“Have you ever tried breathing?” asks Frankie Salazar, co-founder of Behind The Lids, a new meditation studio and healing collective in the heart of Costa Mesa.
Sounds like a silly question, right? Breathing is something we do without having to think about it. Every day, all the time, even when we’re sleeping.
But what Frankie is talking about is something different. When you’re stressed, when you’re feeling anxious, when you’re overwhelmed—have you ever tried breathing to help you get through it?
“Breath is the bridge to everything,” Frankie explains.
Corey Miller, the other co-founder of Behind the Lids, chimes in: “Just try it. Right now. Take ten slow breaths. It will bring you back to the present moment.”
“It’s definitely not going to hurt!” laughs Frankie.
Welcome to Behind The Lids, with co-founders Corey Miller and Frankie Salazar, in Costa Mesa.
Photo: Samantha Chagollan
If you’ve never tried meditation or breathwork to cope with the stress of everyday life, Behind the Lids is just the place for you.
They cater to beginners — folks who have never tried meditating before, or don’t know where to begin.
“We love first-timers,” says Frankie. “We wanted to welcome people who may not feel comfortable in a standard studio or a gym setting. People come here sometimes and say, ‘I’m not even sure why I’m here.’ But they love it, and they come back for more.”
Which is why Corey and Frankie came together to make Behind the Lids in the first place. They wanted to create an approachable, affordable, safe space for meditation.
What started out as a donation-based Monday night meditation group grew over two years into this new space, which Corey and Frankie call a healing collective.
“Breath Is The Bridge To Everything,” at Behind The Lids Healing Collective in Costa Mesa.
Photos: Samantha Chagollan
The space is open and welcoming, inside the old schoolhouse off of 19th Street and Newport Boulevard, next to the First United Methodist Church.
“When we started,” says Corey, “I was always looking for a meditation group that wasn’t 100% recovery based, or 100% Buddhist based, and it didn’t cost me $20 to go meditate.” He couldn’t find it. He connected with Frankie, and together, they had a vision for this healing center.
They decided that Costa Mesa was the perfect spot for the space they wanted to create.
“Costa Mesa is the hub of Orange County,” says Frankie. “It’s the center of the spoke.”
When they discovered this space in the old schoolhouse, one of the oldest buildings left in Costa Mesa, they knew it was meant to be. Soon the doors to Behind the Lids were open, in March, 2019, and the community started coming together.
“We Love First-Timers,” at Behind The Lids Healing Collective in Costa Mesa, California.
Photos: Samantha Chagollan
Classes in mediation, movement, sound healing and breathwork are offered every week. You don’t have to be a member of the collective to attend — in fact, you can just drop in and there are even three donation-based classes a week. When you attend a donation-based class, you pay what you can.
Frankie and Corey are passionate about the community that’s coming together at Behind the Lids — it’s truly a collective of everyone who participates. Teachers teach their own styles, without the restrictions of being held to the standard that sometimes comes with a corporate studio.
And everyone is contributing what they can. Soon there will be a community herb garden outside, used to offer raw juicing to members — and the murals you see inside are all painted by members of the collective. It’s truly a community.
“Nothing makes me happier than finding out that people who met here in class have become friends,” says Corey. “Two of them now teach here, together! That’s what this place is all about.”
Drop-ins are welcome, and there are classes to choose from every evening on the schedule, including a women’s healing circle on Wednesday, a men’s breathwork group on Thursday, and a different type of donation-based class every Monday night and Saturday morning. Special events and workshops are also held every month.
I tried a sound healing meditation with Corey on a Wednesday evening, which featured singing bowls, drums and chimes that enhanced our relaxing time together.
The old schoolhouse space is open and inviting, with gorgeous woodwork and a chill vibe. Everything you need is already there, from mats and blankets to meditation cushions and even relaxing eye pillows.
“Just come and try it,” says Frankie with a genuine smile. “Everyone is welcome here.”
“This truly is your space, if you want it to be your space,” adds Corey.
As soon as you walk in the door, you can feel the calm oozing through the walls. Just being in the space feels relaxing. Add to that the teachers, the tools, and the community, and there’s no doubt Behind the Lids is just the kind of place you can go to relax. ♥
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Connect with Behind the Lids on Instagram @behindthelids or Facebook @btlhealingcollective, or visit them at 1901 Newport Boulevard. Parking is available in the structure, and instructions on how to find the space the first time you go are available on the website.
