Meditation is an approach to train the mind. It is about training in awareness and getting a healthy sense of perspective. You basically don’t try to turn off your thoughts or feelings. You learn to observe them without judgement.
Mindfulness is the active, open attention on the present. When you are mindful you carefully observe your thoughts and feelings without judging them as good or bad.
Learning to Meditate is like learning any other skill. Think of it like exercising a muscle that you have never worked out before. It takes consistent practise to get comfortable. Learning meditation is also similar to train the mind.
When we think about meditation we can get hung up on thinking about our thoughts. Mindfulness meditation isn’t about letting your thoughts wander. But it isn’t about trying to empty your mind, either. Instead, the practice involves paying close attention to the present moment — especially our own thoughts, emotions and sensations — whatever it is that’s happening. Meditation begins and ends in the body. It involves taking the time to pay attention to where we are, what’s going on and that starts with being aware of our body. Here’s a posture practise, that can be used as the beginning stage of meditation practise, to stabilize yourself and find a moment of relaxation before going back into the fray. If you have any injuries or other physical difficulties you can modify this to suit your situation.
Guided meditation is a process by which one or more participants meditate in response to the guidance provided by a trained practitioner or teacher, either in person or via a written text, sound recording, video.
This practise involves focusing on a single point. This could entail following the breath, repeating a single word or mantra, staring at a candle flame, listening to a repetitive gong, or counting beads on a mala. Since focusing the mind is challenging, a beginner might meditate for only a few minutes and then work up to longer durations. Basically a person refocus his awareness on the chosen object of attention each time you notice your mind wandering.
The experience of being open and aware in the present moment, without reflexive judgment, automatic criticism or mind wandering. Mindfulness is the awareness of what’s going on in the present moment without any judgment. Meditation is the training of attention which cultivates that mindfulness.
Our pranayama sadhana classes commit to inspire personal empowerment and spiritual development through the refinement of breath awareness.
When you can learn to discover and harness the power of your breathing and experience the tranquillity, health benefits, and peace of mind that it can bring, it will change your life forever.
Your ability to breathe is so much more important than you think. It is literally responsible for enabling every single thing you do; from eating, drinking, speaking, and movement, to regulating all bodily functions. But it doesn’t stop there. Breathing is the single most powerful tool for personal empowerment and spiritual development.
