Carrboro Meditation Club rings in a new year of mindfulness

On Sunday, a faint herbal smell wafted through the Recess Yoga studio in which attendees of the weekly Carrboro Meditation Club sat. As they prepared for the meditation, soft ambient noise filled the space. 

More high-energy, movement-based yoga classes usually occur within the quaint, local studio, however weekly on Sundays at 6 p.m., it is used to practice mindfulness and slow personal reflection among the chaos daily life often brings. 

Tom Sowders opened Recess Yoga in October 2023, and the club began meeting shortly thereafter. The club was co-founded by Sowders and Juliet Magoon, a friend of his who is equally passionate about meditation. At this past Sunday’s session, which lasted 30 minutes, there were approximately 15 participants.

The sessions often vary in structure, sometimes being guided or silent. Regardless, the sessions encourage attendees to lead their own meditation, doing what is best for them mentally and physically. A singing bowl is chimed at five-minute increments to keep everyone grounded and let them know how much time is remaining, so that they can continue meditating or stop if they see fit. 

The sessions are free to attend, which was something Sowders thought was extremely important to implement. 

“This journey that I'm on is about providing a service to the community," he said. "My meditation has really helped me live my life. It's made me a happier person; it's helped me in so many different ways.  I wanted to share that, but without any kind of money being involved."

There is a plethora of proven benefits that come from routine meditation, including mental, interpersonal and physical health benefits. These include enhanced emotional regulation, better sleep quality and improved self awareness, among many others. 

For Katie Crisp, an attendee, the club’s community-building aspect is the highlight of her experience. She first took a class with Sowders on Election Day this past year, which prompted her to become a regular participant.

“It has really helped me a lot [to] regulate my thoughts," she said. "And then also, I've just enjoyed it, coming specifically on Sundays, because I get to see the same faces." 

While many people have heard of meditation, they might not know what it entails as a practice. 

“It can be kind of a mysterious thing," Sowders said.

As a result of this obscureness, there are some common misconceptions around what meditation actually is, and individuals might feel too scared or uncomfortable to even give it a chance. 

“I always kind of joke, it's this club where you come in, sit down and leave," Sowders said. "That's funny to me." 

The point is not to be doing something in particular, but rather to create a meaningful mind-body experience through internal awareness. Specifically, meditation often involves implementing breathing practices, trying to clear the mind of harmful thoughts and relieve physical tension. 

Sowders's hope is that the Carrboro Meditation Club can help to reduce stigma, and potentially even uneasiness, around getting into meditation by making it inviting for all. 

Robbie Medley, who was also at Sunday's session, said that the meditation sessions being in-person and involving multiple participants might give people more motivation to get started. 

“Sometimes you don't do it when it's just you, right?" he said. "Because there's no other structure around doing it."

The club is constantly growing in membership. Sowders ultimately wants people to come as they are and to know that meditation is a practice for everyone, regardless of background or prior experience. He welcomes any and all community members in the Carrboro area to try it out for themselves, as meditation is something that is unique to the individual. There is no registration necessary to join.

“If you've ever been told or thought maybe meditation might be good for you just to find some more inner peace in life and get a little more control over the racing mind, then I highly recommend coming and joining us and checking it out," Sowders said.

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