Long Beach Meditation

It is the mission of Long Beach Meditation to provide a safe, nurturing place to learn and practice the healing art of meditation. Although we emphasize mindfulness practice and the teachings of the Buddha, we do not espouse or reject any religion.

LBM is a 501(c)(3) non-profit education organization and sustains itself through your generous contributions. We would like to extend our deep appreciation to our sustaining members and gracious volunteers. Thanks to your support LBM is able to keep fees affordable for all who wish to attend, including granting scholarships, offer retreats that help to deepen our practice and provide a spiritual refuge where inner peace and transformation become possible.

Guiding Teacher and Founder

Dr. Victor Byrd is the founding teacher of Long Beach Meditation and author of The Bare Bones of the Buddhist Teaching. He has worked as a Marriage and Family Therapist in Long Beach, California for over twenty five years. Dr. Byrd’s interest in psychology began in 1984 when he began an analysis with the noted Jungian analyst, Dr. Edward C. Whitmont in New York City. During this same period he began to practice Vipassana meditation at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. His life’s passion is the intersection and synergy of Western Psychotherapy and Eastern Mindfulness practices.

In the late 1970’s, long before it was a household word in the U.S., Victor traveled to in order to study yoga. He taught yoga at the United Nations in New York as well as teaching hundreds of students at the Integral Yoga Institute. At the same time, Victor was a professional musician, performing as a pianist and accompanist for Broadway singers.

Beginning in the early 1980’s, Victor tenuously began to practice meditation at the Insight Center in Barre, MA: first with short weekend retreats, later expanding them to 10-day meditation retreats, and eventually meditating for three month retreats. His experience of how concentration gained through meditation can dramatically improve a condition such as ADHD was first-hand and, for him, life changing.