Everything yin yoga and why we need to do it regularly.

A partner to the yang styles of yoga which consist of strong, dynamic, standing postures, yin yoga offers mostly seated, supine, or low-to the ground long, gentle stretches and holds. While the practice is relatively new to the western yoga lineage, it’s possible that it’s much closer to the original intent of yoga asana practice, a series of postures meant to train us to sit still for longer, and more comfortably, in meditation. In this article, explore the history and benefits of yin yoga practice for body, mind, and soul.

The History Of Yin Yoga

Yin yoga is inspired by ancient Chinese Taoist practices in which stretches were held for long periods of time. Sometimes referred to as Taoist Yoga, or Tao Yin, these practices have been incorporated into Kung Fu training for thousands of years.

Paulie Zink first introduced the stretching martial arts technique to a western audience in the 1970’s, combining it with elements of Hatha Yoga. Among Zink’s students was the American Paul Grilley. Grilley’s interest in yoga and the martial arts paralleled his meditation practice. Stemming from a desire to sit more comfortably in meditation, Grilley soon combined his familiarity with Zink’s Taoist Yin, Hatha Yoga, and the Chinese system of meridians into a practice of his own, which would eventually be called Yin Yoga.

Paul Grilley and his student Sarah Powers are among the world’s leading yin yoga teachers today. While both have given the practice a spin of their own, it remains true that yin yoga is all about balance and the partnership of body, mind, and soul. 

The Benefits Of Yin Yoga For The Body

To understand the benefits of yin yoga, it’s helpful to understand the Chinese concept of yin and yang. Yin and yang are opposing aspects of nature which work in relationship to each other. Like hot and cold, left and right, or sun and moon, yang and yin exist only in partnership.

Some refer to the superficial musculature of the body and its movement as yang, while the deeper structure of the connective tissue (ligaments, tendons, and fascia) is yin. It’s important to remember, however, that yin and yang are interdependent, and no one thing is always yang, nor always yin. The two concepts operate in relationship.

The balance of energy in the body is so important, both Grilley and Powers recommend yin yoga in partnership with a yang practice, as well as seated meditation.

A typical yin yoga class lasts anywhere from 60-90 minutes, and may only offer a handful of poses, each held for upwards of five minutes as students are encouraged to rest steadily in balanced effort and ease.

Yin yoga manipulates, stretches and lengthens the body’s connective tissue with long slow holds. The superficial muscles relax the longer the pose is held, allowing more access to the ligaments and tendons surrounding the joints, as well as the fascia.

Fascia is a system of connective tissue that runs throughout the body much like the inner sheath of a grapefruit exists between the meat and the peel. Fascia wraps all our muscles, internal organs and joints.

It’s within this system of fascia that yin yoga does it’s magic. Practitioners theorize that the fascia is home to the energetic body of the Chinese system of meridians. Familiar to most people as the map of energetic lines and pressure points used by acupuncturists, and similar to the pranic nadis, or channels, referenced by Indian yogis.

Through this unseen but felt system of meridians, energy, chi, flows through the body. Profound changes occur as the fascia is stimulated and manipulated. When chi flows more fluidly, we feel more spacious and well. Instructors may reference a pose’s effect on particular internal organs, as the asana intentionally compresses energetic points to encourage greater flow of chi once the postures are released.

The Benefits Of Yin Yoga For The Mind

It’s not the pose that makes it yin or yang, but the energy with which we practice it.

Remembering that the essence of yin is not in the poses themselves, but in their relative energy, is eka pada rajakapotasana, or pigeon pose, a yin or yang pose? It can be either, depending on the energy we bring to the shape. Thus in yin yoga, poses are given different names to remind us to approach each posture differently than we would in a yang class. Pigeon pose becomes sleeping swan.

In sleeping swan, we’re ok with rounding the back, propping up on our forearms, resting our chest or forehead on blocks, sliding a blanket under our hips, or shifting back from exertion in order to stay longer. In a yang class, we might instead push the body towards the edge of bearable sensation, press up against the limits of our mobility, or keep the chest open, pressing into our mat to actively traction the spine.

