Meditation on the High Line

Director of the Garrison Institute’s Climate, Mind and Behavior program leads meditation class on the High Line

Every Tuesday in June through September, Friends of the High Line offers a meditation class on the High Line in New York City from 8am to 9am. This morning’s class was led by John McIlwain, Director of the Garrison Institute’s Climate, Mind and Behavior program.

“Every tradition emphasizes the importance of practicing meditation on a daily basis,” McIlwain said. “But this is New York and everyone is busy.”

He went on to describe ways to meditate for those with little time to spare—during work meetings, while riding the subway, and while sitting in front of your computer screen.

The Friends of the High Line has held their staff retreats at the Garrison Institute and first started offering meditation classes in September 2014 in order to connect more meaningfully with the park’s community.

“Meditation is very important to us as an organization,” says Programs Manager Solana Chehtman. “Our Executive Director Robert Hammond has been meditating for years and has inculcated the practice to many of us staff members. It also goes well with the philosophy behind the High Line: ‘Keep it simple. Keep it slow. Keep it quiet. Keep it wild.’”