Meditate in Public? That's Madness!

I sit quietly and bathe in my own inner peace. Suddenly, a voice from above says, "Sir, you’re going to have to leave the mall."

The Public Meditation Project began this past summer when I started meditating in the great malls of Houston, TX. Run-ins with security happened a lot, and people often stared and took pictures. While meditating in a mall, people usually cheered me on and if they saw me walking, they would say things like, "Hey you’re the meditation guy, you’re awesome!"

I’ve been practicing meditation for some time now, and I’ve realized the value in providing an image to go along with the practice. The idea started a few years ago when I thought about all the protests that go on in the world and how ineffective they are at achieving their goals. I thought, "Man, these people say they want peace, but look at how much disorderliness and anger they’re displaying." I took part in some protests, specifically those dealing with the Iraq war, and clearly they weren’t successful.

Meditation offers another way. Studies have shown that groups of meditators can create coherence and even reduce crime rates in the vicinity of the meditators. Here’s a summary of one study done about this phenomenon: "Results show that 24 cities in which 1% of the population had been instructed in meditation by 1972 displayed decreased crime rates during the next year and decreased crime trends during the subsequent five years (1972-1977) in comparison to the previous five years (1967-1972), in contrast to control cities matched for geographic region, population, college population, and crime rate. Journal of Crime and Justice, 4:25-45, 1981."

I have recently dubbed the whole experience the Public Meditation Project. Students have jumped in the bandwagon, and they have accompanied me to Chicago where we meditated in several different places. The lessons that come with publicly displaying this simple practice are rich in wisdom and practical in today’s no-nonsense world. The emergence of the Public Meditation Project is a sign that as a planet, we are growing towards ideals that are more evolutionary. I see us growing spiritually and becoming more aware of the many areas of Earth that need our healing. There’s a great imbalance of wealth and knowledge on our planet, and the subtle vibes that meditation enhances are raising the consciousness of those who come across a meditator. Even if someone doesn’t personally take on the practice, they are still affected in a positive way. Maybe they’ll only smile at seeing someone meditating in a crowded mall, but this tiny change can create waves of consequences that are capable of revolutionizing the way we live our lives. I encourage everyone to embrace that adventurous spirit and go meditate in a public place. The world needs it.

Love and light,
-Alex