Where to Meditate on Long Island: A Guide to Local Meditation Centers and Classes

Finding a place to meditate on Long Island is easier than you might think.

Across Nassau and Suffolk, you can find Buddhist meditation centers, guided classes, local sanghas, yoga studios, and community programs built around mindfulness. Some offer a structured path for learning a specific tradition. Others give you a place to sit with a group, follow a guided practice, or spend an hour away from the pace of daily life.

Meditation also has a longer history on Long Island than its recent rise in wellness culture might suggest. In May 1977, Chan Master Sheng Yen led the first documented seven-day intensive Chan retreat on Long Island. More retreats followed in 1978 and 1979, helping establish formal Buddhist meditation practice in the region.

Today, the local meditation community includes Buddhist temples, nonprofit centers, independent teachers, yoga studios, and public spaces. This guide brings some of those offerings together so you can find a practice close to home.

Schedules and class formats change, so check with each organization before visiting.

Meditation Centers and Classes in Nassau County

Long Island Meditation

Town: Great Neck

Long Island Meditation offers guided meditation from its studio on Middle Neck Road. Members can join private or group sessions in person or online, with one-hour practices that combine instruction and meditation. The center offers access seven days a week for people who want regular guidance and a structured method.

Global Harmony House

Town: Great Neck

Global Harmony House is the U.S. headquarters of the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organization. Its local programs center on Raja Yoga meditation, spiritual reflection, workshops, and courses designed to help participants develop peace of mind and a clearer understanding of themselves. The center welcomes people from different religious and cultural backgrounds.

Plainview Meditation

Town: Hicksville

Despite its name, Plainview Meditation now operates from Hicksville. The nonprofit center has served Long Island since 2009 and teaches a seven-step practice called the Mind-Cleansing Meditation Method. In-person and virtual classes are available throughout the week, along with private guidance for those who prefer individual instruction.

MoonFlower Yoga

Town: Bellmore

MoonFlower Yoga offers small yoga classes, guided meditation, workshops, and wellness programs from its Bellmore studio. Its guided meditation classes focus on relaxation and are available alongside beginner yoga, yin yoga, chair yoga, and other accessible practices. Some classes are offered in a hybrid format.

Monthly Meditation at Sands Point Preserve

Town: Sands Point

Sands Point Preserve offers a nature-based meditation program on the first Thursday of each month. Sessions are held inside the preserve’s historic mansions or outdoors in the Hempstead House Garden when the weather allows. The classes combine mindfulness, stress-reduction practices, and teachings adapted from Buddhist traditions.

Meditation Centers and Classes in Suffolk County

Kadampa Meditation Center Long Island

Town: Huntington

Kadampa Meditation Center Long Island is a Buddhist temple in Huntington Village offering meditation classes, teachings, workshops, study programs, and retreats. Its classes connect guided meditation with practical Buddhist teachings that participants can apply to daily life. The schedule includes options for beginners as well as students who want to study the tradition in greater depth.

Long Island Transcendental Meditation Center

Town: Huntington

The Long Island TM Center provides instruction in the Transcendental Meditation technique through certified teachers. New students begin with an introductory talk before enrolling in a personalized course. This is a useful option for someone looking for formal instruction in a mantra-based meditation practice.

Kadampa Meditation Center Long Island in Port Jefferson

Town: Port Jefferson

The Port Jefferson branch of Kadampa Meditation Center Long Island offers drop-in meditation classes in the center of Port Jefferson Village. Classes cover meditation, inner peace, and modern Kadampa Buddhism, with weekly sessions and deeper study programs available. Beginners can attend without committing to a long course.

Stony Brook Sangha

Town: East Setauket

Stony Brook Sangha is a Buddhist community inspired by the teachings of Zen master Thích Nhất Hạnh. The group meets each Saturday at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in East Setauket for meditation and community sharing. People who cannot attend in person can also join through Zoom.

The Bates House

Town: Setauket

The Bates House hosts a weekly Thursday morning meditation session as part of its community class schedule. The historic property sits within Frank Melville Memorial Park and also offers yoga, tai chi, qigong, dance, and other local programs. It is a good option for anyone who prefers an informal community setting.

Long Island Center for Yoga

Town: Babylon

Long Island Center for Yoga has served Babylon Village for more than two decades. Its classes take a meditative approach to yoga, with an emphasis on observing the mind, moving at your own pace, and developing a more accepting relationship with the body. The weekly schedule includes gentle yoga and other practices for different experience levels.

Kadampa Meditation Center The Hamptons

Town: Water Mill

Kadampa Meditation Center The Hamptons offers meditation and Buddhist teachings from its Water Mill location. The schedule includes guided classes, short “Simply Meditate” sessions, workshops, and study programs. It gives South Fork residents a dedicated place to learn meditation within the Kadampa Buddhist tradition.

North Fork Meditation

Towns: Cutchogue, Eastport, and other East End locations

North Fork Meditation brings guided meditation and Buddhist teachings to several locations across the East End rather than operating solely from one studio. Current offerings include classes at the Cutchogue New Suffolk Free Library and Vana Yoga in Eastport. Classes combine guided meditation with teachings and are open to both beginners and experienced practitioners.

Find a Meditation Practice Close to Home

You don’t need to leave Long Island or attend a weeklong retreat to begin meditating with other people.

You can take a guided class in Great Neck, study Buddhist teachings in Huntington, sit with a sangha in East Setauket, or practice outdoors at Sands Point Preserve. You can choose a spiritual tradition, a structured method, a yoga-based practice, or a simple community gathering.

Start with the place that feels accessible. Check the current schedule, attend one class, and see whether the teacher, setting, and practice feel right for you.

This guide is curated rather than exhaustive. Long Island also has meditation workshops, sound baths, library classes, and seasonal events that appear throughout the year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there beginner meditation classes on Long Island?

Yes. Many Long Island meditation centers, Buddhist organizations, yoga studios, and community programs welcome beginners and provide guided instruction.

Where can I learn Buddhist meditation on Long Island?

Buddhist meditation is available through organizations in Huntington, Port Jefferson, East Setauket, Water Mill, and other Nassau and Suffolk communities.

Are there free meditation classes on Long Island?

Some sanghas, libraries, nonprofit organizations, and community programs offer free or donation-based sessions. Check directly with each organization for current pricing.

Can I attend a meditation class without joining a center?

Yes. Many centers offer individual drop-in classes, introductory sessions, workshops, or community gatherings without requiring membership.

Are online meditation classes available?

Several Long Island organizations offer virtual or hybrid sessions, though schedules and formats may change.