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Want To Become A Meditation Teacher? Here's How To Start The Process

Author:

Anne Marie Crosthwaite

Expert reviewer:

Megan Monahan

March 04, 2020

By Anne Marie Crosthwaite

mbg Contributor

Anne Marie Rooney is an avid creator, storyteller, and former Content Editor for mbg. She holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of Minnesota.

Expert review by

Megan Monahan

mbg Contributor

Megan Monahan has been practicing and teaching Vedic Meditation since 2009.

March 04, 2020

When someone mentions the words "meditation teacher" in a sentence, an image of a long-bearded sage sitting cross-legged in the mountains of Rajasthan might spring to mind. While there have been brilliant teachers throughout history who fit this rather stereotypical bill, these days, meditation teachers probably hit closer to home. Your co-worker, neighbor, favorite barista, or taxi driver may even be on the path to becoming a teacher.

Wondering how you can begin your journey to teaching others how to develop their practice? Here are six steps to making that happen:

1. Do your research.

If you're interested in meditation, this part should be easy. Take some time to learn as much as you can about it. Study the different types, take a class, speak to people who teach, and get a regular practice going. With all of the resources available both off- and online (think digital meditation classes and guided meditation phone apps), there's no reason not to be well-versed in the practice.

2. Hone your practice.

The most basic requirement for becoming a teacher is to walk the walk. If you're going to teach others how to meditate, you absolutely need to have a solid practice of your own. To start, set aside a specific time of day, every day, to meditate (a 10-minute morning session works best for me). You can also attend retreats, meditate with friends, and, most importantly, talk to people in the meditation community to deepen your understanding. Exposing yourself to differing perspectives and methods will help you navigate your own practice and better understand your future students.

3. Make sure you're going into it for the right reasons.

One big question you need to ask yourself is why you want to be a meditation teacher in the first place. If your goal is to become a world-famous, super-rich meditation guru, you might be in this for the wrong reasons. However, if you fall into one of these three categories, your intentions are probably more in line with what this journey entails:

You’re a knowledge-seeker and crave more education in the central types of meditation. You want to become a master meditator and dive deeper into your daily practice, but have no aspirations to teach regularly.
You're a wellness expert. Maybe you're a yoga teacher or a mental health professional. You know how powerful meditation can be, and you want your clients to sleep more soundly, live with less stress or anxiety, and enjoy the other unique benefits that meditation can offer.
Teaching meditation is your calling. You've experienced the profound effects of meditation in your own life and are passionate about sharing the practice with as many people as possible.

Whichever category you fall into, as long as your intentions are pure, this path is one that will welcome you with open arms and continue to grow and evolve with you.

4. Participate in an immersive teacher training with a credible instructor.

To get good at anything, you need plenty of practice. Committing to an extensive and defined course is a great way to accelerate your learning and is the most effective option for truly understanding the ins and outs of teaching. Be sure to choose your program wisely. Research the program, the teacher(s) that will be guiding you, and the deliverables you’ll leave the training with. The training you complete will influence the teacher you become. Make sure that the values of the organization and teacher are aligned with yours so that you can fully surrender into the role of student as you dive deeper into this learning.

5. Prep your practice and share your gift with the world.

Teaching others can seem daunting at first, but like anything else, it just takes practice. Start with a small group of friends or co-workers, and keep each session to 10-15 minutes. Starting with people you know is a great way to ease into teaching new people. Guide your students in your learned style and make sure to speak clearly, skillfully, and in a soothing manner to promote relaxation of the mind.

Ready to start sharing your gift with a wider audience? Here are a few great ways to do it:

Start a meditation group on meetup.com.
Record a series of meditations and put them on Insight Timer or YouTube.
Put up flyers around your neighborhood and host a group meditation in a park or community center.
Start a Facebook group to advertise your teachings and attract more meditators.
Talk to a local yoga or wellness studio about setting up a session or two per week.

A note about certifications:

While there is no official board that certifies all meditation teachers, there are many certifications that you can acquire such as the 100-Hour Teacher Training at The Path in NYC (Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science, The Path and Pure Yoga) and Journey Meditation's 100-Hour Teacher Training in NYC (Journey Meditation Teacher Training Program).

Whether you’re wanting to deepen your practice or are ready to become a teacher, know that every time you meditate you are cultivating your own inner peace and sharing that gift with the world, which is so needed right now.