Instructors In-Depth
Cierra McNamara
Classes: Beginning Meditation, Community Meditation, Love Compassion Joy & Peace
Visit our Meetup Calendar for class dates, times, description & details.
What is the most common question people want to know before signing up for your class?
“Can I come to this class if I’m new to meditation?”
No one wants to feel uncomfortable in class. People exploring meditation for the first time are concerned they’ll be the most fidgety, with the most agitated mind. For some reason they think they need to be a calm person in order to come to a meditation class. I tell them: You didn’t know how to swim before taking swim lessons. Having a peaceful mind isn’t a prerequisite for attending meditation class, it’s the thing you learn!
What unexpected insights or lessons do students take away from your class?
Most people are surprised to see that their mind and heart and body are just like everyone else’s. They’re very relieved to know they’re not the only one with achy muscles or heavy emotions or restless thoughts. More than the techniques to help work with these issues, students love knowing they’re not unique in their challenges.
How would your class fit into a person's meditation journey?
Many students find my classes near the beginning of their meditation search. At this stage in the journey it’s important for students to feel a level of self-competence (rather than the self-criticism they’re far too familiar with), so I give students a lot of room examine techniques and evaluate the effects for themselves.
What surprises you most about the teaching role?
I worried that teaching weekly classes year after year might get stale. I’ve had instructors in the past who were just going through the motions with no passion for the material, and I never wanted to fall into that. Early on I learned that I teach better if I’m not overly prepared. I think this flexible approach has kept me excited about my classes, no two lessons are ever alike. I’ve been delighted that every year I want to teach even more.
What little-known fact would your students be amused to know about you?
A comical serenity runs in my family. After breaking my arm in kindergarten I fell asleep in the back of the car en route to the hospital.