Virtual Meditation Class

ALL LEVELS (from beginners to experienced) WELCOME!

"I enjoy your calming reassuring voice giving gentle reminders during meditation."

About the Weekly Class:

Tuesdays, 8:30 - 9 am Eastern

All Levels (including cats, dogs, stuffies, etc) Welcome!

Via Zoom: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/4677384348 

Passcode: Calm

This is a free class but donations are gratefully accepted via:

Venmo: @beej-christie-karpen
(Last 4 digits of cell: 7766)

Zelle: bjk@insightoutnyc.com

I found the mindfulness meditation practice to be so life-changing that I felt compelled to learn to teach it. I trained in the Zen and Shambhala Buddhist traditions, as well as Jon Kabat-Zinn’s secular MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) model.

In the Tuesday morning class, I usually give a brief talk on some element of mindfulness (or offer a tool/practice to try that week), then I guide a 15-20 minute meditation practice, leaving a few minutes for any reflections or questions at the end. There’s a funny misconception that meditation requires stopping our thoughts—impossible except, maybe, for a couple of monks in Tibet! 

“If you sliced open the heads of all those meditators, it would look like a Bosch painting in there!”

—David Nichtern

The good news is, it’s really about developing a friendlier relationship with our thoughts—Noticing where the mind goes when it’s not present, and learning to cull out the helpful thoughts (spoiler alert: there’s a relatively low percentage of those) from the less helpful ones.

Just for fun, try a little musical chairs with your thoughts. Set some alerts on your phone, and notice where your mind is when they go off. Is the thinking contractive (contributing to stress and a tightened body) or expansive (open, spacious, relaxed)? If it’s the latter, you can skip the meditation practice.

If it’s the former, join the crowd and sit with us on Tuesday mornings and start training your mind and spirit!

Click the arrows to scroll through the testimonials:

  • "I can truly say I feel so relaxed during/after the classes, I am hoping to start meditating more often."

  • "It is a beautiful way to start the day and make sure to give yourself some personal time."

  • "I had made several attempts to start a regular meditation practice but with little success. With Beej I have been given an opportunity to practice regularly and to practice with structure and explanation that have provided a glimpse of how powerful and robust a practice can be."

  • "You are lovely, kind, so helpful. I love your “spacious” kind space. And de-lightful humor. Thank you for making me (and us all) feel at home."

  • "This morning’s class was powerful. I kept thinking if you could be the voice (and I mean actual voice) of peace, we might stand a chance…. Your message of putting out loving kindness into the world helped shape my day and how I faced certain parts. Thank you over and over again."

  • "I was going to skip this morning as I felt groggy and I knew I would look tired. I asked will Beej’s calm voice improve the start to my day? The answer was YES! Thank you! It was a total blessing!”

  • “Thank you so much for this morning’s meditation. Each one is so unique. This one was special for me because it showed me how to bring this practice into the world. My heart is very heavy but my heart feels very useful as well.

“What has really worked for me was when you shared your wisdom with us. You have done all this amazing work and can tell us the story about how hard it is to calm down and how we can get there.  I love doing the exercises and sensing how they affect me in the moment and how they stay with me - or not - a day later.  I like when you share the wisdom your teachers have passed on to you with us. I like the idea of "homework" - meaning what we can try out at home and then report back to you.”