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Meditation, it’s not what you “think”. Utimately, meditation leads to a state beyond thinking. The mind is a tricky tool that attracts a lot of bad press. We are told to control this mischievous monkey, yet it is the pinnacle of human evolution. Perhaps we are simply misusing this wondrous attribute. Meditation can lead to experiencing the higher and often hidden aspects of our magical mind. I’m very fortunate to have been trained in Vedic meditation by Thom Knoles (thomknoles.com). This transcending technique, when correctly instructed, leads the mind beyond itself to it’s source – pure consciousness. When the mind quietens down to its least excited mode, the body follows, experiencing a state of rest deeper than sleep. Every time I teach meditation, I’m always amazed at the immediate effect…

Four ages of meditation The earth’s evolution progresses over four cyclical stages according to Vedic texts such as the Mahabharata and Manusmriti. These phases are likened to the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. Each age or yuga has a recommended primary meditation practice or yuga dharma as to the human condition. The world is currently in the iron age according to this system. During this period people are easily distracted, comparatively short lived and less pious in general. Hence, in order to anchor awareness and facilitate focus, sound meditation is highly recommended. EXERCISE Cast your memory back to meditative moments. Maybe it was in nature, riding a bike, being creative or looking into a loved one’s eyes. Write down three recollections What elements contributed to these moments?…

“Pure food is like a seed, it’s fruit’s pure thought.”– RUMI Most meditation centres serve food that nurtures a calm and clear mental state. Stimulants such as coffee and sugar are shunned while a primarily plant-based, wholefood diet is encouraged to enhance a meditative state. The fact that food affects our mood has been established by extensive research in the field of nutritional psychiatry. Dr Carl Pfeiffer, author of Nutrition and Mental Illness, pioneered the concept of the brain-gut connection in the 1970’s. Dr. Pfeiffer linked nutritional deficiencies and excess with mental illnesses such as mood swings, manic-depression, schizophrenia and antisocial behaviour. Modern science has shown that our gut microbiome produces mood-regulating neurotransmitters vital for mental health. For example, around 95 per cent of the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin is produced…

Social media is full of buff bodies perched atop cliffs or rocks in awkward meditation poses. Seasoned meditators can attune their awareness in any position such as standing on their head. For novices, the best meditation posture should facilitate alignment, ease and alertness. Exposure to the elements of wind, sun, rain and creatures will only create added distractions. Sitting, lying or even standing are all viable options for the inner journey. A peaceful posture promotes a peaceful mind. Stack the spine by ensuring the head is centred above the heart, the back of the neck is elongated, the pelvis is in a stable position and limbs are relaxed. Lying down is fine if pain prohibits sitting but avoid lying in bed as this will lull you to sleep. You can…

Are you too agitated, bored, busy, distracted, restless, sad, sick, sleepy, uncomfortable or unconvinced to meditate? Unlimited excuses can arise to sabotage meditation practice. The Buddha highlighted five hindrances to meditation: attachment, agitation, aversion, laziness and doubt. Being conscious of the following challenges helps us to catch them before they crash our practice. Time trials Making time for meditation infuses our non-meditation time with more mindfulness, meaning and efficiency. When we experience the benefits of meditation, we start to notice days go differently when we skip it. Just as people make time for eating, drinking and sleeping, meditation can be an integral part of our daily routine if we prioritise it in our schedule. Despite our busy lives, many meditators arise early or practise in their breaks to ensure they…

“Chakras are organisational centres for the reception, assimilation and transmission of life-force energy. They are the stepping stones between heaven and earth.”- ANODEA JUDITH Chakra means circle or wheel in Sanskrit. These astral body vortexes provide energy to ensure optimal health and happiness. Chakras are similar to inner suns beaming energy through our being. However, just as clouds can cover sunrays, energetic blocks can dim chakra channels. This adversely impacts our physical and psychological state as well as our ability to connect with source energy. A regular chakra-clearing meditation clears cobwebs from our etheric body. It reconnects our foundational energy and promotes positive emotions. Chakras need aligning when we feel physically off or overwhelmed with emotions such as anxiety, anger, confusion, insecurity, isolation, and exhaustion. Working with the chakras allows…

