Meditation – Theallthatis

Chakra Series: Sacral/Svadhistana

In this tutorial we are going to explore the second chakra know as the sacral chakra or Svadhistana in yoga terms. This chakra is based slightly above the sexual organs, below the navel and is recognized to effect our creativity sexual energy, emotions and abundance. The elemental energy of Svadhistana is water.

The scaral chakra is physically connected to the health of the sexual organs, bladder, kidneys and lower back and is represented as an Orange 6 petalled Lotus flower.

Each chakra can be said to be an evolution from the previous, in terms of its context, vibration and experience. Where the root is about the foundation, physicality and connection to the Earth, Svadhistana is living with and manipulating the sexual energy which inspires creativity and is connected to the kundalini, that resides at Mulhadara.

When we have balance in the Sacral chakra, there is control of the sexual energy and we are vibrant, confident and attractive. This sexual energy is the creative force of the Universe. Galaxies and stars are made from this very energy. It is important, at very least, to balance this potent force.

The frifolous Dating apps, porn and the sex industry in general are designed to keep us in lust and desire, very far from mastery of this chakra. When discharge our sexual energy, which is our life force, according to the yogic tradition of tantra, we are diminishing our vital energies. When it is discharged grossly with pornography & prosititution, for example, we are lost in the material World of the senses, driven and controlled by them.

It is highly advised to abstain from these habits, to allow the bodies energies to replenish and learn how to control this superpower. By doing this we are not only honouring this life force, but storing up creative potential that can be channeled through whatever you wish to express or create.

By recognizing ourselves and the other as divine beings, and not objects, humanity can heal our deepest scars and heal the releationship we have with ourselves and each other. Relating to each other is a sacred act. Making love to each other is a sacred act. The sexual energies that are shared in love making are cosmic in nature..

This energy is the funemental creative force of everything.. and it resides in you!

We must acknowledge imbalances in the sacral chakra that often lead to a disstabilized emotional body, especially in those that have had unpleseant sexual experiences in their younger years, which can follow them into future relationships until the imbalances are resolved Imbalances can also manifest themselves in financial difficulties. We must remember that the phenomonal world is a manifestion of the relationship we have to ourselves, throughout the spectrum of of our emotional, physical and mental bodies.

There are many techniques to activate Svadhistana. As always, intentional meditation on any chakra will energize the area of focus. Abstinance as we already know is a great technique.

Wearing orange, particluarly underwear will stimulate Svandhistana. Certain yoga poses like Shalabahasana and Ardha Chandrasana will specifically work on the sacral area. As Svadhistana is a water element, it is obviously important to drink water. You can connect to the fluidiy within you by using the visualization technique of waves cleansing any blocks in your energetic and emotional bodies.

Orange, the colour assosiated with the sacral chakra is synonymous with abundance. The diety Savaswati, Hindu Giddess of wealth and fortune is often coloured in orange.

Another great technique is to chant the vibatory frequency of each chakra, in this case it is VAM. By chanting like OM continuosly, this mantra harmonize with the frequency of Svadhistana.

Where as the Mulhdara is more masculine in nature, Svadhistana is more feminine. A balanced Sacral will create a strong receptive sexual energy, that embodies patience, sensitivity with a complementary magnetism of confidence, spontenaity and creativity.

Here are some questions, you can check in with yourself, to see if you need to focus some extra attention on the sacral chakra.

Do you feel free in your creative and sexual expression? Or do you feel a sense of procrastination, guilt, shame or discomfort?

Do you have any lower back pains, or tensions?

Do you drink enough water?

Do you have any issues with the reproductive system?

Do you have money issues?

Take some moments to consider these questions and come back to them if you need a reminder.

Find yourself a comfortable seated position.

And begin to connect to your breath.

Taking a slow deep inhalation through the nose.

Exhaling fully out of the mouth.

As you feel the air exhaling out of your lungs, feel and sense your awareness drop into the body.

Take another slow deep breathe through the nose and again feel yourself melting any tensions left in the body as you exhale through the mouth.

Taking a third deep inhalation through the nose and out of the mouth. As you exhale, feel your energetic self, drop down to the sacral chakra between the navel and sexual organs.

Continue to breath into this space..

You can visualize this energy center within the body with a orange cone emminating out in a clockwise spiral.

Connect to this phenomenon and see if you can intentional expand this energy out. You can visualize the spiral getting bigger and more vibrant.

Keep your attention here for some time and become aware of any thought that might arise assossiated to sexuality, creativity or abundance.

With each breath in, breathe life into this chakra, envisage abundance coming your way in new experiences and opportunities.

Feel a sense of positivity through the body.

If this can not be felt at the moment, do not judge and simply continue to breathe, witness and allow any feelings or sensations to rise.

This inquiry into the root chakra has been written, as one of a series, that is part of an amazing meditation app called Souse Guru. Created with Martin Bone’s vision and guidance of meditation. I am honored to be asked to contribute to this beautiful project, to spread this sacred art form we know as meditation.

You can download the app for free via this link which gives you access to the basic content. With monthly donations you gain access to a library of wisdom, including guided meditations, breath work, techniques, practices & podcasts.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinbonemeditation.scouseguru

Awen.

Chakra Series: Root/Muladara

Welcome. In this series of articles, we are going to explore the significance of the chakras. How they relate in our experience and some techniques to connect with, in this case, the root of our being.

Muladara chakra, as it is known in the yoga tradition, is the chakra located around the area of the perineum. It is said that the primal energy of the kundalini serpent resides here, coiled at the base of the spine. It is said that once the chakras have been balanced and opened and the spiritual, physical and emotional bodies are aligned, the kundalini energy rises, activating each of the 7 chakras, as it illuminates the crown in cosmic consciousness.

So lets put our attention at the base of the spine and begin this journey together, through the chakras.

The most widely acknowledged attribute of the root chakra is grounding, also called Earthing. Grounding is the ability to connect our energies to the Earth energies. Like with a grounding wire in our electric appliances, we need to ground, for the electrical energies within us to flow. We can use grounding as a way to distress and release emotions and blocked energies. Many aspects of modern society disconnect us for these Earth energies. Things like rubber trainers, modern construction, in housing and city centers, and of course the phone, computer, TV screen.

