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How does it feel to meditate? According to The School of Meditation, ‘meditation leads the attention beyond the gross to a subtler level of mind, where there is less activity and fewer compelling images. Beyond that, it leads to a level subtler still, where there is no experience, no thought, no imagery.’ This state can be compared to deep sleep, when one has no experience of images in the mind. At this level, awareness ‘is a condition of being at one with pure consciousness.’ (more…)

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Yoga has been helping people achieve deep physical and mental relaxation for thousands of years. It originated in India around 5,000 years ago and has been embraced by the West in recent years, where hatha yoga is mostly practiced. Hatha yoga focuses mostly on posture which involves stretching and aligning the body. It also works with the breath and may include meditation to calm the mind. The half lotus position and the sun salutation sequence are discussed below. (more…)

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If you’re heading to India and you’re keen to learn more about Buddhism or meditation, consider paying a visit to the Tushita Meditation Centre in the North. The Tushita Meditation Centre is set amongst forested hills above the Dalai Lama’s seat in exile in the town of McLeod Ganj. If you have the time there are a wealth of other things to do in the area including volunteer opportunities like teaching English. There are also various courses cookery courses, amongst others, on offer. (more…)

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When it comes to commuter travelling, there are bound to be frustrations and the possibility of delays. The best thing to do when faced with these inevitabilities is to accept the situation, rather than allow yourself to get anxious or angry. Deep breathing will help to lower your blood pressure, while reading or listening to music will help you make the most of the time. Read on for some tips to reduce the negative aspects of commuter travelling. (more…)

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Yoga is good for one’s overall health but here we discuss some specific exercises to relieve stress, fatigue and headaches. Yoga helps to free one up both physically and mentally. By doing full yoga sequences on a regular basis, a range of aches and pains can disappear. The keywords here are ‘regular practice’. Many ailments come as a result of inner conflicts or subconscious blocks. (more…)

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Meditation is suitable for anybody who is prepared to practise. The School of Meditation’s book Being Oneself caters for those who are interested in taking up the practice. It also answers newcomers’ frequently asked questions. But then, it is only through experiencing and practising meditation that real answers come. Here we look at three common questions posed to the school. How much discipline is required? Is it possible to lose one’s drive if one meditates regularly? Can meditation change one’s life? (more…)

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If you are unable to focus, you’ll find that you often have to fight off brain fatigue, besides getting lost halfway through a task. The good news is that training your brain to concentrate is completely possible. And once you are able to focus on the matter at hand, without allowing your mind to wander, you’ll start to fly through whatever you’re doing. Here are some concentration tips, but keep it in mind that it always helps to start with a healthy lifestyle. (more…)

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Young children find it easy and natural to be themselves but as time passes this ability to be at ease and spontaneous can start slipping away. ‘The most marked feature of this movement away from naturalness is the apparent disappearance of joy, of that inner happiness that characterises the small child,’ states The School for Meditation’s book, On Being Oneself. The book goes on to say that people who meditate can find their joy again without having to rely on outside circumstances. (more…)

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A new generation of yoga teachers are losing the incense and ‘namastes’ and keeping it simple. No more complicated Sanskrit names, no more ‘Om’ and no statues of many-limbed gods. Shed (simplify, heal, empower, detox) is a plain-speaking common sense form of yoga developed by an osteopath and a yoga teacher who hope more people will be attracted to the discipline minus the mysticism. (more…)

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Vipassana is a form of meditation that teaches one how to deal with reality as it is. Instead of focusing on the future or the past, as many of us are inclined to do, Vipassana practice helps one stay in the present time by focusing on the body. People who have completed a 10-day course at a Vipassana Centre are encouraged to serve on other retreats – this is an exciting yet daunting challenge for a new server. (more…)