Have you ever felt trapped in your thoughts? I was drowning…read morewith negative thoughts and emotions. I couldn't make sense of how I was feeling and what I was going through, so I meditated at home and scheduled a few sessions with a counselor. Those things helped a little, but they weren't enough. One day, I was driving on Koenig Lane and saw the Austin Meditation sign so I scheduled an appointment and that night I became a member. In the beginning, I walked into the meditation center crying. Won and Lia didn't judge me, instead, they listened every time and were very supportive. I made a commitment to myself to discover who I really am and to become the type of person i desire to be. Won and Lia held my hand throughout this entire journey, I honestly couldn't have done this by myself. I would like to thank Won and Lia for motivating me when I wanted to give up and for sharing their knowledge and experiences with me.

I had an incredible session. I didn't know what to expect nor did I want to try to guess what it…read morewould be like. Just an open mind. I did the Friday After Dark session at 830 and it was a great way to bring the week to a close. It made for one of the longest weekends I can recall. In a good way! Time slowed to a crawl. So many times I remember looking at the clock only to be shocked that the minute hand moved so little, I thought more time had passed than really had. Will return. Absolutely.

I love how you can be having the worst day and after going to the meditation center, you leave…read morefeeling like things are not so bad after all. This meditation has that kind of positive effect on my psyche. Lately with the virus going around, classes via Zoom have been extremely helpful. Thank goodness they are there. BM is my lifeline when stress is high. And before I forget...a big thank you to the meditation instructors for always being there for us when we need a quick meditation session or a sympathetic ear. You care and it shows. I love this medication so good!!

I've been doing meditation for a long time and feel so blessed and happy. Love coming here to…read moreAustin to meditate it gives me great comfort, pleasure, peace, and happiness. I'm always happy and smiling and thankful. The helpers/teachers here are always so welcoming and wonderful. This place is such a warm, friendly, inviting and comfortable place. Perfect for meditation and deep reflection. Thank you Universe!!!!

Incredible Sangha. I have been practicing Buddhism since I was teaching in China and Viet nam…read more Upon returning to the US, I tried a class at the Kadampa center in Seattle and was amazed, and everything was in English! The Ka dam pa path is for everyday life. I continued my studies at the KMC on Bissel Lane and continued to apply the wisdom of the Path and Geshe-la the spiritual guide to work, family, and self. During the pandemic and a job change, I have been able to continue my coursework online, taking profound FP (foundational program classes). I hope everyone has the opportunity to take a GP (general program) class.

I went to the meditation for beginners class, I didn't realize that center was in a house. Which…read morewouldn't have been a big deal if I hadn't sat down next to a window. I'm not really sure why they have seats next to a noisy street. So the whole time I was trying to meditate a dog was barking and cars were passing by so it was very difficult. Maybe for a more experienced person it's not a big deal, but I would not recommend it for a beginner. The instructor was very nice and informative. She just did not seem very confident in some of the things that she was saying. I'm not sure if her notes were not well written, or if she was just having trouble with her iPad but if somebody is teaching me something I would like them to be a little bit more confident in the things that they're saying.

Came here for Sandy the Singing Bowl lady who was doing a sound bath. This was amazing. The…read morelocation is tucked away but ample parking. Once inside easy layout and they provide lockers with keys for your belongings. The session was in the Himalayan salt room and there were chairs set up for participants. The chairs did lie back so you could feel weightless during the session. There were six of us for the session and Sandy was great. She gave a great overview of what would happen and got started. The only downside was the person next to me was breathing heavy, got up and left the room and kept drinking water which interrupted the full experience of the meditative state. Right when I'd be fully relaxed, they would make some noice se and pull me out. So he aware you may not have a fully immersed experience due to other peeps. I would love to do an individual session however she closed her studio. So I'll keep hunting. Once the session was done, you can see the salt on your clothes - I was wearing black and had a light dusting on - easily wipe away and go about your day.

I absolutely adore salt therapy and was so happy to find out that this location moved to South…read moreAustin. Apparently about a year ago, but I totally missed it. For those with sinus/allergy issues it is extremely effective. I've been to several of these across the country. Let me start by saying this is a beautiful and extremely relaxing salt room. The "shooting stars" and calming music really add to the 45 minute experience. I was expecting a little more comfort based on the ones I've been to before and the price. A zero gravity lawn chair and having to pay extra for a blanket was a bit unexpected. It won't deter me from returning, but do wish it was a bit more spa like.