This chakra is linked to our fundamental well being in the physical. Its element is….. yeah, you guessed it, the Earth element.

The colour associated to Muladara is red. When we think about a rainbow, we may instinctively know that red is the lowest visible spectrum of colour we see, its always at the bottom of that spectrum. It has the longest sine wave which is represented in sound as the bass and drum.

The image of stomping bare feet to tribal beats is a great activator for the root chakra.

Other common traits that are synonymous with Muladara are stability, security, and physicality. Things like exercise, yoga, martial art, as well as physical manual tasks.

It is highly recommended as a daily habit to walk bare feet in nature for at least 5-20 minutes. This again will connect us to the Earth and help us to discharge negative energies.

Meditation itself is a great practice to ground. Sitting up, with the spine straight, ideally in nature, will create an instant connection to the Earth. We can use our intention as well, to ground in times when we spend a lot of time indoors, by simply focusing on Mulahdara. This is important for those living and working in cities and urban areas.

Some other meditative techniques to activate Mulahdara include visualization, affirmations and mantras. The mantra for Mulahdara is “LAM”. By chanting LAM continuously, one can activate the root chakra.

With the modern age as it is. With the high paced world of business and technology constantly upgrading, we can tap into the pool of resources we have, to stay calm, focused and grounded in our reality. From this place we can make the best decisions for yourself, our families and friends, business partnerships and relating in general.. especially during these changing times we are going through.

We are organic beings, that resonate with organic life, fresh water, clean air, naturally grown foods, and other living beings. This is our medicine..

This chakra illuminates when a connection with nature is made.

Before we get into the meditation, here are a some A,B,C tips to balance the root chakra..

Come back and revisit this tutorial at any time for a reminder and check in with the root of your being..

Finding yourself a comfortable place to be, to close your eyes and interiorize.

When you feel ready, take a slow deep inhalation through the nose and exhaling fully out of the mouth.

As you feel the air exhaling, feel yourself dropping into the body.

Take another slow deep breathe through the nose and again feel yourself melt into your body as you exhale through the mouth.

Taking a third deep inhalation through the nose. As you exhale, feel your energetic self at the base of your spine..

Be with any thoughts or sensations that may arise.

Now i want you to visualize a place in nature you hold dear to your heart.

Take yourself there.

Imagine the surroundings.

Mabe your are in a meadow, Maybe you are by a river, For some, you may be sat high at a favorite view point.

Where ever you are, feel yourself there and feel the love you have for that place.

As this feeling of love grows inside of you, with intention, send that love from your heart through the root chakra to the center of Mother Earth.

You can visualize this as roots growing down to through the Earth from the base of your spine, or a golden ball of light, whatever flows with your imagination go with it..

Do not be surprised if you feel this love returned to you.

Embrace the place and space you have created for yourself.

If you feel any tension in the body, anything that comes to mind to release allow these energies to melt down the channel you created, into the Earth.

In just a few minutes you have connected to the root of your being and grounded your energies through memory, love and appreciation.

This can be done anywhere anytime.

This inquiry into the root chakra has been written, as one of a series, that is part of an amazing meditation app called Souse Guru. Created with Martin Bone’s vision and guidance of meditation. I am honoured to be asked to contribute to this beautiful project, to spread this sacred art form we know as meditation.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinbonemeditation.scouseguru

Awen.

Surrender

The attitude of surrender is one of the most powerful of all the spiritual principles on the path to wholeness. That moment of liberation from that which you were holding back. In essence, we are already whole, yet the fractured character structures, formed in each beings’ development, creates destructive, abusive and dis-empowered personalities, that must be acknowledged and released, before higher states of consciousness can be embodied. Surrender is a letting go of all that is not you. The great yogi’s say, we are not our minds or what our mental attachments are. The great yogi’s ask who is it that is attached to money, fame or success?

As we begin to recognize these immature and outdated character structures and patterns, we are already over a huge hurdle.. Once we see the energetic relationship we are having with our experiences, we can actively make choices from a place of higher awareness. A well-known quote emphasizes the need for change, when it says… The definition of insanity, is doing the same thing again and again and yet expecting different results. As we begin to recognize these reactive and repetitive character traits, we can consciously choose to respond, instead of react. By cultivating presence in our meditation practice, we are fine-tuning our conscious awareness – our master tool, to take out into the World and our relationships.

How then do we embody the attitude of surrender to ourselves and at the same time, to the experience we are having?

We can define surrender as an active detachment from attachments and outcomes. This is the gate to the way of the Tao. To embody this attitude, is to no longer mind what happens. We can bring presence to our experience without an attachment to how things go or when things manifest. At this point, a higher plane of existence and flow is potentially available to create from, fluid like water.

I see this attitude recognized in endearing characters like Winnie the Pooh, and Tha Dude in The Big Lebowski. Both characters do not care about the outcome. They are in the present flowing with what happens. Dissolving into the flow of the arising experience, takes away the pressure of knowing how things come together. As long as we have the awareness of what excites us and what is calling us at our more subtle levels, we can make the choices that resonate, free of concern. It is only our concerns that create mental blocks and control dramas in our lives. When we are free of concern, we are free to be as we are, and as we hold that vibration, others in our company will to feel that sense of freedom.

This attitude of surrender, like vulnerability, has been culturally represented in the West, as a weakness. Surrender, for example, is commonly related to the action of succeeding defeat in battle. A surrendering of power. In this case, we can see how it relates to our practice, through the surrendering of the egoic power structure of the mind. This control program, most of us have, can be seen, tamed and ultimately let go of. What we are letting go of is the attachment to this voice as a sense of Self. We are more than the thoughts we have, we are the container of the thoughts. When thoughts are not there, who are we? Surrender is the gateway to spiritual development and pure experience.

