NYC Meditation Centers
Over the summer 2010, our intrepid intern, Ms. Alyssa Barba, a psychology student at SUNY Stonybrook, visited various meditation centers throughout NYC. Her mission? To participate mindfully in the meditation instruction provided, and find out what they have to offer. She attended meditation classes at the following centers:
- Chakrasambara Buddhist Center
- Dharma Punx
- The Interdependence Project
- Jewish Meditation Center
- New York Insight Meditation Center
- Shambhala Meditation Center
- The Three Jewels
Because most centers vary in their explicit incorporation of Buddhism, we have adopted a rating system to describe their orientation, ranging from…
(Secular) to 
(Better know Tibetan!)
In addition, we described the clarity and extent of explicit meditation instruction, ranging from…
(Self-guided) to (Personalized instruction)
Disclosure Statement: We don’t receive any money, goods, or services in exchange for these reviews. They are provided here for the purpose of description, not evaluation. We recognize that different people want different things, so we have provided descriptions of what the sittings are like in order to help newcomers decide where to visit.
Chakrasambara Buddhist Center
322 8th Ave, Suite 502 (Enter @ 26th Street), Manhattan
Review by Alyssa Barba
Attendance: The daily lunchtime meditation classes are small and personal. The two other attendees present were young adults.
The Space: The space is influenced by Buddhism. It is a large, well lit, white room containing several religious statues of Buddha. Although the statues are present, it is not a space that should be to overwhelming for persons of other religious backgrounds.
Structure and Content of Meditation: The whole 45 minute lunchtime session is spent on the actual practice of mediation. Practitioners have the option of open or closed eyed meditation. During the session the teacher often speaks softly in order to subtly guide the meditation.
Background/Mission/Religiosity: This center is a Buddhist Center of the New Kadampa Tradition. The New Kadampa Tradition is a Western Buddhist order based on the teachings of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The Gelug school is one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It has spread to many countries through the work of Buddhist monk Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. The academic degree title “Geshe” translates to “spiritual friend.”
Where/When: Lunchtime meditation sessions are held Monday through Thursday from 12:00-12:45 pm. Other classes such as day retreats, Dharma talks and chanted prayer sessions are also offered throughout the month. The classes are based in New York City’s Chelsea at 322 8th Ave, Suite 502. See website for details about other classes and branch locations.
Fees: Lunchtime meditation works on a drop-in basis. It is $5 per class and free for cardholding members. A membership at the center costs $80 per month with a time commitment of one year. A membership includes access to basically everything going on in the center for that month including events, dharma talks and special classes.
Ratings:
- Religiosity:
- Instruction:
Overall: Overall, I’d say that lunchtime meditation at this center is best suited for those who have practiced meditation before and are interested in sitting for the whole session. Practice is more of a priority in this class than instruction.
Website: Chakrasambara NYC (Facebook Page)
Teacher/Class/Date: Grace Glebowska, Monday Lunchtime Meditation, June 2010
Dharma Punx
302 Bowery, 3rd Floor, Manhattan
Review by Alyssa Barba
Attendance: The weekly Tuesday Night Meditation + Dharma gathering was swarming with over 60 ambitious attendees. Most of the attendants that were present were youthful.
The Space: Dharma Punx holds its meditation classes in the same neutral yoga studio as the Interdependence Project. The space is a large room with wood floors.
Structure and Content of Meditation: Tuesday Night Meditation at Dharma Punx is a drop-in class that lasts for about an hour and a half. The first 30 minutes of the session consisted of a guided meditation led by Josh Korda. Following the meditation practice, Josh deeply engaged the class into a Dharma talk with his vibrant and youthful spirit. During the Dharma talk we discussed many psychological concepts relatable to our 21st century modern society such as the arising of conflicts in our daily lives. The Dharma talk portion at Dharma Punx is great for anyone who is seeking advice into the nature of their problems. By the end of the talk I felt as though I had just left a donation based session with a therapist or an Intro to psych class where tuition was generously based on contributions. Josh showed his knowledge of Buddhism by reveling in Buddhist parables. He also showed his knowledge of Psychology by making references to Mary Ainsworth when discussing the psychological concepts of secure attachments. After the Dharma talk there was a question and answer portion of the class where students could ask any questions related or unrelated to the talk. The class concluded with a final meditation of about 5 minutes.