Best investment I ever made. There's a one time fee to learn the technique, free lifetime support…read more Additional techniques and courses are available after you establish regular practice. My twice a day practice for 20 minutes eases my transition into the day and helps calm and center me. Helps a lot with PTSD and occasional sleep deprivation. Meghan Williams at N ATX loction is an awesome teacher. I'm sure you will like her.

I learned TM in 1976 and have been doing it regularly ever since. For me, it's hard to imagine life…read morewithout it. It's portable, I can do it if I'm being driven in a car, sitting on a plane, on a bus, or anywhere there's a chair. Contrary to what some seem to think, TM is not effortful. It's incredibly easy, and it always leaves me refreshed, as though my batteries have literally been recharged. "Recharging our batteries" is an overused phrase, but it's very, very accurate for TM. In the middle of a long work day, the 20 minutes of TM that I usually do at the end of my lunch break keep me focused, productive, even cheerful at work for the rest of my day. It really does wonders for me as a stress relieving tool. So it's always been easy for me to keep it up---never feels like effort, or something I have to squeeze in. Because it feels so good, I make it a priority, like drinking water or eating.

I started my practice at Austin Zen Center about 4 years ago. I moved away from Austin and one of…read morethe things I miss the most is AZC. I loved the no-pressure to be or do beyond what I felt comfortable with. My introduction to the practice was held by Pat as part of their weekly Beginners Instruction class. I enjoyed the gentle and to the point guidance so much that I took the class several more times since they use different teachers each weekend and I wanted to gain insight from different perspectives. An underlying theme there was the point of trying and doing without judgement. AZC is a place of refuge where you can build community and people will meet you where you are without the pressure to become or do more than what you want to seek and explore. Love it.

I went to their Beginner class this morning because I've been reading and enjoying a fair amount of…read moreZen literature over the past year and one of the authors said joining a zendo was critical to growth in the discipline. This one seemed reasonable on the face of it because I wasn't sure I wanted to get involved in heavy Buddhism right away. I have a background in a different world religion that wasn't the best experience, so a place focusing more on the philosophy than the religion sounded like it might be the right speed. I read up on the FAQ and Etiquette on their site ahead of time and saw they have a particular dress code asking that people wear loose clothing with no brands or designs in calming colors that covers from shoulders down to below the knee. I had to do some digging in the closet to put something like that together, as athleisure is too tight and all my non-branded tops are tank tops. Ended up going with a loose long skirt and a T shirt turned inside out to avoid having a design on it. A little weird, but not too much effort to put in to be respectful. I showed up a little early to avoid being late and much like the other 1 star review of this place, I was a little shocked at the way the monk or teacher etc I was in proximity to on the porch deliberately cut his eye contact away and made an effort to turn his shoulders away from me. My normal experience with Buddhist monks is that they are at times reserved but generally friendly, so to get the "popular girl refused to see you in the hall" treatment from one raised my eyebrows a bit. But I rallied and sat outside waiting for the class to begin, as after that greeting I certainly wasn't going to barge into the building without a specific invite. The teacher for the class, Pat, I think, was warmer and friendly and pleasant about showing us the ropes. But the ropes! Weird ropes. Part of the class was showing us the temple mandated way of holding your hands during meditation. Yes, they have a single specific way, and by God you'd better get it right. It involves jamming your thumbs together tip to tip, which I couldn't do because it wasn't in the FAQ that I'd need to cut my nails down to the quick before class and I tend to have 1/3 to 1/2 cm long natural nails because I just do. They grow quickly and don't break off. I'd have to cut my nails every day to keep them short enough to be able to stick my thumbs together flat finger-trap style. The other girl in the class also got a snip that her form wasn't good, and I suspect it was due to a similar issue. I really hadn't expected extremely precise physical forms to be part of the day one instruction and I've never seen a meditation class where everyone in the class was required to hold the exact same hand position. I particularly didn't follow the logic when we're all doing the meditating facing the wall, so it's not as though my thumbs creating an imperfect circle could be distracting anyone near me. I completely understand trying to avoid meditation postures like a ghost girl crawling out of a TV for the sake of others in the room, but to pick like that over something so minor and to have a specific temple rule that everyone regardless of arm length, hand shape, and nail length, would adopt identical arm and hand posture did not feel very Zen. I had anticipated instruction more on how to avoid distraction, demos of breathing and sitting techniques (Pat did nicely here), and connect better with myself and the energy in the room but found myself instead incredibly self-conscious that the Thumb Police might be back after me. There was also unnecessary fussing about knee placement and the assurance that body parts falling asleep at times painfully would be a normal part of the process. Disagree, but okay. Here's where they finished losing me. At the end of the class, the regular member meditation group began to assemble in the outer lobby. Imagine the journey my eyebrows took when I saw a guy walk in wearing skinny jeans cut off well above the knee, followed by a woman wearing strappy tank athleisure with a bright neon bra underneath, and another guy wearing an AZC-branded big logo tee. After everything my thumbs and other peoples' knees had been through, now this??? And a good 2/3 of them had Active Btch Face same as the guy from the porch. I'm no stranger to performative piety because I was raised Southern Baptist, but I hadn't expected to run into such a strong blast of it here. I definitely won't be back because I'm not sure what's going on with this place to make people act this way but it's decidedly both dualistic and hypocritical and not a vibe that lends itself well to the pursuit of a clear mind. I'm sure some people there are nice and normal but that was a hell of an intro class that could be actively harmful to peoples' perception of Zen and Buddhism if they're less experienced with religious sects choosing to act funky when the behavior is not required in the texts.

