[9127]
Hello, I’m your host, Matt Lloyd, and welcome to the very first episode of the show, Your True Potential!
[Applause]
Now, as I mentioned in the trailer for this series, learning mindfulness and mediation is a very important part of the preparation for the psychological methods and techniques I’ll be teaching you in this series in order for you to really achieve what you want out of life.
If you haven’t already done so, I’d recommend watching the trailer first, before continuing to watch the rest of this show. The trailer can be found on our YouTube channel @clubmattproductions or you can read the script and accompanying notes for the trailer on our blog, Your True Potential, on our website at; www.clubmattproductions.co.uk
So, because mindfulness and meditation are such an important aspect of what I’ll be covering in this series, the first half of the series will cover meditation, the various types and techniques and how to regularly and effectively meditate.
Ok, so, what is mindfulness exactly? According to Professor Mark Williams, former director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, mindfulness is about ‘reconnecting with our bodies and the sensations they experience’ which means ‘waking up to the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the present moment’.
According to Yoga International, mindfulness can be defined as the informal practice of present moment awareness that can be applied to any waking situation. In other words, it’s a way of being actively aware of what you’re doing while you’re doing it.
In simple terms, mindfulness means living in the present moment. Essentially, it means being intentionally more aware and awake to each moment and being fully engaged in what is happening in one’s surroundings – with acceptance and without judgement.
So, what’s the difference between meditation and mindfulness? Although meditation and mindfulness are different, they are, however, connected. While mindfulness strengthens and enhances meditation, meditation nourishes and expands mindfulness.
Or to put it another way, while mindfulness can be applied to any situation at any given period, meditation is usually practiced for a specific amount of time. Indeed, while mindfulness means being aware and tuned in with what is going on inside and around oneself, meditation means stop what one is doing and set aside time to try and be aware of nothing – which can also come from
There are three different ways of practicing mindfulness; everyday mindfulness, formal meditation practice, and retreat practice of mindfulness. For now, we will just look at the everyday mindfulness. Formal meditation practice will be covered later in this show and in the first half of this series.
Everyday mindfulness is a kind of mindfulness practice that is in fact a daily reminder for us to pay attention to what is happening in different moments of our days. Mindfulness can mean being aware of your breath. Realising the changes within your abdominal area as your body receives and adapts to the inflow of air each time you inhale and exhale.
Another example of mindfulness is focusing your attention on the food you are eating. Fully feeling and paying attention to its temperature, its crunchiness, or its flavour.
When you are walking, paying attention to how you are feeling is also synonymous with being mindful. Are you in a rush and your heart is bearing faster than if you were calmly walking? Is the street or road quiet or noisy, empty or filled with people? How does the ground feel beneath your feet?
Mindfulness can be found in every action you take, as long as you make the effort to be aware of your body, your emotions, and your surroundings. For more information on mindfulness, including hints and tips, the NHS has got a very useful page at www.nhs.uk and enter ‘mindfulness’ into the search bar.
Ok, so now lets look at meditation. Meditation is power. It is as simple as that. Whatever you do, meditation can help you do it better. In fact, meditation is; interesting, familiar, sensual, extremely productive, natural, and powerful.
So, what is meditation? Simply put, meditation is the process and practice of paying attention and focusing your awareness. When you start to meditate, a number of desirable things begin to happen – at first slowly, then deepening over time.
When you concentrate energy, including mental energy, you gain power. When you focus your awareness, you gain more power. Whatever you do, you’re able to do it more effectively when you meditate. Meditation can also enhance your senses therefore you enjoy your senses more fully. With meditation your mind quietens down, and you experience an inner sense of peace, joy, and well-being. Meditation may allow you to directly experience and become more aware of the transcendent interconnectedness that already exists. Meditation is simple in concept but difficult to master.
As I mentioned in the trailer for this series, there are many different types of meditation. It is found in all cultures and in all religions all over the world – why? Because it works!
You can learn the basics of meditation in five minutes. Just sit in a comfortable position, straighten your back, breathe deeply, and follow your breath. It’s that simple!
With regular practice, you’ll find it won’t be long before you’re feeling more relaxed and enjoying life more.
Whether you are seeking more peace of mind and less stress, greater focus to more effectively get your job done, or a deeper appreciation of things, the simple practice of sitting down and turning your attention inward can do wonders for your body and mind.
Regular practice of meditation offers a whole host of scientifically proven benefits, from reduced stress and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels to greater empathy and enhanced creativity. The real cause of stress and suffering is not what happens to you, but how your mind responds.
Oh, and here is a tip – if you hear yourself snoring, then you’re meditating too deeply!
Mediation is easier than you think. It is simply the practice of focusing your attention on a particular object – generally something simple, like a word or a phrase, a candle flame or geometrical figure, or the coming and going of your breath.
When I was in my early teens, for example, I was introduced to transcendental meditation, where the practitioner instructor gave me my own sacred word to silently repeat over and over to help focus my mind.
In everyday life, your mind is constantly processing the equivalent of 74 gigabytes a day of information, from sensations, visual impressions, emotions, and thoughts. During meditation you narrow your focus, limit the stimuli that bombards your nervous system – and calm your mind in the process.
