In the spring of 2020, social distancing requirements and lockdowns arrived almost everywhere, and meditation centers and teachers moved their practice online. This guide was first written then. Many of those groups still meet online, and the reasons for joining one have not changed: meditating with other people can make a hard season feel less lonely.
Online mindfulness meditation groups with live sessions are offered by many organizations as a way of supporting a wider community. If you are carrying fear and anxiety, whether from a global event or a difficult stretch of your own, shared practice can be a steadying place to turn.
This guide to online mindfulness meditation groups covers:
- How to Unite During Difficult Times
- The Benefits of Meditation Groups Online
- Online Meditation Group Offerings
How to Unite During Difficult Times
Despite the modern movement away from traditional community living, people tend to do well when they feel connected to one another. In difficult times the need for community can grow stronger, and yet face-to-face gathering is not always possible, as in the early days of COVID-19 or whenever distance, illness, or schedules keep us apart.
One thing that helps us connect across distance is technology. But it’s a double-edged sword: on one hand, technology (when unconsciously consumed) can overwhelm, distract, numb, and even divide us. On the other hand, it is a useful tool for checking in and reconnecting with loved ones, teachers, and the global community. The result depends largely on how we use it.
If we want to cultivate a sense of unity in difficult times, we can use the technology available to us in the following mindful ways:
- Scheduling video or audio calls with loved ones on a regular basis.
- Joining online yoga, tai chi, or other mindful movement offerings.
- Minding our words on social media, ensuring they are rooted in compassion, patience, and kindness.
- Emailing recipes, letters of gratitude, and e-books to loved ones.
- Limiting social media and news consumption – and, when we do consume, seeking out uplifting and inspiring news pieces, teachings, and courses.
- Joining an online mindfulness meditation community.
Hard times can also be an invitation to turn inward. Whether you are feeling anxious and stressed or have been wanting to deepen your practice for some time, an online group can be a gentle place to start.
The Benefits of Meditation Groups Online
There are many reasons we might explore online meditation groups. For many of us, the reasons are intuitive, rising from the heart space. If we put them into words, some would include:
1. Creating a space of mutual support and shared practice
The Sanskrit word sangha can be translated into ‘community’ or ‘assembly’. It refers to a practice in the Buddhist tradition of getting together for spiritual practice. A sangha cultivates a sense of support, connection, and shared space that helps us to move deeper into our personal practice – and also to connect with those around us.
2. Reminding us of our interconnectedness
Coming together in an online meditation space can remind us of our interconnectedness despite physical distance. It is a reminder that we are not alone – that we are all experiencing the tides as they move around us. None of us are immune; our experience is interwoven.
3. Deepening our relationships and improving communication
Coming together in a group (online, if that is what works for you) can also deepen our relationships with one another. It can create a new type of intimacy as we quiet the mind and come into the heart space, and many people find this shapes how they communicate with others, with more patience and understanding.
4. Shifting the collective energy
Many contemplative traditions hold that our thoughts, words, and actions ripple outward. If you find that idea meaningful, you might see meditating together as a way of shifting the collective mood a little, with presence and compassion at its root. Whether or not you take that literally, practicing alongside others can feel supportive.
Online Mindfulness Meditation Group Offerings
If you are looking for a supportive online community to share or deepen your practice with, there are many offerings to consider. Thank you to Tricycle: The Buddhist Review for compiling a list that is reflected in the offerings listed below.
Many of these offerings began in spring 2020, so we describe each in general terms. Schedules change, and a few of the original series have ended, so check each host’s website for current dates, times, and cost.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center – Wednesday Morning Meditation Group
Spirit Rock Meditation Center hosts online drop-in groups, including a weekly Wednesday morning meditation and talk. The drop-in groups are offered by donation and are suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners.
San Francisco Zen Center – Online Zendo
The San Francisco Zen Center offers online programs through its Online Zendo. Silent sits, ceremonies, and dharma talks have been open to the public, with donations welcome.
Wisdom 2.0 – Weekday Practice with Jon Kabat-Zinn
In spring 2020, Wisdom 2.0 offered weekday Zoom livestreams of practice and inquiry with Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This series is no longer listed on the Wisdom 2.0 site, so we have removed the link.
Mindfulness Mastermind – An Online Mastermind Group Featuring Expert-Led Workshops
Hosted by Sean Fargo, the Mindfulness Mastermind was an online group that paired online resources with live workshops led by mindfulness teachers, including a 2020 session with teacher and author Cory Muscara, with recordings of past sessions. The Mastermind site now leads to the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification, which includes weekly live Q&A calls with Sean Fargo and the senior teaching team.
Treeleaf Zendo – Online Sitting Group
Treeleaf Zendo is a Soto Zen sangha that practices online, with a practice calendar (check it for exact times). For those new to Zen practice, their site has introductory and beginner resources to help you get familiar with sitting before you join.
Ten Percent Happier – Live Guided Meditations
In 2020, Dan Harris hosted weekday live guided meditations with mindfulness teachers including Richie Davidson, Diana Winston, and Jeff Warren. The live series is now on hiatus, and the recorded episodes are available on their site.
Brooklyn Zen Center – Online Dharma Offerings
In April 2020, Brooklyn Zen Center began offering daily online sitting meditation (zazen), open to all, with morning and evening sessions that close with chanting. Check their site for what is currently offered.
BodhiHeart Sangha – Online Classes and Meditation
Seattle-based BodhiHeart Sangha offers weekly online classes and meditation, by donation. Registration is by email, so check their site for the current schedule.
Chan Center – Online Dharma Talks and Sitting Sessions
The New York-based Chan Meditation Center offers online sessions, including sits and a bilingual Sunday online dharma talk. Check their calendar for the full schedule.
Maitripa College – Medicine Buddha Practice
Maitripa College, a Buddhist graduate school in Portland, Oregon, offered a weekly online Medicine Buddha practice led by Yangsi Rinpoche in 2020, with a PDF of the chants. For current community offerings, check out their website.
