What is Meditation?
Most people think of meditation as calm tranquillity and entering into a state of bliss. But that is not the experience for most of us. As soon as we relax and close our eyes, thoughts come crashing in.
Meditation is a learned skill which allows us to deal with our noisy minds and reset them each day.
Mindfulness is applying that same skill to the hustle and bustle of our daily lives.
Once learned, meditation can be practiced on our own, but it is much easier when we have a guide (or are guiding others). We also need the support of others to maintain a regular practice.
For this reason, I lead two meditation sessions each week, on a Tuesday and Thursday morning. They last for 25 minutes with time to relax before and after the session.
Meditation Small Group
I currently hold a regular sitting group on a Thursday morning for 25 minutes of guided meditation with time to relax before and after the session. As from September, once the current Zenways course has finished, I will return to holding these sessions on both Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Sessions can either be booked individually or on a block basis through the Book Online page. If you would like to try a free session, please by emailing me through the Contact page.
Zenways 8 Week Mindfulness & Meditation Course
I am currently running a comprehensive course on Zen Meditation & Mindfulness for Health & Wellbeing designed by Julian Daizan Skinner, the first Englishman to become a Zen master in the Rinzai tradition after 20 years of study in Japan. It is the course which I wish had been available to me 30 years ago. It draws on both Zen meditation techniques and modern Western interpreters of the tradition such as Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn who use these techniques widely in a therapeutic setting. If you are interested in joining a future course, please get in touch by emailing me through the Contact page.
Online and Individual Sessions
If you want to explore meditation at your own pace either on a 1-2-1 basis or with a group of friends, please email me through the Contact page to set up a bespoke arrangement.
How to prepare for a Meditation Session
It is important to feel comfortable and warm, so I suggest you wear loose clothing and also bring a shawl or jumper in case you feel cold.
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There are many ways of sitting, and generally I sit on a chair or use a kneeling bench. Chairs will be provided, but if meditators prefer to sit on a cushion or kneeling bench, they are welcome to bring these and a meditation mat with them to each session.
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Most of us were never shown how to adopt a good meditation posture either on a chair or on the floor, and I will demonstrate this as part of our session.
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If you have specific requirements, please let me know in advance of the session.