Mindfulness And Zen Meditation
Our meditation group meets every Tuesday and Thursday at this peaceful and relaxing space in downtown Toronto. Our practice is based on the Zen Buddhist tradition and the mindfulness technique.
These sessions are open to everyone: we welcome all religious and ethnic backgrounds, and gender identities and expressions. We respect all spiritual types and sensibilities, from those who simply want to achieve deep relaxation, manage stress, anxiety, and depression, to those who walk the path of spiritual growth. You decide what the meaning of your meditation is.
The first section is guided. We will help you find the right posture and breathing rhythm. We focus our mind and explore our consciousness envisioning images and considering ideas that draw together ancient thought and mythology from the Eastern and Western traditions with up-to-date theories in the fields of neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and philosophy of mind.
We'll then do some gentle yoga and stretching exercises to relax the core muscles, followed by 10 minutes of silent unguided meditation. We close chanting mantras or short phrases.
All levels are welcome. This is a judgement-free, non-competitive environment. You can either sit on a chair or on a meditation cushion. You can bring a change of clothes to make your practice more comfortable. The guided part ends at 7:00 but the space will be open until 8:00 for those who arrive late, wish to continue meditating on their own, or would like to share complimentary healthy snacks and beverages as we talk about our experience.
FREE. There is no cost for this event but donations ($5 suggested) are greatly appreciated.
The venue is called “Centre Place” and is located at 320 Richmond St. E - Suite 101, Toronto, ON, M5A 1P9. We're on a commercial unit of "The Modern" condominium, at the NE corner of Sherbourne and Richmond. Our unit has its own entrance on Richmond, right next to McFarrens Ln. Above the main entrance there's a blue sign that says "Centre Place" (For directions lookup "1 McFarrens Ln." on your phone). The venue is 100% accessible.