As yin works deep into our connective tissues, we not only stretch the tissue itself, but the ability of our mind to be patient and still. Being present with one pose for longer allows us to meditate on felt sensation in the body, the movement of the mind, or an instructor’s guided contemplation.

The Benefits Of Yin Yoga For The Soul

Chinese medicine has long insisted that to heal the body is to heal the mind and soul. We may feel tightness in our hips, or weakness in our knees, but these pains are intimately connected to the energetic blockages that equally affect our minds. Because mind and body are connected, we can heal either one by working on the other.

Yin heals our souls and brings us to a greater sense of well-being because it asks us to slow down and rest.

By slowing down and resting, we’re better able to witness sensations, thoughts, and emotions. Sometimes these thoughts and emotions seemingly arise out of nowhere, but they’ve been there all along. Through yin’s gentle movement, profound stillness, or both, we coax trapped energy to the surface where we can recognize it, then set it free.

Yin offers us the opportunity to listen to what’s arising in body and mind, and to let those energies dissipate as we neutrally witness. Yin might be preparing us for a more comfortable seated meditation, but it gives us ample opportunity to meditate during our yoga.

Whether we arrive at a yin practice to awaken after long periods of stagnation, or to settle down after a lifetime of movement addiction, it can be the perfect balance we need to heal body, mind, and soul.

Morning Rituals for a happy heart and soul

How we start our day reflects the energy that we will be inviting in for the whole rest of our day ahead. Perhaps you can remember a time when you have woken up, checked your phone or emails straight away and became instantly stressed or agitated which then carried through for the whole rest of the day with many things going wrong. Whereas I’m sure you can remember a time where you woke up and had a beautiful and nourishing morning which then went on to lead you to having a beautiful and fulfilling day ahead. So as you can imagine, it is so important to begin our day with morning rituals which invite in the energy of calm, gratitude and flow in order to live each day in alignment with the expression of our Highest Self.

Things to avoid in your morning routine:

• Checking your phone/social media/emails

• Drinking stimulating substances (coffee/energy drinks)

• Eating sugary and processed foods

• Watching/consuming the news or other forms of media

• Leaving your bed unmade & leaving mess to deal with later

Morning Ritual Ideas:

Here are some morning ritual ideas which will help to nourish your heart and soul and allow your day to start off from a place of softness and alignment, which can be energetically carried through the rest of your day. You may not have time or even want to do everything on this list, but we can suggest choosing the ones that resonate with you best and then incorporating the into your daily morning routine.

1. Tongue Scraping

Tongue scraping is an ancient ayurvedic technique that has been used for thousands of years as a way to remove any toxins that have accumulated on the surface of your tongue. Overnight as you sleep, the body is working hard to remove these toxins which are then collected as a white coating over your tongue. In ayurveda they believe that it is very important to scrape away this toxic layer before you consume any liquids, so that you are not allowing the toxins to reenter into your system. You can do this through a method called ‘tongue scraping’, which is using a metal tongue scraper (or a teaspoon works just as well), to remove this coating. You can scrape your tongue and then wash away the white residue, and continue this process around 5-10 times until this layer has removed. 

There are a number of scientifically proven benefits associated with this practice, such as:

• Improves sense of taste

• Enhances oral hygiene

• Removes bacteria

• Reduces bad breath

• Improves overall health

• Prevents cavities

2. Warm Lemon Water

After you have removed any toxins from the mouth through the tongue scraping, now is the time to cleanse your digestive system for the day ahead with a warm and nourishing glass of lemon water. Drinking warm lemon water every morning helps the body to maintain its natural pH balance and helps to boost the immune system through its rich source of vitamin C. Other beautiful benefits include:

• Helps to fight infections with its powerful antibacterial properties

• Maintains digestive health

• Flushes toxins out of the liver

• Reduces joint and muscle pain

• Increases the metabolic rate

3. Gratitude Journaling

A bit of a fun way that you can incorporate gratitude into your daily life is to have a gratitude jar or box. You can find an empty jar or box and decorate it as you desire so that it looks pleasing to you. Once you have your gratitude container, the idea of this is to write down a gratitude statement on a piece of paper and add a new statement into the jar or box everyday. Then by the end of the week or the end of the month you can take out all of the statements and read out everything that you have been grateful for over that period. 

