Meditation reduces stress, improves concentration and encourages a healthy lifestyle. A regular practice helps to increase acceptance and self-awareness. It can also slow aging, improve cardiovascular and immune health, and even increase happiness.

In Boston, there are many styles and teachers with a variety of training and personalities to choose from. Students may want to consider their personal purpose in learning meditation in order to find a comfortable fit.

MINDFUL BOSTON
Boston and Cambridge

Mindful Boston is a studio that teaches meditation skills accessible to beginner, intermediate and expert meditators. The Community Meditation Night, is a standalone, free, drop-in introductory class, perfect for anyone wishing to give meditation a try. For a more structured introduction, The Meditation Toolbox Course consists of six weekly classes lasting 75 minutes. Coming up in March, workers facing burnout can take part in a Bypassing Burnout Retreat Day, and a favorite for members is the Cape Cod Campfire Retreat Weekend in July. Also offered is an annual Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, an intensive program on nine Sundays for people that are committed to overhauling their relationship to stressors. Teacher training is also available. MindfulBoston.com

KADAMPA MEDITATION CENTER BOSTON
Jamaica Plain

KMC Boston holds classes on meditation and modern Buddhism that are open to everyone regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation or faith. Being a Buddhist is not required to learn how to meditate or to benefit from it. The majority of weekly classes are drop-in and are designed to be easily accessible to new meditators while being very engaging for those with more experience, allowing individuals to go deeper and enhance their meditation practice. Monthly memberships are available. MeditationInBoston.org

BOSTON CENTER OF SELF-REALIZATION
Somerville

Self-Realization Fellowship, a worldwide nonprofit organization, was founded in 1920 by Paramahansa Yogananda for the purpose of disseminating Kriya yoga, a definite scientific technique for attaining direct personal experience of God. Boston is where Paramahansa Yogananda first landed in the United States in 1920, as an invited speaker at the International Congress of Religious Liberals. Paramahansaji made the Boston area his home for four years, giving lectures and teaching meditation techniques to a growing number of students.

Today, members of the Boston Center of Self-Realization comprise a diversity of countries, languages, religions, races and ages, and meet in Somerville. What brings them together is their search for God, which is found in their meditation practice and study of Paramahansa Yogananda’s teachings. It is a special form of fellowship and all are warmly welcome to join. BostonMeditationGroup.org

THE BOSTON CENTER FOR CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE
Newton Centre

BCCP’s intention is to be at the service of the physical, spiritual, psychological and social development of all living beings at the individual and community level. The center is a collection of collaborative, yet independent practitioners drawing from and representing the intersection of Eastern and Western systems of psychology, Tibetan Buddhism, holistic medicine, Ayurvedic medicine and systems of yoga. Events, series and individual classes are offered in its large, galley-style space, with gleaming maple hardwoods and natural light accentuating its natural beauty. TheBCCP.com

BOSTON MEDITATION
Arlington

Boston Meditation center offers a warm, welcoming and comfortable environment. Its method allows individuals to let go of the source of the obstacles and burdens that are in their mind. As the mind is emptied of accumulated thoughts, more openness and greater awareness is noticed. The mind becomes one with the world that surrounds it. As consciousnessexpands, people find themselves able to live a life at their highest potential, full of energy, creativity and wisdom to face life challenges.

Boston Meditation has seven levels of meditation which are personally and professionally guided to cater to everyone’s unique needs. The meditation instructors are certified to teach the unique method. The center is open seven days a week and classes are offered throughout the day with a monthly membership fee that covers unlimited class time. Boston-Meditation.org

MEDITATION TUESDAYS AT GROTON WELLNESS
Groton

Authentic Lifestyle Mentor Deanna Jayne leads a weekly guided group meditation from noon to 1 p.m., every Tuesday, at the Sacred Tree Group Room, at Groton Wellness. Each week, up to 20 people take 15 minutes to settle into a 30-minute meditation, followed by another 15-minute easing out period. Registration is highly recommended. It costs $12 online or $14 drop-in. GrotonWellness.com

BHAVNA’S WELLNESS GROUP
Shrewsbury

Bhavna’s Wellness Group, a collaborative of holistic wellness practitioners in Shrewsbury, offers several meditation groups throughout the month. Bhavna leads an energy-filled weekly Divine Meditation group every Tuesday, from 6 to 7 p.m., to de-stress and find inner peace. Other monthly offerings include a non-denominational Oneness Blessing, a Native American prayer ceremony, and an Evolutionary Meditation which uses tapping in a group guided meditation. BHWellnessGroup.com