Magnetic Island, 08...

MEDITATION @ your PC :
UPDATED july 16th 2010
STRESSED???
Allow me to help you relax, it will only take a few minutes...
Turn yr speakers up, check your posture, are you sitting up straight?
Place both feet on the floor and lengthen yr spine...get comfy...
Now breath in for 2 counts then out for 2 counts...via your nostrils if possible...keep lengthening yr spine gently.....and concentrate only on yr breathing and the sound of the ocean...listen to the ocean closely......look at the picture of the sparling ocean....'PERFECTION'!.......close your eyes...and JUST LISTEN and BREATH .. in for 2 counts then out for 2 counts ....do that for 20 breaths.... then anpther 20 breaths...then another...before long each breath will naturally grow longer....ENJOY.

MEDITATION WORKSHOPS : learn to meditate.
MEDITATION WORKSHOPS: 2010
4hr yoga / meditation classes:


Sunday September 5th 1pm-5pm
$70.00 payable on the day
please bring a light lunch.
please email me today to secure a place,as they are filling fast.
libbymitchell@bigpond.com.au

MY INTENTION IS TO TEACH THE BUSIEST , CRAZIEST PEOPLE TO MEDITATE.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS:
The workshops are based on DR CAROLINE LEAFS work . Dr Leaf wrote "WHO SWITCHED OFF MY BRAIN"....she believes that approx 87% of illness is caused by negative thoughts. The workshops are also based on the teachings of "PATANJALIS YOGA SUTRAS"......
Several thousand years ago PATANJALI wrote a body of knowledge which is made up of 198 sutras, or threads, or phrases....with which the yoga practioner lives by.....

The fundamental idea is that our minds are out of control. Most of us multi task all day. Dr Caroline Leaf believes we have approx 30,000 thoughts per day.

In order to meditate we must first slow our mind and our physiology, this is done with Pranayama, controlled breath, and various meditation techniques. (All 5 technuques described in detail down the page)

Continued controlled breathing will change the bodies delicate physiology, thus calming and quieting the mind ..eventually the mind becomes comfortably familiar and almost addicted to the very easy 'controlled breath' or 'Pranayama', and what follows............' Absolute Bliss of 'STILL MIND MEDITATION '...


The workshops will be from 11am-4pm.
Please being a light lunch.
I will provide organic fair trade beverages.


My intention during the workshops is to teach my students with absolutely no experience how to meditate and to be meditative through out their busy days..... For those students with meditation experience it will be an opportunity to immerse into the absolute BLISS of stillness, and to explore scientifically proven techniques and ideas.....As it is a workshop we can all learn from each others feed back.
Sometimes becoming 'still', physically and mentally can give rise to sad or even traumatic memories. Thus I honor those students who need privacy, and who's expereince is traumatic.....
In the event your experience is traumatic I am able to refer you onto local healers /therapists /herbalists / doctors.

During the first half of the day we will prepare the body/mind for deep meditation by doing a very gentle breathing (pranayama)and slow hatha yoga. To the novice this can be described as very gentle stretching with a focus on the breath....I will teach my students to go much deeper into each posture / stretch . Whilst in each posture , breathing and learning the importance of 'pratyahara'...('withdrawal of the senses': only focusing on yr breathing, sensations and sound ).... thus allowing each posture to be a 'MOVING MEDITATION
.....with a great deal of emphasis on staying connected to the breath .








THE OUTCOME of THE WORKSHOP.....:

Each student will leave the workshop having meditated or been meditative most of the day. A new understanding will arise of the beauty of BREATH and STILLNESS. In the hope that the student will revisit that blissful state any time of day...when cooking dinner and meeting our children's and husbands / wives needs. You will be able to find a quiet space in your minds and hearts simply by focusing on the simple breathing / meditation skills.

Meditation is a vital component to achieving HAPPINESS,HEALTH ,SUCCESS AND LONGEVITY.....Yet statistics show that 34% of people who sit down to meditate find a distraction...and do not meditate. I believe we need to integrate a meditative state of mind into our daily routine.....using ANCIENT and MODERN BREATHING SKILLS, MANTRA / PRAYER/ AFFIRMATION, and CREATIVE VISUALIZATION....

Our Day.....
11.am.......Arrive

11.30 .....We will spend the first 30 mins breathing and listening...and observing the sensations of the body.

PRANAYAMA...or controlled breath and meditation cds will settle our nervous systems and help us let go or surrender...thus preparing the mind / body for the day.

*12.00-2.00
HATHA YOGA
Did you ever feel so blissful in a stretch that you didn't want to come out of it...? In this part of the class the student will have the opportunity to linger in each posture. Acknowledging the individuals physical limitations. I will encourage the student to reach a comfortable level of the stretch, then focus on the breath, then heart beat, allowing the mind to let go within the posture. This is what I call MOVING MEDITATION.... the outcome a longer softer body, with a calm , clear mind.....bliss.



2pm....LUNCH....we will break for lunch......its best if every one brings their own light lunch.......i dont have a mirco wave but u r welcome to heat food on the stove top....

