Getting Zen at Inscape

There are two experiences I always finish and say “I really need to do this more!” …that I can write about here.

One is yoga, and the other is meditation.

There are so many gorgeous places to meditate in NYC these days. You don’t *need* that to meditate, but, it doesn’t hurt!

My coworker Mallory and I checked out Inscape, which recently opened in my ‘hood, Flatiron. The space is expansive and peaceful, and once I walked in, I never wanted to leave again. (Random trivia: it was opened by the founder of the store Intermix.)

The really cool thing about Inscape is that they have a space anyone can use for free to meditate or just sit and escape from their busy day. (Hello, Inscape, we may be seeing a lot of each other.) If you’re not in NYC, they also have an app you can download. 

The “guided” sessions they offer include both a seated one and a laying-down one. I say “guided” because there is a “facilitator” in the room, but you’re listening to a recording. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that when I walked in, but with the combination of the space + recording, it worked.

We took their Focus 33 class? session?, which is meant to “train your brain to concentrate past the noise into deep calm.” It started with a few minutes of mindful movement (gentle twists and stretches), before a guided meditation followed by several minutes of completely silent meditation.

Like, by silent, I mean Mallory and I were about 5-6 feet away from each other and could hear each other’s stomachs gurgling from the smoothies we’d just finished.

When the session was over, we looked at each other and simultaneously said “can we just nap in here?”

They also have visualization, mantra, mindfulness and “deep sound” style meditations. The concept of “sound bath” is definitely becoming more popular, and it’s something I’d love to try.

The 33 minute sessions are $18, which feels worth it to me, at least in this crazy NYC fitness market I’m used to. 

This was such a great way to start the day — although…when I tried Mndfl (may I buy a vowel?!), I found it an amazing way to unwind from my day. OK, fine, there’s no bad time to meditate, except maybe when you’re a little over caffeinated.

10/10, would zen again.

What helps you really get into a meditation/meditative state? (Decorating Christmas trees is an acceptable answer.)