Upcoming Training: 21st January – 1st February 2020
About Institute for Meditation
Meditation Teachers, Merel and Paul, teach meditation as a tool to free yourself from exhausting life patterns. They will help you to discover the life you want to live. Institute for Meditation offers meditation teacher trainings in Koh Phangan, Thailand and meditation retreats in The Netherlands.
What students say
“When I first met Paul and Merel, it felt natural and I felt completely at ease. The training brought me back to the core of who I am. I can honestly say that changed my life and that’s something very special. Thank you!” – Anne-Marie, The Netherlands
“Merel and Paul are extremely passionate about what they share, and that gives you a great passion for it as well. The course teaches an open view of meditation and bestows you with skills of how you can apply it practically in your day-to-day life. Genuinely, thank you both.” – Colette, Ireland
“I love the freedom of the way of teaching and of the practices we did. Paul & Merel guided us into a research of understanding ourselves. The training allows a lot of time and space for your own personality and process. You rock guys, thank you!” – Berenice, France
Meditation Teacher Training Program
With this 50 Hours Certification Meditation Teacher Training you will gain a broad and profound understanding of meditation, and the experience and confidence to share meditation with others.
The program is a combination of experiencing meditations, theoretical sessions and discussions, practicing guiding meditations, sharings, self-study and time to relax and digest..
The program is an alive and joyful exploration, where everybody becomes an inspiration to each other and where lifelong friendships are made. The program is rooted in the open sharing and celebration of your present experience.
Our signature
Institute for Meditation offers a holistic approach to meditation. This means we don’t teach one specific method, but rather give a comprehensive perspective on the various traditions of meditation.
With this training you will be able to recognise the benefits and limitations of the different approaches to meditation. This enables you to consciously choose the right meditation techniques to fit your specific interest, purpose and audience.
In the training we will teach you to use your creativity and develop your own meditations. Share your authentic guidance with the world!
Why teach meditation?
People are looking for silence, clarity, and answers in a more complex world. More and more companies, yoga studios, and schools acknowledge the benefits of meditation and incorporate meditation into their daily operations. With teaching groups and individuals, you can inspire thousands of people by sharing your authentic guidance for opening up to life. Read more about meditation teacher training in this article written by Merel.
The best way of learning is teaching
Scientists found out that students enlisted to tutor others work harder to understand the material, recall it more accurately, and apply it more effectively. Feedback from students or peers further enhances the tutors’ learning. A teacher training is the best way to explore and understand the fundamentals of meditation.
What meditation teacher training graduates gain
Graduates have the skills and confidence to guide meditations, the knowledge of a vast variety of meditations, the creativity to fit the right meditation for the right audience and situation, the knowledge of ancient meditation philosophies, a deepened human understanding to guide and coach people, a progressive set of tools for teaching or other ways of guiding groups (yoga, primary & secondary school, corporate trainings etc) and an official Meditation Teacher Certification with the Institute for Meditation.
Certification
After successful completion of this training you will receive an official Meditation Teacher Certification with the Institute for Meditation. Participants receive a certificate of completion that can be counted as 50Hr of continuing education with the Yoga Alliance. If you are a registered yoga teacher (RYT) you must meet the Continuing Education (CE) Requirements on an ongoing basis. Every three years starting from your initial date of registration you must complete and log a minimum of 30 hours of yoga related training. Institute for Meditation is a Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider® (YACEP) who has been verified by and is in good standing with Yoga Alliance.
Philosophy
The teachings by Institute for Meditation are based on philosophies derived from Tao, Advaita and Buddhism. We focus on becoming aware of our basic assumptions about life and their implications in our daily life. With ancient teachings and models from Tao and Advaita philosophy, we recognize and unveil limiting ideas to explore a spontaneous, open-minded way of living. With the ancient knowledge of Buddhism we explore the vicious circle of searching and suffering in life (Samsara) and the opportunity for liberation from this cycle (Nirvana).
Course content
Meditation practice
You will become familiar with a broad variety of meditations based on Zen and Buddhist traditions. You will experience passive meditations like silent sitting and active meditations involving sound and movement. The main focus of this training is insight meditation, which is based on the process of enquiry.
- Zen, Buddhist & Osho meditations
- Silent sittings
- Active meditations
- Insight meditations
- Bodyscan techniques
- Sharing & Discussion
Meditation philosophy
You will become aware of your beliefs and their implications on your emotions, thoughts and behaviour. With ancient knowledge from Taoism, Buddhism and Advaita philosophy you will be able to guide people towards clarity.
- Enquiry into effort & control
- Theory Nature of the Mind
- Theory Circle of Suffering (Samsara)
- Theory The Way of Tao (Yin Yang)
- Theory Advaita (non-duality)
- Sharing & Discussion
Art of teaching
You will learn to share from your OWN experience. In this training you will become your own authority. The only valuable and convincing teaching is simply being authentic, which will inspire others to do the same.
- Practicing guiding meditations
- Master with voice: tone, volume, tempo, rhythm, enunciation
- Exploring your playfulness and creativity with words
- Approaches holding space
- Giving feedback on meditations
Meditation sequencing
You will be able to design custom-made meditations to fit your specific intention, focus and audience. A simple yet profound structure enables you to trust on your own experience and flow with your intuition while guiding meditations.
