After I arrived in Vietnam I took the night bus from Ho Chi Minh to Mui Ne, a coastal village known for its beautiful beaches and sunny weather. I was looking for a place to live near the sea, and Mui Ne seemed like the perfect spot.
I arrived at the hostel, which was located on the outskirts of the village with its own private beach. The plan was to stay for a few days, look for a place to rent nearby, and then move out on my own. But as it turns out, things don’t always go as planned.
After a month of living at the hostel, the owner approached me and asked if I would like to extend my stay for free. “What’s the catch?” I asked, skeptical. “Well, if you can teach yoga or meditation, you don’t have to pay for your stay,” he replied.
I had never taught meditation before, but I was curious and decided to give it a try. I started by teaching myself, listening to daily meditation guides on my phone and practicing in a private spot on the beach. It took some time before I was confident enough to do this with a group of people, but eventually I started small with the staff of the hostel. They gave me feedback, and I worked on my skills.
Early in the morning, I would do my own meditation, and then at a set time, I would offer a group meditation for anyone who was interested. Some days it was just one person, other days it was a whole bunch of people. From then on, I started offering daily meditation sessions for the guests of the hostel.
First, I would introduce them to the concept of meditation, explaining the benefits and how to get started. Then, I would guide them through the meditation, focusing on their breath and letting go of any thoughts that came up. To close the session, I would reflect with them on their experience and ask them how they felt.
Meditation has become a daily practice for me, and teaching it has been a rewarding experience. I’ve seen the positive impact it has had on the guests at the hostel, and it’s been a great way to connect with people from all over the world.
If you’re interested in starting your own meditation practice, I highly recommend it. Your mind is like a muscle, and just like any other muscle, it needs to be exercised and maintained to stay healthy. Daily, consistent meditation is one of the best ways to do that.
There are a few great apps out there that can help you get started, such as Headspace, Calm, and the Apple watch meditation app. Give them a try, and see how meditation can benefit you in your daily life.
