After dinner at a restaurant, our friend Chris* leaned towards me and said, 'You're the expert in breathing - can you help me?' The comment surprised me. I rarely talk to friends about meditation because it usually isn't on their radar of self-help. Also, I prefer not to be seen as a crusader...
A month may have passed but I still have an impressive burn mark on my arm - it happened as I was taking a cake out of the oven and the bottom of the tin slipped out on an angle. Was I in the moment when it happened? Probably not. I was in a hurry and...
When Maria (not her real name) asked me to guide her through some meditation practices that would help her cope with her breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment, she connected easily with the concepts. She practised the new meditations several times daily and these helped her in the lead-up to surgery, during the chemotherapy treatment that...
"When you live your life with an appreciation of coincidences and their meanings, you connect with the underlying field of infinite possibilities. This is when the magic begins." - DEEPAK CHOPRA...
At the end of a six-week meditation course, two women remarked that they hadn't been to their physiotherapist which they usually did most weeks. They felt relaxed and no longer had any shoulder pain. In other sessions, participants have commented about having less neck pain and fewer headaches. How does attending a meditation course create such wonderful physical benefits? Most people who...
'I want to thank you. Your meditation course and the way you teach about the breath and mindfulness have really helped me to deal with my anxiety. I have stopped taking medication. At first, coming off it was difficult, but now with the meditation practices, I know I am learning a new way to deal with...
Eleven-year-old Matilda made her mark at meditation last term - as the youngest participant in a Meditation for Beginners Course. She came by chance when her mother was unable to attend a session and she accompanied her 16-year-old sister. Then she stayed to finish the series. "I wanted to learn to relax, and to stop and think...
I was finishing a private session with a client struggling with a cancer diagnosis and unable to stop his chattering mind, especially in the quiet of the night. Lying on the yoga mat after a deep relaxation, he placed his hands on his abdomen and murmured, "I had forgotten about abdominal breathing. I used to be...
Making arrangements to meet a long-time school friend was quite challenging recently - all my suggestions were rejected so I just left everything to her. Interestingly, I was aware of observing myself listening patiently as she catalogued her ideas until she made a decision. The above scenario highlights two key experiences gleaned from meditation. The first one...
Crystal singing bowls are addictive - in a good way, of course. The more I play them, the more I keep discovering their soothing and healing energies. Recently, I have been devoting several sessions a week to playing one particular crystal singing bowl and also toning while playing - what a dynamic combination! A crystal singing bowl is...