Meditation - you have to start somewhere...
Meditation is a skill that everybody can learn at any age and at any stage of life. The hardest part is separating ourselves from the busy-ness of our daily lives. However once you find a groove, meditation can give you a valuable tool-set to cope better and to live with more clarity and a greater sense of lightness in your life.
It is never too late to start, there is no time like the present moment. It's just a matter of finding a rhythm that suits your life.
The BENEFITS OF MEDITATION
....are well researched. There's a whole neuroscience behind the health benefits mentally and physically from every minute that you spend meditating. This is all backed by thousands of years and every culture across the planet putting mindfulness at the core of all their disciplines and trainings. Call it Prayer. Call it Mindfulness. Call it Mindlessness. Call it Empty Mind. Call it connecting with a Higher Consciouness. Call it God. Call it Going Within.
Whatever you would like to call it, these practices are all essentially "Meditation" - which is a focus on the breath as our one constant to help us achieve some level of stillness in our busy minds. When we are caught up with work and home in our daily lives, our minds can often be a place of non-stop chatter. For some people, it's a constant video reel in their heads (we've all been through this). This continual barrage of thoughts can cause stress when we do not get any relief from it. We all know that stress is not healthy and it is now proven that stress can ultimately cause many other diseases. Meditation provides a circuit breaker from this stress and therefore provides a basis for a healthier life, in mind and body, whatever your circumstances may be.
But you're not here for me to convince you of that. You're here because you have decided that it is finally time to learn how to meditate and you are ready to jump in. You're here because you are ready to find out how to pause that video reel in your mind. You're here to learn a skill-set that will give you some instant relief from stress. So let's go....
10 KEYS FOR SUCCESSFUL MEDITATION
Consistency is key - and I don't mean that as a cliche. But truly, if you can muster up the willpower (and some days you will have to dig deep) to set aside some time every day to practice your meditation, the benefits will reward you multiple times over, and more
Find a quiet space without interruptions - this is also vital. Set aside some time where your commitments won't interfere with your practice. This might mean some tough boundaries will need to be set, but it will be well worth it. Avoid music as this will influence what arises in your meditation session and you want to be authentic with how you are feeling each day within each meditation session
Get comfortable - there is no point being uncomfortable while you are learning a new skill. Take a few minutes to get yourself into a position where you will be comfortable for at least 20 minutes. Loose comfortable clothing is also important. As well as an ambient room - not too hot, not too cold.
Try Different Positions - many people like to sit to meditate. Some days I like to lie down. There is no right or wrong. It is just a matter of comfort. This is not boot-camp. You will get better results if you are gentle with yourself and if you allow yourself to sit or lie, whatever your body needs to do from day to day, is totally okay
Aim for a Daily Habit - refer to point one - yes daily practice is the only way to reap the many rewards. I have experimented with meditating weekly, fortnightly, monthly, randomly - none of these approaches works. The ONLY practice that works is DAILY practice. COMMIT to this practice and you will reap the benefits. Meditation will only work with DEDICATION. What you put in is what will be reflected back to you. And if you miss a day, that's okay, don't be too hard on yourself, there is always tomorrow
Set a Regular time - set your alarm to remind yourself to meditate every day. Whether it is soon after waking, or after breakfast, or late at night or just before bed. But choose a time that you will be able to meditate at roughly the same time every day. This will help you build a habit. And an automatic habit is what you want, so that eventually, in time, you feel that something is missing from your day if you haven't meditated. I personally meditate every morning upon waking. This sets me up for a better day to face any unexpected challenges ahead.
Be gentle - there is no rush to make it to a destination. Meditation is not about reaching a goal. Allow yourself some time to settle into this new practice
Become an observer - of your own emotions. How you feel during the day is important to your meditation. Keep a diary. Or make some notes on your phone. Start to become aware of how you feel. This is vital to peeling the onion layers of your heart and mind. Allow your feelings to bubble up. As you get deeper into meditation, more feelings will become uncovered. Let the feelings be there. Don't squash them. Don't push them away. Just sit with your feelings. Allow them to be there and they will eventually resolve themselves
Breathe - this is not some hippy notion that deep breathing is better than shallow breathing. Deep breathing does in fact trigger lots of incredible changes in your nervous system. Deep breathing is a universal practice based on ancient wisdoms for a reason and has been practiced for thousands of years in all cultures and all religions unilaterally - there is a reason for that - because it works to calm you and settle you and to help you cope with the stresses of daily life
Take a course - Meditation, like any new skill, is a set of practices that requires time and space to learn. It is not possible to learn everything there is to know about meditation in a few days. HOWEVER over the space of a few days, you could be well on your way to having acquired a vital skill for life. The SummerHills "Beginner's Meditation Retreat" offers the ideal environment where you can learn all the skills to get you started with safety, confidence and guidance and you be well equipped to take these new skills into your daily life. See details below
SUMMERHILLS "BEGINNER'S MEDITATION RETREAT"
This is a personal meditation course suitable for couples or singles, not tied into a calendar, and can be taken for any dates that suit you. This package includes...
3-nights accommodation in a very private and quiet forest cabin with mountain views and your very own spa bath, kitchen, king sized bed, ceiling fan and air con as well as a private outdoor courtyard and BBQ
3 x 60 minute personal meditation guided sessions with your own private instructor. In these sessions you will learn the skills to take the practice of meditation into your daily life**
a generous breakfast basket to last for 3 days
a "meditation starter kit" with essential goodies including incense, candles and relaxation bath salts for your spa bath
a bottle of sparkling wine
a late checkout of midday on your day of departure
and in between your sessions, you can also enjoy our 2km walk, 4km hike, saltwater pool and open yoga/meditation room to help you establish your practice - see our full facilities list here - all yours to experience
Cost is $2,094 for 1-2 people for 3 nights including 3 x Meditation sessions and 3-nights accommodation as well as all of the above inclusions
Add extra nights @ $399 per night for 1-2 people
Add extra 60 min Meditation sessions @ $150 per session for 1-2 people
** Please note that as everybody is different and learns a new skill at different speeds, specific results can not be guaranteed. The more consistent you are with your practice, the more benefit you will reap and the better you will get better at it !
And we look forward to welcoming you to the start of your Meditation Journey and finding more calm, peace and balance in your life
And you may be also interested to check out our new "Tantra for Couples" and "Tantra for Singles" courses
xx Francesca - Owner and Founder
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