Meditation Instruction
We provide a free online meditation class live streamed over YouTube and Zoom as well as personal one-to-one guidance and spiritual advice.
About the course
Every Sunday the digital dharma community gathers for a 45 min. group meditation session. We explore the rich variety of meditation techniques in a comprehensive and systematic manner under the guidance of our teacher Lama Choga.
The course is free and everyone is welcome regardless of their ability. You can join at anytime live on YouTube and over Zoom, or you can follow along in your own time as suits your needs. You can access the previous sessions on this playlist.
Anyone wishing to attend over Zoom should apply using this form.
Classes are suitable for:
- Beginners seeking an easy entry into meditation practice.
- People interested especially in Tibetan-Buddhist meditation.
- Seasoned practitioners who wish to complement their daily practice with a simple guided meditation in an online group setting.
All classes are provided by Lama Choga, a Tibetan Buddhist monk. Having practiced nearly day and night in an intense four-year meditation retreat, he kindly shares his experience with our community.
What you will learn:
- How to still your mind.
- Which technique suits you best.
- How to strengthen your concentration.
In our guided meditation class we practice Shamata meditation, which is the Tibetan practice of calm abiding. The other practice of Tibetan Buddhist meditation, vipashyana, is not taught publicly. Gaining insight into the nature of mind requires one-on-one guidance from an experienced teacher. Trying to walk this difficult path alone could greatly hinder your progress and enable you to cultivate wrong views about the nature of mind. If you are interested in the Buddhist approach to finding the ultimate meaning of life, check the page ´Buddhism´.
How to join the free guided meditation course online
You don’t need any technical knowledge or fancy equipment to join our online meditation group. There are two ways to attend: You can either join the YouTube livestream or participate interactively over Zoom.
ZOOM
- If you want personal guidance, we recommend joining the Zoom meeting. You will be expected to have you camera switched on and to stay for the entire 45 min. session. Please complete the form below to get the Zoom credentials and make sure you join the waiting room at least 5 min. before the class.
YouTube
The Zoom meeting is also streamed via YouTube. Here everyone can join anonymously and can come and go as needed. If you have questions about the instructions, feel free to leave a comment on the YouTube video or send an email. Lama Choga tries to respond to all questions submitted by the community.
We meet every Sunday (conditions permitting) at:
Time:
- 10 am Pacific Standard Time (PST)
- 11 pm Mountain Time (MT)
- 12 pm Central Time (CST)
- 13 pm Eastern Time (EST)
- 18 pm Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
- 19 pm Central European Time (CET)
If your time zone isn’t listed, you can use a time zone converter.
All previous sessions in this course
Don’t want to wait? Here are the first two recorded classes you can watch anytime:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4hQz_UniwY&t=2s
All previously recorded meditation sessions can be found here on the Theory of Samsara YouTube channel.
The prayers used at the beginning and end of each session can be found here. If you are a non-Buddhist you can participate without chanting along.
Any questions? Feel free to ask. Otherwise, see you on your meditation cushion!
FAQ's
I’m not a Buddhist. Can I join anyway?
Of course! You are welcome to join the guided meditation class. regardless of your faith or if you even if you have none. Meditation is beneficial for all!
The online meditations are free of charge - can I offer a donation?
This is a free meditation course but if you feel like you want to contribute we set up a not for profit organisation called the Insight Sangha. Our goal is to help people develop insight on their spiritual journey. Click here to visit our donations page hosted by Zeffy
What equipment do I need to join the meditation course online?
If this is your first time meditating you might wonder what kind of equipment you need. As a beginner, it’s not necessary to spend a lot of money on expensive stuff. Just make sure you are sitting comfortably. You may want to fold a thick blanket into a square so your knees are at ease. In order to keep your spine straight, you may want to use a cushion to sit on. If the butt is higher than the knees, the spine automatically adjusts to the correct position.
Watch this video for instructions on the correct meditation posture:
Are there further videos available to learn more about meditation?
Certainly! Basic meditation techniques are quite simple. Yet there is much more to learn about it if you want to deepen your understanding.
You will find some useful instructions on the YouTube Playlist from Theory of Samsara:
And videos from our weekly meditation gathering:
I would also like to join a meditation course in person one day. Is that possible?
Yes, we’re happy to offer in-person classes as well. If you want to join a one-week meditation course in Canada, the US, or Europe, please take a look at our calendar. Most retreats are hosted in Canada. You find them on the page ´meditation retreats´.
