The Spiritual Enrichment Center offers many opportunities for group meditation practice.  Each session is led by a meditation facilitator who may open the meditation with chanting or a contemplative reading and end with a spiritual mind treatment (our form of affirmative prayer).  Our facilitators are experienced meditators who bring their own style to the practice.  Among the offerings are Native American Drumming, Buddhist walking meditation, Siddha Yoga style chanting, and prayerful meditation.  If you have any questions about meditation, the facilitator would be happy to speak to you at the end of the meditation session.

"Sitting quietly, doing nothing,
Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself"
~Zenrin Kushu

A brief meditation orientation and guided tour of the Meditation Pavilion is presented on the third Sunday of each month following the 10:30 service.

In addition to our regular practice schedule, the church offers classes, meditation experiences, and retreats for those who would like to learn more about meditation.

Our basic introductory class is called Learn to Meditate and is offered 3-4 times per year.  The Meditation Experience is a 2-day workshop held at the church and is offered 1-2 times per year.  Each spring we offer a 3 and 1/2 day Meditation Retreat at Camp Latieze near Mt. Lassen.

Meditation is the natural stilling of the mind through turning our attention away from our day to day thoughts and letting our attention become drawn back to our own spiritual essence.

Chanting is one of the best known and simplest methods of meditation.  Chanting purifies the body and mind and awakens one to the experience of the inner self. A mantra is a sound formula.  Mantra translated means "That which makes the mind steady." 

Spiritual mind treatment is a form of affirmative prayer taught by Religious Science.  It is a process or method by which we can change our thought.  Treatment clears the thought of negation, of doubt and fear, and causes it to perceive the ever-presence of God.

Contemplation or Prayerful Meditation involves reading a sacred verse or prayer out loud and then silently contemplating it as a form of meditation.  The Prayer of Saint Francis or The Loving Kindness Meditation are examples of verse used in meditation.

Walking meditation is meditation while walking.  Walking slowly, in a relaxed way which induces a deep feeling of ease and a sense of connection.  Breathing consciously with each step focuses the mind and relaxes the body.

Someone once asked the Buddha skeptically, "What have you gained through meditation?"

The Buddha replied, "Nothing at all." 

"Then, Blessed One, what good is it?"

"Let me tell you what I have lost through meditation: sickness, anger, depression, insecurity, the burden of old age, the fear of death.  That is the good of meditation..."

-as translated by Eknath Eswaran in The Dhammapada