In recent weeks i have been cultivating a practice of active detachment through the Sufi teaching about the man and his camel. Paraphrasing, it goes something like this… A Sufi master was riding his camel with his apprentice, when they needed to stop for the night to sleep. The Master leaves the apprentice to deal with the camel, whilst he prepared the room. The apprentice, taking on his masters words about trusting Mohammad, decided not to tie up the camel and to trust in Mohammad. In the morning, as the two men came out, to begin their next day’s travel, the camel is nowhere to be seen. The Master turns to the apprentice and asks, what happened. The apprentice explained that he was following his guidance to trust Lord Mohammad, that He will look out for the camel and that he did not need to tie up the camel. The Master replied. Trust in Mohammad but tie up your camel first! This is suggesting that we do what we can, by taking an active approach, whilst trusting the process we are on. There is an element of trust that needs to be cultivated, living with such openness to any outcome.

In my own Life, i have had countless experiences that have called on me to trust deeply the unfolding play, when I’ve been in the eye of the storm, with no sense of which way to turn. Life constantly has its riches being offered to us. If we can find a place of neutrality with our experience we will flow with the symphony of Life itself and manifest our highest calling. Be aware, to reach our highest calling is to dive into the deepest depths of the shadow and return self illuminated. These are simply words yet the most courageous souls have come here for exactly this work and at some point we are all to surrender who we think we are to reach the heights of Heaven on Earth.

I would also like to highlight a little the relationship between passivity and surrender. Passivity is not compatible on the path of self development. It breeds inertia and laziness. Surrender in its noble sense is a meeting of an inner relationship to your perceived sense of self, the small self with a name and particulars, and a expansion into liberated consciousness. Passivity is, in no way, an attitude that cultivates the conditions, for the warrior within, to overcome the individual mountain, we all have to climb. We can use the principle of surrender to detach from how the mountain top will look and feel, or even if we get there..

Attitudes like patience and presence, are also intimately connected to the state of surrender. By cultivating patience in our process, either in meditation or out in the World, we are building persistence and perseverance, noble traits of Kings & Queens. By becoming bigger than our selfish self, we create an inner environment of centered-maturity. True & balanced Mother’s & Father’s, Brother’s & Sister’s, free from concerns and attachments.

Let us close our eyes.

Taking three deep breaths to relax us into our bodies.

Anchor yourself in the present momen, with each inhalation. …

As we exhale, we can let go of any attachments to the past, or concern about the future.

Letting go of any desired outcome to this meditation.

Become the meditation.

Active detachment.

Witness the rise and fall of any thoughts sensations or sounds…

Let them be.

Surrender to the flow of pure existence.

This vast emptiness. Full of presence.

Rest in the stillness.

This inquiry into Surrender, has been written to be part of a tutorial series, that is part of an amazing meditation app called Souse Guru. Created with Martin Bone’s vision and guidance of meditation. I am honoured to be asked to contribute to this beautiful project, to spread this sacred art form we know as meditation.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinbonemeditation.scouseguru

Wen.

The Heart – Object, Tool & Subject of Meditation.

Today, i feel it is the moment, to share with you, the significance of the Heart within the meditation practice. The true Holy Grail, within each and every one of us.

The Heart is widely recognized, across all the major traditions & religions. In Yoga, it is known as Brahmapura, the house of the Supreme Consicousness.

I feel we all intuitively know our Heart is where our spirit radiates from. It is where our feelings arise and where much of our pain is held. For this reason, working with the Heart must be approached with care. The Heart is an omnipresent cave to our emotions and experiences. The Heart lives to feel and expand, which sounds great to experience, to ride those blissful waves, however this need for expansion can also lead to big changes.

Life is continually giving us what we need to grow and the Heart is the center in which we emanate and manifest our vibatory field from. To go a little deeper and give some more clarity. The vibrational frequency of the Heart, projects the reality we individually experience every day, with every new person and reflection we see, to show us where we at consciously.

When we live life with a closed Heart, we are simply not shinning as bright as we can be. Many of us believe we are open hearted and on one level we all are, yet from a personal experience of my Heart energetically opening, i can share with you.. Most of the people on this Earth plane, me included, are living with a closed Heart on a daily living experience. There maybe brief moments of elation and transcendence however very few people are living fully open.

We all hold pain and trauma from past experiences, mostly rooted in childhood experiences. We are living with our handbrake on, emotionally and likely have not realized or forgotten what it a fully open heart feels like. This is ok, we are exactly where we need to be on our healing journeys.

We can relate our confidence and self worth to our emotions and we know how we feel when we do and don’t have confidence, Self worth or even motivation, if we are high in confidence we can breeze through tasks. When we are low in Self Worth, we feel heavy and not good enough.This can indicate to us, what areas we are ignoring, that maybe uncomfortable to look at. Ultimately we are learning to relate to ourselves and the Heart is the essence of who we are. We may think we are such a type of person, with a particular set of view and morals, yet the Heart emits our truth, our vibration, our true hang ups and traumas.

I feel, it is the true work of us, as a civilization, to open our hearts individually and collectively. We must remember, the Same Heart that stores all that pain, is the same one that bursts open, in waves of ecstatic transcendence. Where we go one, We go all.

Within the meditation practice, we can acknowledge the physical presence of the Heart as a place to fix our attention. We can tune in to the rhythm of its beat. We can subtly, feel an energetic center to our being from chest area. Focusing our attention here during meditation is recommended by many of the great yogis, most notably Ramana Maharshi when he said “The Godly atom of the Self can be found in the right chamber of the Heart. It is called Hridaya, the Spiritual Heart. Through meditation, you can learn to find the Self, in the cave of this Heart” Ramana spoke from a direct experience of this.

As we become more connected to and mediating in, our Heart space, we will naturally create an environment, where the Heart can share its innate wisdom with us. It always is. Are we though creating the space and patience in our lives to listen? The fact you are here, is a good indication you are. Allow the Heart to guide you, through your relationship to the outside World. If you feel enthusiasm for something, that’s a sure sign your Heart is aligned. If you feel anxiety, listen to when these feelings arise and look bravely at things you may need to change. We are always receiving feedback from our Heart. When we live in alignment with the Heart, our intuition is heightened. We know what decisions to make in the moment. We know how we feel and are centered within our being. The Heart becomes a tool of knowledge to navigate us along the road of Life.

