LEARN ABOUT MINDFULNESS
Our students arrive at Red Mountain Sedona (RMS) with the desire to make positive changes in their lives, but changing years of behaving in habitual ways can be frightening and can cause new levels of stress. Developing a regular meditation and mindfulness practice has been proven to help ease the anxiety brought on by these circumstances.
Meditation is the practice of quietly noticing our thoughts and feelings, and remaining fresh and open to the present moment. Mindfulness is the ability to do so while engaged in activity or interacting with others.
Daily meditation has been proven to offer neuroplasticity benefits and improvements in brain chemistry. For those coming to us having suffered from trauma or substance abuse, the maturation of their prefrontal cortex, or frontal lobe, may have been stunted, and meditation can aid in its repair. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for making mature decisions, so it is imperative that it is allowed to fully mature, thereby giving our students the best possible chance of getting better.
For all of these reasons, we begin each day at Red Mountain meditating as a group, led by one of our staff who are long-time meditation teachers. We also encourage our residents to expand their meditation practice on their own. Our staff are always available and willing to provide guidance to those students who are interested in deepening their practice.
We teach the basic tenets of meditation:
- Being present
- Caring for others
- Recognizing the impermanence of all things
- Spaciousness
- Ability to change
- Getting out of your head and into the moment
- Not believing all of your “storylines”
- Not acting out of anger
You do not have to be an experienced meditator to experience the benefits of meditation and mindfulness; anybody can meditate effectively, regardless of their religious or spiritual beliefs.
Many programs teach meditation once or twice a week as an adjunct to other programming. While this approach will offer some benefits, we find that it is not adequate to achieve the changes we seek for our students. We believe that having trained teachers on site every day, and engaging in the practice of meditation every day, is the only way to help our students affect true change through meditation.
RMS is part of a select group qualified to teach the Five Wisdom Energies—a transformative system of Tibetan yoga and meditation that helps practitioners access the inherent wisdom within even the most challenging situations and extreme states of mind.
The level of instruction that students receive at Red Mountain is unparalleled. Our instructors bring decades of meditation training to their work at Red Mountain.
One of our instructors is a Sensei (sanctioned teacher) in the White Plum tradition of Zen meditation and lived in a meditation center for three years. They completed koan study after 19 years of practice and study and incorporate koans (paradoxical riddles meant to cultivate kindness toward others and an appreciation of the present moment) into their teaching at Red Mountain.
Ryan McGinty is a dedicated student in the White Plum Zen tradition and has studied Zen Buddhism for over 20 years under the guidance of established teachers. In addition to his Zen training, Ryan has pursued extensive study in a variety of contemplative traditions, including Bhakti Yoga, Jhana Yoga, Tibetan Buddhism, and Catholic mysticism. He has participated in numerous intensive meditation retreats and brings both depth and lived experience to his practice. Ryan is passionate about supporting students at all levels—from those just beginning their mindfulness journey to more experienced practitioners.
Jakob Merchant is an Interfaith Minister, Spiritual Counselor, and Psychotherapist. Jakob had over 20 years of experience with facilitating individual and group meditation instruction, and has facilitated year-long intensives on Buddhist, Hindu, and Christian meditation pathways. Jakob is committed to relieving suffering on a deep and sustainable level for students, and takes great joy in guiding students to develop a presence of loving-kindness in their lives.
BUILDING REAL SKILLS AND REAL INDEPENDENCE.
Learn about how Our Approach helps Adults
At RMS, both beginners and experienced meditators are welcome. If you do not know how to meditate, our staff will teach you this valuable skill. And if you are already an advanced practitioner, we can take you even further in your practice.
Our teachers will meet you where you are and are careful not to force the practice on anyone. For some students, meditation is 'one tool in the tool belt,' and for others, it becomes a lifelong practice.
We honor all of our students’ backgrounds and use meditation as a complement to what is already working in each person’s spiritual life. Meditation can be applied to virtually any spiritual path and is recognized as an integral part of many of the world’s wisdom traditions.
At Red Mountain, students learn how to utilize this valuable practice to deepen their spiritual lives and respect for themselves and others. We have helped students from many walks of life and spiritual orientations find deeper peace, reduced symptomology, spiritual connection, and closer relationships with others through meditation.
“Today, Our Daughter Is Doing Well And Is Back In College. She Sees A Sober Coach Once A Week And Is Accountable For Her Actions. As Parents, We Couldn’t Be Happier With The Program. They Did A Phenomenal Job And So Did She.”
– Red Mountain Parent
