“It is indeed a radical act of love just to sit down and be quiet for a time by yourself”
– Jon Kabat-Zinn
Two weekends ago, I did something I absolutely love to do... I attended yet again, another yoga teacher training. I cannot remember how many yoga trainings I have attended over the last three decades, but suffice it to say there have been a LOT! This particular training was all about meditation. It was so wonderful to once again gather in-person with so many lovely yoga teachers. What a powerful experience! We spent three full days of learning, sharing, practicing and teaching together. I was pleased to learn some new techniques and revisit many old favourites. The weekend was packed full of classical theory, contemporary scientific research, rich discussion and plenty of intense yet delicious practice.
I have been so pumped up and rejuvenated since coming home! All I can think about is how I will share what I have learned with my yoga community. Today was a busy day. I have been creating and designing lots of new class sequences, incorporating more mindful moments and calming restorative practices. I have also begun designing a Mindfulness & Meditation for Beginners Course. To say I am excited about this new course would be an understatement. I hope to have this course completed and ready to launch in the coming days. So stay tuned for that.
Meditation Has an Image Problem
It is probably safe to say most people know meditation is good for them. Articles, radio & TV sound bites and social media tells us so. It is probably also safe to say most people aren't very good at practicing. Why is that do you suppose? I think meditation has an image problem. Yup, an image problem. There are so many misconceptions about meditation. As I said in a recent FB post, Spoiler Alert: Meditation is not about emptying your mind... FYI, that is impossible. And YES you can do it in a chair or even when you are standing in line at the grocery store. I would like to reassure folks that meditation does not have to be hours of excruciating cross-legged silence! In fact there are many different ways to meditate and some of them can be as short and sweet as taking a few slow mindful breaths. I am confident that there is a meditation practice for everyone, and probably several.
Below is an excerpt from my new course (a sneak peak) that mentions a few of the techniques I will be teaching in the coming weeks and months. I will slide some of these practices right into my regular weekly slow mindful movement classes. So if you have been interested in learning more about meditation why not join me? Remember you can always check out my Virtual Studio. I am offering two free weeks (cancel anytime if it's not right for you... no hard feelings I promise).
In peace and friendship,
Laura 🙏🏻