Came here after my yoga class and it was such a good idea! The place is super cozy and I loved the…read moredecor. They have different options, hot or cold, coffee or tea, but their specialty is definitely their cacao drinks. As a chocolate lover, I had to try one. The service was great too. The girl who helped me was so sweet and explained that since cacao is naturally more bitter, I could choose how sweet I wanted my drink. I originally went with a 5/10, but after trying it, I asked her to bring it up to a 7/10 and it was PERFECT! So creamy and delicious. Such a cute little spot to relax after a workout or just hang out. I'll definitely be back to try more of their cacao drinks!

I really enjoyed the space and the energy that exists here. I am wildly disappointed with the…read moreinteractions I've had with some of the individuals that are a part of the space. I would say that they are using people and they don't really provide a service but try to manipulate you. I went in for a cord cutting ceremony, and the individual that did everything was named Kevin and decided to say that I was a reptilian and warned my date to avoid reptilian energy. I want to add more context because I really believe it's important. I came in with a very open heart trying to find help to let go of some past hurt Kevin and his wife Lola initially felt kind. With my date, he was open, giving and exceptionally nice. I had my reading, and when he asked me how I felt I told him that he had his energy closed off to me. He then reacted by basically calling me a demon and a reptilian. As me and my date were leaving, he warned him to be wary of reptilian energy and to look it up. This entire experience was absolutely horrible and it put me into a spiral because when I asked Kevin what he saw he refused to tell me and I think truly is that he was afraid that I saw through him because he's a fraud. People typically don't cast stones in this space without offering help or a handout. I questioned multiple times what he saw in me and he shut it down and would not do it then decided to go point to his side that says we won't continue unless we want to. I am highly disappointed because I literally went in for help on letting go of some things and instead I was made to look like a demon and I just don't even understand how somebody that says. They're a part of holistic healing could ever do this to someone. Definitely make sure that you grab some of the drinks and food there. It's fantastic, but I would highly encourage people to not visit Kevin or Lola unless you're willing to experience what truly felt like a very hateful judgmental experience. I do not ever anticipate going back into the space purely because of this experience and I will continue on my journey without their guidance. I just cannot believe that I was basically called a demon. I think that they are frauds that are trying to prey on susceptible people and they're hopeful that people will continue to come back to them for cleansing. I went to the bathroom and cried because I felt hopeless. So no thanks bad luck and no blessings for them. Don't give people hopelessness without a hand when they are truly reaching their hand out to you. Wildly negative energy. On top of everything, my date mentioned coming in for a previous experience and they did not remember any of the details and they mis gendered. they played it off that my dates Friend was a man, but she is female. My date was kind and did not bring it up, but they tried to play it off as they remembered everything and had to call someone to get things translated. It was completely not at all correct.

It's been nine years that I've been attending the Austin Shambhala Center, and have felt no…read morepressure to do anything. It's all a personal path, and the sangha (community) is your support along the way. Everyone is so supportive if you voice your need to learn more. Chogyam Trungpa was a messenger. The teachings he gave have been passed down for thousands of years. Regardless of his imperfect nature, the teachings still stand firmly rooted in basic truth. Please come by and see how wonderful this group is.

2 hours ago It's been at least a year since I had been here…read more I came today very much looking forward to starting up my meditation practice again. The meditation was happening in the smaller Ayala room this day. As I approached I noticed there was a walking meditation taking place. Not sure if I should go inside or wait until the group was seated again I asked a woman who has just exited if it was ok for me to enter. She tried her best to avoid eye contact with me and stated "I don't know you!" With a straight face. I felt so offended by her lack of compassion and basic kindness I immediately left. What a negative energy this woman brought into the place. I didn't feel comfortable there. I won't be back.

