Why Meditate?
Life is full of distractions - our ability to focus and be present seems to be more and more elusive. This is why the modern mindfulness movement has become so enticing. But being mindful is not easy when we’re constantly bombarded by ever increasing to do lists; noise; screens.
The general cacophony of life - even if we’re having a whale of a time - ends up somehow taking us away from ourselves. We start to wonder what next, is this all there is? Which is where the subtler, deeper benefits of becoming a meditator come in. It becomes a route to self reflection, self discovery, self growth and the ability to experience life from a new perspective.
What are the benefits? It relieves stress at a physiological level to bring about a deeply relaxing, restorative state which allows our nervous systems to recover from and become more resilient to the constant strain and pressure of modern life. By balancing our nervous system, meditation allows us to unwind more easily, sleep well, and digestion improves. When you have an effective technique, you can practice daily and bring it out to everyday life, helping you to savour life, change habits, live simply and slowly, improve relationships, reduce conflict, be present in everything you do. Meditation has been shown to have mental benefits, such as improved focus, happiness, memory, self-control and academic performance. It has also been indicated that it may have other health benefits, including improved metabolism, heart rate, respiration, and to improve high blood pressure.
But the best benefits of meditation are hard to define — you begin to understand yourself better, for example, and form a self awareness level you’ve never had before. Most simply, sitting for just a few minutes of meditation is an oasis of calm and relaxation that we rarely find in our lives these days. And that, in itself, is enough.
“Meditation practice isn’t about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better. It’s about befriending who we are already.”
— Pema Chödrön
FAQs
Do I need to have meditated before to do the Vedic meditation course?
In a word, no! Anyone can sign up - it is a simple, effortless technique suitable for all - meditators and non-meditators. We’ve taught Vedic meditation to many hundreds of people of all ages, all walks of life. Some come with years of experience and find this technique brings a profound shift, for others, it’s their first taste of meditation. Once you have your sound/mantra and the basic technique taught during the course, you have all you need to be a self-sufficient meditator. You also have two 30 minute follow-up sessions via phone in the first few months after the course. The process unfolds from there, so we offer ongoing support via our online group meditations, and by email whenever you have questions.
How often do I need to practice?
We recommend 20 minutes twice a day to receive the full, wider benefits of your practice. That’s the guideline, and especially in the beginning, it’s worth dedicating the time to it to bed the practice in. We support you in finding practical ways to fit this into daily life during and after the course. However, that’s not to say we’ve somehow ‘failed’ if we don’t stick to this rigidly. Every minute of meditation counts towards building our practice, and once we begin to experience the benefits as the process unfolds, the more it delivers and becomes part of our life.
How long does it take to feel the benefits?
While we'd never claim meditation is a 'quick fix' for anything, one of the most wonderful things about this technique is that just about everyone feels deep relaxation and a release of stress immediately. For many, this release is something profound we haven’t felt in a long time. It’s also the first sign of a re-balancing process taking place in the nervous system which is the pathway to further transformation on many levels. Regular meditators report that time spent in meditation becomes very precious - an unmissable part of daily self-care and more subtly, self-growth.
What if I can’t sit still?
Not a problem. This technique doesn’t require you to sit like a statue or sit crossed legged on the floor. We advise to sit easily with the back supported as initially, the important thing is to be sitting comfortably, not to resist the urge to adjust your seat. Meditation is a process. The more you meditate, the more you find you want to sit still - the body and mind fall into a natural state of stillness. There is no need to push or force.