There has been an incredible amount of research on the healing benefits of regular gratitude practice. This can often take place in the form of gratitude journaling, where you can start your day with writing down three things you’re grateful for and why. When you allow yourself to tune into the resonance of gratitude, you will recognise more things that you are grateful for throughout your day. This attitude of gratitude shifts you away from a mentality of lack and fear, and into the vibration of love and appreciation.

4. Dream Journaling

Writing down your dreams when you wake up, is a beautiful way to boost your levels of creativity, and connect more to the messages of your unconscious mind. Writing down your dreams can also be a very therapeutic process, which can help you to process the experiences and emotions which you’ve had in your waking life which is often played out in the dream space. Research has also indicated that dream journaling helps to improve memory recall and strengthen the immune system.

5. Digital Detox

A digital detox is a complete break from technology and all media outlets. This includes checking your phone, social media, watching the news etc. Typically a digital detox may be for a prolonged period of time. However we understand that with the world that we live in, this usually isn’t possible. However it is definitely possible and attainable to have a digital detox every morning. This means waking up and not checking your phone or emails straight away. It would look something like waking up, practising a few of your nourishing morning rituals, having breakfast, having your shower and getting ready for your day. Only when you are ready and you have done everything you needed to and have established the right energy for the day, then you can consciously check your phone or emails when needs be. We would also very much recommend taking a digital detox before bedtime too so you can ease yourself into sleep without your stress response being triggered by the notifications and the blue light. 

If you want to find out more about starting a digital detox, check out our previous blog post: https://www.heartandsoulretreats.com.au/blog/digital-detox

6. Pranayama

Connecting to the power of your breath is a beautiful way to start the day, as it helps to connect you to your prana (your lifeforce energy), which can leave you feeling grounded throughout the rest of your day. Pranayama in sanskrit means to control your life force energy, which can be done through a variety of different breathing techniques which the ancient yogis have practised for thousands of years. There a number of amazing benefits associated with practising pranayama, such as:

• Decreased levels of stress

• Improved quality of sleep

• Increased levels of mindfulness

• Reduced high blood pressure

• Enhanced cognitive performance

• Improved lung capacity

• Regulates subtle energy in the body

• Helps to clear away stagnant energy and blockages

7. Yoga

A regular morning practice of yoga can help you to start your day with a positive flow of momentum. A yoga practice can help you to feel centered, calm and grounded so that you can move throughout your day within a more balanced state of mind. You are also allowing an increased level of prana (lifeforce energy) to flow within your energy field, which will help you to feel more connected to the wisdom of your Higher Self. Which will help you to respond instead of reacting to stressful situations that you may face throughout your day. Other wonderful benefits of a regular morning yoga practice includes:

• Helps to regulate your sleep rhythm and balance your hormones

• A great caffeine alternative to provide energy throughout the day

• Prevents injury and an achy body throughout the day

• A more dynamic practice will help to boost your metabolic rate

• Helps to build a healthy and consistent routine

We hope you have enjoyed these morning ritual ideas for a happy heart and soul. Let us know in the comments which rituals resonate with you best.

3 simple ways to stay in the present moment

The age of distraction

Writing in the Guardian, James Williams, a former google advertising strategist and Oxford-trained philosopher said, “I now believe the liberation of human attention may be the defining moral and political struggle of our time.”

