Meditation is easier, and deeper, when you learn how to go with the flow.
If you're here I'm guessing that you know meditation is good for you, but you haven’t yet found a way to make it stick. Maybe you’ve dabbled with apps, or done a few drop-in classes, or maybe you listen to some guided meditations when you feel stressed or can't fall asleep. Or maybe you're a total newbie who's heard about how great meditation is but don't know where to start. I think you'll find, as thousands of others have, that meditation is easier, more effective and enjoyable when you go with the FLOW.
— James Brown, Founder/Teacher, Flow Meditation
"I was dabbling with meditation apps on and off for about a year and I was a little hesitant to take a proper course, but I’m so glad I did. James provided step-by-step instruction and answered all my questions. Since making Flow Meditation a habit, my anger and stress levels have greatly reduced, and daily practice has become been a vital piece of my mental well-being. I can’t say enough good things. Thank you James!”"
— Katrina Rupar, Stylist & Esthetician
Flow Meditation is a simple, natural practice in which we allow the stream of consciousness to flow, without concentrating or focusing, without trying to have fewer or nicer thoughts, without struggling to do battle with our minds. It is a practice in which we learn to get out of our own way and allow ourselves to simply be in meditation, without trying to do so much.
Where does Flow Meditation come from?
I get this question all the time, and I'm happy to answer it openly and honestly. Flow Meditation is rooted in the same ancient tradition from which Transcendental and Vedic Meditation arose. In fact, I was one of the world's pre-eminent Vedic Meditation teachers for over a decade before transitioning to Flow. I made the change because I felt drawn to offer the teaching in a more fluid, accessible way, without the dogmatic distractions, fake mysticism and guru worship that were getting in the way for so many who wanted to learn.That might make me a bit of a blasphemer...but, I'm OK with that. Because in the end I care more about your success than I do about dusty old traditions.If that sounds good to you, and if we can find a course format that works for you, it will be my honor to share this teaching with you.On the other hand, if you're looking for a more traditional approach fill out the contact form and I'd be happy to help you find a good teacher that you can learn.With love, James
What makes Flow Meditation so doable?
YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT YOUR MIND TO MEDITATE.
Thoughts are not the enemy meditation, they are an essential part of meditation. So in this practice you don’t concentrate or focus or try to control the mind, trying to have fewer or nicer thoughts. In taking the flow approach you’ll learn how to unlock a powerful truth: that your mind has the ability to settle, more deeply and more easily, when you learn how to get out of the way and stop trying so hard.YOU DON'T HAVE TO SIT RIGIDLY IN AN AWKWARD OR UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION
In Flow Meditation you sit comfortably in a chair or on a couch or in bed, with back support. You allow yourself to relax. And if you’re uncomfortable, you can move. If you have an itch you can scratch it. You can, as they say, "slouch your way to enlightenment."IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE QUIET
This one is huge, especially for people who have dogs, roommates, kids, neighbors, coworkers and other noisy life forms nearby. Because if you have to ask the world to shut up so you can meditate...you won’t really be able to meditate.YOU GET TO LEARN WITH A REAL TEACHER WHO WILL EXPLAIN EVERYTHING, ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS AND HELP YOU OVERCOME OBSTACLES
There are a few different ways you can learn Flow Meditation and all of them, even the online course, offer the support of live teachers who can help personalize the learning experience, offer support and the occasional nudge when you need it. And be honest, we all need it sometimes :)YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEND HOURS MEDITATING
Nope, just 10 to 20 minutes twice a day is the prescription for real-life results. Because you don't have all day to meditate, do you?IT DOESN'T TAKE A LONG TIME TO START WORKING
People are usually surprised that after just a week or two that they are sleeping better, feel more relaxed and grounded, and are less reactive in situations that used to push their buttons.IT'S NOT WEIRD
The techniques you’ll learn are straightforward and taught using plain language and easily understood metaphors. There’s no chanting or incense, no special robes or alters, no fancy finger positions...nothing too woo-woo, and it's not a religion, or a cult...because my wife won't let me start a cult ;)YOUR PARTNERS/KIDS/COWORKERS/FELLOW CITIZENS WILL THANK YOU
The world is a busy place, full of urgent demands. But what the world need most is for you to be the best version of you. For you to be present for whatever you do. That’s what meditation will give you...and them.YOU'LL HAVE A TON OF SUPPORT ALONG THE WAY
The goal of the Flow Meditation course (whether you take a private course or the online self-paced course) is to make you self-sufficient. But that doesn’t mean you’ll be abandoned. You’ll have tons of support from me and my team to answer your questions, offer tips and guidance — through our community platform, live gatherings and email — all designed to help strengthen and deepen your practice.
