By Spa Samurai
About seven years ago I decided to meditate. It was a bit of a whim at the end of a year’s
travelling in Australia. I signed up for a ten day Vipassana mediation course
in the Blue Mountains as an intellectual experiment to find out what mediation
was. I had been doing yoga for years,
but mostly for exercise, not for mental clarity and I knew that meditation was
a complement to the practice of yoga, although I didn’t understand how.
I had been warned that the introduction to Vipassana course was hardcore, but I’d just
travelled Australia diving, surfing, and rock climbing, so I was feeling pretty
tough. It turned out to be one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences
of my life.
Nine days of silence
with no eye contact, no music, no reading, no writing, no yoga, no anything
except spending hours each day sitting perfectly still in group meditation trying
to quiet your mind, be present, and feel sensations throughout your body. The
vegan detox diet that was strictly enforced made matters even more difficult
since portions were small and caffeine was considered contraband.
Ten days later, I was a different person. I had learned how
to meditate, my mind was wide open to Buddhist philosophies of nature that I
had never previously considered, and I had several life changing revelations
while in the Blue Mountains. Although I was just starting on my path to
liberation, I understood the concepts of presence, mindlessness, and equanimity
because I experienced them myself. I had
a few breakthrough moments while meditating that encouraged me to persevere the
days of discomfort, pain, and craving that were driving me to the breaking
point.
I started meditating an hour a day almost every day for
about 4 months, then I returned home from travelling, integrated back into
society and could only find the time to meditate when I really needed it (e.g.,
when I was stressed, going through a difficult time, or needed to clear my
mind).
Several years passed and I got out of the habit of
meditating even though I knew it was good for me. I slipped a disc in my lower back which
prevented me from doing yoga for about 8 months and as I recovered, I was
afraid that I might aggravate my injury again, so I stopped doing yoga altogether
for about 2 years.
Then the Sleep Guru came into my life…
I met Alison “Anandi” Francis, the Sleep Guru, for tea and I
was inspired by her attitude, her energy, and how approachable she makes yoga
and meditation. I started reading her blogs and newsletters and following
her online. When I saw that she was in London teaching a
Surrendered Breath workshop, I attended.
We spent several hours going over breath, the connection of the breath
with the body and the mind and doing some simple group meditation.
That morning was pivotal because it gave me the motivation
that I needed to focus once again on being present, being good to myself and my
breath. I started doing yoga once a week
at the gym, bought a yoga mat, and started practicing 2-3 times a week at home.
When Anandi called and invited me to participate in her
Primordial Sound Meditation Course online, I must admit, I was intrigued. She sent me an email explaining the premise
of her unique online course which all made sense, but I was left mystified by
the primordial sound. In later lessons I
learned that this sacred sound is based on an ancient Indian algorithm which is
used to determine the sound the earth made at the moment you were born. This sounded a bit too new age for me, but I
trusted Anandi and I committed myself to taking this course seriously.
Anandi trained under Deepak Chopra and David Simon and is a
certified Primordial
Sound Meditation teacher. Chopra’s guru was Maharashi Mahesh, who become
famous for transcendental meditation. Chopra became a ardent follower of
advaita (non dualism) and learned from sages how to use vibrational changes in
the universe to allocate the correct vibrational mantras for individual
meditation. Chopra matured along his own path and became influential in
bringing eastern science to the west. In Ayurveda energy changes occur every 4
hours.
Anandi learned the ancient technique to determine an
individual’s mantra based on their birth and she now offers a unique way to
learn to meditate online which makes meditation accessible to anyone with an
internet connection. Although the
instruction is given online, she manages to maintain a very personal feel and
can tailor the course to the needs of each of her students.
I’ve kept a journal of my thoughts and experiences
throughout the course that I thought I’d share.
Meditation Journal
6th December 2013
Anandi called to discuss her primordial sound meditation
course and sent me several emails to read over the weekend.
9th December 2013
I read through the PDF document for the course. It sounds
very interesting, and a bit new-agey, but I am open to the experience and
looking forward to beginning. I have
never used a mantra before as it conflicts with the Vipassana meditation that I
was taught, but I really enjoy meditating, so it will be interesting to learn a
different style to see how it compares.
I have noticed in the past that sounds and vibrations have a
great effect on me when I am meditating, especially at the Vipassana centre in Australia (e.g. when a train would go by, the OM
in yoga, etc.), so I have a feeling that I will respond favourably to the
primordial sound meditation.
21st December 2013
Today was Session Two of the course. I created a quiet,
sacred space to meditate and I connected with Anandi via video conferencing
software. She explained how the session
would run and she said a special sanskrit chant to set the mood and make the
start of the session more special.
She explained that she would be giving me my mantra which I
will use as a meditation tool throughout the course. The mantra is determined using an ancient
Indian technique to determine the sound that the earth was making at the exact
time and date of my birth. This sound
connects me to the universe and makes it easier for me understand my timeless
connection with the infinite.
After she said my mantra several times, we said it together
a few times, then I said it on my own, aloud, a few more times. After that, Anandi asked me to silently
repeat the mantra in my head without moving my mouth or tongue while I
meditate. I did this for 15 minutes,
while Anandi timed us and meditated with me.
