What is Meditation?

The practise of meditation is an excellent way we can all improve our health and well being.

Meditation is medically proven to reduce stress and stress related disorders like high blood pressure, insomnia and heart disease. Tests have shown that regular meditator’s shift their brain activity to different areas. Brain waves in the stress prone frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. This mental shift decreases the negative effects of stress, mild depression and anxiety.

Meditation should not be confused with relaxation techniques. Relaxation methods such as listening to relaxing music and guided stories are benefical and pleasant but not true meditation.

In meditation we are looking to calm our minds and allow space so we can live our lives in a mindful and compassionate way which in turn frees us from the pain and suffering of our constant negative thoughts and emotions.

Beginners to meditation should not be daunted by the idea that to meditate means to empty the mind of all thoughts. This is just not possible. Think of the mind as being like the sea, a sea without waves simply does not exist. Sometimes the waves are high and rough and sometimes the waves are so gentle that the sea appears calm and flat. So too are the thoughts and emotions within our minds.

On our workshops we teach a mediation technique of compassion which along with our teachings looking into the nature of our minds will help beginners to meditation establish a regular practise.

We teach meditation on our one day workshops, our two day “freedom of compassion workshops” and on our residential retreats in Glastonbury, Somerset.