- Theory different types of meditation
- Enquiry into intentions & purposes of meditation
- Sequencing techniques
- Sharing & Discussion
Meditations in this teacher training
Relaxation meditations
- Mindfulness meditation
- Zazen (silent sitting meditation)
- Vipassana meditation
- Body Scan
- Massage
Inquiry meditations
- Loving-kindness meditation
- Insight meditation
- Self-inquiry meditation
Active meditations
- Dynamic meditation
- Kundalini meditation
- Walking meditation
- Shaking meditation
- Dance meditation
Daily schedule
- 07.00 – 08.00 Meditation Practice
- 09.30 – 13.00 Meditation Philosophy, Art of Teaching, Sequencing
- 13.00 – 16.00 Self-study, integration and relaxation
- 17.00 – 18.30 Meditation Practice or social activity
- Occasional: 19.00 – 21.00 Shared dinner and evening program
Please note: timings and content are subject to change.
Requirements
- This training is for beginners & advanced students and everyone who wants to learn more about meditation.
- No qualifications required for joining this training.
- The willingness and commitment to participate in all scheduled activities.
- We’ll ask for your motivation to determine if the content of this training matches your expectations. If we believe your motivation doesn’t match with the offered program, we will suggest to look out for other schools.
Location: Koh Phangan, Thailand
Koh Phangan: A magical island of freedom and serenity.
Located in south east of the country, at the gulf of Thailand, Koh Phangan is a magical island of freedom and serenity. Wild nature, beautiful unspoiled beaches, simple and loving people, a free and liberated atmosphere.. You can find everything you really need here: beautiful diving sites, great authentic Thai food, wild crazy parties and advanced yoga and retreat centres. A harmonious mixture of body and soul.
Koh Phangan is spiritual and authentic. It is a place of simplicity. A place to reflect and be grateful for just being. Phangan is an island of joy, an island of wonderful trails, profound experiences and mind blowing interactions. It is full of crazy amazing sunrises and stunning sunsets. It is the perfect place to deeply relax or totally get wild. You never know what a new day will bring..
Venue: The Yoga House
The Yoga House in Koh Phangan offers a unique space for trainings, retreats, workshops and special events. It aims to create an inspiring and supportive atmosphere where groups and individuals can learn and experience different practices and techniques of self awareness and personal expansion. With its natural surrounding and intimate setting, The Yoga House is a perfect place for a meditation teacher training. At the same time it is ideal for relaxing, taking time out, and experiencing Koh Phangan’s special vibe. Although private and secluded The Yoga House is only a few minutes from Koh Phangan’s main beaches, villages and the main town.
- Yoga Shala
The Yoga House is known for its amazing Yoga Shala. The Shala can hold 30-40 practitioners and has provided a serene space for a wide range of activities: Yoga, Tantra and Meditation retreats, Teachers Training Courses (TTC), Music and Dance Workshops, Lectures, Cultural Gatherings and many more.
- Chill
The Yoga House has a large, comfortable living area. It has many intimate niches and places to hang around, socialize or to just be with yourself and reflect. This spacious living area is surrounded by a wide wooden balcony overlooking the beautiful swimming pool, tropical garden and creek.
- Sleep
The Yoga House has six spacious bedrooms. All bedrooms have air conditioning and fans. Four rooms have an en suite bathroom and two rooms share a bathroom.
- Food
The Yoga House will supply breakfast and lunch for this Meditation Teacher Training. It offers a vegetarian range of dining options during the 10 course days, from special healthy vegetarian meals to local Thai cuisine. The modern kitchen will also be available for cooking your own specialty in the evening.
Highlights
- 11 nights accommodation in a luxurious villa
- Daily breakfast & lunch included, offering a wide range from special healthy vegetarian meals to local Thai cuisine
- 10 days of training (50 hours) including experiencing meditations, learning advanced knowledge of meditation philosophy, practicing guiding meditations, discussions, sharings and more
- Private swimming pool
- Beautiful tropical garden
- Fully equipped modern kitchen
- Convenient central location: 10 minutes drive from Thong Sala Pier and 15 minutes from the popular Sri Thanu beach area & Zen Beach
- Free Wi-Fi
- The experience and confidence to share meditation with thousands of people
- Official Meditation Teacher Certification with the Institute for Meditation
- 10 days of fun, dance and celebration
- A life changing experience and friends for life!
Steph from Germany –
Thank you for the amazing and outstanding time together at Koh Phangang!
I experienced the Meditation Teacher Training as a profound and uplifting further step on my personal path of transformation. The summary of all these different aspects like the mediations, the schedule, the group, Merel and Paul as individuals, the various life puzzle pieces I could collect when communicating and sharing as well as the beautiful paradisiac surrounding and Thai culture itself actually wanted me to stay and there forever to develop and grow.
I loved the playful, easy, open, structured and comfortable access we got offered by Merel & Paul to find our own teaching skills and moreover our individual teaching style.
The different feedback and resonances I got from the group as well as from Merel & Paul where incredible useful, honest, warm and encouraging. I appreciate this experience to the full and can highly recommend it to everyone that feels drawn to!