During the meditation, I was instructed to repeat my mantra
without any specific rhythm or tone to it.
The intention is not to concentrate too much on the words themselves,
but allow them to loosely flow through you like mist rising off a lake. As time goes on, this gets easier.
This was my first time using a mantra to meditate and I
found it much easier to keep my head clear of any visual images and to bring
myself back to the centre when my mind drifts. My mind was very focused for
about 10 of the 15 minutes and I found myself at times repeating my mantra
automatically in the back of my head and lightly touching it like a rolling
wave. The moments when I was able to do
this I felt an intense free-flow of energy up my spine and shooting through my
limbs that made me tremble slightly.
When the 15 minutes was up, Anandi instructed me to meditate
another 15 minutes on my own and stay tuned for her next email with
instructions for Session Three. She also
instructed me to take care of myself for the rest of the day, which I thought
was a nice sentiment to end the session with.
I moved to a pillow on the floor and meditated for another
15 minutes, but I found my mind already starting to wander more, thinking about
the past and future rather than the present.
I continually brought myself back to my centre and focused on my mantra
being said in the present moment and didn't judge myself for my “monkey mind”. I haven't seriously meditated for about a
year (with the exception of the Headspace app on the bus during my commute), so
I think it will take time to discipline my mind again.
I'm looking forward to Session Three!
26th December 2013
I've been trying to mediate 30 minutes each day, but it has
been difficult with the Christmas break, having an irregular schedule, staying
at my in laws, etc. I needed motivation,
so I watched the video for Session Three. It did a good job telling me what to
expect while meditating, how to stay focused, and what to avoid.
9th January 2014
It's been harder than I expected to find time to meditate,
especially now that I'm back to work. I wanted to do 30 minutes in the morning
and 30 minutes in the evening, but it is impossible because I get up early, go
to the gym, and I come home late, eat dinner and want to spend time with my
husband. Instead, I will just try to do
20-30 minutes once a day and not beat myself up when I can't. On days that I know I won't have time to
meditate, I'll just try to be more present, conscious, and equanimous.
Thankfully, Anandi got in touch via email today and asked me
how my meditation was going. I had to
admit that I was finding it harder to incorporate into my life than I
imagined. She is sending daily
motivation emails which are helping a lot.
They are insightful and help me keep my practice up. Best of all, I feel like Anandi is supporting
and encouraging me, which helps.
26th January 2014
I've been meditating about 15-20 minutes about 5 days a
week. I try to find the time in the
morning on days I'm doing yoga at home instead of the gym, or after work before
I eat dinner.
I downloaded the Insight Timer that Anandi recommended and I
paid to upgrade it. I set it for 5
minute intervals to keep myself on track.
I think it helps. I also like the
journal and the log features. I've made
notes after every meditation session.
Today I watched Deepak Chopra's lecture on higher states of
consciousness (Session 4) and I found it fascinating. I could really relate to what he was saying
and I realized that since I started meditating, my behaviour has subconsciously
changed. I don't feel like drinking a
glass of wine when I get home from work like I used to do almost every
day. I have switched to fruit salad for
dessert rather than processed, sugary foods.
I've been drinking more herbal teas.
Even though I didn't set out to do these things that make me feel
healthy and take care of my body, They are coming naturally with the
meditation. This is why Chopra says that
meditation isn't just about relaxation, it just starts there. Anandi had said that the practice of
meditation will manifest itself in different ways in your life and I completely
agree. That is my motivation to keep
going, even if it is 20 minutes five days a week.
26th
February 2014
I’ve been enjoying the daily emails from Anandi that give meditation
pointers and keep me motivated. I also
really like her newsletters which remind me to be good to myself. They help me maintain focus and remember what
is most important in life.
It’s been almost two months and my meditation practice is
engrained in me now. I practice 20
minutes a day about five times a week with my Insight Timer and I am practicing
yoga 2-3 times per week. The mornings
that I used to want to sleep in an extra hour to help me with my energy levels
throughout the day, I force myself to get up and do some meditation and
yoga. I find that 40 minutes of yoga and
20 minutes of meditation is much more revitalising than an extra hour’s sleep.
In fact, it’s the perfect way to start a Monday morning and face a new week.
Conclusion
I’m happy with my mental state and I feel extremely
balanced. I’m encouraging everyone who
appears to be suffering to try meditating, even if it is just for ten minutes.
It’s funny because it is always the same response – “I don’t have time.” It is
precisely those people who need it most.
The clarity I have received through regular mediation has
made me more compassionate to the suffering of others. I’ve also noticed how tightly wound so many
people are and never make any time to unwind or be good to themselves. I see this manifested in physical pain,
strange ailments, skin conditions, and constant worry or fear for the future.
The Primordial Sound Meditation Course will no doubt improve
the quality of your life if you let it and you are willing to put in the time
to practice. I feel less stressed, more present, healthier, and I sleep better.
I think this course is perfect for someone who has already
learned the basis of meditation and needs some motivation and discipline. It is also suitable for novices but it requires
more determination. I have no doubt that
this course will improve the lives of anyone who practices regularly in subtle,
healthy ways.