It’s a bold and thought-provoking statement but one which, in the age of the internet, social media, fake news, false realities, and the omnipresent mobile phone, is hard to dispute. As I wrote this, I noted how other things I deemed ‘necessary’ to do before writing the first paragraph. Researching quotes, looking up scientific studies, reading other articles on the topic, searching for relevant yoga classes to recommend… I notice how many tabs I have open on my laptop (21), how many times I’ve paused to check my work messages or emails in the past hour… (way too many).

There is no doubt we live in the age of distraction. But why is it so important to try and combat the seemingly ever-increasing tussle for our attention?

Coming back to the present moment

If you practice meditation and yoga, you’re probably familiar with being urged to live in the present moment:
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” said the Buddha. “Happiness lies not in finding what is missing, but in finding what is present”, says Tara Brach. “Realise deeply the present moment is all you’ll ever have”, urges Eckhart Tolle.

One of the key ways to be present is by practising mindfulness. The simplest definition of mindfulness I’ve found is from Dipa Ma, an Indian meditation teacher and Buddhist master in Asia. She said: “Whatever you are doing, be aware of it.”

We cannot be aware of something that we’re doing (or feeling or seeing or experiencing) unless we are right there, in that moment. In essence, mindfulness could be described as the gateway to presence.

Benefits of mindfulness

There are many studies that attest to the efficacy of mindfulness but the fact is scientists still don’t have a full understanding of what actually happens in the brain when we practice it. Though the practice was founded in Buddhism around 2,600 years ago, studies on mindfulness really only began in the 1970s. In other words, we’re really at the tip of the iceberg in our understanding. Practice of mindfulness has been shown to:

• Reduce levels of anxiety and depression

• Improve focus and attention

• Reduce stress

• Decrease emotional reactivity

• Promote empathy and compassion

And though these longer-term benefits are worth pursuing the practice for, to instantly get a ‘feel’ for how you could benefit from being more present, you might ask yourself:

• How does my mind feel when I’m trying to juggle lots of things at the same time?

• What’s my general mood when I’ve spent an hour (or three) scrolling Instagram?

• What feedback is my body giving me? Have I noticed my breath at all?

Why do we avoid the present moment?

In Virginia Woolf’s novel, Orlando, the narrator wonders, “For what more terrifying revelation can there be than that it is the present moment? That we survive the shock at all is only possible because the past shelters us on one side and the future on another.”

Whilst this article is written to highlight the power of presence, I would be naive not to acknowledge how astoundingly difficult it is much of the time. Think of times when we’re at work, but dreaming of the weekend or being on holiday (holidays – remember those?!)…. Yet when we are lying on that beach or sipping those cocktails we’re worrying about the barrage of work awaiting us.

Right now at the time of writing (early 2021), you may also argue that the present moment isn’t exactly appealing some of the time. And you’d be right. Sometimes it’s just much easier to numb ourselves to the reality of the present moment.

Where life happens

According to the writer and professor of economics at the Hebrew University, Eyal Winter, ‘human psychology is evolutionarily hard-wired to live in the past and the future. Other species have instincts and reflexes to help with their survival, but human survival relies very much on learning and planning. You can’t learn without living in the past, and you can’t plan without living in the future.’

That being said, learning and planning are all very well but what about life? Does the warmth of the sun on your face, or the burst of birdsong in the trees, or soft purr of your cat as it greets you, or the crunch of the Autumn leaves under your feet teach you anything other than how delightful it is to experience them?

And does experiencing them demand anything of you other than just to BE? 

Indeed, for me, this is the most powerful reason of all. There’s a pure simplicity in being truly present, a kind of ‘leaning in’ to what life is offering us, be it ‘good’ or bad’. It’s a deep, undefended, uncomplicated trust that asks nothing of us but to pay attention. 

If you are feeling overwhelmed and out of touch with your body, here are three, really simple tips to guide you back into the here and now.

1. Close the tabs: Do one thing at a time

When life speeds up, we have a tendency to go faster too, in the (mis)belief that we’ll ‘achieve’ more if we double the number of plates we’re spinning. Even in our so-called downtime, we watch Netflix or a movie whilst having half an eye on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook feed.

