Meditation and sound therapy in San Diego for a mind that never clocks out
Most people who try meditation on their own give up within a week. Not because they are bad at it, but because sitting alone with a busy mind is hard. A guided session gives you a quiet room, a practitioner who knows the way in, and an hour where you don’t have to figure it out yourself.
At Saffron & Sage, meditative therapy covers private guided meditation, sound therapy with crystal bowls and chimes, one-on-one tai chi and past life regression. Each is a different way into the same thing: slowing down and paying attention. Because we are an integrative clinic, your sessions can sit alongside acupuncture, massage or care from our doctors.
- Private, guided sessions
- Meditation, sound and tai chi under one roof
- HSA, FSA and LSA welcome
- Best of San Diego, 2020, 2021, 2022
Why people in San Diego book meditative therapy
These are the reasons we hear most from people across San Diego, from Little Italy and Downtown to Mission Hills, Balboa Park and Hillcrest. Your practitioner will ask what brings you in and suggest the approach that fits.
A busy, noisy mind
Thoughts that keep running long after the workday is done.
How to start a meditation practice →
Stress that never quite resets
Weeks that stack up without real recovery in between.
Why unrecovered stress matters →
Trouble winding down at night
Lying awake replaying the day, or waking up already wired.
Eight kinds of rest →
Wanting a practice that sticks
You have tried apps, and you want a real person to guide you and keep you honest.
Keeping a practice going →
Life transitions
An empty nest, a new role, a loss, or a season where you need space to think.
Meditation and big transitions →
Leading under pressure
Founders and leaders who want a calmer place to make decisions from.
Stress and decision-making →
Moving meditation
You find stillness easier when your body is moving slowly, through tai chi.
Gentle movement and the nervous system →
Curiosity and self-reflection
Sound baths and guided journeys like past life regression, explored in a safe, private setting.
Five sensory resets →What is meditative therapy?
Meditative therapy is guided practice for your attention: breath, sound, imagery or slow movement used to help you notice what is happening in your mind and body, without trying to force it.
Meditation isn’t about emptying your head. Thoughts will come, and that is fine. The practice is noticing them and coming back, again and again. A guide might walk you through a body scan, a breath pattern, a mantra or a piece of imagery. In sound therapy, crystal bowls and chimes give your attention something to rest on. In tai chi, slow, deliberate movement does the same.
We don’t make promises about results. People describe the experience in many ways, from restful and quiet to reflective or emotional. Your practitioner will be straight with you about what these practices are, and will suggest a visit with one of our clinicians or our licensed therapist if something should be looked at first.
How meditative therapy fits into integrative care here
At Saffron & Sage, meditation is part of a bigger picture. Members often pair it with breathwork, acupuncture, energy therapy or hypnotherapy, and our team can see what else is in your care so sessions build on each other.
Some people book a sound bath once a month as a standing reset. Others work through a series of private meditation sessions to build a practice they can keep up at home. Either way, you leave with something simple to try on your own, not a package you have to buy.
Tired all day, wired all night? Read this first.
Our free guide to an overworked stress response, for people who keep performing while sleep and recovery slip. Clear, practical and honest about the evidence.
- Why tired and wired are not opposites
- The common patterns, and when to see a doctor
- A two-week log to bring to your first visit
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What a guided session feels like
You sit or lie down, whichever is more comfortable, fully clothed, with blankets, cushions and an eye pillow if you like. Your practitioner talks you through each step. There is nothing to get right: if your mind wanders, that is part of it. You can open your eyes, shift position or ask to stop at any time.
In a sound session, the bowls are played around you and the tone is felt as well as heard. Most people find it calming. Some drift close to sleep. If a sound feels too strong, tell your practitioner and they will adjust.
Not sure where to start?
These are good first sessions:
- Private guided meditation, if you want to learn the basics
- Sound therapy, if sitting still in silence feels hard
- Private tai chi, if you prefer to move
- A breath-focused meditation, if you carry stress in your chest
Your first meditative therapy appointment, step by step
- Before you arrive. Wear comfortable clothes, skip a heavy meal right before, and plan to arrive about 10 minutes early for your first visit.
- Intake. Your practitioner asks about your health history, what is on your mind, any past experience with meditation and what you would like from the session.
- Settling in. You find a comfortable position, seated or lying down, and start with a few minutes of easy breathing.
- The session. Your practitioner guides the meditation, plays the bowls or leads the movement, and checks in with you along the way.
- After. There is time to sit up slowly, drink water and talk about what you noticed. You leave with a short practice to try at home.
- How often. Weekly while you build a habit, then every few weeks as a reset. You decide.
Meet our San Diego meditation and sound practitioners
Meditative therapy at Saffron & Sage is led by practitioners trained in meditation, sound and movement practices. They work inside a clinic with acupuncturists, naturopathic doctors, a licensed therapist and a medical team, so members’ sessions can be coordinated with the rest of their care.
Experienced guides
Practitioners trained in guided meditation, sound therapy and tai chi, who adapt each session to where you are that day.
A calm, private setting
One-on-one sessions in a quiet room just north of Little Italy, not a crowded studio.
Part of a care team
If something comes up that needs a clinician or our licensed therapist, the right person is down the hall.
Meet the whole care team → Sound sessions are led by Dr. Scott McFarlane. Past life regression is led by Sheava.
