What "White Lotus" Gets Right (and Wrong) About Meditation

If you’ve been under a rock or choosing springtime over screen time, "White Lotus" is HBO’s dark comedy about wealthy people falling apart in beautiful places. Each season drops a group of fragile, privileged guests into a resort and lets their dysfunction simmer.

Season 3 adds a twist: wellness. Phones go into pouches. There’s meditation, monks, and moon rituals. But most characters choose drinking, denial, and distraction.

As a meditation teacher, I wanted to offer a few thoughts on the latest season—and a gentle nudge to stick with meditation a little longer than the characters did.

When Meditation Is All Vibes

When I heard "White Lotus" was exploring meditation, I cringed—and smiled. I get excited about mindfulness watercooler talk, but I also brace for the clichés: breathy mantras, influencer vibes, and promises of instant calm.

And that’s exactly what we got—likely on purpose. Creator Mike White is a meditator, and it feels less like he’s mocking meditation than pointing to how the wellness industry frames it as a lifestyle accessory.

The guests flirt with awareness, then run the other way. Wellness sessions are slotted between drinking and lying. Piper drags her family to Thailand to check out a meditation center, but after one bland meal, she bails: “You could just tell the food wasn’t organic.” The girlfriend trio dabbles in breathwork but pays more attention to hot instructors and nightclubs. Rick’s Bangkok friend, played by Sam Rockwell, toggles between Zen quotes and cocaine benders.

Source: HBO

But a few characters touch on something more. After flings and passive aggression, the girlfriends finds some vulnerability at the end. Saxon starts by using meditation to flirt but ends with his nose in a mindfulness book. The Ratliff dad, after trying every other escape—alcohol, drugs, increasingly bad decisions—finally lets his family in. Sometimes, change only happens after you’ve tried everything else; too bad his family is too glued to their phones to notice.

What Change Actually Looks Like

I teach meditation in all kinds of settings—from colleges to coffee shops to government agencies. People—especially leaders—often ask me for "tips and tricks."

I get it. We’re all busy and looking for answers. But the changes I’ve been lucky enough to witness are subtle. A parent taking a breath instead of snapping. A manager choosing curiosity instead of control. A college senior shifting from self-judgment to compassion.

I’ll admit it: My meditation journey started with a Saxon move. A decade ago, after a few lackluster attempts at meditation apps, I finally went to a meditation group because an attractive new friend invited me. But when I stuck with it, I saw the real draw: more patience with myself, compassion for others, and clarity about what actually matters.

Meditation isn’t pure bliss—far from it. My mind still drifts to breakfast, shopping lists, or something cringey I said weeks ago. But I’ve learned that growth is about not bolting at the first sign of discomfort. And, honestly, that feels like the most important part of being a meditation teacher: helping people see that the path to a bit more ease and trust is bumpy—and encouraging them to stay with it anyway.

How to Actually Start (and Stick With It)

If "White Lotus" left you even a little curious about meditation, here’s where you might begin:

1. Try a meditation group: In the show, meditation is a solo activity with a guru. In real life, doing it with others helps us keep at it.

2. Let daily life be the practice: Meditation doesn’t just happen on a cushion. It happens when we give life our full attention. Walk your dog or drink coffee without checking your phone, do the dishes with a bit less haste, or listen to someone without planning your reply.

3. Keep it simple—and notice: Five minutes meditating a day is plenty. Yes, research shows it helps with anxiety. But more important is noticing how you feel. That’s real feedback.

Off-Camera Meditation

Source: HBO

"White Lotus" shows what happens when meditation is sandwiched between piña coladas.

But real meditation isn’t about soft lighting, resorts, or the promise of instant peace. It’s about staying—with your erratic breath, messy thoughts, imperfect life. It wouldn’t make great TV, but it’s where something different begins.