In fact, what is known as ‘multitasking’ is actually more accurately ‘task-switching’ because our brains aren’t actually capable of focusing on two serious tasks at the same time.

So the next time you find yourself ‘multitasking’, try to focus on doing one thing at a time and do only that. Close the extra tabs on your laptop when you’re working on something, resist the urge to google the name of that actor in the film you’re watching. If you’re waiting in line for something, try and keep your phone in your pocket. And if are scrolling Instagram, fully give yourself over to it – scroll like you mean it! To paraphrase Thich Nhat Hanh’s verse, ‘Breathing in, I know that I am breathing in…’ Scrolling mindlessly, I know that I am scrolling mindlessly.’

2. Ask yourself: Are my mind and body in the same place?

Have you ever had the experience of driving somewhere and realised when you’ve got there you have no recollection of the route? Or you’re out with your dog and spent the whole walk ruminating about work? Even – and often – the briefest of activities such as cleaning our teeth, washing the dishes, or folding the laundry test our ability to be fully present. It’s little wonder Eckhart Tolle defined the human race as “lost in thought”! 

I’ve found the question above one of the simplest and most effective ways to bring myself back into the present moment. If the answer is “no” then you could follow it up with asking yourself, ‘what is here now?’ If we consider that it’s estimated the average person has up to 60,000 thoughts a day and 90% of those are exactly the same thoughts as the day before, then perhaps it’s fair to say our external or internal landscape is usually far richer and more interesting!

3. Take one breath

It’s not for nothing that many meditation teachers ask us to take a couple of deep breaths at the start of our sitting practice – it’s one of simplest and most instant ways to come into the present, into our bodies. Paying attention to our breath is a fundamental way to connect to ourselves because the breath is the invisible bridge between the body and the mind. As long as we’re alive, it’s readily available and our one constant. 

See if you can follow your breath for one full cycle. Pay attention from the moment the wave of breath comes into your body. Notice your belly soften and inflate, your ribs widen, your chest rise. See if you can follow its gentle journey all the way up to its apex. Notice the slight pause before the inhale turns into an exhale… what happens in that gap? ….and then follow the breath all the way back out again.

Article Author: Kirsty Tomlinson

Article Source: https://www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/practice/3-simple-ways-to-stay-in-the-present-moment

What to expect from a silent meditation retreat

You may have heard of silent retreats, a concept which can seem pretty daunting to some! Removing all stimulus, including talking, in order to meditate for the majority of the day. So, what exactly is involved and why? Meditating even 10 minutes a day can be TOUGH so what are the benefits of an intense deep dive into meditation? Read the article below which details a students first time experience.

I decided to attend a Vipassana 10-day silent meditation retreat in a moment of quiet desperation.

I was 26 and was preparing for the Bar Exam. During that time, I was studying law somewhere around 10 to 14 hours daily although I knew deep inside that I really didn’t want to become a lawyer *let’s not talk about my decision-making process, shall we?*.

As a result, panic attacks slowly started creeping up on me, without anybody noticing. I didn’t see myself practicing Law, yet had accumulated such an amount of debt that changing my field of study at this point seemed financially impossible. I felt stuck. I was under incredible levels of stress.

I was in a bad place, was having silent anxiety attacks, had a broken heart, was left with a big apartment to pay for all by myself and somehow still had to hold everything together and continue to study all day, every day. Not my best year.

Then one day I heard about this silent meditation retreat that lasted 10 days, where man and woman were separated, food was excellent and … was free.

Vipassana had entered my awareness. I knew that it was exactly what I needed. ‘‘This would solve so much of my problems’’ I thought. And so, without giving it much more thought, I decided to skip classes for 2 weeks, reassured my mom who thought I was about to join a cult and packed my bags. Vipassana was calling and I had to go.

So, what is Vipassana?