“If you can dance and be free and not embarrassed, you can rule the world.”– AMY POEHLER, YES PLEASE Can you shift your mood with a groove? No Lights No Lycra (nolightsnolycra.com) offers events worldwide where people leave their stress and self-consciousness at the door to dance in the dark. This improved 95 per cent of participant’s physical health and 97 per cent of participant’s mental health according to a survey of 1190 participants by The University of Sydney’s Faculty of Medicine and Health. Researcher Bridget Foley said that considering half the survey participants had been diagnosed with mental health conditions these are significant findings. Daggy dancing with nobody watching is a cathartic release of physical and mental tension. “No Lights No Lycra keeps me sane,” states a testimonial on…

“Only those who know how to breathe will survive.”– PUNDIT ACHARYA As someone who’s constantly “doing” something or thinking about all the things I need to do, to launch straight into meditation is near impossible. That’s why I like to precede my meditation practice with nadi sodhana (alternate nostril breathing). This anchors my mind to the breath, reducing mental distractions. My yoga students also enjoy this method, finding it easy and very beneficial. To practise nadi sodhana, come to a comfortable seated position with a lengthened spine so the breath is not impeded. • Take a few slow mindful breaths through the nostrils, allowing the belly to inflate first and then the ribs as you inhale. • Pause gently once the lungs are full and then a slow mindful exhalation,…

What does meditation mean to you? Many imagine meditation is sitting still and silent in an awkward pretzel pose while trying to tame the mind with tricky techniques. Sound appealing? Dictionary definitions of meditation are generally limited to concepts of contemplation, focus and religious reflection. However, even atheists with ADHD can practise meditation given the appropriate method. Meditatum or “to ponder” is the Latin origin of the term meditation. However, seasoned meditators often say meditation involves more pausing than pondering, more feeling than thinking. Meditation’s therapeutic potential is highlighted by the Latin origin it shares with medicine, which is medere – “to heal”. Meditation is a purification process that settles the monkey mind in order to attain an insightful and objective outlook. When mindfulness becomes the new default setting, mental…

“Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create.”– JANA KINGSFORD CRIMES AGAINST WISDOM The ancient science of life and longevity, Ayurveda, categorises three “crimes against wisdom” or prajnaparadhas that can impede meditation. Ati - Overuse For example, looking at a screen for prolonged periods Hina - Underuse For example, being too sedentary Mithya - Misuse For example, using the feet to walk in very high heels. Just as a professional swimmer sticks to a strict lifestyle geared to support their athletic aims, a meditator can incorporate a way of life conducive to a practice promoting a calm and clear consciousness. Our regular regime, including the foundations of rest, nutrition, activity, recreation and relationships, all influence our state. Balance is the key to cultivating consistent awareness. Moderation supports mindfulness.…

“Energy is contagious: either you affect people or you infect people.”– T HARV EKER Who is your tribe? To a degree we’re coloured by the company we keep. Have you ever noticed how you alter around different people? Do you swear more with some? Smile a lot with others? Drink extra alcohol around buddies? Almost by osmosis we absorb the energy of our connections. This can affect our consciousness, choices, actions, emotions, health and life trajectory. As author Jim Rohn said, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Are these people pulling you up or pushing you down? A true litmus test is noting how you feel after interacting with someone or something. Can you sense how some situations and people leave you energised…

Though meditation can be highly beneficial, some consideration should be given before undertaking meditation practice, particularly if an individual has any kind of mental instability, anxiety or depression. I was trained in India by my meditation teacher with whom I studied for 12 years. He sent me to run a meditation centre in Sydney, which I did for six years. I began to notice that meditation alone didn’t give people sufficient tools to deal with any kind of emotional imbalances. I went on to study transpersonal psychology and counselling. For several years in Sydney, I had a private counselling practice where I attracted people who wanted to balance meditation with practical psychological approaches and skills. During my 10 years living in Thailand, I spent considerable time in retreat at a…

