What is meditation actually? What do you do in it?

If you'd like to get to know meditation, if you're curious about what your acquaintances are actually doing, those you've heard about who can wonderfully relax with it, then this meditation course in a small group of a maximum of 3 participants offers you the opportunity to do so.

This meditation course in Samatha meditation (also known as Concentration meditation) is designed for beginners on the meditation path or those who would like to refresh their basics. I'll explain to you what meditation actually is, that you can meditate while sitting, lying down, or walking, and with which techniques you can succeed right from the beginning. Throughout the course, you'll experience becoming calmer, being able to concentrate better, and becoming increasingly adept at being in the present moment.

As an introduction, we'll focus on the breath, one of the most fundamental and essential meditation techniques. Because your breath is always with you, your entire life. You can always feel it without any tools. As ordinary as it may seem, it's also extraordinary: Your breath is the foundation of your life.

You'll learn how to concentrate on your breath in this moment and let go of your thoughts and emotions, allowing your body to relax and your mind to become calm and clear.

Relaxation, clarity, and concentration are what meditation can bring into your daily life. Because we don't meditate for the sake of meditating. We meditate to do something good for our lives with it.

Give it a try. Make a new experience for your life.

Samatha (pronounced shah-mah-tah) is a term derived from ancient Indian Pali and translates to 'calm abiding' or 'tranquil dwelling'. Samatha meditation is also referred to as concentration or tranquility meditation.

The primary focus of this practice is concentration. We concentrate on the breath or another meditation object (visualizations, sounds, etc.). There are hundreds of different objects to choose from. The goal is to achieve a deep level of concentration. The path to the highest level of meditation, enlightenment, always begins with some form of Samatha meditation.

Samatha is generally (though not always) calm and peaceful. It's just the right practice if you want to relax your mind a bit after a demanding day at work.

The course consists of 6 sessions, each lasting approximately 70 minutes.

180 Euro

You already have a solid foundation in Samatha techniques and can focus on your meditation object for at least 20 minutes. You know how to deal with arising thoughts and emotions during meditation.

Then you have the perfect basis to refine your Samatha techniques and concentration to the deepest absorption in this course.

To achieve this, we build upon the breath concentration and you will learn the fundamentals of Prāṇāyāma, controlled breath, as well as the tantric Tummo technique (Tibetan for "inner heat") from Vajrayana Buddhism.

These techniques will help you relax and find calmness and balance within yourself in stressful and emotionally tense situations.

Furthermore, I will introduce you to the four higher states of consciousness, the subtle form Jhānas (rūpajjhāna). You will learn how to intentionally move into these states during your meditations, and you'll learn how to use the Jhanas to deepen your journey within yourself.

Stay curious and get ready for the next step in your meditation adventure.

"Jhāna" or "Jhana" is a Pali term that means "Meditation" or "Glowing, Burning." It is often used synonymously with the Sanskrit term "Dhyana" and is also frequently referred to as "absorption."

Jhana refers to a meditative, higher state of consciousness in which the meditator is deeply still and fully concentrated. The mind becomes completely absorbed in the object of focus. Background views, sounds, and thoughts recede into the background and eventually disappear entirely. Ultimately, all five hindrances of the mind (doubt/skepticism, restlessness/impatience, lethargy/fatigue, aversion/rejection, and desire/greed) dissolve during the time of meditation, often continuing to do so for a good while afterward.

There are 8 different Jhanas that one can experience on the path to enlightenment, each highlighting different "qualities" or aspects of the mind. The first 4 Jhanas are known as rūpajjhāna, the Samatha Jhanas.

Although these experiences are not yet those of enlightenment, the Jhanas offer valuable insights along the path and often provide meditators with incredible motivation to continue progressing.

The breath is a powerful instrument for meditation. The Samatha technique falls within the realm of Ānāpānasati, which means the concentration on the natural breath as it is.

The counterpart to this, bearing the beautiful name "Prāṇāyāma," is controlled breathing or controlled life force (Prana). The meditator breathes in and out according to specific guidelines, such as deep or shallow breaths, or even pausing the breath for a while. This can be a very potent technique. The well-known Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh said, "To master our breath is to be in control of our bodies and minds."

One of the various Pranayama techniques is Tummo meditation. This meditation is an ancient Tibetan technique from Vajrayana Buddhism. Tummo translates to "Inner Fire." And the name can be taken quite literally: It is said that Tibetan monks sitting for hours in the freezing Himalayan air can intentionally raise their fingertip temperatures by over 8°C and bring their core body temperature into the fever range using this technique. However, the primary goal of Tummo meditation isn't to keep warm; that's more of a side effect. Ultimately, Tummo, like Vipassanā meditation, aims to gain insights into the true nature of things.

Prāṇāyāma techniques not only provide an excellent avenue for further insights but are also well-suited for initiating deep Samatha meditations, including the Jhanas.

The course consists of 5 sessions, each lasting approximately 90 minutes.

180 Euro

This Meditation Course in Vipassana Meditation is intended for meditators who already have experience with Samatha Meditation and now wish to explore the pinnacle of mindfulness.

In this course, I will guide you through the fundamentals of Vipassana, teaching you how to cultivate and sustain moment-to-moment mindfulness. Throughout the course, you will gradually observe how your sensations become more refined, and you'll learn to observe your thoughts as they arise. This mindfulness will become your companion in daily life, offering you tranquility and equanimity.

Vipassanā (Pali: Insight) is the practice of insight meditation.

The emphasis here is on mindfulness with moment-to-moment concentration, which focuses on an object only from moment to moment. While this concentration is slightly different from that of Samatha, it is still a crucial aspect of Vipassanā. It's often referred to as "access concentration," representing the minimum level of concentration required. This is why starting with Samatha is usually recommended.

In insight meditation, you observe your reality. You observe your sensations, pure experiences without interpretations.

The goal here is to gain liberating insight through the observation of reality - enlightenment! Unlike Samatha, Vipassanā objects are real and not conceptual. While Samatha objects tend to become calmer, more stable, and clearer throughout the meditation, Vipassanā objects dissolve. You recognize their instability, how they arise and pass away.

While Samatha can be mastered in months, Vipassanā requires much longer training and is more demanding. However, the insights gained from it (there are several that are achieved progressively) are, as mentioned earlier, enduring and remain with you beyond meditation.

With Vipassanā, you ultimately attain insight into the three Buddhist characteristics of existence:

1. Impermanence - Anicca

2. Unsatisfactoriness - Dukkha

3. Not-self - Anatta

The individual course consists of 5 sessions, each lasting approximately 90 minutes.

350 Euro 

We gather for a shared meditation session. There will be a brief guidance suitable for all levels of meditation experience, followed by ample time for addressing meditation-related questions or engaging in conversations with fellow meditators. If you're interested, please send me a brief message, and I'll be happy to inform you about the upcoming session dates.

The Sangha Evening usually takes place from 8:00 PM to around 9:00 PM.

The Sangha Evening is free of charge.