Practicing Meditation at a Studio or at Home

There are many factors to consider when deciding whether to use meditation in your home or at a Meditation Studio. The decision may ultimately be based upon which type or style of meditation you select as your personal preference.

As a system, meditation generally employs no techniques that cannot be emulated in a home environment, but you may feel more open and able to relax in a setting that is specifically designed for meditation. Such studios often have relaxing candles or other scents and may employ methods that help you to further release your thoughts. This being said, there are many benefits associated with deciding to practice meditation at a Meditation Studio. The meditation studios are specially designed to assist you in properly learning how to clear your mind and hence, achieve mental calmness, clarity, and focus.

If you are unsure of your ability to clear and calm your mind or feel that you could benefit from some assistance, a meditation studio could be your best option. However, if you are uncomfortable meditating outside of your home or you do not feel like performing your meditation in an indoor environment, as many individuals prefer performing their meditation session outside, a meditation studio may not be for you.

The intent of this article is to compare and contrast the similarities and differences associated with practicing meditation at a studio or in the privacy of your own home. This comparison will include environment, convenience, equipment, assistance, and cost, to name a few.

Benefits of Meditating at a Studio

• Calming Environment: Many people cannot focus at home. In addition, if you have several children, it may be impossible to get some peace and quiet.

  Meditation studios are specifically designed to be peaceful and calming environments. In addition, the only purpose of a meditation studio is usually for meditation. This means that there are far less distractions and a much greater ability to concentrate on meditation, breathing and the actions that you perform.

• Access to Additional Materials: Whether it is in the form of scented oils, candles or incense or a soothing bath, meditation studios usually offer it. In addition, these studios often offer different environments in which you may meditate.

  If you would like to meditate in an environment that emulates the peak of a mountain, some upper level studios may offer special rooms for just that purpose. If you do not have access to the materials that you feel are necessary for successful meditation, you may want to consider a studio.

• Mental Aids: It is true that there are many books and videos that you can utilize to help you perform meditation techniques at home. However, nothing compares to attending classes where an instructor not only demonstrates meditative techniques but can help you if your meditation does not feel quite right.

  Meditation is much more effective if it is done correctly and to its full potential. In fact, some meditative techniques require near perfection to have any effect at all. Having visual aids and a nearby instructor can have vast benefits on the effectiveness of every technique that you use while meditating.

Costs of Meditating at a Studio

• Addiction: You may become somewhat addicted to the comfort and setting of a specific meditation studio. For instance, if you only meditate at a certain location and under a specific environment, you may eventually find that meditating elsewhere is difficult if not impossible.

  This could end up robbing you of many of the benefits that meditation has to offer. It seems odd to think that something so relaxing and freeing could become a harmful addiction but there are many cases of it happening. In fact, religions that use meditation are often careful to warn participants against the overuse or selective location use of meditation.

  This being said, it is highly recommended that you try to learn to meditate effectively within multiple environments, locations, and under varying conditions.

• Membership Dues: When you meditate at a meditation studio, it is almost never free. The typical class can cost about $11 if you buy 10 class bundles. There may also be monthly or annual fees for the use of the studio. These fees can really add up over the long run.

  This added expense can cause meditation to cause more stress than it cures. Before being turned off by having to pay money, consider the benefits of using a meditation studio and weigh them against the price.

• Schedule: Although meditation studios typically offer many classes at different times and hours that you can use their facilities for meditation, there a very few that are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some people find that they can focus much easier at different times of the day.

  If your prime focus time does not coincide with a session, your classes may end up being counterproductive. Having to adhere to a schedule can be difficult for some people. If that is the case with you, you may want to consider meditating at home.

• Addiction: You may become somewhat addicted to the setting of a studio. If you only meditate in a certain environment, you may eventually find that meditating elsewhere is difficult if not impossible. This could end up robbing you of many of the benefits that meditation has to offer.

  It seems odd to think that something so relaxing and freeing could become a harmful addiction but there are many cases of it happening. In fact, religions that use meditation are often careful to warn participants against the overuse or selective location use of meditation.

Benefits of Meditating at Home

• Cheap: You may want to invest in some videos, books or audio tapes, but otherwise practicing meditation at home is free. People that are turned off by the cost of a membership or classes may find it much more economically viable to practice at home.

  In addition, sessions performed at home with books or tapes will easily pay themselves off over a long period of time. If you feel like you are learning enough from videos or books, you may not feel the need to make the continuous investment required when employing an instructor.

• Private: If you not comfortable practicing meditation away from home for any reason whatsoever, home meditation can be a welcome and private venue. Many people choose to meditate at home unless they feel like they need a change to remain focused.

  They may even start having meditation sessions of their own until they are comfortable meditating in a different environment. In this case, practicing meditation at home could be the best option.

• Schedule: You have the ability to make your own schedule when you meditate at home. Due to its quiet nature, you may even be able to practice very late at night if you need to. Not having to adhere to business hours can be a very welcome benefit for busy people.

  You may even decide to attend a few classes every month as a refresher on proper techniques and do the rest of your sessions at home. Whatever you do, meditating at home is certainly a break for your weekly planner.

Cost of Meditating at Home

• Lack of a Calming Environment: As said before, if your home is not a quiet and calming environment when you decide to perform your meditation, you may find that meditating at home can be difficult if not impossible. Meditation studios are specifically designed to be peaceful and calming environments.

  In addition, the only purpose of a meditation studio is for meditation. This means that there are far less distractions and a much greater ability to concentrate on meditation, breathing and the poses that you perform.



• Lack of Materials: Although the cost may be less than at a studio, you may find that you will need to make a large initial investment if you decide to skip the studio. In addition, these studios often offer different environments in which you can perform your meditation session.

  Whether it is in the form of scented oils, candles or incense or a soothing bath, meditation studios usually offer it. If you do not have access to the materials that you feel are necessary for successful meditation, you may want to consider a studio.

• Lack of Helpful Mental Aids: Nothing compares to attending classes where an instructor not only demonstrates meditative techniques but can help you if your meditation does not feel quite right. Meditation is much more effective if it is done correctly and to its full potential.

  In fact, some meditative techniques require near perfection to have any effect at all. Having visual aids and a nearby instructor can have vast benefits on the effectiveness of every technique that you use while meditating.