Do you ever feel like shaking it all off? A sedentary body needs to move for balance. We are made to stretch, flex and flow. Moving past patterns or present stagnation feels liberating. Wanderlust and exercise are natural expressions of this. Mindful movement combined with breath, sounds and contrasting stillness is a wonderful way to flow from suppression to expression. Many meditation schools promote moving meditation practices such as Osho dynamic meditation, Kundalini yoga, Sufi whirling, Sophrology, bioenergetics, trance dance and shaking meditation. If you’re too agitated or restless to stay still, active meditation can be an effective way to release emotional and energetic blocks. Active meditation is an excellent option for people who struggle to stay still such as those with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Just as a burst of exercise…

“What has to be taught first, is the breath.”– CONFUCIUS Did you know that you’ll take up to a billion breaths if you survive to 80? How’s your breathing now? Slow, fast, deep, shallow? Have you noticed how your breath changes according to your mental state? We may hold our breath when tense, accelerate breathing when excited and have slow, steady respiration when relaxed. We return to home base with breath awareness. Mindful breathing is the most fundamental and often the profoundest form of meditation. Make breath your BFF Inhale two short, sharp nasal sniffs followed by a long pursed-lips exhalation. Feel different? Breath can be the fastest bridge to embodied awareness. It can lead us from anger, anxiety, sadness, shock and stress to calm consciousness. In 2023, Stanford University…

“Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.”– ZEN PROVERB Pause and take a deep breath. Are you mentally present or absent? Being absentminded is common as we travel to the past, future or fantasy land. Mindfulness is the practice of being peacefully present without attachment, aversion or judgment. Awareness brings an aliveness and acceptance to what is. Rather than becoming lost in thought, we find the magic of the moment. The present is our point of power, a place of peace, efficiency and energy. Spiritual teacher Ram Dass said, “Create in yourself an absolutely calm centre where it’s always right here and now.” Formal mindfulness meditation gives us a taste for ever-present deliciousness. This infuses our everyday life with a new level of awareness. Jon Kabat-Zinn…

“They both listened silently to the water, which to them was not just water, but the voice of life, the voice of being, the voice of perpetual becoming.”– HERMANN HESSE, SIDDHARTHA Anxious, stressed, fatigued or overwhelmed? After this mini five-minute meditation, you may emerge more effective, energised and calm. 1 Find a comfortable seated or a reclined position.2 Allow yourself to settle into the support beneath you.3 As you enter a deeply serene state, let a smile grace your face.4 Experience the joy of being fully present.5 Take note of any sensations.6 Prepare to intentionally tense and then release each part of your body.7 Inhale deeply, tense your entire body, hold your breath and then exhale – letting go of everything.8 Feel revitalised as fresh blood circulates through you, leaving you…

“I meditate so that my mind cannot complicate my life.”- SRI CHINMOY Do you want to be the servant or master of your mind? How about giving your brain a break from stress, worry and overthinking. Meditation mutes our mind so our innate aliveness and exuberance arises. Studies suggest that the meditative state is conducive to a cornucopia of positive outcomes. For instance, in 2018, a comprehensive analysis involving 19 studies and 1160 participants revealed that mindfulness programs played a beneficial role in weight loss and the effective management of eating behaviours, including binge eating. Along with appropriate medical treatment, science supports meditation to assist many issues. Meditation can help to: 1 Activate disease-fighting genes involved in inflammation, metabolism and insulin. 2 Reduce anxiety 3 Control asthma 4 Lower risk of…