*2pm-4pm...MEDITATION....
MEDITATION IS THE ABSENCE OF ORDINARY THOUGHT....
Now we will meditate...or at least attempt to eliminate ORDINARY THOUGHT......

In order to eliminate ordinary thought we we will explore 5 valuable and popular meditation techniques ......

1**PRANAYAMA..... (controlled breathing)
I personally believe that BREATH WORK (PPRANAYAMA) is the KEY to DE-STRESSING / MEDITATION and healing a damaged PHYSIOLOGY. Whether it be physical damage or emotional damage.

For more info on Pranayama click on 'what we offer' then click on 'pranayama' and 'stress'....

2**LISTENING....really listening is a great distraction from ordinary thought. re train yr mind t listen not think..its fun and extremely useful...listeneing to the silence the trees is a great skill to have, yet as we are all great multitaskers we usually do more than just listen....having made the commitant to learn to really listen, my relationship with my teenager has benefited tremendoulsy.....

3**SENSATION...aka pratyahara...(aka vipassana) ..by focusing on the subtle sensastions of the body , most importantly your breathing the mind becomes distracted from ordinary thought...

4**AFFIRMATION....aka...T.M. (trancendental meditation)
We will explore the valuable techniques in affirmation meditation to help re-programme yr mind...or to just simply distract it....

5**CREATIVE VISUALIZATION......is a beautiful way to distract our minds from ordinary thought....we will explore many creative visualization techniques.....

Ultimately , the student will learn the magic of STILL MIND MEDITATION....or..CLASSICAL HATHA MEDTATION.
I have formerly studied 'CLASSICAL HATHA MEDITATION' and 'THE YOGA SUTRAS' with JANI BAKER @ THE AUSTRALIAN COLLEGE OF CLASSICAL HATHA YOGA in 2001.

Click on 'what we offer' then 'stress' for more info on creating positive affirmations, (re-booting your brain.)

Most of the students that come to YARRA VALLEY YOGA SCHOOL are attempting to minimise and deal with stress.....I believe that most of us don't have the discipline to 'SIT' or MEDITATE for an hour a day, thus learning to be meditative throughout the day is extremely valuable....once the student learns the value of being MEDITATIVE, They will then be more likely to find the time to 'SIT' ....(The term 'SIT' is a common term for a meditating.....whether u are sitting up or laying down)

READ THE SCIENCE ON WHY YOU NEED TO MEDITATE.
Harvard Medical Professor, Dr Herbert Benson states:
long term yoga and meditation creates dis-ease fighting and fertility genes .....
Read the entitre article from the Age by clicking on the link below and find scientific proof why you need to learn to meditate .
http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/relax--its-good-for-you-20090819-eqlo.html






If you have never done yoga or meditation, but are curious, you will find heaps of info about the benefits and techniques on this web site..click on "benefits".."meditation".."stress'.."pranayama"..happy reading :)

BRAIN WAVES & MEDITATION
The four types of brain waves in more detail
BETA waves (15-30 oscillations (or waves) per second (Hz)). This is the brain rhythm in the normal wakeful state associated with thinking, conscious problem solving and active attention directed towards the outer world. You are most likely in the "beta state" while you are reading this.

ALPHA waves (9-14 Hz). When you are truly relaxed, your brain activity slows from the rapid patterns of beta into the more gentle waves of alpha. Fresh creative energy begins to flow, fears vanish and you experience a liberating sense of peace and well-being. The "alpha state" is where meditation starts and you begin to access the wealth of creativity that lies just below our conscious awareness. It is the gateway that leads into deeper states of consciousness.

THETA waves (4-8 Hz). Going deeper into relaxation and meditation, you enter the "theta state" where brain activity slows almost to the point of sleep. Theta brings forward heightened receptivity, flashes of dreamlike imagery, inspiration, and, sometimes, your long-forgotten memories. It can also give you a sensation of "floating".
Theta is one of the more elusive and extraordinary realms we can explore. It is also known as the twilight state which we normally only experience fleetingly as we rise up out of the depths of delta upon waking, or drifting off to sleep. In theta, we are in a waking dream, and we are receptive to information beyond our normal conscious awareness. Some people believe that theta meditation awakens intuition and other extrasensory perception skills.
Delta waves (1-3 Hz). This slowest of brainwave activity is found during deep, dreamless sleep. It is also sometimes found in very experienced meditators.

It is during Theta that you will do most of your healing. Whilst in theta we access inspiration and creativity that otherwise are blocked by stress from busy lives....
Thus Theata will not only relax and rejuvinate you physiologically, but it will inspire you,it will allow you to problem solve.
It will help you create the change you want.

YOGA RETREATS
I am currently in the process of creating a very very affordable 2 day DETOX YOGA RETREAT in Healesville, The YARRA valley....1 hr east of melb....the new web site is almost up and running....
mean time...im offering my services at a wanderful fund raiser in vic late August......
check out the link below......for a sneak peak at the schedual for the 3 day YOGA MASSAGE RETREAT http://www.elwoodmassage.com.au/schedule.html