Newsletter - October 2011

Bring calmness to your life – just meditate!

“Your meditation course was enlightening and did wonders for me. It gave me a different approach to life. Now, I am not so uptight and I am also more aware and open. These benefits have flowed into my personal life and also at work.” LEANNE admin/payroll officer

Discover the benefits of relaxation and meditation, especially to manage the many demands on your time as the end of the year nears.

You can learn how to bring calmness and clarity into your life at one of our meditation courses in Melbourne. The meditation courses start in October and are available in Balwyn, Caulfield and Donvale.

As always, our small classes ensure a personal interest in your meditation journey.

Mindfulness Meditation

~ For beginners or if you have meditated before ~

Mindfulness Meditation: Caulfield

~ Starts: Monday 24 October, 6.30pm – 7.40pm

~ At: Caulfield School of Yoga (101 Hawthorn Road, Caulfield)

Mindfulness Meditation: Balwyn

~ Starts: Wednesday 26 October, 6.30pm – 7.40pm

~ At: St Columba’s Uniting Church, 37 Banool Road, Balwyn

Mindfulness Meditation: Donvale

~ Starts: Thursday 27 October, 7.30pm – 8.40pm

~ Venue: to be advised

Intermediate Meditation

More about Mindfulness Meditation: Caulfield

~ Starts: Monday 24 October, 8pm – 9.10pm

~ At: Caulfield School of Yoga (101 Hawthorn Road, Caulfield)

More about Mindfulness Meditation: Balwyn

~ Starts: Wednesday 26 October, 8pm – 9.10pm

~ At: St Columba’s Uniting Church, 37 Banool Road, Balwyn

More course details

~ All courses are 6 weeks

~ Cost: $120

~ Bookings are essential

Phone Eileen on 0407 881 285 or go to Contact Us

What is Mindfulness Meditation?

"Mindfulness is a part of living. When you are mindful, you are fully present. You get in touch with the wonders of life that can nourish and heal you.” THICH NHAT HANH

Mindfulness frees you from memories of the past and worries about the future as you bring the present moment into focus and become aware of what you are sensing, feeling, thinking, wanting and willing to do.

Through mindfulness, you become aware of life’s everyday miracles, and the subtle and exquisite world around you. In turn, your appreciation, gratitude and compassion towards people and life start to deepen.

In meditation, mindfulness practices focus on the breath, the body, emotions, feelings and even thoughts.

Thoughts are a challenge during meditation because the monkey mind tends to dominate when you are seeking some peace. Research has shown that you have about 65,000 thoughts a day and, of these, 90 per cent are thoughts you have had before.

Meditation teaches you to just be aware of the thoughts rather than reacting to them. By watching and just accepting thoughts, their impact lessens enabling you to return to the point of focus of your body or your breath. In this way, you create space in your mind.

Recognising the same old stories running through your mind, helps you to live more grounded in the present moment and enables you to truly see the moment as it is, rather than how you think it is.

Ten benefits of mindfulness meditation

~ Improve focus, concentration and memory

~ Enhance communication and relationships

~ Promote clarity of thoughts and intention

~ Beneficial in dealing with stress

~ Move through life more efficiently and safely

~ Develop insight and intuition

~ Feel more authentic in your heart and soul

~ Become more caring in your life and work

~ Increase resilience to change

~ Develop inner strength and self-confidence

(From Luminous Mind by Joel and Michelle Levy)

Mindfulness in the workplace: a survey

How do the benefits of mindfulness meditation flow into the workplace? This issue is being explored by Dianne McGregor, an honours student at Victoria University in Melbourne.

She is inviting people involved in meditative practices to complete an online survey to help provide an insight into an employee’s approach to work, health and wellbeing, and to reduce work-related stress.

The research aims to provide information about future professional development programs that are relevant to employees’ needs.

The survey is completely anonymous. Participants must be over the age of 18 years and employed full-time, part-time or casual.

Go to:

https://qasiatrial.asia.qualtrics.com/WRQualtricsSurveyEngine/?SID=SV_1BNrJyDJSXdF5M8&_=1

Sleep Soundly – two workshops

“I have the best night’s sleep after meditation”

This is a comment that I frequently hear. Relaxation is the key to sleeping soundly for it turns on the parasympathetic nervous system or in other words, the sleep response.

