One of my 21 goals for 2021 was to begin a meditation practice. 

I’ve had this goal before, and it didn’t always stick, so this year I decided to join a class that would help me to develop and personalize my meditation practice. The class is focused on teaching meditation and it builds on the yoga teacher training that I’ve been taking throughout 2020 and early 2021.

So far, I’m loving it.

The class includes weekly lectures on Saturday afternoons, followed by practice teaching with peers. There are also readings to complete, office hours where you can ask more detailed questions, and guided meditations to practice each week.

In case practicing meditation is also on your goals list, I thought I would share some of my favorite resources that I’ve come across thus far in my studies:

Meditation Made Easy by Lorin Roche: This book is written by one of the teachers of my program and it focuses a lot on personalizing your meditation practice and how to bring ease to your meditation. It’s one of the most simple books I’ve seen on the topic, and it helps meditation to feel incredibly inviting and doable for modern practitioners.

Meditation Secrets for Women by Camille Maureen & Lorin Roche: Also written by the teachers of my meditation class, this book focuses on the ways in which meditation can be shaped specifically for female-identified practitioners. Although I admit that I was initially a little skeptical about the book’s focus on gender, I came to appreciate the authors’ approach to exploring how many traditional elements of meditation have historically focused on male identities and experiences.

How to Meditate by Pema Chödrön: Chödrön is a Buddhist nun, and approaches this short book on meditation practice from that perspective. This text is more about what some might consider to be “traditional” meditation, and offers gentle insights on how to get started and persevere in the practice. I’ve loved all of Chödrön’s books on dealing with uncertainty and embracing life’s challenges, so it was fun to read about her perspectives on this topic as well.

The Insight Timer app: If you want to try out some different guided meditations, or experience meditation with different sounds as background, this is a great (and free!) app to try. I’ve really enjoyed exploring the different guided meditations to see the diverse styles and to find what really works for me. There are lots of themes to choose from and you can also pick meditations based on how much time you want to spend. Other apps, such as Calm and Headspace, are also worth a look.

I’d love to hear if you have your own meditation practice, or what resources you’ve found and enjoy. Feel free to send them my way!