A Sandford based institute for Heart studies – HeartMath, revealed some incredible findings. Researching the Hearts energetic responses to stimulation, they discovered that the Heart, knew about and responded to, high arousal events, moments before they happened. Which, might not seem like much in passing information, yet this proves, that the intuition of the Heart, is not bound by space or time.

With this.. the environment is set for a revealing of the Heart as the very source of awareness. Ramana Maharshi’s experience reveals that the expression of consciousness we are all experiencing, right now, taking on this transmission, is emanating from each of our Hearts. It is the portal between the unmanifest and the material plane. This entire existence is created by the very essence of your being, without you, non of this would be here.

I share this words with you, not as some one stop shop to enlightenment. Yet as relative information, that can support the deepening and understanding of practicing with such powerful energetic centers and portals of consciousness. Only through experience do we gain true knowledge and it is through practice we create the beneficial conditions for shifts to spontaneously occur. The Heart holds it all. Proceed with love and a willingness to see and feel whatever the Heart knows your ready to experience, with the knowing your safe.

This is a great moment to close the eyes and take some moments to allow the information you’ve heard to sink in. Become aware of your breath. Acknowledge how you are breathing today.

Take a few deep breaths in & out, feeling your body relax deeply, letting go any tension. Directing our attention to the chest area, begin inhaling into the Heart. Exhale through the Heart, continuing like this.

When we inhale and exhale through the Heart, we can imagine we are blowing on an ember of a smoldering fire and as we continue to breath deeply into the Heart space, the ember ignites into flames.

If you feel any strong sensations or vibrations, breath with them. Continue to be the witness of the experience, whilst maintaining attention in the Heart area.

We can ask the question “Who Am I?” by diving into the sensations that arise from the chest.

This inquiry into The Heart, has been written to be part of a tutorial series, that is part of an amazing meditation app called Souse Guru. Created with Martin Bone’s vision and guidance of meditation. I am honoured to be asked to contribute to this beautiful project, to spread this sacred art form we know as meditation.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinbonemeditation.scouseguru

Relative Truth / Ultimate Truth

The relative truth & ultimate truth are some of the most pofound yet paradoxical concepts on the spirirtual path, we can explore. The truths of these perceived realities are fundemental to each’s position, in relation to the perceiver. This is a key to unlocking the doors of perception.

Are you still following me?

Lets look first at relative truths in our experience. Relative truths as simply put, are known facts of the physical realm.. Time is a great example. We have a relative past to our present and our future. This is relatively true, yet we know that we only ever live in the now moment. Our entire lives live in and are always experiencing now. So past and future, although appear to have a linear truth to them, in absolute terms, all existence exists now.

As i bring up more examples, you may acknowledge that for every relative truth presented, there will be an ultimate truth to the expereince.

Another relative truth is, we each have and believe we are, a body called… Jim, Jane, John or Jess. This may be relatively true, yet the Ultimate truth of who you are is beyond physicality, beyond names. The ultimate truth of who you are is the container of all experience as well as the experiencer and everything being experienced.

On a more subtle level we can acknowledge the physical sensations as a relative truth. They rise and fall like the Sun. Filled with intensity. We can begin to bring our attention to the witness of the sensations. Who is tasting the apple? Who is feeling the feather across the skin? Who is hearing the free bird sing? We are the portal walking the invisible line of relative & ultimate truth.

Many of the great yogis of India walked this path wintessing first hand the relative World arising out of the Absolute. From the formless into form.. We are from this World but not of this World..

Other examples that specifically relate to relative truths are manifestations. We can perceieve to desire certain outcomes, that can and possibily will come “true”. These manifestations happen within a construction of consciousness. Take a chair. When you touch it and sit on it, it feels solid right? You are quite sure that the chair you are sitting on is firm and stable. Yet when we look at the material of the chair, down to its atoms and molecules, you will find that there is more space between atoms, than atoms themselves and that atoms are the only essence of material within anything.

Everything is a manifestation of consciousness.. This is a ultimate truth to the relative truth that matter is solid and tangible. Two adjectives that perfectly describe aspects of relativism.. what is tangible and what is solid.

Taking a closer look at the unobservable, non-tangible realm of the Ultimate truth now. Words can never truly do justice to the supreme consciousness, for everything arises out of the great mind. This higher truth, for want of a better word, is to me, like an umbrella that arches over the construct reality we are individually experiencing and that we are all from the One Great Mind. We are all One with the conscious field.

We realitively perceieve we are separate from each other, yet our subtle bodies are entangled. I have expereinced the relative truth of making love to a lover and a transcendance of that to a place where we became One energetically. There was still a sense of realitivity and being conscious to myself yet energetically i could not tell where i began and they ended.

To experience the ultimate truth is some what of an oxymoron, in that that ultimate truth is beyond experience. The Ultimate truth stripes away everything you thought you were, til there is no thing left in doubt as to the truth..

Its a big realization to potentially expereince yourself as the All That Is and to go beynd that place of experience, the unmanifest void… The ultimate truth being, you are all of it and no thing at the same time.

If your head is spinning with these mind shattering concepts, it maybe a god time to close the eyes.

Allow the energy to settle in the body whilst taking a few deep breaths in and out. As we become aware of the awareness listening to these words, we shift our attention away from the personal dialogue to a more subtle realm of our being. Where awareness goes, energy flows. Resting in the stillnes between inhalations and exhalations.. Here we find the place of detachment and surrender. Surrender to the experience whilst detaching from the mental labeling of it.

We can take the practice of Neti Neti, where One disassociates oneself from any arising sensations, experiences, or thoughts.. Cultivating the attitude of, I Am Not This, I Am not That.. Continually turning ever inwards towards that ultimate truth, which is beyond all sensations, thoughts and experiences.

You can at this point shift your awareness from the stillness within, to the physicality of the body and with one attentive breath bring yourself back to the inner space of stillness. In these brief moments we have shifted our awareness through relative experiences whilst reaching for the eneffible in the same moment.