Background/Mission/Religiosity: The background and foundation of Dharma Punx gears itself to a youthful environment fueled by dissatisfaction with the material based culture we live in. “Dharma Punx” describe themselves as a community of alternative Buddhist meditation practitioners who work to infuse the Buddha’s teachings with the ideology of punk rock. The community was started by author Noah Levine and is based on the Theravaden tradition of Buddhism which was founded in India and is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. Noah’s book “Dharma Punx” has received a lot of positive attention. Noah seems to be another innovator of Buddhism in the West and I am excited to see where his journey takes him and those who follow him and his teachings.
Where/When: Dharma Punx offers drop-in classes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. The Tuesday night class that was discussed in this review goes from 7:00-8:30ish. The Thursday night class goes from 7:00-8:00 and consists of 40 minutes of meditation with a short sharing session afterwards. There is no dharma teaching on Thursday nights. Classes are ongoing and are located at the Lila Wellness Center in New York City’s East Village (302 Bowery, 3rd Floor).
Fees: Classes at Dharma Punx are donation based.
Ratings:
- Religiosity:
- Instruction:
Overall: Overall I really enjoyed the sangha at Dharma Punx. The outstanding number of attendees present at the class proves the community is highly efficient in their teaching and overall presence. I think Dharma Punx is a great response to the yearning for Buddhism in the west.
Website/Facebook Page: Dharma Punx (Facebook)
Teacher/Class/Date: Josh Korda, Tuesday Night Meditation, 8/24/10
Interdependence Project
302 Bowery, 3rd Floor, Manhattan, NY
Review by Alyssa Barba
Attendance: The Introduction to Meditation class consisted primarily of people who were new to meditation. The class is small and personal. The majority present are young adults.
The Space: The space is a very neutral yoga studio. It is a large space with wood floors.
Structure and Content of Meditation: The whole hour and 15 minute Intro to Meditation session was broken down equally between a teaching portion and the actual meditating practice. Ellen Scordato the instructor was awesome! She gave us each individual attention and was excited to answer any questions that the class had. We would meditate in progressions from 5 to 10 minutes. In-between we took short breaks to discuss what we experienced and how we felt. One specific teaching that stuck out to me was a technique specific for beginners with wandering minds. Ellen taught that by mindfully counting from 1 to 10 we can tame our wandering minds. While meditating, if we notice that we have counted beyond 10, it is a subtle reminder that we have lost focus. Practitioners have the option of open or closed eyed meditation.
Background/Mission/Religiosity: The Interdependence Project (I.D. Project, a.k.a. IDP) is an educational non-profit organization started by Shambhala Buddhist teacher Ethan Nichtern who has proven to be an incredibly intelligent innovator of Buddhism in the west. The I.D. Project provides a sangha (community) to anyone interested in practicing meditation as a way of dealing with our complex 21st century lives. The community’s mission includes committing to the practice of sitting meditation, mindfulness, loving kindness, building a compassionate community and participating in responsible consumption. IDP is based on informal meditation and nonsectarian Buddhist teachings.
Where/When: IDP offers several different classes and events to get involved with throughout each month. Buddhist Studies and Meditation Classes (a.k.a. Dharma Talks) are offered every Monday and Wednesday from 7:00-9:00pm & Saturdays from 4:30-6:30pm. These classes consist of both Dharma teachings and meditation. The Intro to Meditation class discussed in this review is offered every Sunday from 3:00-4:15pm. Unguided Open Sitting & Walking Meditation is also offered every Monday from 6:00-6:45pm and Saturday from 2:00-4:00pm. IDP usually has 2-4 guest lecturers per month. The classes are based in New York City’s East Village on the 3rd floor of 302 Bowery. For entry, ring the middle buzzer. IDP has more groups in Portland, Oregon and Austin, Texas. See the website for more details.
Fees: Classes at IDP run on a drop-in basis. The suggested donation for the Intro to Meditation class and Open Sitting and Walking Meditation class is $5. The Buddhist Studies Classes (a.k.a. Dharma Talks)—which are grouped in series of different topics—cost $10-15 per class depending on the class. See website for details about the topics of upcoming Buddhist Studies Classes.
IDP has several different levels of membership. A full membership is $25 month and $15 month for full-time students. A full membership includes 1/3 off most classes and retreats. It also includes free admission to salons, member’s events, select art workshops, and more! See the website for more details regarding the various types of memberships.