How much does meditative therapy cost? Two ways to start
Your first visit is where the relationship starts. A first appointment runs much like any other: a short intake, your session, and a few minutes at the end to talk about what comes next. If you add a consultation, your practitioner takes a fuller history and reviews your labs, if you have them. Pick the way in that suits you.
First visit and consultation
Your first appointment plus a full consultation, a $300 value, included free.
Book your first visitNew patients. Through October 31, 2026.
Your first appointment
Start with a single first appointment, then decide what comes next.
Book my first appointmentNew patients. Through October 31, 2026.
Then, as a member
Monthly credits you can use for meditative therapy and the rest of your plan. Sound therapy and tai chi use one non-medical credit. Past life regression uses one or two. Ask us about membership on your discovery call.
Use pre-tax dollars
May be eligible for some services, especially when a provider recommends them. Check eligibility with your plan administrator. We're direct pay and don't bill insurance. How HSA, FSA and LSA work here Get our free HSA and FSA guide
Gratuity-free, by design
Every Saffron & Sage experience is gratuity-free. Your care is settled when you book, so when you arrive there is nothing to calculate and nothing left to decide. Be fully present for your treatment, savor every minute of your session, and return to your day restored, with no checkout, no tip line and no pressure to spend more.
New here? Your first visit includes a full consultation, a $300 value, free. Or start with a free 15-minute discovery call.
Have your most recent labs? Upload them here for a free overview.
Upload a recent lab report and get a plain-language overview of what each marker measures. You arrive at your first visit with better questions, and our team starts from what you already have.
Upload my lab reportFree. Takes about a minute. Your file is processed in real time and is not stored. Educational only, not medical advice or a diagnosis.
- UploadA recent lab report, as a PDF or a photo.
- ReadA plain-language overview of what each marker measures.
- Talk it throughWith our team on a free discovery call, if you would like.
Meditation and sound therapy near Little Italy, San Diego
Saffron & Sage is on State Street, just north of Little Italy, a short drive from Downtown, Bankers Hill, Mission Hills, Point Loma and North Park. Many members come in before or after work.
Saffron & Sage
2555 State St, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 933-2340 · Get directions
Hours: Monday and Thursday 8 to 2, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 8 to 8.
Meditative therapy FAQs
What is meditative therapy?
It is our name for guided practices that train attention: private meditation, sound therapy, tai chi and past life regression. Each uses breath, sound, imagery or slow movement to help you slow down and notice what is going on.
How much does meditation or a sound bath cost in San Diego at Saffron & Sage?
New patients can book a first visit and consultation together for $300, normally $600, or a first appointment for $250, normally $300. After that, members use monthly credits. Sound therapy and private tai chi use one non-medical credit.
I can’t sit still or stop thinking. Can I still meditate?
Yes. Almost everyone feels that way at first. Meditation isn’t about stopping thoughts, it is about noticing them. Guided sessions, sound baths and tai chi are all good options if sitting in silence feels hard.
What is a sound bath?
A sound bath is a session where you rest while instruments like crystal singing bowls and chimes are played around you. You hear the tones and often feel them as a gentle vibration. There is nothing you need to do except lie back and listen.
Is a sound bath safe?
For most people, yes. Tell us at intake if you are pregnant, have a seizure disorder, a pacemaker or other implanted device, or sensitivity to sound, and we will adjust or suggest another option.
What should I wear to meditation or tai chi?
Comfortable clothes you can sit, lie or move in. You stay fully clothed. For tai chi, flat shoes or bare feet work well.
How long is a session?
Sound therapy and tai chi are usually about an hour. Past life regression is booked as 60 or 120 minutes.
How often should I meditate?
A few minutes a day at home goes further than an occasional long session. Many people book weekly guided sessions while they build the habit, then come every few weeks as a reset.
What is past life regression, and is it real?
It is a guided, deeply relaxed state in which you explore imagery and feelings that arise. People book it for reflection, curiosity and self-exploration. We don’t claim the experiences are memories of past lives, and it isn’t a medical or mental health treatment.
Meditation vs breathwork: what’s the difference?
Meditation usually lets your breath be natural while you rest your attention. Breathwork changes the breath on purpose and makes that the focus. Many members enjoy both.
Is meditation a replacement for therapy?
No. Meditation can be a helpful part of looking after yourself, but it isn’t psychotherapy. If you want support from a licensed therapist, ask us about psychotherapy at Saffron & Sage.
Can I use HSA or FSA?
We’re a direct pay clinic and don’t bill insurance. HSA, FSA and LSA dollars may be used for some services, especially when a provider recommends them. Check eligibility with your plan administrator.
Do I need to be a member?
No. You can always book à la carte. Membership unlocks preferred pricing, member-only offers and events, and other perks.
Where are you located?
2555 State St, San Diego, CA 92101, just north of Little Italy.
Ready when you are
Book your first visit and consultation for $300, normally $600. Not sure yet? Request a free discovery call. Our team will listen to what's going on and help you pick the right meditative therapy session and practitioner. No cost, no pressure.
Or call (619) 933-2340
All medical services are provided by Kasawa Medical APC dba Saffron & Sage MD. Meditative therapy at Saffron & Sage is a wellness practice that supports your overall care and doesn’t replace medical or mental health treatment. Please tell us at intake about pregnancy, seizures, implanted devices, balance concerns or mental health history. If you are in crisis, call or text 988. In an emergency, call 911.
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