THE TRUE STORY ABOUT HOW HAMSA MEDITATION CENTER CAME TO BE…
I never wanted to have/run a Meditation Center. Ever. Once again, just like being given the name Meditation Momma, it all fell into place without me really realizing what was happening. The only reason I was even looking for a space to teach meditation was because the wellness center where I’d been teaching was closing. After twelve years, I had a lot of cushions, chairs and props, and needed someplace that would fit all of ‘the stuff.’
As fate would have it, a new wellness center was opening even closer to my home so I rented a smallish room from them. It would be my own space, not a space I shared with yoga, pilates, circuit training etc… No more wiping up sweat off the floors, or lugging all the cushions around to set up a class, or put them all away after. Everything could stay in its place!! If you’ve ever had to set up and take down chairs for a regular event by yourself, you understand how enticing this thought was. And even better yet, we had our own entrance!
It wasn’t until we were arranging to get the room painted and carpeted and talking about signage, that it dawned on me like a fog clearing and revealing the full majesty of the Columbia Gorge…I’m not just renting space, I’m opening a Meditation Center. Wtf?!
I truly hadn’t seen it coming. After a moment of feeling totally blindsided, and a little foolish for not seeing it, I had to chuckle at the universe’s cleverness. If the universe had said, “Caren, open a meditation center.” I’d have said, “No way. Who am I to do that?!” But now here it was, a done deal. 🤣
Now it needed a name. Meditation Momma Meditation Center was redundant and just didn’t flow off the tongue. Plus, I was often teaching so many classes a week I was maxed out and yet there was still a need for more classes—which meant I needed more teachers. We needed a name that wasn’t about me, could include other teachers, and still reflect what we stood for.
A few night’s later I was explaining the situation to a dear friend while enjoying a dinner of black bean soup and cornbread. He listened, casually put his spoon back in the bowl and hands under his chin, looked at me with great assurance and said, “What about Hamsa Meditation Center.” He knew the Hamsa—a Sanskrit name for the swan or gander who, no matter how far they’ve roamed, always knows the way home—was the symbol for our go-to meditation technique, Hong-Sau. My heart smiled. And in that gentle little moment, Hamsa Meditation Center took its first breath into being.