. If you wish to study with an expert who is polite, compassionate, and understands your psychological responses like no other, this is the teacher you want to go to.
To learn more about her experience and what she does, here is a link to her website.
Jack Kornfield
Jack is one of the biggest influences and well known meditation teachers in the west when it comes to bringing the teachings and meditations of Theravada Buddhism. He’s a trained Buddhist monk, author, meditation teacher, and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts. Before that, he was he co-founder of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California.
He’s well-known for his excellent loving-kindness meditation practices and meditation practices focused on compassion and self-love.
You can learn more about Jack and his teachings over on his website.
Ogyen Drodul Trinley Dorje
He is the head of one of the four primary schools teaching Tibetan Buddhism. Still, he is also well-known for his abilities and expertise in teaching meditation. His most well-known book is named The Heart Is Noble: Changing the World from the Inside Out. If you are looking for someone young but knowledgeable, he will be your best bet. He can relate to your problems, understand them, and help you manage them in the most simple yet effective way.
If you wish to learn more about him, you can go to his website.
Joseph Goldstein
Joseph, along with before mentioned Jack Kornfield, is one of the co-founders of the Insight Meditation Society, where is a resident teacher. Joseph is also well known for his prolific writing and books including Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening, and his podcast, Insight Hour Podcast.
He’s known for beings one of the first Americans to teach vipassana meditation and Theravada Buddhist concepts. Joseph also has a way of explaining ideas and concepts that just makes it so much easier to understand compared to other meditation teachers.
Conclusion
Meditation is sometimes not as simple as it may seem. Hence, meditation teachers are essential to get you on the right track and make sure that you are not making any common or ridiculous mistakes. The above-listed meditation teachers are five of the best in the world. They’ve been widely recognized for their work and experience. Their expertise includes teaching people how to meditate the right way, and they have been doing it for years. Hence, when it comes to meditation, they know what they are doing, and you can put your full faith in them.