“I have been diligently meditating 2x a day for 20 minutes for 100+ days since taking James’s course and have seen amazing benefits, most notably that I no longer have the urge to drink alcohol. I believe this is due to connecting to my deeper self through meditation. the "escape and numbness" I was seeking with alcohol is now pretty much gone.”
— Nils Vinje, Glide Consulting
There are three ways you can learn Flow Meditation. All are effective and all come with a fantastic program of live, responsive follow-up support from your teacher, both during and after the course. They are presented here in order of cost and level of immersion.So...which one is right for you?
Option 1 - Take the self-paced Flow Mantra Course.
This is the easiest and most affordable way for you to learn. The Flow Mantra Meditation course is based on traditional teachings but restructured to make the practice more accessible for those learning on their own schedule. There are 12 high-quality video lessons, plus 35 short support videos in an Experience Library that will help answer questions and validate the experiences you’re having on the course. Plus you’ll get full access to the Flow Meditation support community which offers direct live support from me and other teachers, 3x weekly online group meditations, a 16-week follow-up course when you complete the lessons and a ton of other support resources.The cost is $299 which includes full access and support for a year.Note: clicking the button below will take you to our learning and community platform where you can purchase and take the course.
“I started James’s Flow Mantra online course at a very stressful time in my life, and my schedule was so crazy that the only way I could learn was at my own pace. This practice has helped so much with managing my stress levels. And after the course was over I found James’s regular follow-up lessons very engaging and reminded me of the greater meaning behind the practice and encouraged me to stay the course.”
— Emily Gruber, Executive Assistant
Option 2 - Take a private "hybrid course" for more personalized instruction.
A private hybrid course features a series of 3 to 4 weekly 1-hour sessions with your teacher, combined with the self-paced Flow Mantra Meditation course and support community. It allows for a much more personalized learning experience and is perfect for those with busy schedules. The live sessions can be taken in person or over Zoom.You begin your hybrid course with a live session in which your teacher will take you through the process of selecting the mantra you'll use in meditation and giving you the initial instructions on how to use it properly in meditation.After that you will be asked to complete 3 to 4 lessons in the online course on your own time. Each lesson is 25-30 minutes long and includes a meditation, so you'll be getting plenty of instruction and practrice time before your next live session. During that session your teacher will go through the experiences you've been having in meditation, answer all your questions, refine and expand on the instruction you've received and help overcome any obstacles which may come up.The cost of a private hybrid course with 3 weekly sessions starts at $750 for one person, with additional students being added for $300 each. We teach a lot of couples and small groups of friends & family, and sharing the course with others is a great way to deepen the learning experience, and save a few bucks.All private courses are application only, and require a short call with me (James) to make sure I'm the right teacher for you. Click the button below to begin the application process.
“I wanted to do a traditional immersion course but there was just now way I could schedule all the sessions within such short period of time. The hybrid format was perfect for me and my husband to learn together. We just made Monday our meditation "date night" for a few weeks and it worked out great."
— Maxwell Anderson, Personal Wellness Coach
Option 3 - Take a private Vedic Flow Immersion Course for the most personalized experience.