Also involved is the whole mind-body connection – the more you relax your body and tap into your senses, the quieter your mind becomes.

Remember, your ego is very powerful. It is used to being in control and telling you just what you should be doing right now. The quietness of the night is the perfect setting for your mind to go into overdrive and create a flood of thoughts and worries. Eventually you fall asleep from sheer exhaustion from all the mental gymnastics, only to wake a few hours later and worry again. Sound familiar? 

Learn how to allow your mind to become quiet so you glide into sleep.

Sleep Soundly workshops.

Sunday 30 October, 11am – 1pm: Donvale/Mitcham

Sunday 13 November, 11am – 1pm: Caulfield

EARLY BIRD OFFERS

Sunday 30 October

Early bird: $45 (pay by 24 October)

After that date: $55

Sunday 13 November

Early bird: $45 (pay by 1 November)

After that date: $55

More details

~ The sessions are packed with practical strategies, including creating and maintaining the relaxed breath, sequences to help you relax deeply, specific sleep meditations and steps for preparing your mind and body for sleep.

~ Limited places

~ Bookings are essential

~ Contact Eileen 0407 881 285 or go to Contact Us.

When life is challenging

When life is challenging, ask yourself: what am I learning from this situation? Then tap into your inner knowing. 

I have certainly been doing just that during the past few months when entangled in family dynamics that surround my beautiful ageing mum. In some ways, she was oblivious to the ‘dramas’ about her care and decisions being made.

Then one morning, an idea came to me like a golden explosion of energy to my mind and body – why has no one asked my mother about what she would like?  

If I had allowed logic to dominate, I would have shrugged off the idea as ‘nonsense’. Instead, I explored the possibility by speaking to a researcher who works with people with dementia. His words were illuminating.

He advised me to look for the emotion in my mum’s response. He also indicated that people with dementia may score low on the typical mini-mental test requiring facts to be recalled, but it is different when the situation directly affects the person with dementia.

So I asked the questions, framing them simply about what she would like. And, yes she had more insight than anyone had acknowledged. She also confirmed what I already knew in my heart. Ah, the power of tapping into your intuition and your heart!

Drawing upon your inner knowing and ‘running’ with ideas that may seem fantasy-like emerge from the quiet space created during meditation. While resting in the quietness, ask a question and see what comes. The answer may not be what you expect but its meaning usually becomes obvious within time.

The spaciousness in your mind created during meditation allows your deeper consciousness to have a ‘say’, and sometimes an answer may come that you have been seeking.

Learning to go with your intuition also means bypassing the habits and logic that tend to dominate.

Trusting and listening to this inner gift is easier than you think.

A creative place

Check out Awakenings Card & Bookshop (730 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn) for its wonderful range of contemporary and traditional cards. Awakenings also has a delightful range of books and nurturing CDs. It is a perfect place for gifts.

Try a free yoga class

Wondered what Hatha Yoga is all about? Then try a free class with Lauren on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Caulfield School of Yoga.

Hatha yoga is ideal for improving physical health, and bringing harmony and balance to yo body, mind and soul. 

For bookings, contact Lauren on 0438 254 266.

Michel from the Caulfield School of Yoga, has been sharing her passion for yoga for almost 30 years. Phone Michel on 0403 939 666 for details about her day classes.

The Caufield School of Yoga is at 101 Hawthorn Road, Caulfield.

Meditation Pathways gift voucher

Give the beautiful gift of meditation.

This is ideal for family or friends keen to discover the health and wellbeing benefits of meditation for the first time or if they wish to continue the meditation journey.

For more details, phone Eileen 0407 881 285 or go to Contact Us

Simple ideas to inspire you

For weekly hints about stress-free living and simple ways to journey to health and wellbeing, follow Meditation Pathways on Facebook.

Please click on the link below and ‘like’ my page and please pass on this link to your friends who wish to enjoy optimum health and wellbeing

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Meditation-Pathways/169174019804403

Meditation Pathways News

If this is the first time that you have read the Meditation Pathways newsletter and you would like to receive future editions, please go to Contact Us.

Enjoy your meditation journey
Eileen