A little space to come home to yourself
Meditation doesn’t have to mean emptying your mind, sitting perfectly still or becoming a calmer, more spiritual version of yourself.
At its simplest, meditation is an opportunity to pause.
To step out of the constant stream of doing, thinking and responding, and give your attention somewhere a little quieter.
There are many ways to meditate. What matters is finding a practice that feels accessible, sustainable and useful to you.
Why meditate?
Meditation has been studied extensively over the last few decades, and research suggests that regular practice can support several aspects of mental and physical wellbeing.
Evidence from clinical research suggests meditation and mindfulness practices can:
- reduce perceived stress and help people respond differently to stressful experiences
- reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression for some people
- support attention and the ability to return to the present moment
- improve aspects of emotional wellbeing and self-awareness
- support sleep and relaxation in some people
- help develop a greater awareness of thoughts, feelings and habitual patterns
The effects aren’t usually dramatic or instantaneous. Meditation isn’t a cure-all, and it doesn’t replace appropriate medical or psychological support when that is needed.
Think of it more like giving your nervous system regular opportunities to pause, reset and practise a different way of relating to your experience.
Even a few minutes can be a beginning.
Heart Words Meditation
Heart Words is a simple meditation practice centred around a meaningful word that becomes part of a mantra for your practice. Mantra is a Sanskrit word that means “to protect the mind”.
Rather than trying to control your thoughts, analyse your experience or achieve a particular state, you gently introduce the mantra into your awareness and allow yourself to rest with it.
The word might be something you need, something you are exploring, or simply a word that feels meaningful to you.
JOY.
SANCTUARY.
BRAVERY.
DIGNITY.
EXPANSION.
There is nothing you have to make happen.
You aren’t required to understand the word intellectually or manufacture a feeling that isn’t there.
You simply give it your attention and allow whatever arises to arise.
Sometimes there is stillness. Sometimes there are thoughts, emotions, memories, sensations or absolutely nothing very interesting at all.
That’s all part of the practice.
From doing to being
Much of modern life asks us to solve, improve, achieve and respond.
Meditation offers a different possibility.
For a few moments, there is nowhere else to get to.
You can sit, lie down or find another position that works for your body. You can close your eyes or keep them gently open. You can practise for a few minutes or longer.
The invitation is simply to pause, listen and notice what happens when you stop trying to make your experience into something else.
Heart Words Meditation is less about getting meditation right and more about creating a relationship with yourself that is quiet enough to hear.
You don’t have to be good at meditation
A busy mind isn’t a failed meditation.
Getting distracted isn’t a failed meditation.
Feeling restless, emotional, bored or sleepy isn’t a failed meditation.
The moment you notice that you’ve wandered and gently return to the practice is the practice.
There is no special kind of person who meditates.
You don’t need to be spiritual, flexible, peaceful or experienced.
You just need a few moments and a willingness to pause.
Come and explore
Through the Silence Revolution and Silence Café, I offer different ways to experience stillness and connection, to get you comfortable in the Silence through meditation and heart words practice.
You are guided into the practice and eventually with practice , your meditation becomes self led.
Whether your mind is calm, chaotic, indecisive or an idea generating machine, you can learn to meditate.
Come as you are.
