Meditation
Meditation has been described as the best gift in life you can give yourself – we agree.
It’s not hard to learn, is amazing and brings so many benefits. To truly make the most of it however, do give yourself the best start – learn direct, from a teacher –we think you will be glad you did. We invite you to read further, to see what distinguishes us and hope you like what you see.
Meditation has been learnt by vast numbers of people around the world, for thousands of years. People learn meditation for many different reasons - to find peace, calm and stability; to become more aware of themselves and their interaction with others; to improve their health; to improve their mental capacity; to find time for themselves; to meditate in the peaceful company of others……. There are many valid reasons why a person would want to meditate and one of its many beauties is that as your meditation practice becomes established, you start to realise how many more there are.
Meditation is easy to learn. Once learnt, it is something you can access easily for the rest of your life, at any time you choose. It is empowering - you don’t need to pay out money each week; you don’t need to travel anywhere; there’s no equipment or fees – in fact, all you need is a little time each day (just 10 minutes a day is beneficial).
“ Taken daily, it can untangle tension, fight fatigue and even lower your blood pressure. It can lift your spirits…it costs nothing, has no side effects and doesn’t require medical help” Arthritis Today – magazine of the Arthritis Foundation.
There are many styles of meditation and many are reflective of specific cultures and philosophies (particularly Eastern) and generally focus on meditation for spiritual development. The vast majority of meditation schools and teachers will teach just their one particular chosen style of meditation.
At the Meditation Foundation, we are aware that everyone is different and people learn differently – what suits one, might not suit another. It is very important that you find a style of meditation you like and are comfortable with. So, we focus on offering a range of simple techniques for people to learn and practice. We want to introduce meditation in as simple and as palatable way as possible – including sitting on comfortable chairs, rather than cross-legged, on the floor.
"What's really important," says Richard Davidson, neuroscience and meditation researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison," is that a person find a particular style [of meditation] they're comfortable with so they continue to practice." As quoted in US News 18 November 2009
We try and avoid labels and rigid types of practice. We include in our teaching simple techniques and practices that involve helping people to develop stillness and a calm, present moment, awareness. This is generally achieved through learning to place your attention initially on something that focuses your attention, amidst the constant background “chitter chatter” of the mind. Some of these techniques and points of focus include:
- Following the breathing
- Working with a sound or phrase
- Moving meditation – as simple as walking meditation, or more specialised, such as Tai Chi or Qi Gong
- Focusing on a visual image – a candle, an image in the mind etc
- Guided meditations – guided by a teacher
- Developing insight and mindfulness - in everyday thought and action
Our Courses have in common the aim to allow you to find a technique which you are comfortable with, to provide you with the ability to develop that technique in your own time and in your own surroundings and to offer you ongoing opportunities to develop your practice further. The aim is to enable you to quickly develop the ability to access the many benefits of meditation and to enable you to apply them to all walks of life.