A private Vedic Flow Immersion Course is taught in a traditional immersion format consisting of four 90-minute sessions taken either in-person or over Zoom, usually over the course of 4-7 days. There is also a fifth 1-hour check in session scheduled about 2-4 weeks after the course.It's an especially good course format for those who may be dealing with intense personal situations, or who simply want the most personalized and intimate learning experience.This is the course I took, with my wife, 16 years ago. It changed our lives in more ways than we could’ve ever imagined, and it can change yours.The cost of a private Vedic Flow Immersion Course for one person starts at $1200, with additional students being added for $400 each.Like the hybrid course it is offered on an application-only basis, and starts with a short call with me to make sure I'm the right teacher for you. Click the button below to begin.
“The private course was perfect for my needs and I really appreciate how deeply we got into it over such a short period of time. I initially imagined it would be challenging to embed the practice in my daily work routine and weekends, but found that I actually look forward to my meditation breaks and have been able to enjoy them twice a day, almost every day since learning over almost 2 years ago. In general I feel less stressed and worried about things. And as I result I feel lighter and happier.”
— Akira Mamizuka, VP, Global Sales @ LinkedIn
If I can meditate, you can too.
It still blows my mind that I get to teach meditation. (Best job ever.) Because I used to be totally convinced that my mind, and my life, were too crazy to meditate.But after years of flailing away at different Buddhist and mindfulness practices, trying to tame my monkey mind and perfect my posture, I discovered a way of meditating that was easier, deeper and more accessible. An ancient, Vedic practice (veda is the Sanskrit word for knowledge) in which I didn’t have to focus or sit still in uncomfortable positions. A way of meditating in which I allowed the mind to flow. And it worked. I found the practice easy to learn, easy to do and so I did it everyday. And finding a practice I could do everyday changed my life in so many ways that I decided to become a teacher so I could share what I learned with you.So I walked away from my 25-year career as an advertising Creative Director and embarked on a two-year study program of over 2500 hours of instruction, capped off with a four-month intensive in India, high in the Himalayas, studying with Vedic masters. And then I came home and started teaching.Over the last decade I've taught thousands of busy people to meditate, and have led courses and workshops at conferences like Summit Series and the Oslo Freedom Festival, and at companies such as LinkedIn, Salesforce, Bit Torrent, Slack, VM Ware, The Battery SF, TBWA/Chiat Day, Singularity University, BBDO and others.When I say this flow approach to meditation is perfect for people with busy, full lives I happily include myself in that category. I’m married to a wonderful woman (and wonderfully talented artist), Yvette M Brown who also meditates every day. So we speak from experience when we say this is a flexible practice that you really can make part of your life. We have two active teenage boys, Logan and Joshua, and a big, floppy puppy named Piper, so we're always on the go. If we can make it work, you can too.My calling is to teach this simple, easy and powerful meditation technique to as many people as possible. Perhaps you'll be one of them.With love, James
Meet Christine Kawai
Christine is living proof of the transformative power of Flow Meditation. After dabbling with apps and guided meditations for a few years, she learned the Flow approach at a time when life was very hectic. Within a year, she got engaged, eloped, became a first-time homeowner, and adopted an energetic puppy, all while navigating the high-pressure demands of working for a startup company.But not only did she discover that she really could make Flow Meditation fit into her busy, chaotic schedule, she soon began to experience the benefits that come from making it a regular practice: better sleep, less stress, and an ability to be more present and grounded even when things got crazy.Inspired by her own transformation, Christine embarked on 1-year training program to become a teacher, and with a background in learning and development, she is uniquely positioned to help busy professionals and teams not just learn to meditate, but turn it into a lasting habit.Christine offers a full range of meditation programs: intro workshops for teams and individuals, personalized one-on-one instruction and group courses, and multi-week cohort meditation programs for teams.Whether you are exploring meditation for beginners, searching for a certified meditation teacher, or looking for employee wellness programs, Christine is ready to support your meditation journey.