ABN Member Spotlight: American Meditation Society

Kenton Yeager, president of the American Meditation Society, is dedicated to making profound differences in the lives of others – one peaceful and open mind at a time.

The American Meditation Society (AMS) is a national organization devoted to spreading the teachings of meditation as developed by Gururaj Ananda Yogi in 1975. AMS works to promote the scientifically validated benefits of meditation, such as reduced blood pressure, decreased levels of depression, and increased GPAs in students. AMS encourages spiritual unfoldment through universal teachings in both a classroom and retreat setting.

AMS is currently in the works of developing and opening a new national Center for Peace and Unfoldment right here in Knoxville! With this development, AMS hopes Knoxville will become a hub of their organization, while also incorporating partnerships with the Knoxville community. “We hope that this manifests as partnerships with other local nonprofits, schools, and organizations,” says Kenton. “We are very interested in reaching out to other nonprofits to share these practices to help them support and sustain their mission.”

AMS and Kenton want to bring meditation to the forefront of discussion when it comes to mental health and wellness, along with increasing social awareness and societal well-being. Kenton has been involved with AMS for over a decade, and now spends 20 hours a week as a volunteer running the leadership and administrative needs of the organization. Some daily responsibilities include long range planning, organizing courses and retreats, fundraising, and membership support.

Kenton’s one piece of advice is to follow the guidance of the flight attendant and put on your own oxygen mask first before attempting to help others. Meaning, your work is only as effective as your own health and the health of your team. Stress and burn out does not aid anyone! If the mind is healthy, the body will follow. Helping others begins with helping yourself. Stay healthy, stay calm, ground yourself, and then take action from that place.

For more information about the American Meditation Society, and to get updates regarding their upcoming grand opening here in Knoxville, like them on Facebook at The American Meditation Society’s Center for Peace and Unfoldment.

Interested in trying out what the American Meditation Society has to offer? Join us for a Peer-to-Peer Training on Meditation for Self-Care, led by Kenton Yeager and AMS, on Wednesday, November 8th from 11am to 12:30pm at the United Way of Greater Knoxville. In this session we will discuss and explore the value of meditation and mindfulness practices, which can be an important cornerstone for self-care. These proven techniques help to reduce stress; increase productivity; increase mental and physical health; decrease volatility in response to anger, fear, and frustration; develop compassion towards yourself and others; and generally allow you to lead a much more joyous life. You are welcome to bring your own lunch. RSVP HERE.