Best Meditation Centers In The Sacramento Area

Our lives seem to get more hectic all of the time, swamped with a multitude of distractions, complications and obligations. Between work, emails, phone calls, vehicle maintenance, housework, bills, meetings, the PTA, soccer games and the care and feeding of family members, life just zips by at breakneck speed. Your doctor also insists that you diet and exercise consistently, presumably during those imaginary moments known as your "spare time." To avoid becoming overwhelmed, consider checking out the art of meditation. Learn the basics at a Sacramento-area meditation center, and you will be ready to soothe and invigorate your soul anywhere you are, even when you only have a moment or two. There are no special clothes or books required, and the positive impact on your life can be tremendous.

Lotus Garden Meditation Center
7225 Lincoln Ave.
Carmichael, CA 95608
(916) 944-8505
www.lotusgardenmeditation.org

Close your eyes, take a deep breath and then exhale slowly, picturing yourself at the most relaxing spot on Earth. Chances are good that the place you have imagined will look a lot like Lotus Garden. The property is very peaceful, with wooded paths, bubbling waterfalls, organic gardens, a bamboo garden and a lovely gazebo overlooking a sparkling koi pond. Classes in meditation are offered to the public at no cost, with fees from T'ai Chi and yoga classes going to support local nonprofit charities. For those interested in group meditation, there are weekly Kirtan meditations that include chanting and singing. The Kirtan meditations are free, and even include a vegetarian meal and class on self-realization. The Center also offers special workshops, one-day retreats, cooking classes and meditation classes in parks and in downtown Sacramento.

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Ancient Future Urban Sanctuary
2331 K St.
Sacramento, CA
(916) 476-3754
www.ancientfuturenow.com

Ancient Future is the vision of Teresa Flint, who wanted a place where people could come to restore their souls, embrace their spirituality and enhance their physical and emotional well-being. Included in the sanctuary's offerings are a lovely and serene garden, sessions with health and wellness practitioners, a store featuring the work of local artisans and a café featuring delectable, restorative food. Flint is among those who lead a free hour of guided meditation every Tuesday beginning at 12:30 p.m.; for a $7 donation the meditation can be followed by a light lunch catered by the sanctuary's 24K Café. Portions of all Ancient Future proceeds go to support Women of Wisdom, a nonprofit that helps provide education, training and other resources to women in need.

Mind Body Soul Healing Center
6248 Main Ave., Suite C-1
Orangevale, CA 95662
(916) 473-9355
www.mindbody-and-soul.com

Mind Body Soul is a spiritual and educational center for holistic health, practicing a variety of modalities to enhance well-being, personal awareness, happiness and health. The skilled practitioners are licensed and/or certified, and offer services including reiki, chakra and aura balancing, ayurvedic medicine, reflexology, shamanic healing, clinical hypnotherapy and holistic and clinical massage. To soothe the mind and soul, the Center offers guided meditation for groups or individuals; the cost in normally $25 for 30 minutes of private guided meditation. Guests can also find a book at the lending library and read in a relaxing Zen garden.

Sunlight Of The Spirit
2314 J St.
Sacramento, CA 95816
(916) 440-1533
www.sunlightofthespiritbooks.com

The staff at Sunlight describes it as being an interfaith spirituality and recovery store, which includes books, jewelry, décor and many other inspirational and uplifting items. Visitors can get a variety of services at Sunlight, including tarot cards, clairvoyant or clairsentient readings, intuitive medical healings, stones of change and angel card readings. Meditation classes are offered on most Tuesday evenings; the class is free but donations are appreciated. Each one-hour class includes a lesson on basic techniques, a period of chanting and spiritual readings and then a time for actual meditation. There are also $20 sound healing meditation events as well, which are done with singing bowls.

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Valerie Heimerich is a freelance writer out of Sacramento. She typically covers animals and community issues. She has volunteered and worked for many organizations helping animals and people.
Her work can be found at Examiner.com.