My name is Zachary Taylor and I facilitate this mindful meditation group in order to help us live more fully in the present moment, to develop the courage to be able to change, and learn to love ourselves and others more deeply in the process.

This is a free, open, and ongoing group that will begin meeting at Shenandoah Memorial Hospital in Woodstock, Virginia that began in July of 2011.

Our focus is on learning about meditation through a variety of practices, discussions, and teachings.  So whether you are new to meditation or an advanced practitioner, you are welcome. At times, current patients at the hospital may join us as well. 

Meetings are typically on the first and third Wednesday of each month.  This may change due to hospital schedule

The formal practice of mindfulness meditation has been shown to reduce cortisol in the body (stress hormones), lower blood pressure, lower anxiety, alleviate depression, prevent and reverse memory loss, boost the immune system, and strengthen DNA. It also increases the size of areas in the brain associated with attention, compassion, calmness, and creativity.

Apart from all the science of what the practice does inside our body, it also helps us to:
1) Expand our awareness of who we are and what we feel
2) Develop the capacity to be with difficult emotions and circumstances.
3) Align ourselves with the present moment instead of living in the past or future
4) Learn to "act" instead of "re-act"
5) Develop self-compassion and compassion for others
6) Cultivate a deep sense of acceptance of whatever is
7) Helps us to feel more whole and at peace with who we are
8) Discover our inner patterns of thoughts and feelings
9) Choose to change our behavior in any moment rather than simply acting out of habit.

While the forms of meditation we practice come from Buddhism, there is nothing inherently Buddhist about them, so anyone from any background can practice them.  While I teach from a clearly Buddhist perspective, the goal is not to emphasize a particular religion or belief, but simply to train our minds much like we train our body when we go to the gym. So we would love to have you with us!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.  And see the FAQ page for more info.

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Recent Meetups

  • February 15 at 6:45 PM, 7 Members attended

    Group Mindfulness Meditation

    They rated it 5.00 5.001 (1 ratings)

    Everyone welcome! This is a free, open, and ongoing, meditation group that meets each 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month for about 90 minutes. Will you devote just 3... Learn more

  • February 1 at 6:45 PM, 5 Members attended

    Group Mindfulness Meditation

    They rated it 5.00 5.001 (1 ratings)

    Everyone welcome! This is a free, open, and ongoing, meditation group that meets each 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month for about 90 minutes. Will you devote just 3... Learn more

  • January 18 at 6:45 PM, 4 Members attended

    Group Mindfulness Meditation
    Everyone welcome! This is a free, open, and ongoing, meditation group that meets each 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month for about 90 minutes. Will you devote just 3... Learn more

  • December 7, 2011 at 6:45 PM, 3 Members attended

    Group Mindfulness Meditation
    Everyone welcome! What to Expect: We usually have about 4-7 people who join. We generally have 2-3 meditations each night, most of which are silent, interspersed with... Learn more

  • November 16, 2011 at 6:45 PM, 4 Members attended

    Group Mindfulness Meditation
    Everyone welcome! What to Expect: We usually have about 4-7 people who join. We generally have 2-3 meditations each night, most of which are silent, interspersed with... Learn more
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What's new

  • New Member
    Melanie Richards Melanie Richards joined
    February 15 at 11:04 AM
  • New Member
    deb axford mace deb axford mace joined
    January 9 at 2:03 PM
  • Updated Page
    Zachary Zachary updated Recommended Resources (Audio, Books, and Retreats)
    November 4, 2011 at 7:12 PM
    Zachary In response to some requests on where to learn more about insight meditation, here are some things I'd recommend.…
  • New Page
    Zachary Zachary created Recommended Resources (Audio, Books, and Retreats)
    November 3, 2011 at 11:00 PM
    Zachary In response to some requests on where to learn more about insight meditation, here are some things I'd recommend.…
  • Updated Page
    Zachary Zachary updated About this Meetup
    November 3, 2011 at 10:01 PM
    Zachary Here's some of the basics: When: Gatherings began July 6, 2011. We will typically meet every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.…
  • New Member
    Judy Leja Judy Leja joined
    November 1, 2011 at 7:39 PM
    Judy Leja
    "I live in Woodstock and have been interested in exploring meditation as a way to bring a sense of calm and well being into my life. I do not know much about meditation, but am interested in learning."
  • New Member
    Brenda Mikulas Brenda Mikulas joined
    October 6, 2011 at 11:24 AM
    Brenda Mikulas
    "I live in the Warrenton area and I have been attempting to parctice meditation on my own. I am excited to find a group so that maybe I can better work through some of the frustration Ive been experiencing along the way."
  • New Member
    Leslie Mitchel Leslie Mitchel joined
    September 29, 2011 at 8:12 AM
    Leslie Mitchel
    "Hi Zachary - a friend recommended your meditation group to me a couple of months ago but I have been out of town for an extended period and have not been able to attend. I am very interested in joining your sessions. Thanks for the opportunity."
  • New Member
    Tanya Tanya joined
    September 28, 2011 at 12:30 AM
    Tanya
    "Looking forward to meeting everyone and having some discipline with my meditation!"
  • New Member
    Jeanette Jeanette joined
    September 10, 2011 at 7:52 AM
    Jeanette
    "Hi. Thanks for starting this meetup. As a poster child for a Myers Briggs ENTJ personality, I have a strong tendency to live in the future which leads to a lot of anxiety and frustration. I have been needing mindfulness meditation for a long time."
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