I have not been to SOJI Zen sene before Covid 19 hit.I did go there in in the mid-teens. I really…read moreenjoyed it.q I fqinqd it to be very welcoming.

Five years ago I decided I need a more regular sitting practice and for that I needed a group, so I…read morestarted visiting different Buddhist groups and centers in the Philadelphia area. Soji Zen Center is the place that became home, for many reasons. The teacher, Shuzen Sensei, has been practicing and studying for over 30 years and his knowledge and insight is amazing. The people who practice at Soji are all wonderful--warm, dedicated and welcoming. And as someone who cares a great deal about diversity, I am thrilled that Soji not only has women and people of color attending, but women and people of color in positions of authority! The center is small but lovely and while not the most important point, the plentiful and free parking is a nice plus! Soji offers a huge range of options. Sundays there's service with a chanting of the Heart Sutra, three sitting sessions and a dharma talk. Thursday nights is more informal with three sittings. Monday nights there are two sittings. There are workshops on a variety of topics throughout the year, an intensive practice period from March to June and two yearly week long retreats. The center is welcoming to everyone from experienced Zen students to those who have never meditated before (there's free meditation instruction every Thursday) and you can grow your practice here with the guidance of a wonderful teacher and a caring community.

I have been interested in taking a class here since they opened about a year ago. I took an evening…read moreguided meditation class that was about 45 minutes. Upon my arrival, I was greeted by the meditation teacher & front desk staff. They offered me a free cup of tea, a magnet with their logo and a tour of the space. The atmosphere was calm, it was beautifully decorated, had lots of resources too-including books and items for sale such as jewelry, t-shirts and crystals. There was light music playing in the background and the smell of incense burning. While waiting for the class to start I was able to sit With the teacher and connect on a more personal level. I left class feeling rejuvenated. The center offers classes for adults and children, reiki healing, & massage therapy. It's truly a one of a kind place in the greater Philadelphia area!

From the owner: Welcome to Sit Meditation Space, your new home away from home, and Philly's first and only modern…read moremeditation studio. We are so excited to offer classes and workshops all relating to the practice of mindfulness meditation, all with the goal of stress relief and self-reflection. We are striving to build a strong sense of community and hope to inspire people to want to "wake up" and shift their collective consciousness, resulting in a happier, more peaceful life for all. We'd be so grateful to have you as part of our community and hope you will come in and help us to create a safe space for one another to explore the various types of meditation techniques and help each other create more silence and stillness in our crazy busy days. We cannot wait for you to experience the incredible benefits and rewards of being mindful and present in the moment. All of our teachers share a vision of what meditation can do for people of all ages, individually and collectively. We've built this space so that people can be free to be themselves and explore what really matters most in their pursuit of happiness, and hope people will want to share their newfound gifts with others. We strongly believe that we all need more peace in our lives, and it all starts on the cushion.

This ashram acknowledges that yoga pretty much requires abstaining from violence in all parts of…read morelife, including your food. Refreshing. It is a philosophy and spiritual practice, not an exercise technique. = We met up with a group of friends to try the new cafe, Food4All, and ended up getting an in-depth tour from the ashram's founder. An ashram (in case you don't know) is a residential facility for spiritual learning. This one recently opened in the former BCIU buildings on this land, and oh how lucky the neighborhood is to have this foundation move in. They are making the building sustainable, practice zero-waste techniques, and are surrounding the buildings with organic farms. The ashram moved to Berks from Toms River NJ and is open to all, for dining, classes, internships, volunteering, and training, even an advanced certification in yoga therapy. YT can be applied to any workplace to help both the employees and leaders as well as the clients/patiehnts/customers. What a good idea for staff training. The cafe is all-organic and vegetarian, gluten-free, soy-free, mostly vegan actually. We had quiche, pancakes, salad, roasted veggies, and breads in a lovely bright dining area with lots of chai tea (made with coconut milk) and light. There are some innovative yoga classes here, for example, using swings, but they make it all sound welcoming to beginners. What a glorious use of two old school buildings which have been transformed into an open, bright, spacious retreat with many uses.

I have had numerous experiences at this ashram. The atmosphere is sheer LOVE & PEACE!!!…read more I enjoy the calm, non-judgemental atmosphere, as well as the nourishment of body, mind, soul!!! The 'Pay-what-you-can' caf-e-teria is beyond "yummy" ! ! ! Worth the trip, from ANYWHERE!!!!!

This meditation is fantastic!! It has helped me more than i could ever imagined. It is amazing how…read moresomething so simple can work so well!! This meditation is not for temperally result but for permanent happiness. :) You can clearly see the mind that you have accumulated through the life and understand how it controls your body &mind like computer programs. You will learn the method to discard all that mind and live truly being free from that! Its a Very simple but powerful meditation program. Try it for a month and see the changes in your life. :)

Awesome! It works and they're super friendly. Love talking with Harrison and Cindy. Came here in…read moreJuly 2016 to help relieve anxiety. Didn't know exactly what to expect. Admittedly it's a bit weird at first. I'm glad I stuck with it. Feeling much happier and far less anxious. I'm bothered less by normal day to day issues. How it works: I've studied other forms of meditation. The form practiced at Mainline is based on the 'subtraction method.' The idea is that worries and anxieties are caused by thinking about the past or future. Through meditation, you will 'throw away the images' of your past. Think of it like cleaning your brain. It gets full of junk over the course of your life. Cleaning makes a huge difference...so much lighter and free. It was difficult the first time I did this. Lots of memories I didn't like. It got easier each time I did this. How long does it take? The answer is based on how long you've been alive. More living means more memories to clean. Have patience, the results will come.

Denise and Nick Yocco who own 7 Stones Cafe (fabulous La Colombe Coffee), 7 Stones gift shop…read more(upstairs) and now (2 years already) Heart Space at Seven Stones are such a welcome part of the Media community. Heart space is a calming, open multi-purpose workspace where they offer yoga, drum circles (once a month - fantastic), medidation, aromatherapy, massage (rates and times vary by practitioner) and many other holistic modalities. I love coming here and I love the space. It's a peaceful, relaxing, welcoming space - complete with a heart shaped labrynth on the floor. Well done!

This yoga is unique. I didn't feel like I was doing a lot, but my body felt very different at the…read moreend of class. I was standing taller. I had no pain. I was relaxed and energized at the same time. I slept like a baby that night and felt great for days after my class. The instructors are the premier teachers for this yoga. It doesn't get better than that. Whether you feel ready for yoga or not, Svaroopa yoga will meet you right where you are.

I have been studying with Swai Nirmalananda and other teachers at Downingtown Yoga and Meditation…read moreCenter since 2009. Physical issues have resolved under th: back pain, insomnia, headaches and more. Emotionally and mentally, Svaroopa Yoga has given my tools to quiet my mind and live more in the bliss. Both the asana, yoga poses, and meditation program have brought me into a place deeper inside. You can choose how much or how little you want to do. From a weekly yoga class to meditation progams, or more. They offer many onsite and online programs to help you deepen into Self if that's the path you wish to choose. Almost everything is available both online and in-person. So if you live nearby or across the country, I encourage you to take advantage of what they have to offer.