Ratings:
- Religiosity:
- Instruction
Overall: Overall I found the beginner meditation at IDP to be a perfect balance between teaching and actual meditation practice. It was also incredibly clear and fun! IDP is the perfect place to bring friends who might be new to meditation and are looking for a sangha (community) to comfortably get started in. Also, IDP website offers useful blog posts and podcasts and is an awesome resource for those interested in studying the integration of Buddhism and Psychology.
Website/Facebook Page: The Interdependence Project (Facebook)
Teacher/Class/Date: Ellen Scordato, Sunday Intro to Meditation, 7/11/10
(Disclosure: I (Jonathan Kaplan) have given talks at IDP, and I did not influence Alyssa’s review. I am, however, in agreement that IDP is a wonderful Buddhist community in NYC: why else would I be giving talks there?)
Jewish Meditation Center
505 Carroll St, btw 3rd & 4th Aves, Brooklyn, NY
Review by Alyssa Barba
Attendance: The weekly Monday Night Meditation Sitting was a full sized class (about 20 people) consisting mostly of attendee’s who appeared to be regulars at the Jewish Meditation Center.
The Space: The space was a beautiful neutral space that had a lofty, contemporary feel to it. It consisted of two rooms. One appeared to be for gathering and the other was for meditation practice. The meditation room was a large room with white brick walls and large windows.
Structure and Content of Meditation: According to the Jewish Meditation Center (JMC) website, “Jewish Meditation” refers to a meditation practice that works to infuse the Jewish language, intentions, texts, and understanding with the practice of meditation. The one hour sitting was broken down into two 20 minute sittings. In the beginning of the class and between each sitting the teacher recited quotes from the Talmud which led the class into discussion. The Talmud is a sacred text of mainstream Judaism. She also focused the meditation around the Jewish calendar. For example in the Jewish tradition, the month of “Elul” is a time of repentance in preparation for the upcoming High Holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Since the meditation class I attended was during the beginning of “Elul” the teacher used that as the focus of the meditation. Besides using the quotes from the Talmud and the Jewish calendar as guides, nothing else mentioned during the session I attended seemed to distinguish Jewish Meditation from any other kind of meditation practice. The meditation sitting is open to all but I sensed that the teacher assumed everyone present was Jewish because of the structure of the center.
Background/Mission/Religiosity: The Jewish Meditation Center is one year old. The center is sponsored by the Institute for Jewish Spirituality and supported by the Joshua Venture Group. The center is composed of a Jewish community of meditation practicioners but open to all. It seemed that the people who were present were interested in the center because of its identity with the Jewish background and appreciate this distinction as an important characteristic of this sangha.
Where/When: Sittings at the Jewish Meditation Center are held weekly on Mondays at 8pm. The beginner sits are the first Monday of each month. According to the teacher, the beginner sits contain more instructions than the sit that this review is based upon. Sittings are held at the Brooklyn Zen Center at 505 Carroll St, btw 3rd& 4th Aves. Check out Jewish Meditation Center online for more details on various study sessions, guest lectures, workshops, educational trips and other special events.
Fees: Weekly sittings work on a drop-in basis. The sittings are free but the center does accept donations.
Ratings:
- Religiosity:
- Instruction:
Overall: Overall, I’d say that the Monday Night Meditation sitting at Jewish Meditation Center provides a wonderful experience and sangha to those with a Jewish background who can relate to the Jewish wisdom that is referred to during the sitting.
Website/Facebook Page: Jewish Mediation Center (Facebook)
Teacher/Class/Date: Allison Laichter, Monday Evening Meditation Sitting, 8/9/10
New York Insight Meditation Center
28 West 27th Street, 10th Floor, Manhattan
Review by Alyssa Barba
Attendance: The weekly Lunchtime Meditation Sitting was a full sized class consisting of about 15 practitioners. The meditation practitioners present were from all age groups.
The Space: Lunchtime Meditation Sittings are held at Yoga Sutra. Yoga Sutra is a yoga studio that holds many different classes at once. The studio where the meditation was held was a very neutral yoga studio with no religious symbols present.
