Social Meditation is inherently an integral practice, embracing both the inner and outer of our experience, and explicitly practicing together as individuals and as a we. In Social Meditation we use a variety of peer-to-peer protocols and instruction sets to practice in any or all of the 4 Ups: Waking Up, Cleaning Up, Growing Up, Showing Up. Social Meditation was originally created by teacher Kenneth Folk, and further pioneered by teacher Vince Horn and Emily Horn, and now Buddhist Geeks teachers and facilitators.

Note: We will be doing most of the practices in small groups of 3-4, using different verbal structures that we speak out loud, with different options and parameters depending on the practice. However, there is also the option to take the role of the ‘witness’ where you participate silently in the practice, observing the practice rather than participating out loud.

Practice Testimonials

“I appreciated the moment of spaciousness on a full Monday!” – Renee Piazza.

“Excellent guided meditation for embodiment practice. Ryan is a pro! Embodiment awareness (I call this climbing into one’s earth/spacesuit) is a life-changing practice. I discovered it 5 years ago and it took about 2 years to fully inhabit my body. Ryan’s guidance may have edged me along much faster had it been available to me. I look forward to more practices with Ryan.” – Carolyn Gsell.

“Really nice – short and sweet can integrate into my workday easily. Always great to be with others in practice.” – Helaine Iris.

“My first experience in being inside other parts of my body other than my head.” – Karin Payne.

Practice Preview

Meet Your Practice Leader

Ryan Oelke is a co-founder of Buddhist Geeks and founder of Awakening in Life. He has an MSEd in counseling psychology and is contemplative teacher of awakening, healing, and embodiment. He has 18 years experience in meditation, particularly in the Tibetan Buddhist and Dzogchen lineages, he is a Buddhist Geeks teacher, and is a certified teacher in Judith Blackstone’s Realization Process. Ryan teaches meditation and a way of living dedicated to revealing natural presence and awakening in each moment of our lives, regardless of how it appears to us. He lives in the beautiful mountains of Asheville, NC with his partner Alyssa and stepdaughter Fiona.