Top Meditation Centers in San Francisco
Find a place to relax, re-center, and restore your body and mind
6 Min Read
6 Min ReadDo you want to find ways to reduce stress, meet other like-minded people, or explore your spirituality? If so, having access to nearby meditation centers in San Francisco could be something to explore. They can offer a sacred space for you to restore and reflect. By meditating regularly, you can achieve a greater sense of balance and calm.
We can think of one scenario where balance and calm come in handy – during a move! When it’s time to move out of your apartment or relocate across the country, staying calm is a helpful tool. It’s also helpful to move into a furnished and fully equipped apartment, such as those listed by Blueground.
Because moving into a turnkey apartment and feeling present is just one more way to keep calm.
Let’s get back to the topic of meditation for a moment. The important thing with meditation is to not feel intimidated. Experience doesn’t matter, start where you are.
Because starting where you are is much more effective than not starting at all.
And best of all, meditation can help you feel revitalized and focused for the upcoming work week, business meeting, or school exam.
San Francisco Meditation
“When you transform your mind, you transform your life.” These are the words lived out and shared by the San Francisco Meditation center. This center is open seven days a week and stays open late on weekdays.
And they welcome all levels of meditators, from the very curious to the seasoned meditator.
Above all, sessions take place in a one-on-one setting or in small groups with just a few meditators.
he staff also checks in weekly to answer questions or provide advice if someone is facing an obstacle in their practice. Many of the helpers at the center have 10 plus years of experience as meditators.
And when you sign up for a membership, you’ll get access to unlimited guided sessions. Before committing to a membership you can sign up for a complimentary information session.
At this session, you’ll learn about their meditation system and format.
Before coming in for this complimentary session, it’s suggested to make an appointment beforehand.
And finally, these are the types of memberships offered at this meditation center in San Francisco.
- Monthly membership
- A two-month membership
- One year membership
Anchor Meditation
This is the philosophy at Anchor Meditation, “sometimes you get so busy trying to be everyone else’s anchor that you don’t even realize you are drowning.” This is the reason founder, Kelly Ryan, opened up this center.
Above all, she wanted to provide meditation classes for people who experience overwhelm, anxiety, stress, and are looking to bring their body and mind back into balance.
The teachers at Anchor Meditation provide the ancient wisdom of meditation in practical ways that can enhance everyday life.
Through regular meditation, you can bring calm to your body, peace to your mind and elevate the lives of those around you. It takes regular practice to bring about fuller benefits, much like going to the gym. This meditation center helps you recognize the power of living in the present moment. By staying present you can see your true nature and restore what is lost.
Compared to the other meditation centers in San Francisco, Anchor Meditation offers the largest variety of classes. They have classes for the novice meditator and classes for the most advanced.
Each one of the session offerings is intended to strengthen the connection with yourself. And to harness the invaluable power of living in the now.
Classes range from 30 to 45 minutes in length.
Meditation class offerings
- Aromatherapy meditation
- Breath + energy meditation
- Breathwork
- Chakra cleansing meditation
- Essentials for deepening your meditations
- Everyday rituals and meditations
- Intention meditation with crystal sound bowls
- Manifestation meditation
- Mindfulness meditation
- Self-compassion meditation
- Pain release meditation
- Well-being meditation
Membership options
- New member two-weeks unlimited: $40.00
- Single class: $29.00
- 10-class pack: $220.00
- One month unlimited: $199.00
Private or small group wellness services
Besides the class offerings mentioned above, the teachers and healers at Anchor also offer several types of wellness services. These services can assist you in finding a more introspective, and rejuvenating healing experience.
And whether you choose to do that in a private session or small group setting, the decision is up to you. They can accommodate up to eight people per small group session.
Some of their offerings include:
- Sound healing + trance medium readings
- Astrology with birth chart reading
- Crystal healing
- Reiki
- Shamanic energy clearing and purification
- Sound healing
- Tarot card readings
- Vedic astrology with emotional release work
Awakened Mind Meditation Center
For nearly 20 years, the Awakened Mind Meditation Center has helped to expand the consciousness of people through meditation and mindfulness. The center is rooted in Indo-Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism and integrates the teachings of a few Buddhist traditions.
Yet, the meditation sessions are practical for people of the western world.
Meditations focus on creating balance and finding clarity, which can empower you to achieve success in all aspects of life. The community of seasoned practitioners seeks to uplift students through a mind-body-spirit connection.
Many of their classes are free of charge. You can find free meditation classes offered at several of their San Francisco locations. Such as Irvine at 18th, SFSU, 16th at Dolores, The Women’s Building, The Invention Hub, and WeWork (Golden Gate location).
Here’s one testimonial from a meditation student of Awakened Mind Meditation Center: “Learning meditation here changed my life. It has brought power, compassion, and wonder into all of my pursuits, from martial arts to running a successful technology company.” – Parvati, IT Executive, SF Bay Area
Transcendental Meditation SF
This is one of the most unique meditation centers in San Francisco.
Unlike many of the other centers, this one asks you to attend a free introductory talk on the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique.
During this talk, you will learn about the following features of TM.
- How it can help reduce stress and anxiety
- How it can improve memory and your brain function
- Why it’s an easy meditation technique to practice
- Why TM works from the very beginning
TM is not taught in a group setting, this technique requires personal instruction from a teacher who is certified in TM. This method is most effective when practiced twice a day. The ideal time for each session is 20 minutes and it’s recommended to sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed.
All in all, more than six million people around the world practice Transcendental Meditation.
So, it might be a meditation technique you enjoy as well.
A shortlist of meditation classes in San Francisco
- For free guided meditation in San Francisco: Awakened Mind
- For sound meditation: Sound Meditation at the Grace Cathedral
- And for insight meditation: SF Mission Dharma
- For an introduction to mindfulness: Mindfulness Care Center
- Finally, for Buddhist meditation and Sangha: The San Francisco Buddhist Meditation Center