“Devotion is a disease. And you catch it from those people who have it.”- KRISHNA DAS Meditation centres such as ashramas and monasteries generally advocate guidelines of conduct that support practice. This can help meditators to dive into deeper dimensions free from negative, superficial influences. Though you don’t have to live like a monastic to meditate, simple everyday habits can support a meditative mindset. Clear your consciousness, mind and body these eight yogic principles. Moral guidelines – yamas Non-violence (Ahimsa) Mindfully helping rather than unnecessarily harming yourself or others. Honesty (Satya) Humbly see your shadow and sunny side. Be authentic with all. Non-stealing (Asteya) Only take with permission or reciprocation. Avoid exploiting by caring for others and nature. Respecting sexuality (Brahmacharya) Honour your sacred energy, including sexual, by using or…

Beads Sacred beads are like transcendental touchstones. They’re affordable, wearable tools to centre oneself anytime, anywhere. Hippies, yogis and monastics are all known for their beaded necklaces or bracelets. Stranded beads are often given to students by their spiritual teacher, signifying their commitment to the spiritual path – just as dog tags show allegiance to the armed forces. The word bead comes from the Old English word for prayer – bede. Many meditation traditions use beads to count chants or prayers and to sharpen focus through fingering the sensory spheres. For more on how to chant see mantra meditation. Catholics use a rosary, Muslims use misbaha or tasbih, while Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs use japa mala, meaning garland. One can also apply beads for breath awareness and gratitude meditations. Beads…

“Chanting is like asanas for the mind and the heart.”– KRISHNA DAS The late, great Tina Turner chanted the Buddhist mantra Nam-myohorenge-kyo for a daily dose of sanity. In 2021, Turner told the Today show, “Chanting helped me to go within myself and open deep sources of happiness and wisdom in my own heart and mind. Soon, I realized that I already had within me everything I needed to change my circumstances and create a truly happy life.” Quantum physics teach that sound waves are the basis of material manifestation. To emphasise sound power the Bible asserted, “In the beginning was the word.” Swami Sivananda concurred, “The whole world has come from aum, rests in aum and dissolves in aum.” Attuning our cells to harmonious vibrations enables good energy to…

As a classically trained yoga educator, I used to separate yoga from dance. And, yes, even with the knowledge that yoga is ultimately the experience of the oneness of existence, I wouldn’t think of the two being related. That changed when I observed how peaceful and refreshed I felt after practising routine exercises at the barre in my adult ballet class. It was possible to give absolute attention to each movement, to the placement of the body in space and to the breath. It was a state of ekagrata, one-pointedness, or complete undisturbed focus, which is a prerequisite to meditation. Dance is an art form of rhythmical body movement, and neither art, nor body movement seems conducive to attain a state of meditation. As a matter of fact, you won’t…

“When you walk reverently and solidly on this earth and I do the same, we send out waves of compassion and peace. It is this compassion that will heal ourselves, each other, and this beautiful green earth.”– THICH NHAT HAHN, LIONS ROAR Do you sleepwalk or walk with awareness? Are you enjoying your journey? We’re so often looking back or focussed on the future that we fail to appreciate the present. Mindful walking, or Kinhin in Buddhism, is a way of practicing presence while walking with full awareness. This is not only a good way to balance sitting meditation but a valuable art in itself. Along with a formal practice we can summon newfound aliveness every time we walk – at the shops, around a room, to the car… the opportunities…

“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.”– LAO TZU What makes the world a better place? Love is what we all really need. Compassion and connection are the cornerstones of loving kindness meditation or LKM. Buddhist, Jain and Vedic traditions all offer variations of this heart-expanding practice. The qualities of benevolence, friendliness and goodwill are known as maitri in Sanskrit and metta in Pali. Apparently, the Buddha taught LKM to monks who were terrified of tree spirits. Their forest of fear transformed into friendliness, as open-hearted, courageous energy transformed the emotion of anxiety. According to the Buddha’s discourse on the advantages of loving-kindness translated from Pali by Piyadassi Thera, LKM improves sleep, attracts affection, gives protection, brightens the complexion and bestows a…