What is meditation?
In a broad, rational sense, meditation is about living in the present moment. But each person’s experience of the present moment varies, and so naturally, the exact meaning of meditation is also unique. A wise man once said, “As many minds, so many paths.” Just in the way that two people can watch the same movie and get two entirely different things out of it, meditation also yields subjective experiences.
Many of us aren’t used to really looking within: at our thoughts, our intentions, our truer selves. And when things around us are going on full speed, it can be even more difficult to be aware of what’s going on within us. So, one way to think of meditation is as an intentional simplification, a slowing down of sorts.
List of sanghas/meditation groups in New York City.
Learn to meditate in the city
- Insight Meditation Center – Initially started by Jack Kornfield in the Vipassana tradition, this center offers beginners courses and workshops
- Shambhala – Weekly classes; also holds workshops and courses
- Shivananda Yoga Vedanta Center
- Art of Living Foundation
- Tibet House – weekly classes with Sharon Salzburg, amongst other renowned teachers
- Kadampa Meditation Center
- The Oneness Center
- Transcendental Meditation Program of NYC
Online resources:
- Deepak Chopra’s 21 Day Meditation Challenge – skims the basis for becoming “pure consciousness, existence, and bliss”
- Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan (Sufi tradition)
- Meditation on Self Love, by Thich Nhat Hanh
Meditation and retreat centers outside New York City
- Vipassana, a meditation technique taught over 10-days. This follows the original teachings, as per the Buddha, and is by donation. Centers are located around the world. Sign up in advance, as these become filled!
- Blue Cliff Monastery (Hudson Valley)
- Shivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch (Catskills)
- Kadampa Meditation NY (Catskills)
- The Mountains and Rivers Order of Zen Buddhism
Zen centers in NYC:
- Zen Center of NYC
- Chogye International Zen Center of New York
- Still Mind Zendo
- Village Zendo
- New York Zendo
Other centers promoting consciousness:
- Dergah-al-Farah (Sufism)
- The Light of Guidance Center (New York City Center of the Sufi Order International)
- Meta Center
- New York Society for Ethical Culture
- New York Open Center
Below are some names/contacts of Buddhist centers around NYC (courtesy MeditateNYC)
| Brooklyn Zen Center 505 Carroll Street, Suite 2A Brooklyn NY 11215 718 701-1083www.brooklynzen.org |
| Buddha’s Light International Association Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple 154-37 Barclay Ave Flushing NY 11355 718 939-8318Open House: Sun, Jul 8, 10 AM – 12:30 PM Contact: newyork@ibps.org www.fgsny.org |
| Chan Meditation Center 90-56 Corona Ave. Elmhurst NY 11373 718 592-6593Contact: chancenter@gmail.com www.chan1.org |
| Chogye International Zen Center of New York 400 East 14th Street, #2D New York NY 10009 212 353-0461Contact: cizny.sangha@gmail.com www.chogyezencenter.org |
| Community Meditation Center 593 Columbus Avenue New York NY 10024 212 787-7272Contact: cmc@cmcnewyork.org www.cmcnewyork.org |
| Community of Mindfulness New York Metro Church of Gethsemane, Basement 1012 8th Avenue Brooklyn NY 11215Contact: marjoriem4@juno.com, davidrflint@gmail.com www.mindfulnessnyc.org |
| Community of Mindfulness New York Metro Riverside Church, Assembly Hall 91 Claremont Avenue, (ask for “Mindful Meditation”) New York NY 10027Open House: Tue, July 3, 7- 9 PM Contact: marjoriem4@juno.com, davidrflint@gmail.com www.mindfulnessnyc.org |
| Diamond Way Buddhist Center NYC 114 East 28th Street, Suite 1 New York NY 10016 212 214-0755Open House: Wed, July 11, 8:00 PM Contact: newyork@diamondway.org www.diamondway.org/ny |
| Mahakailasa Ashram 110 West 86th St, #5D New York NY 10024 212.873.0140Open House: Mon, July 2, 6 – 7:30 PM Contact: lalitamba1000@yahoo.com www.lalitamba.org |
| Manhattan Won Buddhist Center 431 East 57 Street New York NY 10022 212 750-2773 Contact: info@wonbuddhist.org www.wonbuddhist.org |
| Middle-way Meditation Center 117 Main Street Cold Spring NY 10516 845 265-4341Contact: rev_compassion@yahoo.com |
| New York Chogyesa Temple 42 West 96th Street New York NY 10025 212 665-3641Contact: nychogyesa@gmail.com www.nychogyesa.org |
| New York Insight Meditation Center 28 W. 27th St, 10th Floor New York NY 10010 212 213-4802Contact: info@nyimc.org www.nyimc.org |
| New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care Karpas Health Center 311 1st Ave New York NY 10003 917 622-8341Contact: koshin@zencare.org zencare.org |
| Open Sky Zen Meditation & Buddhist Studies Group NY Insight Meditation Center 28 W. 27th St, 10th Floor New York NY 10010 212 989-3456Contact: openskyzen@gmail.com www.openskyzen.com |
| Shambhala Meditation Center 118 W. 22nd Street, 6th Floor New York NY 10011 212 675-6544Contact: info@shambhalanyc.org www.shambhalanyc.org |
| Staten Island Buddhist Vihara 115 John Street Staten Island NY 10302 718 556-2051Contact: admin@sibv.org www.sibv.org |
| Still Mind Zendo 37 West 17th Street, 6th Floor New York NY 10011 212 414-3128Contact: info@stillmindzendo.org stillmindzendo.org |
| The Village Zendo 588 Broadway, Suite 1108 New York NY 10012 212 340-4656Contact: info@villagezendo.org villagezendo.org |