Meditation
Current classes
NEW! Thursday Evening Class
The Maltings GP Surgery, Amwell End, Ware. Starting Thursday 9th September 2010, 7.00pm - 7.30pm. £4. Everyone welcome (you don't have to be a patient at the surgery). Bring your stressed partner, friends or stroppy teenager along! Call or email for more details or to make a booking. Places are limited so please secure yours asap.
Tuesday Evening Class
Tuesday 8.30-9.15pm Aware Yoga, Ware, Herts, SG12 9EN. £5 per class or £20 for 4 weeks & £35 for an 8 week course. It's great to commit to either 4 or 8 weeks of classes to give your practice a really good start. Do arrive around 8.20pm as we tend to start on time and it takes a few minutes to get comfortable and settled.
Private sessions available in Central and North London in the comfort of your own home.
Private sessions available in Ware, Herts and surrounding villages in the comfort of your own home, or our private studio in Ware.
Private sessions cost £35 for one 45 minute class, or £120 for a course of 4 weekly sessions.
We also work in all office environments including:
- Addiction Rehabilitation Services (adults and youths)
- Prison or Reform Groups
- Corporate Companies
- Health Sector
- Public and Private Sector
- Schools
- Universities
Testimonials
"Before I started meditation sessions with Jo I would find myself easily stressed, very anxious and generally never fully relaxed. From the very first class I felt the results! Every Monday evening Jo's half hour sessions set me up for the week. I felt calmer, relaxed and more focused. I even lost those tired fatigue spells which I usually experienced mid week. Jo's approach is great -she is a lovely soul, very personable and will work to your pace. Her influence in itself is so calming and she exudes an amazing aura! I would recommend her meditation to anyone." Raina, Wood Green.
"I have attended Jo's yoga and meditation classes and have always found her to be clear and sensitive to each person's needs. I have no hesitation in recommending her." Tony, Muswell Hill.
The Benefits of Meditation (sometimes known as Mindfulness)
Meditation makes you happy, and happiness is our ultimate goal. We find peace within ourselves and find it easier to cope with all that life throws at us! Our relationships become enriched, we experience more gratitude, and life just becomes more enjoyable!
The facts:
Neuroscientists have found that meditators shift their brain activity to different areas of the cortex - brain waves in the stress-prone right frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. This mental shift decreases the negative effects of stress, mild depression, anxiety, and fear.
Over the past 40 years, dozens of universities in the USA, Europe and India have conducted hundreds of studies on the effects of meditation on human physiology and behaviour. The research results point to meditation as producing benefits on many levels of life simultaneously – body, emotions, mental functioning, and relationships.
Here is a summary of research findings from the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine at Harvard Medical School:
- Greater Orderliness of Brain Functioning
- Improved Ability to Focus
- Increased Creativity
- Deeper Level of Relaxation
- Improved Perception and Memory
- Development of Intelligence
- Natural Change in Breathing
- Decrease in Stress Hormone
- Lower Blood Pressure
- Reversal of Aging Process
- Reduced Need for Medical Care, and Reduction in Chronic Pain
- Reduction in Cholesterol
- Increased Self-Esteem
- Decreased Cigarette, Alcohol, and Drug Abuse
- Increased Productivity and Improved Relations at Work
- Improved Health and More Positive Health Habits
- Higher conception rate in infertile women
- Reduction in PMS, both physical and psychological symptoms
- Vastly improved sleep patterns in insomnia patients
- Increased levels of self-esteem, grade score and cooperation in school students, and decreased absences.
Frequently asked Questions and Answers
1. How Can I Find the Time to Meditate?
The great thing about meditation is that it doesn’t really take all that much time. As soon as you pick up the basics, you can begin by practicing for five or ten minutes each day. Whatever time slot works best for you, the most important thing is to meditate regularly — every day if possible.
2. I Can’t Sit on the Floor and Cross My Legs — Can I Meditate Lying Down or Sitting in a Chair Instead?
Yes, absolutely. In fact, traditional meditation postures include sitting, standing, walking, lying down, and even moving. Basically, any position that you can comfortably sustain is appropriate for meditation. Of course, lying down has its downside (so to speak): You’re more likely to fall asleep!
3. What Should I Do about the Restlessness I Feel When I Try to Meditate?
Everyone experiences agitation or discomfort in his or her meditation from time to time — or even often.
When you stop your busy life for a few minutes and sit quietly, you may suddenly notice all the nervous energy and frenzied thinking that have been stressing you out all along. Though this process may not be an easy one, it has broad implications because it teaches you the resilience and peace of mind to accept unavoidable difficulties in every area of your life.
4. What Should I Do if I Keep Falling Asleep while I Meditate?
Sleepiness is a common roadblock on the journey of meditation. You can try opening your eyes wide and sitting up as straight as possible to rouse your energy
5. How Can I Tell if I’m Meditating the Right Way?
If you feel happier in yourself then your meditation practice is working. We don’t practice meditation to just be good at meditation –we practice because it has a positive effect on everything that we do, say and think.
I hope this information has been helpful. Once you have established a daily home practice you will feel less stressed and more at home in your own body and mind. Start with just 5 minutes per day! Inner happiness and peace of mind are what all of us strive for, and through meditation we move much closer to realising our dreams. Attending a class is highly beneficial to receiving tips and new techniques that you can take-away and practice at home.
Good luck, be happy and stress-free!