Herein lies the secret.

This inquiry into the Relative & Ultimate Truth, has been written to be part of a tutorial series, that is part of an amazing meditation app called Souse Guru. Created with Martin Bone’s vision and guidance of meditation. I am honoured to be asked to contribute to this beautiful project, to spread this sacred art form we know as meditation.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.martinbonemeditation.scouseguru

Awen.

What is Meditation?

Meditation-wide-HD-wallpapers-8484

Meditation is not a doing. It is the realization that you are. It is Being – Eckhart Tolle

When most people think of meditation they think of a practice of sitting in a crossed legged position, with the aim of quieting the mind or achieving some higher state of consciousness, to obtain some state of peace and tranquility in the midst of our busy hectic lives. All these have relevance in terms of meditation, you can say they are by-products of meditation. Let us take the great Yogi Patanjali, in his Yoga Sultras. Considered by many to be the definition of the philosophy of yoga, he defines yoga/meditation (this unified state of being) as, The cessations of the fluctuations of the mind. The next Sultra completes the statement by saying – And then the Seer abides in it true nature. So, let me re-phrase this so it can be better understood. The first part suggests, that with allowing of the mind to quieten, a space is revealed in which, the second part – the Seer (awareness) sits in its pure state, pure consciousness, free of concern, detached from thought. Being. This is the state of true meditation.

We must understand that ultimately what we are talking about, is something that can not be objectified in words. Meditation in its greatest sense, is recognizing, that it is the Subject itself. Life, Awareness, Consciousness, God – which ever you choose and which even these words, are ultimately objectifications of this mystery that can’t be named. So from now on i will use these words as pointers to this subject. It is beyond any ‘thing’, beyond any word or concept, as are you. That is truly your fullness. So when you use the mind to label and objectify some’thing’ remember it can not be the truth as what this Awareness, Presence, Life is, is not a thing, it simply Is, before conceptualization. This is why meditation can seem so slippery. So let me give you some tips on how we can allow this revelation to arise.

Meditation can be said is the awareness, that everything arises in.. for example As you read these words now, the words, the thoughts, the room you are in and the sky above your head are all arising now inside your awareness. Meditation is the recognition of this spontaneous perfection and the allowing of all of the thoughts, sensations and experiences to be there. which is already, always happening, is it not?.

Now the trick is to allow the experience to arise, and observe and embrace the moment as it is, whether that is felt as fear, tension, anxiety, depression, love, joy or contentment. Can we stop and allow ourselves to accept the arising World, with its flavors and textures, without judging, resisting or holding onto them or even the idea of them which is of the mind. We can watch the body and mind and its sensations and judgements, yet the mastery is the ability to be aware and allow the thoughts and sensations to be there as a expression of your true experience. This is being. Aware yet detached from the ‘things’ that arise.

There is a beautiful metaphor to describe the play of meditation – your awareness is the vast sky and your thoughts and sensations are the passing clouds. We can acknowledge, how like thoughts and sensations, clouds come and go (unless you live in the uk.. haha) they are temporary, always appearing, staying for some time and dissolving. Even when the clouds are thick we know the sky (our awareness) is always there as the canvas for the clouds. Our awareness shines regardless of the fluctuations of thoughts and sensations, so if we are able to perceive the transitory nature of thoughts and sensations we can better recognize the awareness that the thoughts and sensations arise in.

As we learn to accept this natural aspect of human experience (thoughts emotions and sensations), not as a hinder in meditation, but rather one that enriches our experience, for the simple reason of being. Being does not deny anything, as its nature it is accepting, which is why being is so intimately linked with the heart, as the Heart is the source, you can say, of unconditional love.

We then need to recognize the dual nature of the mind and the role it plays as a tool for the intellect, logic and memory and how thoughts in themselves can be seen as either projections to past or future situations. The mind therefore can be seen as the obstacle of meditation, as the nature of meditation is Unity Consciousness, Oneness, which can again be said, is of the heart.. The mind has its polar hemispheres symbolizing duality whilst the Heart is the symbol of Unity & love. The mind will always have an question, the heart will always have an answer. Yet in reality there are no obstacles to consciousness and this is the approach to take with the practice of meditation in relation to the body-mind fluctuations.

So let us become intimate with our present moment.. Allowing the bubbling in your stomach that arises before you make a big presentation, allow the grief to be there when your best friend from school passes away. Just in the same way you completely allow yourself to feel the love and gratitude you have for your friends and family or the unconditional love your pets show you every day. Stop resisting your experience, become truly conscious to it! If you have pain, feel the pain completely, honor your experience in the Now. When we resist our experience, however it is arising, we are saying that is moment shouldn’t be this way, or that life is wrong. This is one of the causes of suffering, failing to accept this moment you are experiencing as it is. Now that is not to say you sit back while you receive abuse for example. Abuse, whether physical, emotional or any other form is not to be tolerated, yet you can take yourself out of a situation and still have compassion and awareness for yourself and the other. We can own our inner experience and it is from this place that meditation empowers us. If we can accept these thoughts and emotions that become alive in us, we embrace the moment fully. In fact this is the opening to peace, through the embrace of who you are in this moment…. and this moment… and this moment.

One of the traps of the mind is to find yourself saying “i want peace” “i want unconditional love” “i want to meditate”, this is suggesting that you are not already full and whole as you are, that you are separate from peace or love. This is not possible, as it is the very fabric and nature of consciousness – that you are. These statements are of the mind reinforcing the belief in separation, that I am here and Peace & love are outside of me, or they are things to be obtained. We can ask the question, Who wants peace and love? If it is, of the mind and i am aware, when the mind is not there, then Who Am I?

The awakening, meditation can reveal, is the realization, I stands alone as consciousness, before I Am or I Am This or That, with nothing to obtain. That you are whole, complete and everlasting. Meditation reveals the very source of creation and the entire universe is within you. Let us summarize this with a quote from possibly the most well known person in human history, who happened to know a thing of too about this stuff… apparently.

The kingdom of God is within you – J.C.

