Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training

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OM Yoga

725 Gomez Rd, Santa Fe, NM 87505, USA

Santa Fe, NM

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Purpose

This course offers a unique perspective on meditation, intended to make the practice more accessible to everyone.

What to expect

Who is this training for?

People who have never meditated before

Experienced meditators who would like to learn a new approach to meditation

Yoga teachers, school teachers, therapists, social workers, and anyone who wants to offer meditation instruction in a group or one-on-one setting.

Part 1

In Part 1, Cyndi teaches shamatha (which means calm, abiding, or resting in peace), also known as Mindfulness Meditation, as the foundation for cultivating self-knowledge and confidence in your own goodness, insight, and compassion. This part of the course will be your guide for beginning or further developing your personal meditation practice.

What you’ll get in Part 1:

Step-by-step mindfulness meditation instruction and explanations of a variety of techniques

4 thought-provoking dharma talks

Guidelines for how to build a home meditation practice

An explanation of the 3 main benefits of mindfulness practice

Step-by-step instructions for LovingKindness contemplative meditation

Assignments to help you commit to your practice

Definitions of basic terms and concepts from Buddhist philosophy

Part 2

In Part 2, you’ll learn how to guide others in meditation. Cyndi teaches you how to offer meditation instruction, how to structure and confidently deliver a 5-minute dharma talk, how to field questions, and how to lead group discussions.

What you’ll get in Part 2:

A detailed review of meditation instruction and practice

2 inspiring dharma talks

Instructions for how to write a dharma talk

Probing questions to help you think about what you want to share with your students

Assignments to help you integrate the guidance offered and self-study opportunities to enhance your learning process

Anecdotes that apply Buddhist philosophy to real-life situations

Frequently asked questions that mindfulness meditation teachers get (and their answers!)

To enhance your training experience, you'll have the opportunity to join a private Facebook group where you can study, share, and connect with other students.

Style/Lineage

Meditation is the path to making friends with your mind. It enables you to observe the quality and contents of your thoughts and to stay open to the opportunity of a fresh start in every moment.

Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training: A Self-Guided 2-Part Program is a course Cyndi Lee designed to help meditators of all levels learn a new approach to meditation or refresh and deepen their existing practice. In the second part of the course, you'll learn how to teach meditation and listen to enriching dharma talks from Cyndi that will inspire both your practice and your teaching.

Core competencies

By the end of this program, graduates will be able to…

Yoga History & Theory	Examine the origin, philosophical basis, and four noble truths underlying this mindfulness practice and analyze how recognizing obstacles (such as distraction, drowsiness, or agitation) supports rather than undermines practice. Discuss the foundational elements of shamatha/vipassana (mindfulness/awareness) meditation as taught by cyndi lee: breath as object of meditation, sitting posture (cushion or chair), how the mind works, and the practice of "making friends with your mind." Explain how shamatha meditation — as drawn from the buddhist tradition — leads to personal insights, clarity, groundedness, and joy; and describe what meditation is and is not Discuss the foundational elements of shamatha/vipassana (mindfulness/awareness) meditation as taught by cyndi lee: breath as object of meditation, sitting posture (cushion or chair), how the mind works, and the practice of "making friends with your mind." Explain how shamatha meditation — as drawn from the buddhist tradition — leads to personal insights, clarity, groundedness, and joy; and describe what meditation is and is not Examine the origin, philosophical basis, and four noble truths underlying this mindfulness practice and analyze how recognizing obstacles (such as distraction, drowsiness, or agitation) supports rather than undermines practice.
Teaching Skills	Identify the specific teaching structures: how to offer group meditation instruction how to structure a 5-minute dharma talk, bodhicitta and heart practices (maitri, interdependence), and the written test and talk requirements for certification. Explain the difference between teaching meditation to a group vs. a private student, and describe the dharma of bodhicitta — the aspiration to benefit all beings — as the motivational ground for teaching Explain how the relationship and method of working with a private meditation student differs from group instruction and describe tonglen (tibetan sending and receiving) as a compassion practice. Lead a group meditation session with clear, sequential instruction: deliver a focused, pithy 5-minute dharma talk with a defined structure; and field student questions with groundedness and warmth. Guide using clear, individualized meditation instruction demonstrating attunement, responsive guidance, and the ability to hold a steady, warm container for individual experience. Analyze group dynamics in a meditation class context — how to work with diverse experience levels, restless or resistant participants, and the range of experiences that may arise during sitting practice. Analyze what is arising for an individual student in their practice — habitual patterns, resistances, insights — and determine which skillful means (instruction, silence, dharma reflection, or practice adjustment) would be most supportive. Deliver a dharma talk grounded in a specific teaching (e.g., interdependence, maitri, the truth of impermanence) that authentically introduces or enriches a group sitting session. Develop a personalized meditation support approach for a private student drawing on shamatha, maitri, tonglen, and walking meditation as appropriate to that individual's needs, experience, and goals.
Business Skills	Describe working with private meditation students one-to-one; the dharma talks on heart practices (lovingkindness, compassion, tonglen); and the application requirement to work in dyads with feedback.
Practice Skills	Develop a sustainable personal meditation practice schedule grounded in the two wings of study and practice, integrating dharma inquiry and journaling as ongoing tools for self-knowledge. Maintain a consistent personal shamatha meditation practice, incorporating sitting posture work, breath awareness, and walking meditation as a bridge between formal sitting and daily life.