For a quick taste of meditation, feel free to follow the steps laid out in the accompanying notes to our blog, ‘Your True Potential’ S1, Ep1, on our website; www.clubmattproductions.co.uk
There are many techniques that have been developed over the centuries for meditation, here are a few of them;
Repetition of a meaningful word or phrase (known as a mantra)
Following or counting your breath
Concentration on a geometric shape or other visual object
Contemplation of nature
Chanting praises to the Divine
Mindful awareness of the present moment
Paying attention to the flow of sensations in your body
Visualisation of a peaceful place or a healing energy or entity
Gazing at a picture of a Saint or Holy being
Reading and reflecting upon inspirational or sacred writings
Cultivation of loving kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and other healing emotions
These techniques, along with others, will be covered in more detail in the first half of this series, as we discuss meditation.
There are many benefits to practicing meditation, some of which include;
Reduced tension, anxiety and stress
Lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels
Stronger focus and concentration
Increased self-understanding and self-acceptance
Support in ceasing addictions and other self-defeating behaviours
Clearer thinking and less emotional turmoil
Greater creativity and enhanced performance in work and play
Greater intimacy with friends and family
More love, joy, and sponeaty
Deeper sense of purpose and meaning
Glimpses of a Spiritual dimension of being
The great Sages of China say that all things comprise the constant interplay of yin and yang – that’s the feminine and the masculine forces of the universe. So, if concentration is the yang of meditation (that is, focused, powerful, penetrating), then receptive awareness is the yin (that is, open, expressive, welcoming).
Where concentration disciplines, stabilises, and grounds the mind, receptive awareness loosens and extends the minds boundaries and creates more inner space, enabling you to familiarise yourself with the mind’s contents.
In case you are not familiar with the meaning, receptive awareness is a concept that’s similar too witnessing consciousness. It’s about being open to all parts of life, including the good, bad, and neutral.
Developing and directing your awareness may be the foundation of effective meditation – but like any good foundation, its only the beginning. The next step is to build upon this meditation session by meditation session, discovering what works for you and what doesn’t, until your practice is grounded and stable.
The key to your peace of mind lies not in your circumstances, but in how you respond to them. As the Buddhists say, suffering is wanting what you don’t have and not wanting what you do have, while happiness is precisely the opposite – enjoying what you have and not hungering for what you don’t have. This concept doesn’t mean that you must give up your values, dreams, and aspirations – only that you need to balance them with the ability to accept things as they are.
But remember. Once we’ve covered the art of meditation, I’ll use the latest psychological techniques that, if followed correctly, will allow you to achieve the things you want to in life, so long as it does not intentionally cause anyone harm!
Meditation gives you an opportunity to cultivate acceptance – teaching us to reserve judgement and to be open to each experience whilst trying to change or get rid of it.
The Buddha taught that we suffer because we cling to the false belief that (a) things are permanent and can be relied upon for happiness and (b) we have an abiding self that exists independently of other beings and makes us who we are.
Instead, he taught that everything changes constantly – our minds, our emotions, our sense of self, and the circumstances and objects in the external world.
Buddha said that to be fee from suffering we must liberate ourselves from ignorance, and eliminate fear, anger, greed, jealousy, and other negative mind-states.
Meditation lies at the heart of the historical Buddha’s approach. The practice of meditation he taught, known as mindfulness, involves wakeful attention to our experience from moment to moment.
Here are four traditional foundations of mindfulness;
Awareness of the body
Awareness of feelings
Awareness of thoughts and mind-states
Awareness of the laws of experience (so, the relationships between what we think and what we experience)
Some of the latest scientific studies use state-of-the-art technology to prove that regular meditation makes you happier, more empathic, and more resistant to disease. Couple with earlier studies indicating a host of other health benefits, this growing body of research could lead to the mainstreaming of meditation.
Traditionally, meditation never stands alone – it’s always accompanied by an emphasis on motivation and attitude. You need to look deeply within your own heart and mind – clarify what it is that motivates you to meditate. Then, when the practice becomes boring and uneventful (which can and does happen), you can look within at what motivates you in order to motivate yourself.
Whatever your motivation, you need to be sufficiently motivated if you’re ever going to take the trouble to change your routine, slow down, and turn your attention inwards for 10-20 minutes each day.
Ultimately, the best attitude to take toward meditation is an open mind, completely free from all preconceptions and expectations. This is known as the beginner’s mind. If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities.
No matter which meditation technique you choose, try to practice it with the innocent, open, ‘don’t-know’ spirit of beginner’s mind. Here are the characteristics of beginner's mind;
Openness to whatever arises
Freedom from expectations
Spacious and spontaneous mind
Original, primordial awareness
What you bring to meditation is what you get. The mediative traditions suggest that your motivation determines the outcome of your practice as much as the technique you use or time you spend.
And that brings us to the end of this episode of ‘Your True Potential’. Please check out our blog, ‘Your True Potential’ for accompanying notes on this episode, including several meditation practices and more information on meditation, which can all be found on our website at; www.clubmattproductions.co.uk.
We’ll hopefully catch you at the next show, episode two, in late October, until then, good luck with the start of your meditation journey – we’ll cover more on meditation in the next show.
Thanks and goodbye for now.
[Applause]
Your True Potential brought to you by ClubMatt Productions @ Badger Entertainments $ Events, www.clubmattproductions.co.uk or email us at clubmattproductions@mail.com
[ENDS]
Comments