Remembering every single word on this page is but a pointer, it can never be the truth as the truth is beyond concepts and written words and recognizing the nature of mind. If we can learn to accept the mind, through the practice of meditation, it can surrender its position of control to allow the passivity of the Heart to lead our lives. Take this wonderment of who you are with you, as you embrace the majesty of life, inside and out.

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The Relationship Between Stillness & Productivity.

zen city stones

In our busy day to day lives, we are being called to be more productive. Whether that is at work, as part of the family or maybe through some personal or social interest as a way to efficiently create fluid systems or we can say progress, which benefit our lives. That is, after all the idea of collective evolution right, progress? How can this be achieved whilst maintaining healthy balanced beings to expand their abilities productivity and state of being, instead of overloading us with the “more work-less time” mentality of the modern age.

Lets define productivity first.

Productivity. the state or quality of producing something.

Now with this in mind, Let us consider “the state” we are in when we are producing, whatever it is, we are engaged in. The state of being is very important when we are in the process of creating something, whether that be an assessment for the boss, painting a picture, cooking our food or connecting with a loved one. In all these instances and in every instant, whether you are aware you are creating something or not, the state of being we are in is going to affect our productivity and the World we experience around us. For example, you are at work and someone just told you your car has been towed away. You may be feeling very angry, you can not get the car til you have finished your day. At this point you continue with your tasks. Most likely, your mind is going to be very active and not focused on your creation and even if there is focus, how much has this incident affected your state of being and your productive abilities? Likely, your productivity will go down, or as the statement suggests, the quality of the production will go down.. This is important then, that we become aware of these moments and look to shift from these negatively influential states of being to positively affect our productivity. Actively promoting the well being-ness of our staff, loved ones and anyone else for that matter is obvious, right?

How do we remain centered to allow the productivity to flow?

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This is where stillness comes in…

Without jumping on the need to sit in lotus meditation position, burn incense and chant Harri Om 108 time, the ability for us to find moments in our day to simply become still. We know from moments in our lives when something stressful has happened and the need to walk out of the door for 5 minutes and take yourself away from that situation, this can be seen as a natural response which more often then not helps to calm the state of being. When we apply this to becoming still for some time, the same disconnection from that trigger can take place. Its almost like we are unplugging from the energy or situation at hand that is causing us disharmony. We can all likely connect to our Mother’s or Father’s advice to breath when we have hurt ourselves or we are very upset.. this is linking us back to our center. By breathing consciously and particularly by remaining still, we are able to detach and find the inner peace and silence within where those difficult moment fade away.

When we hear the word stillness we immediately think of it as the opposite of movement – but stillness is something quite different altogether. Stillness is an energetic quality of being. I read recently a very beautiful metaphor to describe the qualities and benefits of stillness. It goes like this…

Imagine a glass full of water scooped up from a puddle in a field. It’s muddy and swirling around – rather like our daily lives, full of activity and messiness and life! But if you put that glass of water down and let it sit, it clears itself. STILLNESS allows the dirt to settle to the bottom and the water to clear.

This description of the murky water settling is a perfect example of the clarity and state of being stillness brings. the murky water, after experiencing stillness, can be seen as the running mind, stirred up, active and unsettled. When we allow ourselves time to be still, to be, we create space for clear perspectives to arise, new ideas to emerge, new ways to approach our lives. Even for a few minutes a day, or moments between activities, closing the eyes and going within can re-balance us. You can do this in the office lift or waiting for the train or the first and last 10 minutes between sleeping. This is where we reset ourselves, freeing ourselves from the past and not caring about the future, which are of mental projections. The stillness brings us into the Now, which is the only moment you have ever experienced. Every moment you have ever experienced, has been in the Now moment and this is where stillness takes us – to presence.

For me the three main benefits of stillness are –

*The ability to connect to my true essence, my center. Living from the inside out. In presence.

*The clarity and peace of mind it brings, where new ideas spring forth.

*The detachment from doing.

If we can learn to become human beings instead of the humans doing the majority of people are participating in, in today’s society, we can find the complimentary balance between productivity and stillness. Where we can acknowledge the benefits stillness brings to our productivity, we can create a higher quality of state of being, which will be reflected in our quality of production and the World we experience around us.

“Wisdom requires the discerning, the listening to, the acknowledgement of nudges and notions, of senses and sensations, of the minute and what we often mistakenly assume is the mundane. Wisdom means listening to the still, small voice, the whisper that can be easily lost in the whirlwind of busyness, expectations, and conventions of the world.” Jean M. Blomquist

Living in The Heart – Love & Positive Conscious Manifestation.

In This video i talk about the Heart, its importance, how we can manifest positively from the Heart through shifting our state of being during negative moments.. I share about HeartMath and their role in proving the extraordinary capacities of the Heart.

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The Benefits of Meditation

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“If we can make just 1% of the population meditative, this World will be a different place.” – Sadhguru

Throughout the centuries, the great sages and yogis of India,would practice and perfect the art of meditation for the sole reason of reaching enlightenment, Self-realization, Union with Creation/Life/God/Consciousness, (whatever label resonates more with you) as a spiritual aspiration. For me, this was the reason why i began meditating. I had heard about the term consciousness and its role in life and that there are practices that i could take up that increased this conscious connection..

I started taking local yoga classes i also began meditating, at first to guided videos online and later with group workshops. It was clear to me, from taking on a lot of conscious information, that there were considerable benefits to cultivating these practices..

As i followed my heart and continued a deepening of my meditation practice, i studied this art, completing a 500+meditation and yoga teacher training to accompany the extensive retreats and dark room experience i had gained. Through this practice i feel a blossoming of wisdom and contentment has entered into my life and one i am thrilled and honored to share with you.

Today i would like to talk about, specifically, the benefits of meditation. I will highlight scientifically proven research, that suggests a vast plethora of physical, psychological and spiritual benefits that can transform our personal, social, and business lives.

