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Once in a blue moon, you come across a place that oozes peacefulness, serenity and safety from the moment you walk in.
This is what happened to me when I first went to The Den in February this year. I can’t believe how fast time goes by. The Den meditation opened its doors in 2016 and has been a sanctuary for those seeking peace and quiet from the hustle and bustle of the city of LA.
I had my first mindfulness class on a rainy Sunday afternoon with Amanda Gilbert. She’s wonderful and has been a mindfulness practitioner for 14 years.
I remember walking into my first mindfulness class back in February. After reading The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, I completely fell in love with this way of living. However, I lacked the skills to put it into practice so I made it part of my New Year’s resolution to get serious about it.
The class is 45 minutes long and is divided into 3 parts. In the first part, the instructor introduces herself and talks about the benefits of mindfulness. During the second part, we put mindfulness into practice by closing our eyes and focusing on our breath while the instructor guides us with her voice. Afterward, the instructor reads excerpts from books and that follows into the third part, which is focused on self-compassion and gratitude.
If you’re new to mindfulness or want to learn more in-depth about the practice and wish to incorporate it into your daily life, The Den offers an array of classes that will make a great start on your meditation journey!
If you have no idea what I’m talking about but want to get into meditation, the Den also has introductory classes for meditation newbies!
Breathwork
The first time I stepped into this class was almost two weeks ago. I was reading a book that talked about the different breathing techniques and how these are of utmost importance. I checked the Den’s schedule and saw that they offered breathing classes! I went in there not knowing what to expect and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
In the first class, the room was packed. The second class was a little more intimate as there weren’t so many people. The room is dimly lit, you use your breath as your anchor but it differs from mindfulness in that you’re breathing through your mouth all the time. You inhale through your diaphragm, all the way to your chest and release the air exhaling through your mouth. These breathing classes are a great way to release negative emotional build-up in your body, whether it’s suppressed anger, jealousy or any negative emotion or thought you can think of. This exercise is done lying on the floor.
Throughout the class, music is playing all the time to help you deepen the practice. The instructor comes over and checks up on everyone individually to make sure they’re breathing properly. There are two times where the instructor asks everyone to yell at the same time. It was hella awkward for me to do this in the first class but it was super liberating.
Think about a time where you’ve always wanted to yell from the mountaintops. Here’s your opportunity to do it without worrying about waking up the neighbors or looking like a crazy person in your car.
Your body will feel cramped and you’ll experience symptoms of numbness throughout the class. It’s totally normal but you just have to keep breathing. This is a good sign the exercise is working! After the class, you will feel lightheaded and dizzy so make sure you take all the time you need in the world to compose yourself before you leave.
Though I love mindfulness classes, I liked to step out of my comfort zone and try out a new class. At first, it is a little bit daunting but as I keep challenging myself and discover more about the wonderful benefits of meditation, the more adventurous and daring I become. I also recommend taking the self-compassion classes with Jamie Wozny
Overall what I love the most about the DEN, is the atmosphere and the soothing calming vibe. They have a wooden bookshelf with amazing books about healing and meditation which will make your wait time more pleasant (unfortunately they’re not available for rent. Bummer). They also have their own coffee and tea station to make you feel more at home! Love this place! Seriously if you live in LA and you haven’t been here, you’re missing out on something huge that could be life changing and no, I’m not exaggerating.
What puts the cherry on the cake is the décor and the water fountain noise sound. The brick wall combined with the couch/ comfy chairs and the wooden floating shelves alongside the pendant ceiling lamps, make this place a hidden gem that sets itself apart from any other meditation center in LA. Luckily, for those who don’t live in the neighborhood, the Den has expanded to Silverlake and Studio City! If you want to know more about the membership options click here
Ceremony meditation
417 Rose Ave, Venice, CA 90291
This is another hidden gem in LA located in the heart of Venice. Although this meditation center is much smaller than the Den, it still manages and works successfully in delivering a charming, cozy and warm atmosphere. I come here sometimes for mindfulness classes with Amanda.
As you walk in, you’ll be greeted by the Buddha statue and an array of different meditation merchandise for sale (books, incense, candles, notebooks, sage…etc).
The class is located in a tiny room upstairs. What I truly love about this place is the Zen garden where sometimes they hold outdoor meditation sessions. There’s a Buddha statue with running water and a string of lights that are lit up at night!
Since the Ceremony meditation is located in Venice and there are much fewer people, you can definitely feel the beachy, tranquil vibe as opposed to The Den where there’s a much higher volume of people due to the busy location.
In both places, the instructors are truly knowledgeable and they care about their craft. Whatever your choice of studio is, I’m pretty sure you’ll form great friendships with the instructors, staff, and meditators!
NOTE: THE DEN LA BREA IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED.
These are the Websites:
https://ceremonymeditation.com
I use Classpass. It’s the best alternative for me to combine classes from both studios rather than having to pay a monthly membership for either one of them. If you’re always on the go like me, driving around all over LA, this might be the best choice. However, if you live in the South Bay area or around Fairfax/La Brea and rarely drive to get out of the neighborhood, a monthly membership will be the best choice. Both studios offer discounts and special introductory offers for new members.
I want to know about your meditation journey! It’s challenging but I promise every little step makes a huge difference and you’ll definitely see the hard work pay off.
