Monday Meditations
Every Monday join a different Hay House author and take a moment to meditate. For more meditations and life affirming stories visit HealYourLife.com. Subscribe to this playlist for each meditation delivered directly to your in-box each week.
Do you have a busy life? Do you know anyone who doesn’t have a busy life? It seems we are all pretty busy. On top of our work, education or family responsibilities, there’s lots of people to keep in touch with, lots of commitments to keep, not to mention the many interesting things there are to do in and around Copenhagen!
Are we doing too much? Probably. Could we cut down on our activities? Maybe. But what if we can’t at the moment? How do we stay sane, and stress-free in the midst of all our busy-sens?
A calm mind is really important. With a calm mind we can enjoy our activities. Developing a meditation practice will definitely help. Many people experience that the small time investment of a meditation practice, or joining a meditation class, pays off significantly in terms of our ability to get things done – and do them with a calm mind.
In these classes, you will learn to meditate, how to build a meditation practice and develop wisdom-based ways of thinking that help you keep your mind calm in daily life. Along the way, you will also develop some personal insights about your busy life. Maybe we can’t do much about our busy lives, but we can definitely do something about our busy mind!
About our Monday class
Everybody is welcome to attend any of the classes. Each class is self-contained, and you can just “drop-in”. No booking is required.
At the classes, most people sit on chairs, though meditation cushions are provided for those who wish to use them. Classes are taught in easy-to-understand English and are suitable for complete beginners as well as those with more experience of meditation.
Monday, April 13, 2020
Monday meditation & mindful breathing – (free to everyone)
Details
To support you during these challenging times, please join us every Monday from 7pm – 7.45pm. My aim is to provide you with a friendly, warm, quiet, safe and supportive group environment.
We will explore different mindful breathing practices, meditation practices including how to use the breath to overcome distractions, meditation using mantras, visualizations and yoga nidra and there will be time for any questions and reflections at the end.
Please book your place by 6.30pm and book via – https://bookwhen.com/westhampsteadyogaandmeditation
Zoom code will be sent 30 mins before the class starts.
How live streamed online sessions work
*The “meeting” or class is hosted on a website called Zoom. All you need is a laptop, phone, or tablet/iPad with an internet connection. You don’t need any special software. You may wish to set up an account in advance with https://zoom.us but you don’t have to.
*Just book the class via the usual “More info/Book here” buttons below, whether that’s for the free or paid classes.
*Please book at least 30 mins before the class.
*I will then send everyone who has booked, the Zoom registration link via email, so please check your junk mail if it hasn’t arrived.
*You then just click on the link to register your interest. After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting and you are good to go.
*Please join the meeting/class 5 mins before the start, although I recommend that if this is your first time on Zoom, that you join earlier so that you can familiarize yourself with it.
*Please note that the default setting of your microphone will be turned OFF, so I won’t be able to hear you unless you turn it on. Your camera will be on or off at your choosing.
Meditation is a widely practiced, little-understood discipline. And it’s especially needed now. It’s so little-understood, in fact, that some may be unaware they are already meditating! A basic knowledge and understanding of the process can help anyone reap a wide range of benefits that meditation offers. The practice produces a deep state of relaxation, reduces stress and anxiety, restores inner peace, and enhances physical and emotional well-being. It is used to manage illnesses including anxiety disorders, asthma, cancer, depression, heart disease, high blood pressure, pain, and sleep disorders.
Types of Meditation
Guided mediation uses images of places or events that evoke the senses—smell, sight, sound, and touch. Imagery can be of a holy place or natural surroundings that God created, such as a lake or mountains.
Mindfulness focuses concentration on self-awareness. Concentrate on what you are experiencing. Observe your thoughts and emotions, but let them pass without judgment.
Tai Chi is a form of Chinese martial art that is a series of self-paced postures and movements in a slow, graceful manner while practicing deep breathing and concentration.
Yoga is series of postures and controlled breathing exercises to promote a more flexible body and calm mind. These poses require balance, concentration, and grace.
