Meditation for Beginners: What Is It and How Does It Work?
Meditation is a natural, effortless technique which has numerous benefits including relief from stress and anxiety, increased energy and productivity, better focus and clarity of mind, improved sleep and better relationships.
I teach Vedic Meditation. It's a simple mental technique practised sitting in a chair with your eyes closed – that’s right, you don’t need to sit cross-legged and chant. In Vedic Meditation you simply think a mantra, a sound chosen by me as your teacher, which quietens the mind, and the body rests very deeply. After 20 minutes you come out refreshed, energised, and feeling happy.
What Exactly Is Vedic Meditation?
Vedic Meditation isn’t a new wellbeing fad, it’s a centuries-old technique which started in India and is now practiced by millions of people around the world. By embracing this way of meditating, you’ll be joining a diverse community of people who have decided to help themselves, and ultimately others, by meditating twice a day for twenty minutes.
New students are often concerned about making a daily commitment when they have busy schedules, but having meditated for over forty-five years now I can assure you that the daily investment of time is amply repaid. A regular meditation practice will, amongst other benefits, make you more efficient and productive, giving you a new perspective on and greater recognition of the nuances of the day.
Is There A “Right Time” To Meditate?
The first meditation of the day is usually taken shortly after rising, before breakfast, allowing the body and mind to settle and rest without being distracted by digestion. This meditation is often thought-filled, allowing you to get a perspective on the day ahead. The second meditation is taken between lunch and dinner, after digestion and before hunger strikes. This second session is one which new meditators often feel concerned about fitting into their day, but you will be taught many different ways to accomplish this. The beauty of Vedic Meditation is that it can be practised anywhere you can sit uninterrupted for 20 minutes – a coffee shop, a park, or a quiet living or work space.
As intelligent people, we are inclined to overcomplicate a technique which was designed for ‘householders’ like ourselves. Vedic Meditation is not a monastic practice. As meditators we integrate with the world, getting on with our lives with greater awareness and understanding. Stress and anxiety are kept in check and eventually diminish to the point where they are longer remarkable or detrimental. Fearless evolution becomes the norm.
How Do I Find Out More?
If you’re full of questions and are interested in hearing more about Vedic Meditation and how it could fit into your life, that’s wonderful! I invite you to attend a free, no-obligation Introductory Talk at my home in Notting Hill. These informal, friendly, talks are an hour long, will give you a full explanation of what Vedic Meditation is all about, and offer an opportunity to ask me any questions you have face-to-face.
After the session, if you’re ready to start meditating, you’ll have the opportunity to enrol for a MindMojo course which is delivered in four 90-minute sessions over four consecutive days. To make our courses as convenient to attend as possible, they’re usually held over a weekend (Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday morning, and Monday evening). At the end of the course, you will have the confidence to meditate on your own, and know that you have lifetime support from me and the MindMojo team going forward.