For clarity id like to give a brief description of what meditation is. For me, it is commonly known as a sitting practice of mindfulness, which is partly correct; however mindfulness is watching the fluctuations of the mind and detaching from them.. a gateway practice into the deeper revelations that meditation brings. Meditation can be defined as a state of being, free of the mind where awareness becomes aware of itself, as consciousness or we can say meditation is a state of recurrent, conscious-recognition of the state of presence-awareness. This state of being is beyond the thinking mind. The identification with the personality falls away and perception shifts to experiences of unity with All That Is.

Now we may not all understand this or have the deep spiritual aspiration for the truth as i do, yet meditation does not have to be approached in this way. As i will show you, there are so many advantages for us to incorporate meditation into our daily lives, that improve the health of the body and the mind, improve relationships across the board and helps build a more balanced human being that can better serve the Self, family, community and planet as a whole, simply by taking a few minutes of conscious breathing.

In a nutshell, like Free Energy, i feel meditation has the potential to completely shift the course of humanity to one of peace, abundance and global innovation. There are few tools as powerful as stripping the need to survive from the concerns of modern man, the most basic elements for life to flourish, yet the true liberation of suffering can only truly come through the modality of meditation, Self-realization.

Going back in time for a moment, there was an explosion of expression and unity with the counterculture movement, it was during this time that meditation began to penetrate the Western World, thanks in no small part to the mastery of certain yogis like Yogananda and Ramana Maharshi who were so influential in the early 1900’s who seeded these ideas for the coming generations. The Beatles, who were in the height of their popularity during the 60s, had discovered the Oriental practice through Yogi Maharishi Mahesh.. You see, because they were so famous, everything they did caught the attention of the World’s media and all of their adoring fans, including the bands experiences with Transcendental Meditation (T.M). Once George, John Paul and Ringo began to practice this alternative art from India and share their experience, the World began to take more notice of meditation.. and because of this popularity, Transcendental meditation has now had over 200+ published scientific research studies made since the late 60’s, providing substantial results. These studies were showing this technique was reducing stress, boosting learning capabilities and creativity and improves brain function.

Wallace and Benson, who conducted extensive studies observed that the electroencephalogram (EEG) showed an increase in alpha wave activity, indicating greater tranquility of mind. They also observed a decrease in the heart beat and a 20% decrease in oxygen consumption. Several more recent studies have shown T.M. as a method has been clinically used to help alleviate hypertension, drug addiction, alcoholism and smoking, serum cholesterol, bronchial asthma and insomnia, with significant results. It has also been demonstrated that practicing T.M. for 20 minutes in the morning and evening reduces anxiety, decreases incidence of disease and causes the reversal of the aging process!

This is quite something, the evidence that meditation can reverse the aging process. I have on several occasions experienced the Ayurvedic practice of solitary, in a dark room meditating, which according to this indian holistic tradition is designed to reduce the aging process.. I believe it has something to do with light, or the lack of it, which causes the breaking down of the free radicals, the known catalyst for aging. Are we missing out on something here? Can meditation really be this potent?

There is also a large body of studies that have been made on many of the other major meditation traditions, including, Zen, Vipassana and Tibetan meditation. In Vipassana meditation, MIT, Harvard and Yale have all reported similar results that show how meditation can actually alter the structure of the brain.

Come again?? Meditation has been proven to alter the structure of the brain.. Wow.

Well, i don’t know about you, clearly i am already sold! Meditation sounds almost too good to be true.. Yet if you are still doubting it potential, let me present a staggering amount of benefits that i can share that will raise many people’s eyebrows, showing something very promising about the role and value of meditation in our lives. Here we go…

Physical Benefits of Meditation

*It lowers oxygen consumption

*It decreases respiratory rate

*It lowers pulse rate

*It increases blood flow

*It decreases muscle tension

*It increases serotonin production… Yay!

*It stimulates the production of white blood cells (enhances the immune system)

*It reduces the activity of viruses and bacteria

*It lowers blood pressure – An American Journal review study in 2008 of hypertension researched to see if meditation would lower the blood pressure of patients. They made and reviewed nine studies to see how blood pressure was affected by meditation. In all of the studies people with high blood pressure or high-normal blood pressure, who practiced meditation were able to lower their readings compared to people who didn’t meditate. The average drop was 4.7mm Hg systolic and 3.2 mm Hg diastolic pressure. Lowering blood pressure can lead to reducing likelihood of strokes and heart disease.

*It increases the levels of the sleep hormone melatonin.

*It diminishes stress hormones

It decreases cholesterol levels

*It balances left and right hemisphere brain activity. – neuroscientist Dr Shanida Nataraja’s PHD and postdoctoral research at the neuroscience department of St. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Baltimore, has proven meditation does more than clear the mind and lower stress – it can develop the brain so that both halves, the left and right hemispheres can be deployed instead of a general usage of one side depending on the task at hand.. This was shown to improve concentration, memory and decision-making (March 2008)

And this is only some of the information to hand on the physical benefits.

Psychological and Behavioral Effects of Meditation.

*Improved visual perception

*improved memory and recall – aiding Alzheimer sufferers

*improvements in learning ability and intelligence

*relief from addictions, neurosis, obesity, claustrophobia, headaches and other forms of disease.

Psychological Benefits of Meditation

*Increases creativity

*Builds Self-confidence

*Increases control over thoughts

*Increases emotional stability

*Resolves anxiety, phobias and fears – An eight week study led by Dr. Toneatto at the Clinical Research Department at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health, evaluated the effects of daily meditation among 17 undergraduates.

