The combined energy of several people in meditation together can help everyone concentrate and meditate more easily. Learn how to run a meditation group.
When beginning a meditation practice, it’s often helpful to have others to sit and meditate with. A group of people working together has more energy than a single person working alone. A meditation group can help you to focus and build the energy needed to reach new depths of spiritual understanding.
Here are a few guidelines for a successful meditation group.
Getting People Together
You need at least two people for meditation group – but four to six people is a good number. More is not necessarily better, however, as it can be hard to accommodate a dozen people and it takes longer for everyone to share their experiences after the meditation.
Find people with whom you have similar spiritual interests and goals. Many meditation groups form through progressive and forward thinking churches such as Spiritualist, Metaphysical, Unity and Universalist churches. You might also find others through classes at New Age or Metaphysical stores.
When, Where and How Often to Meet
Decide on when and where to hold the meditation group (also commonly called a circle). Often, a person’s home is used. Circles held at churches or other buildings may need to donate money to that organization to pay for the heat and electricity used.
It’s best to meet regularly, at the same time and place, to meditate – both for people’s schedules and because your mind becomes accustomed to its regular meditation and it’s easier to get into a meditative frame of mind.
Some groups meet weekly or every other week. Still others might choose to meet once a month. Pick a regular day and time and make sure everyone knows what it is. Pass around a sheet for people to write down their name, e-mail address and phone number to share with the rest of the group so they can connect outside of the circle or call if they won’t be attending.
Setting Ground Rules and Goals
Decide on what you want your meditation group to accomplish. Do you want to set aside time to sit in contemplative silence and commune with your higher self? Do you want to work on mediumship or healing skills? Do you want to try and meet Spirit Guides? Or pose questions to the universe and to open your mind to receive the answers?
There are no correct answers to that question – only you and your group members know what you want to do during your meditation time.
Set ground rules for the time that you expect people to arrive and the time that the meditation will start. Do you want people to chit chat and catch up with the more mundane aspects of their lives, or do you want to focus solely on your spiritual lives and growth? Give people 15-20 minutes to settle in.
Make sure that phones are turned off and that group members know that late arrivals cannot come in once the meditation has started.
Music and Guided Meditation
Soft music is often beneficial in achieving a meditative state. Especially when beginning, it can be difficult focusing and staying focused in meditation. Having music to both concentrate on and distract you from thoughts and worries can be helpful. Choose something calming, without sudden or jarring sounds.
For some, guided meditation – either spoken by the group leader or on a CD – can help them relax. By focusing on the words and visualizing the images, it makes it easier to concentrate and get into a meditative state.
How Long to Meditate
Plan on spending 15-30 minutes in meditation. Less is not particularly useful and longer is difficult to maintain focus, especially for beginners. If you know how long the music tracks are on the CD you’re playing, you can mentally keep track and bring the group’s attention back at the right time. You may also be able to sense when others are ready to return to the group.
Discussing Your Experiences
After the meditation, one of the benefits of being in a group is the ability to talk about what you saw, felt and experienced during the meditation. Go around the group, allowing each person to share.
Opening and Closing the Meditation
Depending on your religious and spiritual views, you may want to say a short prayer or opening statement at the beginning of the meditation and also a closing prayer of thanks at the end before everyone leaves (after the sharing is complete). This helps to establish your intent for the meditation at the beginning. Simply asking for only the highest good and for God/the universe/Infinite Intelligence’s protection and help during the meditation can suffice. When closing, giving thanks for whatever insights you received and the opportunity to spend this time quietly among like-minded people helps maintain a feeling of gratitude and is, after all, polite.
Previously published on Suite101.com