Foundations of Meditation

A lot of people come to Buffalo Firefly for the soundbath first, because sitting in silence can be hard. If you have tried meditation and find it challenging to do in silence, start here.

This class is also good for people who have learned the foundations of meditation in the past and want to practice more or brush up on their skills.

Four weeks, no experience needed. Each week builds on the one before, and it starts with the breath.

Topics for each week:

Week 1 · The Breath
Where to put your attention, and what to do when it wanders. Finding an anchor that works for you.

Week 2 · The Body
Body scan and posture. Getting out of your head and back into your body.

Week 3 · Emotions
What to do when something big comes up while you are sitting.

Week 4 · Thoughts and Loving Kindness
Working with a busy mind, and sending kindness to yourself and to other people.

Your mind will wander. That isn’t a failure, it’s the exercise. You notice, you come back, and you keep doing that.

You’ll also learn skills that you can take into your daily life. You don’t have to be sitting on a cushion to take advantage of what you’ll learn in this series.

Solay Howell is a certified mindfulness meditation teacher and shamanic practitioner. Her teaching blends esoteric mysticism with trauma-informed mindfulness, offering a gentle, insightful approach to awareness and healing. She is a graduate of Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield’s Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (2021) and has taught mindfulness in The Healing Trauma Program, a nine-month training for nervous system regulation. She also produces courses and live events for renowned spiritual teachers including Eckhart Tolle, Tara Brach, Jack Kornfield, and Caroline Myss.