Structure and Content of Meditation: The one hour Lunchtime Meditation Sitting was broken down into two separate parts. The first 30 minutes were spent in sitting meditation. Practitioners have the option of sitting in a chair or on a zafu. The teacher spoke very subtly in order to guide the sitting portion of the meditation. Following the sitting meditation, the teacher led us into a 20 minute session of walking meditation. During walking meditation we used the experience of walking as our focus. Walking meditation can sometimes be referred to as mindfulness meditation. When practicing walking meditation our eyes were open and fixed about 4ft in front of our feet. As we walked the focus was on continuing to remain mindful and cultivating awareness into each step. After the sitting and walking meditation portions were complete we had a short discussion on how our mind states play such a crucial role in dictating our actions.
Background/Mission/Religiosity: The Insight Meditation Society was initially founded in 1976 in Barre, Massachusetts by Sharon Salzberg, Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield. The three contributors are American teachers who studied the practice of Insight Meditation in the east. Following them, Peter Doobinin, Tamara Engel, Joseph Schmidt, Gina Sharpe and Sandra Weinberg went on to begin the Insight Meditation Center of New York in 1997. At the core of the practice of Insight Meditation is the cultivation of mindfulness.
Where/When: Sittings at the New York Insight Meditation Center are held at the Manhattan location (28 West 27th Street, 10th floor) on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7:00-9:00pm. The Lunchtime sitting that this review is based upon is held on Tuesdays from 1:30-2:30pm and is located at the Yoga Sutra Studios, (6 E. 39th Street, between 5th Ave, and Madison). See the New York Insight Meditation Center’s website for information and details on sittings going on at the center’s Brooklyn and Queens locations.
Fees: Weekly sittings work on a drop-in basis. The sittings are donation based. Recommended donation for this center is $10.
Ratings:
- Religiosity:
- Instruction:
Overall: Overall I’d say that the New York Insight Meditation Center is perfect for those who intend on practicing meditation (both sitting and walking) for the whole session. I wouldn’t recommend the lunchtime sitting for beginners.
Website/Facebook Page: New York Insight (Facebook)
Class/Date: Lunchtime Meditation Sitting, August 10th, 2010
Shambhala Meditation Center
118 West 22nd Street, 6th Floor, Manhattan, NY
Review by Alyssa Barba
Attendance: The “Learn to Meditate” class I attended consisted of a large group of Korean International students and a group of English speaking students. Both groups seemed to be beginners. The class was large and filled with people of all ages.
The Space: The space is a large room with wood floors. There is a row of windows in the front of the room which provides for a well lit space.
Structure and Content of Meditation: Most of the hour of the “Learn to Meditate” class was spent on teachings. In between the teacher would take very short breaks to meditate for one to three minutes. One specific teaching that stuck out to me was a technique specific for beginners with wandering minds. The teacher taught that as soon as we notice the mind wandering we should use the term “thinking” to bring us right back to focusing on the breath. By doing this we are preventing our mind from wandering off any further. The “thinking” technique provides for a quick acknowledgement that we have drifted away from the present moment of meditation and does a great job to condition our mind to bring our attention directly back to the breath. Since there was a special group of Korean International students at the session there was also a Korean translator present who would translate everything our teacher said to the Korean students. On the positive side, it was incredibly interesting to listen to the teachings being spread between two different cultural groups within the same setting. On the other hand, the time that it took to translate every message said by the teacher left less time for the actual practice of meditation. Overall I would say about 6-8 minutes of the hour session were spent on the actual practice of meditating. Meditation is practiced and taught at Shambhala with open eyes.
Background/Mission/Religiosity: The Shambhala Meditation Center is an international community of meditation and retreat centers founded by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and led by his son and lineage holder Sakyong Miphan Rinpoche. The term “Rinpoche” is an honorific term used in Tibetan Buddhism which translates to “precious one”. The term is used to address or describe reincarnated Tibetan lamas. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche was a major figure in the spreading of Tibetan Buddhism to the west. The center combines the teachings of the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. The two lineages both make up two out of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
Where/When: Shambhala offers several different classes and events to get involved with throughout each month. The beginner Learn to Meditate classes operate on a drop in basis on Wednesdays at 6pm and on Sundays at 12pm. Weekly Dharma gatherings are every Tuesday at 7pm. Topics for each Dharma gathering are mentioned online. Shambhala also offers several introductory programs to Buddhist studies, Shambhala training programs, and various events throughout the month that can be inspected in detail on the Shambhala Meditation Center of New York site. The main Shambhala center in New York is located on the 6th floor of 118 West 22nd Street. For more centers and details see the Shambhala site.