The little temple/church in Austin has a fantastic vibration. It's not open during the pandemic…read moreunfortunately. When things stabilize I can't recommend it enough if one wants a serene, high vibration non intrusive place to meditate or just be quiet and centered. It's open for Sunday services. The weekly service is conducted by lay people (monks visits once in a while from other parts of the world) and there is a spiritual lesson read aloud each service that covers a myriad of topics. You'll see people meditating before and during the service and you're welcome to do the same. SRF is a practice. It's a philosophy. I don't want to use the word religion because that implies dogma which is definitely not a part of SRF. When I first walked in oh so many years ago in Los Angeles, no one asked me for my address, phone number, money or invited me to a "seminar" "which only costs $ [insert large amount here]. It is still the same today. They never push you - that's totally antithetical to what they stand for. SRF teaches that each person has their own personal relationship with their higher power - SRF calls it God, Divine Mother, Friend and says there are a myriad of names for this Omnipresent Consciousness that is the Oneness of all things. Therefore no one will intrude into your space. They have volunteers with blue badges and you're welcome to ask them questions. SRF wa]s founded in 1920 by the late Indian guru Paramahansa Yogananda, one of the very first Indian spiritual teachers to come to North America. There are no "rules" or requirements to attend other than common sense decorum necessary when entering any place where there is a silent meditation or a service going on. You don't have to be a "member." There are meditation groups and centers all over the world. Most of the larger temples are in California where he resided. Yogananda never said SRF is the only way to God or to higher consciousness. In fact he says there are many paths and one needs to find the one that works for them. That non-exclusive point of view was and still is very attractive to me. As soon as a teaching or orgaziztion claims to be the only way or the right way I know I'm in the wrong building. The meditation techniques are very simple and straightforward. One can have their printed meditation lessons mailed to your home. I think it's 2x or 1x a month. It was $50 for 12-18 months for about the past 40/50 years - didn't even cover the cost of the stamps. And they just raised it to $99. The lessons are for either 12 or 18 months. And you do not have to get them. Many people attend SRF and don't read the lessons. It's all up to you. In the beginning of my attendance, I went to services using a different silent meditation technique that I had learned and the depth and peace I attained was wonderful. Eventually I decided to take the lessons and I've discovered that SRF is my go-to spiritual path. There are SRF staff and monks available by telephone in California during the day if you have questions. SRF Mother Center in LA. 323-225-2471. The webites are helpful Main website: https://www.yogananda-srf.org Live meditations throughout the world's time zones can be found here during the pandemic https://srfonlinemeditation.org Youtube Channel has lots of good videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqr3sDl5CzjQwOHiVLal4gQ SRF Lake Shrine in LA (Pacific Palisades) the only place in the world where Mahatma Gandhi's ashes are interred outside of India www.Lakeshrine.org Stay safe and healthy! OM SHANTI

Tranquil and relaxing, this center had a pleasant meditation space and a gentle welcome from the…read moreAustin regulars at this group (we were just in for the weekend, visiting from Ft. Worth). We left feeling peaceful and energized and ready for an enjoyable day seeing the sights of Austin. If you are new to meditation or interested in learning, there is info and brochures in the lobby as well as helpful info from their regular attendees. Will definitely return on our next visit to the city, great group.

I first attended a hypnotherapy session with Pavlina to work through my performance anxiety. It was…read moremy first hypnosis session ever, and I didn't know what to expect. But WOW, it was better than I imagined it would be! I used the skills she taught me IMMEDIATELY, and continue to use them throughout my work day. While I was there, I mentioned I wanted to give Reiki a try. She suggested Concentric Reiki for me personally. I can't even begin to tell you how good I felt afterward! I suffer from asthma-induced chest pain and I also keep my stress and past traumas in my chest and shoulders. Immediately after the session I could actually BREATHE without having chest pain! I could put my arms straight up over my head without pain!  It felt like an elephant had been lifted off my chest..... Pavlina is a true healer. She listens intently, she is warm and kind and makes me feel comfortable even during difficult healing sessions. I feel safe speaking with her about personal issues. The techniques she has perfected are specially crafted to guide each participant to a place of healing with purpose and love. She really goes above and beyond for her clients. I feel better and more capable on this new life journey after being a part of her hypnotherapy and reiki sessions, and I plan to return regularly. My boyfriend is excited to give Reiki a try, and he has already made an appointment! Thank you Pavlina:)

Pavlina is a very gifted healer and past life regression guide. I had a wonderful experience with…read moreher and highly recommend her. She's a very special person and a rare find.