Why Do It? Thousands of web sites and books extole the benefits and methods of Meditation, hundreds of scientific and medical studies document the positive effects of meditation on the body and mind, while dozens of medical centers recommend some form of meditation as an adjunct to medical treatment. And millions of Americans have learned to meditate.

But many people also tell us they have tried and tried to meditate with no success. They mention the many books, CDs and tapes on meditation they have bought and the time they have spent “trying.” Yet none of what they read about seems to work when they sit to do, nor does the effect of audio techniques seem to last. When we ask what happens when they try to meditate, they invariable tell us they cannot stop thinking and fidgeting, and after a few minutes they decide they are not going to be able to do “it.” Then they quit. The problems for most who try to meditate on their own and become discouraged is a lack of understanding of what to expect, what it should feel like, and what to do with the pesky "monkey mind" that won't shut up. With no experience to use as a "go-by," beginners working without a teacher simply don't know how to judge what happens or how to know what it actually feels like to meditate.

StoneWind Institute for Mind Body Medicine located on the Retreat campus offers classes in meditation for students wishing to learn to meditate or to improve their meditative skills in formats ranging from a One Day Introduction to week long meditative retreats. In answer to requests from Retreat Guests who wanted to learn to meditate but did not want to spend a whole weekend or even a full day of a short vacation doing it, we have designed an effective 3-Hour Introduction to Meditation intended to de-mystify the meditation process, help students find a meditative technique that works for them, and help them get them started on their meditative journey.

The goal of the class is to help students find the form of meditation most compatible with their lifestyles and nervous systems in a streamlined format that focuses on three different forms of meditation that are easy to learn and do. In this new approach students begin building skills immediately, have an opportunity to practice and ask questions during class, and go home with a clear practice goal. The course is taught by Suzanne Parnell, Ph.D., R.M. director of StoneWind Institute for Mind Body Medicine. Suzanne has studied and practiced meditation for 45 years in a variety of cultural formats and teaches meditation in full weekend and week long classes at StoneWind Institute.

Anxiety disorders • Asthma • Binge eating • Cancer Depression • Fatigue •Heart disease • High blood pressure
Pain • PTSD • Sleep disorders • Stress Relief • Emotional Healing •Trauma Release • and much more...

Check out a few of the Meditation resources for yourself:

Medical Centers • The Mayo Clinic • Scientific Studies


Then take a few hours of your vacation and learn how to meditate...

Meditation: Effects and Benefits Calendar of Classes