Vipassana is a word in Pali, an ancient language of India, that means to see things as they really are. Long lost to humanity, this very ancient meditation technique was rediscovered by Gautama Buddha 2 500 years ago and has been passed on from teacher to teacher ever since. The current Vipassana teacher, S.N. Goenka, was born and raised in Burma and who, after studying Vipassana for 14 years went on and taught tens of thousands of people across the world with no regards to religion, culture, age, gender. Although Goenka passed away in 2013, the Vipassana teachings continue. Indeed, today, Vipassana courses, are held at 310 locations in more than 90 countries.

Is vipassana a cult?

Rest assured tribe, contrary to what my mom and friends thought when I first told them I was going to spend 10 days meditating in total silence from dusk till dawn without any distraction nor contact with the exterior world, Vipassana is absolutely not a cult.

It’s non-sectarian as Goenka explained that, "The Buddha never taught a sectarian religion; he taught Dhamma - the way to liberation — which is universal". It’s not an intellectual nor is it a philosophical entertainment. It’s not a rest cure, a holiday, or an opportunity for socializing. And it’s certainly not an escape from the ups and downs of everyday life (as I initially thought, oups !).

Vipassana is just a meditation technique that requires dedication and hard work. You will learn to observe the sensations of your body in the present moment in order to learn how to let go of cravings and aversions to ultimately reach happiness and full liberation. By learning and applying this method, you will learn to purify your mind from old patterns which in return will allow you to face life with a calm and balanced state of mind. Simply put, Vipassana teaches you to be happy. Pretty sweet hu ?

How do you subscribe?

Typically, Vipassana centres are far enough from big cities to not be in a very noisy environment, yet close enough to be accessible.

If you are a beginner at Vipassana, meaning it is your first time, you will have no other choice than to attend the 10-day retreat. Only old student can choose to attend shorter classes because they already learned the technique.

What are the 5 precepts?

During the whole Vipassana 10-days retreat, beginners will have to observe a Code of moral conduct comprised of 5 precepts, which are :

• to abstain from killing any being ;

• to abstain from stealing ;

• to abstain from telling lies ;

• to abstain from all sexual misconduct ;

• to abstain from all intoxicants.

What is the ‘noble silence’?

All Vipassana students will have to follow the rule of ‘Noble Silence’ for the first 9 days of the retreat. The Noble Silence implies the silence of body, speech and mind. That’s right, no talking for 9 days !

You’ll see, it’s like a facelift for your throat. But just know that if you have any questions, preoccupations about technical or material stuff you can always talk to the person in charge of the centre. Same goes for any question you might have about your meditation practice, in which case you can schedule a moment to talk with the teacher.

On the 10th day, you will be allowed to talk again as a way of re-establishing the normal pattern of daily life.

The schedule

Each Vipassana centre is said to have its own schedule of courses. But in my experience, (I attended Vipassana in Canada, Switzerland and Peru) the schedule is pretty much always the same.

The day begins at the sound of a gong at 4:00 am (I know, I know. It sounds horrible, but trust me, it’s not that bad) and ends at the sound of a gong at 9:00 pm. During the day, you meditate somewhere around 11 hours, with regular breaks, lunch (the food is so delicious I still dream about it) rest periods and even time to walk outside.

Also, every day, around 7:00 pm you assist to a videotaped lecture by the Teacher S.N. Goenka. During that teaching you will get information to understand better your meditation practice.

You will also laugh as Goenka is the most adorable men ever. And after a long day of meditation, his smile will do you lots of good.

When I first read about the Vipassana schedule, I was like No way I’m doing that, it’s crazy ! But in reality, I was surprised to see that it was actually easier to wake up at 4 am than my usual waking hour. Plus, this schedule has proved workable and beneficial for hundreds of thousands of students for decades. So, I guess it must be doing something right.

How much does it cost?

Vipassana is free. Yes, free. There are no fees for the course, not even for the food (which is vegetarian and soo delicious), accommodation nor teachings.