While elements of meditation, such as yoga, concern some Catholics, it is not a belief system. And there are types of meditation familiar to our own faith traditions as well. Rosary and contemplation, for example, can bring us closer to God while aiding in our overall well-being.
Follow the Steps
Fundamental elements, or steps, help practitioners maximize the full benefits of meditation.
Place: A quiet or serene environment creates a mindset that is conducive to meditation. The more experienced the practitioner, the more able he or she will be to practice meditation anywhere, even during high-stress situations.
Position: Find a comfortable pose such as sitting, lying down, or a position of your choosing. Or combine meditation with physical exercise, such as walking at a slow pace and concentrating on the movement of your feet, legs, and muscles.
Breathing: Controlled breathing is the practice of deep, even-paced breathing from the diaphragm muscles to expand the lungs. Slow breathing enables the body to take in more oxygen and reduces the use of shoulder, neck, and upper chest muscles to breathe more efficiently. Breathe deeply, slowly. Concentrate on feeling and listening while you inhale and exhale through your nose.
Attention: Focused attention frees the mind from distractions, stress, and worry. Concentrate on an object, image, or prayer. Think about your blessings. Weave feelings of love, compassion, and gratitude into your thoughts.
Mantra: Silently reciting a mantra—a word, thought, phrase, prayer, or Scripture verse—prevents distracting thoughts. Repeat the mantra. You may try listening to spiritual music, the spoken word, an inspirational or relaxation audio, or have a conversation with God.
Put Meditation into Practice
Implement meditation into your daily routine in a way that suits your lifestyle. Begin with a short session at the beginning or end of the day. It will make a big difference, and the length of time may extend naturally. Meditation can be practiced anytime, anywhere:
At Home: Find a time that fits your schedule, and a place that calms you. Shut out the world. Tune into your soul.
At Work: Find a secluded room during a break. Close your eyes and breathe.
At Life: While you’re on hold with the credit card representative, or waiting for dinner to be ready, loosen your shoulders, take a deep breath, exhale.
Build Your Meditation Skills
Remember that it is common for the mind to wander while meditating. If your mind does wander, calmly return to your breathing. Guide your attention back to the object, sensation, or movement on which you are focusing. Don’t judge your meditation skills. There is no right or wrong way. Experiment until you find the right combination that works for you. What matters is to improve your well-being.
Sharon Salzberg is a meditation teacher and author. She is the co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, and has played a crucial role in bringing Asian meditation practices to the West. The practices of mindfulness and loving kindness are the foundations of her work
Julie Graham is a 500-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher, Certified Health Coach and a Meditation/Positive Psychology Practitioner. As co-founder of Fare Wellness, she has helped to establish a yoga/meditation program, an urban rooftop farm and a culinary medicine program at Lenox Hill Hospital. She teaches publicly and privately throughout New York Cit
Refresh your mind each Monday with a guided audio meditation. Led by experienced practitioners, these brief meditations use proven stress-reduction techniques, such as deep breathing, mindfulness and positive imaging. Take a few moments to participate. And start your week with greater clarity, focus and positive energy.
Dr. Lorenzo is founder and director of the Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science. He’s a Harvard-trained psychiatrist and Columbia-trained Buddhist scholar with over thirty years’ experience studying the beneficial effects of meditation on healing and learning. Currently, he is Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry in Integrative Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College
Peggy Neu is the President of the Monday Campaigns, public health initiatives that promote a range of healthy behaviors including stress reduction, nutrition, physical activity and tobacco cessation. She is a long time meditation and yoga practitioner and believes that these practices can be particularly powerful on Monday to set a positive frame of mind for the week ahead.
The Department of Integrative Health Programs at NYU Lang-one created these meditations for the DeStress Monday campaign. NYU Lang-one uses PMR and body scans as a way to help patients and caregivers relieve stress. The meditations are narrated by Amy Eberhard t, MPH, CYT, LMT, CPMT, and integrative health educator, and Kathleen Sanders, NP, who is a family nurse practitioner trained in mindfulness-based stress reduction.