Fees: Classes at Shambhala run on a drop-in basis. The suggested donation for the “Learn to Meditate” class is $10. The suggested donation for the Dharma gatherings is $5. All the Buddhist programs and special events vary in price. See the site for details on various programs. General memberships cost $60-75 per month. Low income/student memberships cost $30 per month and Golden Key Society memberships cost $125 per month. The Benefits of the membership include; 20% discount on the programs, 15% discount at the Shambhala center bookstore, 15% discount at Sky Lake Lodge (Shambhalas rural retreat center), Access to the Shambhala library and audio library talks, as well as invitations to special member events.
Ratings
- Religiosity:
- Instruction:
Website/Facebook Page: Shambhala NYC (Facebook)
Teacher/Class/Date: Friedman, Learn to Meditate, 7/25/10
The Three Jewels
61 Fourth Avenue, 3rd Floor, Manhattan, NY
Review by Alyssa Barba
Attendance: Every cushion was filled at the Friday Night Meditation I attended at the Three Jewels. There were approximately 30 practitioners of all ages present in the space. Based on the structure and content of the meditation it was clear that the practitioners present had a strong meditation background.
The Space: The Three Jewels holds its meditation classes in a great space. Automatically upon entering the space I sensed the incense burning and felt a fresh fragrant energy. The room for meditation was decorated with what appeared to be Tibetan art and pink Christmas lights hanging around the perimeter of the space. There were plenty of zafus and cushions offering maximum comfort to all practitioners.
Structure and Content of Meditation: Friday Night Meditation at The Three Jewels was taught by the very well liked monk Venerable Phuntsok. Upon Venerable Phuntsok’s arrival I knew this was going to be a very special session. His dynamic presence seemed to be enough to change the tone of any filled room. He was greeted with bows from the class. The class lasted for about an hour and a half beginning with 30 minutes of guided meditation. Venerable Phuntsok did not ring a gong to begin the meditation but just immediately sat down and started meditating. Slowly he began to speak encouraging the class to follow their breathing. He emphasized that we should not reprimand ourselves if our mind happens to wander away from the meditation. Following this guided session Venerable Phuntsok went into a deep discussion on the true nature of reality, the arising and ceasing of things, and a brief mention of the complex concept of emptiness. Following this impressive discussion we were led into another shorter meditation. During this meditation Venerable Phuntsok had us meditate on the deconstruction of reality. By this he implied that we should break down everything from its appearance into the small parts that cooperate with each other (for example cells) to create our reality and make it perceivable. Upon conclusion of the meditation students made offerings to the monk, such as various foods and fruits. It was a wonderful experience of which to be a part.
Background/Mission/Religiosity: The current Three Jewels center is founded and directed by students of the Gelug order of Tibetan Buddhism (one of the four main orders of Tibetan Buddhism). Two students of Khen Rinpoche, Geshe Michael Roach and Ani Thupten, initially created the framework for the original Three Jewels center in 1996. (Khen Rinpoche was one of the most senior Tibetan Buddhist monks to bring the teachings to the west.) The current staff members at The Three Jewels are all students at the Asian Classics Institute which is an institute dedicated to the study and practice of the Buddha’s original teachings. The center offers meditation, yoga, a lending library, a bookshop, spiritual study groups and an outreach center.
Where/When: The Three Jewels offers guided meditation Monday through Friday morning from 8:00-9:00am. Every Friday evening Venerable Phuntsok teaches the meditation described in this review at 7:00pm. See the Three Jewels website for more information on bookshop hours and yoga classes. All classes are held on the 3rd floor of 61 Fourth avenue, Btw 9th & 10th streets.
Fees: Classes at The Three Jewels are donation based.
Ratings:
- Religiosity:
- Instruction:
Overall: Overall my favorite meditation class was the Friday Evening at the Three Jewels with Venerable Phuntsok. If you are someone who is very interested in Buddhist teachings and developing your meditation skills, then this is a perfect class to go to. Learning directly in the presence of someone who has devoted their entire life to the teachings changes your experience entirely. Although I don’t think the Three Jewels center is any more religious then a few of the other centers, I rated it with high religiosity since the specific class I attended was taught by Venerable Phuntsok.
Website/Facebook Page: Three Jewels (Facebook)
Teacher/Class/Date: Venerable Phuntsok, Friday Night Meditation, 8/27/10