The whole experience is based on donations from old students who believe that Vipassana has brought something valuable in their lives and who now want to help somebody else to experience it.

Whenever I attend a Vipassana retreat, I always take a little time to thank the students that have come before me for allowing me to receive this beautiful experience. Without them, there would be no Vipassana.

Should you attend a Vipassana 10-day meditation retreat?

Attending a 10-day silent meditation retreat is something I wish everybody would do. I feel like the world would be such a better place if we all knew about this technique.

For me, Vipassana turned out to be something very different from what I initially thought it would be. During my first retreat, my mind brought me to a very very dark place. And I mean very dark. And while it was a hard moment at the time, I now know that is what I needed to come to the understanding that I am not my mind. I am not my body either. I am so much more. All these tools that I have gained from this experience have helped me to go through life with more equanimity. As a result, this equanimity helped me cope with not passing the bar exam a year later, it helped me with my relationships to others and to myself, it helped me with my anxiety which doesn’t have so much power over me now, it helped me with finding my Self and my purpose. And most of all, it helped me to be happy. And for all of that and so much more, I am forever grateful. So, beautiful tribe, know this, although everybody has a different experience, Vipassana remains hard for all. But it is well worth it and I deeply wish you get to learn this beautiful technique and practice it daily.’

Article sourced from: https://www.thepathprovides.com/blog/what-is-vipassana
Article author: Modern Spirituality

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How to successfully meditate at home

Meditation is hard enough, without all the distractions a home practice can present. The article below outlines some tips and strategies to ensure you are setting yourself up for a successful meditation session.

Meditation is an effective technique that has been around for centuries. People who meditate consistently find that there are short-term and long-term benefits. For instance, soon after they start sitting, meditators begin to enjoy a decrease in stress and anxiety, enhanced well-being, and, in many cases, improved sleep and overall health. In the long term, meditators are better able to understand how the mind works and how to work with their minds.

Until recently, serious meditators generally belonged to one of two categories. They either joined a monastery or ashram and devoted their lives to practice; or they left the hustle-bustle of the worldly life behind and sought refuge in the serenity of isolated hermitages. But we can find a way to meditate within our everyday lifestyle. Nowadays, however, many people who lead active lives – work, family, school, etc. – are willing to devote time and energy to meditation because they are convinced of the benefits. Some do their daily meditation sessions in groups, but far more are now meditating at home.

What is the best way to meditate at home?

The first thing to do is choose a meditation method you can look forward to. Although constancy and discipline are necessary for practice, meditation shouldn’t feel like work. With the right method, you’ll soon be able to find the perfect balance between too rigid and too relaxed.

Here are some helpful tips:

1. Think about your motivation

Are you meditating because you want to manage stress, sleep better, or cope with chronic pain? If so, you may do well with guided meditation, relaxation meditation, or chanting. Are you looking to gain insights into the mind? This is the true goal of mindfulness and awareness meditation. Is your primary objective to develop qualities such as patience, empathy and generosity? Gratitude meditation is a good choice (if you can do a morning gratitude meditation it can benefit your whole day). Do you want to go deeper into your relationship with the divine presence? Spiritual meditation can take you there.

There are many valid forms of meditation out there. When you know why you’re interested in meditating at home, you’ll know which ones are right for you.

2. Start small and work your way up

While learning how to meditate at home, it’s important to start with small, manageable sessions. Even three minutes will make a difference. It might sound super short, but for some beginners, sitting in awareness for a few minutes feels like forever. Starting with short sessions also helps you to gain the momentum you’ll need to sustain your practice in the long run. As many meditation experts suggest, the quality of your meditation is more important than the length.

3. Pick a convenient time and comfortable spot

One of the best ways to meditate at home is to find a quiet place away from noisy distractions. Pick a time that’s convenient for you. Early morning is a perennial favourite time to meditate since this time of day is generally peaceful and there are few interruptions. You can also start your day with simple morning meditation exercises.

