Everyday meditation techniques taught at Columbia's Owen Brown Interfaith Center

Mar. 27—By Allana Haynes — ahaynes@baltsun.com

March 27, 2024 at 12:00 p.m.

On a recent rainy Tuesday evening, a small group of students gathered at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center in Columbia.

Filing into Meeting Room 213, they quietly took their seats in rows facing a table at the front of the classroom piled with books including, "Modern Buddhism: The Path of Compassion and Wisdom," by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

With prayer cards in hand, they sat silently waiting for the instructor to begin the class.

This class is one of a number of weekly instructor-led meditation classes held throughout the region by Kadampa Meditation Center Maryland.

Including both meditations and teachings based on Buddha's wisdom that can help individuals stay peaceful, even in the most challenging times, the class is focused on the topic, "Increasing the Power of Our Mind — The Science of Tantra," according to its website. Through a special type of meditation called creative yoga, students learn how to use imagination and visualization to awaken and channel their creative energy into greater happiness and peace.

Anika Trancik, who has been studying Kadampa Buddhism under the guidance of Gyatso for more than two decades, has been teaching meditation classes in the region since September.

She said the class teaches students simple meditation techniques they can incorporate into their everyday lives.

"Meditation helps us make determinations that are intentional and then throughout the day we're able to practice," she said. "In our busy modern lives it's really important to know how to bring what we've learned in meditation insights into our daily life."

Trancik assures students that meditation is for everyone.

"Many times people feel they can't meditate because we're so busy and we may [think of it] as something we can't do before we've really given it an opportunity," she said. "The kind of meditation we do is often 10 to 15 minutes because we're looking for quality in the meditation rather than quantity, so I think that makes it really accessible to people."

Trancik began the class with opening remarks, followed by a guided breathing meditation. She then led her students in a short chanted prayer, followed by a lesson on wisdom, ending the class with guided meditation and a group discussion.

Anna Coney, 25, of Odenton,has been attending meditation classes at the interfaith center since the summer. She said meditating has helped her learn to better engage with those around her.

"If someone's having a hard day at work and they might not be so kind to me, I can deflect that easier and not take it so personally," she said. "[Meditation has helped me] get through the day easier and feel less stressed overall."

Meditation classes in Columbia take place Tuesdays at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center at 7246 Cradlerock Way from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. For more information, visit meditationmd.org.

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