What is meditation?

What is meditation?

Mention the word meditation and what springs to mind?

Quite probably an image of someone sat like I am in the picture.

Perhaps even someone in full lotus posture, with their hands held in some kind of mudra - thumb and finger touching.

You most likely have the sound of them chanting aum running through your mind right now.

Oh, if I had £1 for everytime someone has done that after I've told them I'm a yoga, relaxation and meditation teacher.

However, if that's what you're looking for, then I'm not the teacher for you.

We sit in chairs, we don't chant, light candles or burn incense.

I like to keep it REAL - that's an acronym you're likely to see a lot in coming months.

Real meditation for real people with real 21st century lives.

Yes, I could teach you how to get flexible and sit in lotus - join any of my physical yoga classes.

However, I believe in making the benefits of meditation accessible for everyone. Even my knees and hips resist long periods sat cross legged and I've been practising physical yoga for over 30 years.

As for chanting, we don't chant aum or even om. Unless we are doing a specific mantra class.

Let's face it, chanting can be a bit intimidating, especially if you only just met the people you are sat with.

Heck, I would not feel comfortable chanting in front of my husband and I have known him over 25 years.

We do sit with an upright spine, not on the floor, we use a chair.

No mudras (hand gestures/positions) other than palms facing up on our thighs.

No candle gazing, we close the eyes and lift the gaze to the centre of the eyebrows - the spiritual eye (more on that in another post sometime).

Spiritual ❓

😲 oh, I went there.

Did you think meditation was just about the mind?

Is it religion?

No, but I will mention God

Now this is where I often lose people.

To be honest thirty odd years ago when I first looked into meditation, the idea of God had me running away.

Or going round in circles trying to work out how it all fit together with the world I saw around me.

Back in the 80's I would probably have described myself as an atheist.

Now I realise I was simply confused about what religion is, what spirituality means and just how much mankind had messed with the whole thing.

In recent years I have discovered some wonderful teachers in the lineage of Paramahansa Yogananda.

You may have heard of him and his famous book Autobiography of a Yogi.

Not sure if it is actually true, but, I was told that it was the only book that Steve Jobs had on his iPad and that he re read it every year.

Through these teachings I have discovered the language that helps me explain to others what I have always known inside.

Now, I understand Christianity without the churchianity.

I know where I fit in the great cosmic universe.

I understand that my soul is simply on it's way home to God and for now it is caught up in this physical, material body, tied up with my ego.

I know that most of the time I forget who I truly am as I engage too much in the physical world and not in the bliss of Spirit - lots more to come about that bliss.

For now I'll use the words of Paramahansa Yogananda

"It is time you remember who you are: the blessed soul, a reflection of Spirit"

I don't do religion, there is no dogma here.

I will use the word God, feel free to replace it with a word that resonates for you - see the blog Who or What is God?

What/Who is GOD?
Well, if ever there was a word that produces an immediate emotional reaction in any of my classes, this would be it GOD A word that is used over and over in everyday life. If you do not see/hear one OMG per day, did you even engage in the

I will refer to Jesus and the teachings most commonly shared in churches with reflections from the many bible studies I have completed over the years.

I will teach you how to rest from the world, relax your body and mind and help your soul remember.

There are two Bible verses that have been consistent throughout my life and spiritual search

I love and prefer the Passion Translation of this well known verse

"Surrender your anxiety.
Be still and realize that I am God."

Two sentences, that for me are what life is all about.

Get still - rest from the world

Surrender your anxiety - relax your body and mind

This will help you to realize who you are and who God is

It's not so easy though is it?

That's where the second Bible verse comes in...

"Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden?
Come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis.
Simply join your life with mine.
Learn my ways and you'll discover that I'm gentle, humble, easy to please.
You will find refreshment and rest in me.
For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear."

For me, that is what meditation is - rest, refreshment, an oasis in this crazy material world that I have to live in.

So, I offer to teach REAL meditation that fits into our real lives.

A spiritual journey that weaves through our everyday real life responsibilities of home, work, family and friendships.

Sure, I would love to live in the woods in a totally committed spiritual, self realization seeking community.

However, that would be an escape, and not my reality. It would mean leaving my husband and my kids - something tells me they are a big part of this journey.

Are you ready to join me❓

Intrigued to learn more❓

You can simply keep reading the blogs as and when I get round to uploading them.

Or you could join the soul conversation.

For a small monthly fee you can comment and question.

Or if you really want to jump in you can join any of my classes - in person or online.

Classes are offered in real time as we learn, walk and grow together. I'm not offering a pre recorded course.

There will be access to recordings if you have to miss a session.

AND access to videos and teachings that could be used as reference.

BUT I'm looking to create a community of souls to walk alongside, whether that's dropping in for one session out of curiosity or staying to walk alongside us for a few sessions, months or even years.

A community of fellow souls having a conversation as we walk along our own personal spiritual paths.

Dip in online, sit with us, walk with us. Ask those questions, share your thoughts, comments and observations.

We are all going in the same direction, eventually.

I'm looking forward to sharing meditation with you as the vehicle I love to use to try and get there.