You’ll also need to find a comfortable position. While some meditators like sitting in the lotus position, there are other good options. You can sit on a meditation cushion, chair or even a couch, so long as you feel comfortable and you can sit up straight. Do your best to find a position where your spine is aligned. Your neck and shoulders should be relaxed, and your eyes can be half open or shut during the meditation session.

4. Try a guided meditation

Since you’re just beginning, guided meditation can add a welcome structure to your practice. Mindworks Meditation courses offers complete instructions that provide progressive guided meditations, all developed and curated by internationally-known meditation experts. Have a seat, learn and practice meditation daily, and enjoy the journey. Try Mindworks free meditation fundamentals course with everything you need to get you started.

5. Focus

Whatever form of meditation you choose, awareness of the present moment is key. When you meditate, you train in being aware of whatever object of meditation you’ve chosen. There will be distractions in the form of sounds, odors, sensations of discomfort, tension, itching, etc. In addition, there will be distractions that your mind will produce all on its own: to-do lists, things you should have done or said, things you plan to do or say, emotions, daydreams… the list is endless.

To help the mind stay focused on the here and now, one of the best ways to meditate at home is to focus on the process of breathing. Be very aware of your respiration as you inhale and exhale; use the breath as an anchor for your mind. When those distracting thoughts pop into your head, simply acknowledge their presence and go back to focusing on the breath. Alternatively, you can use physical sensations, sound, or a visual object as the focus of your meditation. Forget about “emptying the mind.” Noticing and coming back is what meditation is all about.

6. Goodness

Trungram Gyalwa, a renowned meditation master from the Himalayas, teaches that compassion is a fundamental quality that’s hard-wired in all of us. Meditation helps us control negative emotions (such as anger and envy) and uncover positive qualities such as loving kindness and compassion. Meditation gives us all the tools we need to develop the goodness that already exists within…

Article source: https://mindworks.org/blog/how-to-do-meditation-at-home/
Article author: Mindworks Team

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Meet Matt Ringrose from Bondi Meditation Centre

Bondi Meditation Centre is a stunning space in the heart of Bondi, founded by Matt Ringrose. Matt has created a place for people to come together, as a community, and either learn or deepen their meditation practice. We interviewed Matt to learn more about his story, read below!

Can you tell us a little bit about how you came to find meditation and where your passion stemmed from?

I found out about Vedic meditation through the book ‘Catching the Big Fish’ by the film director David Lynch. I devoured the book in one day 13 years ago and learned Vedic Meditation that same week.

How did the Bondi Meditation Centre come about and what amazing work do you do there?

I trained as a VM teacher almost 10 years ago and to my delight and surprise found that Bondi Meditation was available as a URL and business name! How things have changed in the last decade. The first 'Bondi Meditation Centre' was my house in Bondi but we outgrew that. So in April 2019 we moved to the current Bondi Meditation Centre - a beautiful space at the top of O'Brien St. Read more here!

How do you feel meditation has impacted your life?

Meditation dramatically improved my long term anxiety and depression, it cured my long term addictions, improved my relationships and gave me a connection to Nature and myself which I never had, or lost a long time ago. Lots more - everything really - but those are the headlines.

You teach Vedic Meditation at The Bondi Meditation Centre, what drew you to this style in particular?

It's an extremely easy and effective meditation. Anyone can learn. If you can think you can learn Vedic Meditation. And if you do it twice a day your life will be transformed for the better. Vedic meditation is accesible to anyone, whereas some other techniques are much harder to to learn.

Do you have any wise words for those who are struggling with meditation, or who have felt defeated by it in the past?

Find yourself a teacher and learn Vedic Meditation. It's as easy as falling off a log and will give you the meditation of your dreams.

Outside of meditation, what else do you enjoy doing?

Listening to house music, being a Dad and having a laugh.

Do you have a favourite book, song, movie or quote you would like to share with us?

All You Need is Love

Want to learn more about Matt and the Bondi Meditation Centre?

Read here.

Author: This is Yoga

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