After pre and post-assessment of depression somatic stress and anxiety, results confirmed that the participants reported lower rates of anxiety, somatic stress and depression. (March 2008)

*It develops intuition

*Improves relationships

*Increases the ability to remove bad habits

*Increases willpower

*Increases communication ability

*Increases listening skills and empathy

*Develops emotional maturity

*develops tolerance*it gives composure to act in constructive ways

*It increases the ability to react to stressful situations quicker and more effectively

*Improves the capacity to focus and work efficiently

What incredible findings, science is finally backing what the sages of India have been saying for the last 2,000years.. The power and transformation of meditation. This practice seems to be abundant in positive effects. Can you see how clearly we can use meditation in our lives.. particularly in today’s society, a World driven by success, based on economic growth, people can easily find themselves stressed out, overworked, underappreciated, whilst trying to keep up with the demands of capitalist materialism. This system, which we are serving, has its workers on their metaphysical knees, working 40+hours a week, keeping up with the Jones’ in a pursuit of the belief that one day they find happiness, through this job or this relationship or that holiday. The vast majority of the Western society, particularly the over 40’s are still working to serve a system that ultimately doesn’t serve them or the best interests of the people of the World. I do not wish to go into detail on this yet i believe the implementation of meditation in businesses and schools, for example, will drastically transform our society. Creating balanced, connected and mature generations of young adults, skilled, vibrate, Healthy and creative workers who become the future bearers of the New Earth. I believe, not before too long, that we will look back on these times of the 19th-20th Centuries as a period of infancy for humanity and only through real change can we reverse the ignorance, immaturity and conditioning that has contaminated the Western World…

How do we implement meditation across all nations, cities, organizations, projects, schools and social care?

The answers may be found within the known spiritual benefits of practicing meditation, which once cultivated can transform our character becoming truly balanced human beings, that are fulfilled through the experience of life. Recognising that happiness, fearlessness, love and compassion are all qualities of a balanced spiritually mature human being.

We can recognize the positive effects meditation can have on us. Simply to consider positive choices over negative ones, is a good start and i believe meditation naturally cultivates this. Meditation can lead us from simply wanting to improve our health, relationships and creativity to unlocking the mysteries to the biggest questions like Who Am I? Where did i come from? Why am I here?

Whatever your reasoning, the entry point into meditation can only benefit whoever decides to make themselves and the World we leave for future generations, a priority in their lives. For meditation has the capacity to enrich and liberate those of who taste its magic.

For those who employ workers, consider again the sheer number of attributes that can benefit a workforce, that come with a regular meditation practice. Even for 5 minutes a day, it has been shown to help the body coherence, syncing the electrical flow being distributed to and from the heart, building better relationships personally and professionally and stimulating productivity.. Which business doesn’t want that from their company??

Who is your company… Your company is made up of the people that work there, right? Are they Healthy, vibrant beings or Unhealthy, stressed-out, walking timebombs? All business owners can care more for the well-being of their staff, this will dramatically increase the coherence of the team, with the ability to deal with situations with more composure and clarity.. Wow, sounds great doesn’t it?!

It seems so simple to me.. Does this incorporation of meditation need to be pushed that hard for society as a whole recognises its value? Of course yes, yet it baffles me that when this information is so clear and directly calling us to implement in our lives, that still it is not the case. Why is meditation not compulsory in schools and hospitals?

We have the research, we know the benefits.

Just imagine, for example, the reduction of money spent on health care, hospitals and nursing homes from us picking up this practice.. It is not quantifiable to be honest, some statistic may suggest “$5,000,000,000” can be saved from a reduction in health related issues yet the overall, physical, psychological and general positive benefits far out-weight the material financial gains. And has also the bonus of reducing costs. We are talking about a prevention of health related issues, increase in well-being, creativity and productivity for everyone who is open to this practice of awareness, for those that see the potential in meditation.

I can give another 20 case studies proving these benefits yet we are ultimately, only responsible for ourselves and whether we do something with this information. You are the only person that can implement these changes, it is you who can be the change that the World is calling to see and it is as simple as meditating.. Meditation can be a massive solution to the problems we face individually and collectively, through meditation we can prevent personal disease of the body, mental health and emotional immaturity and promote physical, psychological and holistic health.

For me, meditation changed my life, it gave me the confidence to follow my dreams, leaving the World i knew behind, uncovering new exciting parts of myself that i simply didn’t know was there.. I have found facing difficult situations has improved and the bounce-back ability which, can be said, is remaining positive and hopeful after difficult moments arise. Through meditation we can find the peace within us, that absorbs all challenges and concerns.

I would like to also offer understanding to those that simply do not resonate with this practice, i recognize the diversity of people and that what resonates with one person doesn’t mean it works for everyone.. So let’s find alternative ways to create moments, during our days, where we can shut off the thinking mind. Maybe for some people it is a day dreaming of the perfect holiday or maybe a Zen practice like fishing, sewing or reading a imaginative book. For others, it’s free-climbing or base-jumping, where the mind is lost through the immediacy of the present moment, hurling themselves off a 30 story tower building will do it.. I doubt you’ll have those pressing chores come to mind during those moments!. Whatever it is and whatever we resonate with, to recognize the value of mental serenity.. Peace of mind, as they say.

I leave these last words as a lasting impression.. If the people of the World, particularly those in the West can incorporate meditation into their lives, i have no doubt whatsoever of the immediate transformations that would take place.. Imagine every child was to learn meditation and practiced every day for 10-20 minutes.. A proven practice of Self discovery, Self empowerment form the earliest age.

Imagine if every prisoner was to taught meditation whilst incarcerated, the social effects of this approach, creating a environment that can support their well-being and Self-empowerment, in a World that normally puts them down, is a World i want to see, where, with compassion, we empower those that need support, that are looking for a World that loves them. Every single person will be affected by the transformation meditation has, on the people who invest in it. Imagine every business that provided time and space for their employees to meditate. We would see greater harmony between processes, co-workers and even “competition” (i highlight as, when this teachings are recognized, who is the competition, who are you competing against? hahaha). This is the World i choose to live in. A conscious society where spiritual maturity is recognised as a strength and equality is the law.. Out of a social embracing of meditation i believe this can happen and this is why i share this with you today.

My Awakening Pt5 – Written in the Stars.

In this video i share intimately about the connection with Giselle and the realization we were to conceive a child in 2016 through pre birth communication information.Witnessing a tornado, experiencing tantric love making and Spiritual name changing. Eventually conceiving Uma under the volcanos of Lake Atitlan.

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My Awakening: Part 4 – Why Mexico?

In this video i share why i chose to come to Mexico. Going against the belief of many of my customers who thought i was crazy for choosing Mexico. Following Drunvalo’s work around some of the Mayan pyramids Chichen Itza, Tulum and Palenque, before making my way to the yoga school that changed my life.