“meditation and
intuition are the two most valuable executive tools for the 21st
century”
Harvard Business School
Meditation is an amazingly effective life skill .. one that empowers us to self manage our health (mind and body) and develop a greater sense of well-being and awareness.
Before starting Quiet Mind Meditation in 2009, I spent more than fifteen years in the world of corporate recruitment .. an industry that is highly competitive, always 'on' and frustratingly stressful! What supported me throughout my career .. was my 20-year+ meditation practice. A practice that gave me the tools to manage my stress not only throughout the day at work, but also at home and with handling family relationships, responsibilities and demands. Meditation allowed me to hold still and calm while chaos often ran amok around me.
Why meditation at work?
A national poll commissioned by Lifeline Australia found that 91% of adult Australians felt stress in at least one important area of their lives .. and more alarmingly 41% of Australians indicated they were currently experiencing unhealthy levels of stress. Add to this, that medical research estimates as much of 80% of illness and disease are stress related or stress exacerbated.
A regular meditation practice teaches us how to recognise and release stress and has been shown to:
Before starting Quiet Mind Meditation in 2009, I spent more than fifteen years in the world of corporate recruitment .. an industry that is highly competitive, always 'on' and frustratingly stressful! What supported me throughout my career .. was my 20-year+ meditation practice. A practice that gave me the tools to manage my stress not only throughout the day at work, but also at home and with handling family relationships, responsibilities and demands. Meditation allowed me to hold still and calm while chaos often ran amok around me.
Why meditation at work?
A national poll commissioned by Lifeline Australia found that 91% of adult Australians felt stress in at least one important area of their lives .. and more alarmingly 41% of Australians indicated they were currently experiencing unhealthy levels of stress. Add to this, that medical research estimates as much of 80% of illness and disease are stress related or stress exacerbated.
A regular meditation practice teaches us how to recognise and release stress and has been shown to:
· Empower us to self manage our health
· Reduce stress
· Gain greater calmness & ease
· Build collaboration and understanding
· Address lost productivity
· Reduce sick leave and non-engagement
· Develop a greater sense of well-being
· Magnify awareness and concentration
· Raise energy levels
· Clear the mind of excessive noise
· Enhance decision-making & creativity
Is it any wonder that some of the most creative, innovative and inspiring global organisations have embraced meditation instruction for their teams .. think Microsoft, Google, Boeing.
We would be delighted to discuss how we might introduce the benefits of meditation to your organisation and team. We can then tailor a program to match your goals and budget .. from a one hour workshop to a six or eight week course.
* 60 or 90 min Taste of Meditation
* 3 Hour Let's Meditate
* 6 or 8 week Introduction to Meditation
* Corporate Retreat or Conference session
* Individual private meditation instruction
How can Quiet Mind @ Work benefit my workplace?
Meditation has been practiced across the globe for thousands of years .. because it works. Science shows us that meditation reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, and everyone wants to lower their stress levels. Whatever business your organisation is in, a happy and more engaged team will also be a more focused and motivated team .. making for a positive and creative workplace. Modern research continues to support some of the amazing physical and mental benefits including:
• Lowers blood pressure and heart rate – meaning it’s highly effective as an anti-stress therapy and has zero side affects
• Improves our immune system – less colds and flu would be a great start, with indications that there is also a significant likelihood of assisting with more challenging conditions
• Improves our neural coordination and over time long-term meditators have been able to change the neuroplasticity of their brains – we can become more efficient thinkers and happier people as well
• Boosts production of DHEA the only known hormone that decreases directly with age .. so dare we suggest there is the possibility of slowing the ageing process?
• Heightens activity in the left prefrontal cortex of the brain, the area associated with relaxation and happiness
• Improves our concentration and our ability to focus effectively. Meditation activates brain waves associated with the state of consciousness in which higher level thinking and insight occurs
• Shown to improve Emotional Intelligence as meditators are more in-tune with their emotions and how to regulate their emotions
• Can build greater collaboration and understanding within the team, supporting and strengthening internal relationships.
But we are so busy!
Meditation has been shown to rest and refresh the mind; combating fatigue and providing us with a renewed sense of well-being, improved levels of concentration and capacity for heightened creativity (which might just be what is needed for that current project problem you have!).
Our goal is to ensure that all participants have an opportunity to understand what meditation is and experience some of the amazing benefits found in a regular meditation practice. Participants will also take home some immediate meditative exercises that are excellent circuit-breakers for those times during the day when stress is starting to build.
What type of meditation?
We focus on practical, straightforward and simple-to-learn practices .. avoiding the 'mumbo-jumbo', incense and floaty music. Participants often comment that they notice an immediate sense of ease after most practices, although some of the greater health benefits will require more commitment and regular practice.
We highly value the immediate stress relief found in short meditative exercises which are often based on the breath, working with the bodies natural ability to relax by extending the exhalation and making the inhalation more efficient. Fatigue and anxiety in the workplace is often exacerbated by inefficient breathing .. learning to notice your breath and rest with your breath can instantly make you feel better. There are potentially thousands (if not millions) of meditation techniques being practiced across the globe. We focus on the tried and tested practices .. steeped in the meditative traditions with a nod to current studies and research; including Breath Awareness, Mindfulness Practices, Mantra and Movement Meditation. We want you to enjoy your practice and recent research supports the belief that finding the right meditation practice 'for you' is paramount to your continued practice of meditation.
What is needed from you?
If you have a boardroom or meeting room where we are less likely to be interrupted, then this would be idea. We will arrive a short time before the scheduled class to make any adjustments to furniture, we just need some chairs or you can encourage people to bring cushions if they prefer to sit on the floor. No special dress requirements although we will encourage staff to remove their shoes.
*If you are unable to access suitable space then let us know and we may be able to source an external space (although this is likely to incur an additional fee for room hire).
What is the cost?
For most of our group programs the charge per employee is usually around $10-$15 depending on number of participants, timeframe and location. Often an organisation will fund our program through their Wellness Initiative; sometimes they will offer to subsidise employee contributions; and then there are times when a group of friends or colleagues gather 10-15 people and share the cost. Sometimes, after the initial wellness program offered by the company, a team continues with a weekly practice that can be self funded.
There are many options and we would be happy to talk with you about meditation and how we might share this life skill with your organisation. Please call Sarah directly on 0417 403 714 or email sarah@quietmind.com.au.
