Yoga Nidra in the Gardens

What a simply gorgeous day of meditation we had today!

The Evolve Yoga and Wellness Festival provided a full day of delicious asana, pranayama and meditation set amongst the gardens, the sunshine, and magestic beauty of Abbotsford Convent.

I have it on pretty good sources (but it's not official) that there were 1000 tickets sold for the event .. which is brilliant .. and surely reflects the passion of Melbournians (and those who travelled further of course) towards the practices of yoga and meditation, and the chance to spend time with the 'tribe'.

I had planned to spend the entire day in the Peace Room ... attending a selection of half hour meditation workshops with a short break in between to stretch the legs and get some sunshine. There was definitely more interest than there was room however so I missed a couple of workshops .. but the one's I did attend were great (more tomorrow on those) and the bonus was the opportunity to catch up with a few friends, and enjoy some time with a girlfriend in the Bakery listening to some amazing jazz musicians and a lively crowd obviously enjoying a family day and some autumn sun.

One class I was really keen to attend was the Yoga Nidra (guided meditation) session after lunch .. but the crowds were so long (and the room way too small for the interest shown) so that I ended up taking some time to explore some of the courtyards around the convent (this is a photo of one we saw, setting up for a wedding tonight). My girlfriend and I wondered aloud why the organisers hadn't arranged for the Nidra class to be conducted outside .. since we were blessed with such wonderful weather, just the hint of a breeze, and a broad expanse of lush green grass area all to ourselves.

Then before we knew it someone had made an impromptu arrangement .. and Stephan Kahlert from Byron Yoga Centre was called away from his cappaccino to share the delights of Yoga Nidra with the large group who had missed getting into the inside event. How lucky were we!!! We had the sublime experience of meditation outside with nature and air and earth all around us .. the sun warm and relaxing, the grass soft and cool. A wonderful journey inward (with a side trip to a temple high in the snow covered mountains) was the most perfect way to end the day.

You just never know when the magical moments are going to meet you on the path .. and today's impromptu meditation on the grass in the sunshine was one of those very special 'in the moment' events. Thank you Stephan it was lovely to meet you and we all appreciated your wonderful meditation session.

Congratulations Byron Yoga Centre for a wonderful event. I hear it is scheduled again for next year!

Tomorrow .. a day of meditation

TOMORROW MARCH 27th

Abbotsford Convent Melbourne

Evolve Yoga & Wellness Festival

Peace Room offers a full day of Meditation and Pranayama

will I see you there?


Click here to view the full Evolve Program

Everyday Meditation with Sarah McLean (Melbourne)

Tuesday April 5

6:30 - 8.30pm

Everyday Meditation Class

at the Langham Hotel, Melbourne

Instruction for beginners with Sarah McLean

Only $25

Sarah McLean is the Founder of the Sedona Meditation Training Company and she will be in Melbourne next month for a very special Everyday Meditation Workshop at the Langham Hotel.

I have been an avid reader of Sarah’s newletter Inward Bound for a number of years, and some time ago I made contact with Sarah seeking permission to reprint one of her articles World Peace via Inner Peace ... this article really resonated with me and I was delighted to make a new friend across the other side of the world!

Along with a 20-year daily meditation practice, Sarah has also served as the founding education director of Deepak Chopra’s Center for Wellbeing, as director of Byron Katie’s international School for The Work, and assistant to Seat of the Soul author, Gary Zukav. Sarah has been teaching meditation and mind/body health programs since the early 90’s and her passion is demystifying meditation and making it accessible to everyone.

This is wonderful opportunity to meet Sarah and learn more about Primordial Sound Meditation a technique that includes breath awareness and silent mantra. You'll discover how easy it is to use this technique, one so effective and universal that you can use if for the rest of your life. There are no prerequisits for this class.

I will definitely be there ... JOIN US!

Read more about Everyday Meditation here

Book Online through Pay Pal or email me to register

Metta and Dana for Japan

Japan you are in our thoughts.

Quiet Mind Meditation has been wondering how to help .. when mother nature tests us and we feel helpless in the wake of her power.

Dana is a Pali word that can be translated as generosity or giving. In Buddhism, it is also the practice of cultivating generosity. For all future class we shall donate 5% of our class fee to a country, community group or friend in need. For our April/May 2011 classes this donation will find its way somehow to the people of Japan.

And in our meditation practice we offer metta ..

May you be safe
May you be healthy and at ease
May you be peaceful … and with those you love

The Muse Awakens!

Welcome the year of the Metal Rabbit! And one of the key phrases representing this years is ... 'the muse awakens!'

So last week when I was offered the wonderful opportunity to attend a Vision Board Workshop at The Colour Lab Store and Cafe in Prahran ~ I knew the muse was calling!

Vision Boards are a creative exercise in discovering what your dreams are for life ahead .. you could make up a monthly vision board, or a yearly or even a special project or focussed board.

In our Workshop with Melody we first explored what our life dreams might be (that is a magnificent treat in itself .. just having some time to wander, dream and expand!) ~ and Melody then led us through a guided visualisation meditation where we were free to explore our 'dream life' and center and balance ourselves. Creativity and insight are two qualities that we find in more abundance when we have a regular meditation practice. Cultivating a clear and more spacious mind allows our intuition to shine, and suddenly all sorts of random information fit together to produce a new reality, the answer to a question .. or the best possible business idea ever!

We then dived into mountains of fabulous magazines to find images and/or words that captivated, inspired, aligned and resonated with us for whatever reason. I cut with abandon .. masses of pictures that simply captured my heart (or my head), stunned me with colour, or held words that caught me in the moment. Then, as the afternoon progressed we began to place our images on our large board in line with the Feng Shui 'Bagua' (or system of placement).

