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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 walked into 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.
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!
After reading The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, I completely fell in love with this way of living. However, I lacked the encouragement to put it into practice. Going to an in-person meditation class was the perfect way to keep me accountable while also meeting new people.
The class is 45 minutes long and is divided into 3 parts. In the first part, the instructor introduces themselves 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 their voice. Afterward, the instructor reads excerpts from books, segueing into the third and final part, which is focused on self-compassion and gratitude.
If you’re new to mindfulness or want to learn more about the practice 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 you want to get into meditation, The Den also has introductory classes for meditation newbies!
Breathwork
The first time I took this class was almost two weeks ago. I was reading a book that talked about the different breathing techniques and how essential yet overlooked our breathing is. 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 was dimly lit and we used our breath as our anchor. 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. I felt so self-conscious 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 top of a mountain. Well, this is your opportunity to do it without worrying about waking up the neighbors or looking like a crazy person in your car.
Throughout this class, your body will feel cramped and you’ll experience symptoms of numbness. 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 in the world to gather 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 I love challenging myself in new ways, and I loved learning about the wonderful benefits of meditation. I also recommend taking the self-compassion classes with Jamie Wozny
Overall what I love the most about the DEN is the serena and calming. 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! I love this place! Seriously, if you live in LA and you haven’t been there, you’re missing out on something huge that could be life changing and no, I’m not saying this flippantly.
What puts the cherry on the cake is the décor and the water fountain with its calming 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 Silver Lake 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 to successfully delivery a cozy and warm atmosphere. Depending on my schedule, sometimes I go there for mindfulness classes with Amanda.
As you walk in, you’ll be greeted by the Buddha statue and a plethora of spiritual merchandise: 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 classes. 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, you can definitely feel the beachy and laidback vibes as opposed to The Den, where there’s a much higher volume of people due to its busy location.
Whatever your choice of studio is, I’m pretty sure you’ll form great connections with the instructors, staff, and fellow meditators!
NOTE: THE DEN LA BREA IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED.
These are the websites:
https://ceremonymeditation.com
I use Classpass because it’s the best way for me to combine classes from both studios at a reasonable price rather than having to pay a monthly membership for each studio. If you’re always on the go like me, driving all over LA, this might be the best choice. However, if you live in the South Bay area or Fairfax/La Brea, and you rarely 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. You’ll definitely see the hard work pay off.
