How to Teach Mindfulness Meditation

By Faye Martins 

Mindfulness Meditation is a hugely beneficial practice that can be learned by anyone. In order for meditation students to succeed in their practice, they need to have the best guidance possible. A qualified meditation teacher can provide great encouragement on their journey to inner peace and self-discovery. Teaching meditation is also a great way for one to learn about their own relationship with the practice.

Desire to help

No matter what you're teaching, you need to have some sort of drive and passion to help others. By teaching mindfulness meditation, you'll be imparting wisdom to others through a practice that could change their lives for the better. Even if you're an avid meditation practitioner, you need to have the urge to boost others as well. If necessary, take time to consider how you feel when you first started practicing mindfulness meditation. Think about the guidance you had or wished you had. Then, work to emulate that model internally.

Experience

In order to successfully teach something, you need to have the knowledge that comes through experience. While mindfulness meditation is fairly easy to adapt to, the initial stages can be overwhelming for beginners. It can take weeks, even months of daily practice for meditators to start to feel comfortable. In order to help new students, become comfortable as quickly as possible, an experienced teacher is a necessity. This doesn't mean you have to be a master who is able to achieve perfect mindfulness 24/7. However, it does mean you should be past the beginning stages of your meditation journey.

Explain

You shouldn't assume anything when it comes to teaching mindfulness meditation. The concept of observing one's breath to help better understand their thoughts is simple in theory, but it can take some getting used to. You likely had some frustration in the early stages of your practice. You shouldn't take your progress for granted, but you also shouldn't assume everyone to be at your level of understanding. Questions should be encouraged, both before sessions and after. It's also highly likely that points will be raised and questions will be asked that you had never considered before. You should also be engaging in a dialogue with your students. For instance, if someone tells you they have trouble focusing on their breath during the practice, you can tell them about your own experiences with that. You can also have other members of the class voice their own experiences.

Stay humble

Even if you're teaching meditation, you shouldn't present yourself as being superior in any form to your students. Mindfulness meditation helps to rid ourselves of the pitfalls of ego, and that can't be accomplished if you're encouraging a divide. Imagine yourself in the shoes of your students. Think about how you would want your teacher to act. Also, you should be willing to talk about your own experiences and struggles with meditation. Even the most experienced master is prone to lapses in focus. This does not make them weak. Instead, it makes them human. By showing your students that you're on a journey with them, they can feel much more at peace.

We hope this has given you a good idea of how to teach mindfulness meditation. If you have been practicing meditation for a while and have noticed the benefits, this is the perfect opportunity for you to bring others on your journey. You don't need to be perfect, but you do need to be willing to teach and have the knowledge necessary. The more you share the miracle that is mindfulness meditation, the better you will feel.

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