Bridges to Relaxation
If you decide to meditate in a formal setting, Los Angeles offers a vast array of options--from contemplative prayer to the Zen practice of sitting meditation. To find the perfect technique for you, seasoned practitioners suggest sampling meditations from several traditions and sticking to what suits your personality and best complements any already-existent spiritual practice. Experiment from among the following:
Zen Center of Los Angeles, 923 S. Normandie Ave., L.A . An oasis of calm in a neighborhood where police helicopters often circle overhead, the center is nicknamed by habitual practitioners “The Normandie Mountain.” Classes, retreats, talks and additional activities are regularly scheduled every month. The grounds include the zendo--an immaculate hall covered in tatami mats with stark, black-and-white decor where practitioners sit on small black cushions and meditate in silence; a library, a kitchen where post-meditation meals are cooked, and a garden with chimes that sing gently in the wind.
An introductory class to the Zen techniques of meditation is offered Sundays from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. For class and event schedule, call (213) 387-2351 or go to www.zcla.org
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Center for Yoga, 230 1/2 N. Larchmont Blvd., L.A. The center is one of the oldest and largest yoga studios in Los Angeles and offers some 80 classes every week. Gentler forms of the discipline that emphasize the meditative element, like Vini yoga, are taught alongside vigorously physical ones. A guided meditation class is offered on the first Sunday of the month. For class schedule, call (323) 464-1276 or go to www.centerforyogacom
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Golden Bridge Yoga, 5901 W. 3rd St., L.A . Studio owner and founder Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa teaches meditation techniques specific to Kundalini yoga during classes offered here several times a week. The emphasis is on breath control, and the asanas, or yoga postures, are completed with the eyes closed. Cardamom and ginger-spiced yogi tea and cookies are served after each class. For class schedule, call (323) 936-4172 or go to www.goldenbridgeyoga.com
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Shambhala Center Los Angeles, 8218 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles. In this airy, well-lighted meditation space squeezed between a restaurant and pet grooming parlor, practitioners alternate sitting on yellow and red cushions in silence with pacing around the room in a circle. Tibetan prayer flags called tangkas adorn the ceiling and the walls. The center belongs to a network of 165 similar institutions around the world that popularize meditation techniques rooted in a particular body of Tibetan Buddhist doctrines.
Besides meditation and Buddhism, disciplines like ikebana (the art of flower arrangement) are taught in various classes. Meditation instruction is available free of charge. For an introduction to meditation techniques and the philosophy behind them, first-time meditators can attend an open-house session on the last Sunday of the month. For class and event schedule, call (323) 653-9342 or go to www.shambhala.org /center/losangeles
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Khandakapala Buddhist Center, 1492 Blake Ave., L.A. Housed by an old church on the fringe of the Silver Lake neighborhood, this center teaches a particular sequence of meditation techniques derived from Tibetan Buddhism, which are intended to aid practitioners to transform adversity in life.
Guided meditation classes and a variety of events are scheduled every month at the center and at satellite branches in Pasadena, Santa Monica, Hollywood, Studio City, West Hollywood and Thousand Oaks. An introductory class consisting of a short explanation, chanted prayers and a 20-minute guided meditation is offered Sundays from 10 to 11 a.m. For class and event schedule, call (323) 223-0610 or go to www.meditateinla.org
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The Church of the Good Shepherd, 505 N. Bedford Drive, Beverly Hills. A contemplative prayer session is held on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at this Catholic parish near the glitzy stores of Rodeo Drive. For additional information, call (310) 285-5425.