My Vision Board now sits near my work desk and each morning I spend some time just gazing .. reflecting .. seeing which images capture me and why .. and reconnecting with my own journey for the day.



If you are interested in doing a Vision Board Workshop then I would recommend you check out The Colour Lab Store and Cafe at 385 High Street Prahran or check out their blog at www.thecolourlabstoreandcafe.blogspot.com

Bring on the muse!

Focus On : Jacqui from EmPowerMe Interventions

It is truly wonderful to meet a member of 'the tribe' .. someone looking in the same direction, walking a similar path, sharing wisdoms and experiences, helping others to be the best they can be. A girlfriend suggested that I meet up with Jacqui and check out her EmPowerMe Interventions clinic which has a number of treatment rooms and lovely upstairs workshop space in Black Rock. Jacqui is committed and passionate in helping others find the best way to support and honour their mind body spirit. When I found out that Jacqui is also a meditator, I knew I had to ask her to share a little of her meditation journey with us ... thank you Jacqui and please check out EmPowerMe Interventions.

Meet : Jacqui Christie whose special interest is 'empowering people'
Email: empowerme58@gmail.com
Website : www.empower-me.com.au

EmPowerMe Interventions is a clinic that offers psychological and complementary therapies. It is a place that individuals, families and children can come to be taken care of in a wholistic way tending to your mind body and spirit. We offer reiki, hypnotherapy for weight loss smoking, naturopathy, homeopathy, traditional chinese medicine, life coaching, psychotherapy, psycho-legal information and support, counselling and assessment. All of our practitioners and psychologists are highly trained and skilled in their particular fields and all have their own specializations.

Tell us about your special interest : My main interest is and always has been people. People and how they behave are fascinating to me in that we are so complex and multi layered. An interest that is dear to my heart is empowering people to do whatever it is they want to do, or feel they need to do in their life. I do this through a variety of different methods. For many years I have worked in the field of family violence assisting men and women to live fear free lives. Initially I worked with men individually and in facilitating groups around their behaviour change and assisting them to understand about the man they want to become. I then moved into working with women around assertiveness whilst also enabling them to begin to live the life they want to live. One of the areas I tend to focus on with people is how to be free from fear.

How long have you been practicing, or working in this area? Approximately 15 years

How did you ‘find’ meditation, and how long have you been practicing meditation? I found meditation at a time when I needed it desperately. In fact it was my teenage son who encouraged me to join a guided meditation group. I have to admit I was highly resistant to this idea partly because of my profession ( not scientific enough!!! ) and I believed I did not need anything like meditation I mean what was it anyway ...... and how would it help me. Ye of little faith I hear you say........ so glad my son was sooooo insistent....... yes that’s right I went along and met some beautiful women who were running the group and that was the beginning.... I have to say it took me a while to go, and then to go back......again and again.... I needed a bit of a rework I think, physically as well as mentally which is of course is what happened........

After many meditations including bizarre experiences, releasing pain during and after meditation with energy balance massages (wonderful thing they are too). I think I was fairly well reworked and re-energized and well and truly “into” meditation.. Our little group has long since disbanded but I am eternally grateful to Mary and Angela the two women who ran the group for introducing me to meditation and its healing powers as well as introducing me back to my heritage that there are many different paths to healing.

Do you have a regular practice? My practice is regular of what I would call mini meditations and it is every evening before sleep

Why meditate? I meditate to calm my mind calm my body and reconnect the two.

Do you have a particular technique(s) that you have found most suitable for you? The most suitable technique for me as well as the simplest is to use diaphragmatic breathing combined with a mantra I have used for a few years now to” invoke the light”

AM or PM? .. Chair, cushion, stool? Generally every evening lying down before sleep however lately it has been whenever I feel the need to meditate which has been am and pm and in the middle too.

Have you attended a meditation retreat? Yes I have attended a weekend womens retreat at Brahma Kumaris in Baxter.

Any favourite books/CDs/Resources that you might share with others? One of my all time favourite books is “The little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exuperys. This book was suggested to me when i was in my 20’s.... dont be fooled by its title or appearance as I was and nearly didnt read it.... It is an amazing, moving and beautiful experience to read. A fantastic CD and resource is Meditation with Angels by Martine Salerno. No 4 the violet flame was an inspiration and incredibly healing meditation for me when I was in dire need of something more powerful and spiritual than what was around me at the time.

Any thoughts you might share with those who are new to meditation? I would say to anyone who is new to meditation..... if after you have tried meditation and you believed “it didnt work” try, try, try again. .. as with everything worthwhile it takes time and practice. Remember there is no perfect way to meditate only your way to meditate. Oh yes dont worry if aches and pains seem to come out of knowhere.....this is the body attempting to release some of the emotional content that you have been carrying and you need to release it

Something random about you? Hmmm random let me think i like spiders and bugs and all things nature.....

my practice isn't working

From one of my favourite bloggers .. finely targeted, heartwarming and wise words that pop into my inbox most days and inspire me to keep breathing and practicing! Thanks you Karen Maezen Miller - find her here

my practice isn’t working

If my practice doesn’t make me more tolerant, humble,
and generous,
my practice isn’t working.
If my practice doesn’t make me more respectful, loving, and
sympathetic,
my practice isn’t working.
If I can’t forgive and forget
begin again
stop, drop
turn around
wake up
say hello say goodbye
be kind be quiet be still
listen laugh
cry it out
give it time
sit down stand up
get over myself
smile
admit I don’t know
then my practice isn’t working.
If I’m not less cynical, less critical, less arrogant, less mean
then my practice isn’t working.
If my practice doesn’t fill me with wonder, gratitude,
fearlessness, faith and trembling doubt
my practice doesn’t work.

Does my practice work?
Only when I practice.
Let’s do it. Soon.