How I learnt to meditate…
Have you always wanted to meditate but never known where to start? That was exactly how I felt a few years ago.
In the summer of 2016 I was living in Sydney, Australia and I had made the decision that I was ready to move back home to the UK. I was working with my life coach Lata at the time and she asked me if she could set me a challenge. I obviously said yes, as I love to try new things, although I was a bit nervous about what she was about to say (rightly so it turns out!).
Her challenge to me was to go on a silent meditation retreat for two weeks in the Blue Mountains in Sydney. I instantly felt a mixture of emotions - excitement, intrigue and nervousness. Meditation was something I loved, having only just learnt it properly (finally) about a year before. But the idea of being silent for two weeks, and even finding the time in my schedule to take two weeks out daunted me.
I remember years before this I met an entrepreneur who told me he meditates every day and that is what a lot of very successful people incorporate into their daily routines. Well, I was sold on the concept straight away if that was the case. The only problem was I had no idea how to meditate or where to start learning. Back then meditation was not quite so mainstream so I struggled to progress anywhere with my interest in the subject.
Discovering meditation
Anyway it turns out an area that Australia was one step ahead of the UK is the health and wellbeing industry so when I was out there I found meditation seemed more accessible. I ended up attending a free meditation taster session at the Bondi Meditation Centre with the wonderful Matt and I loved it. He had me sold on the concept and he offered a Vedic meditation course which formed the start of my meditation journey. It involved one to one evening classes where over time I learnt the techniques to practice Vedic meditation (which involved using a mantra). I was so wowed by the fact that it was so easy. I had spent years thinking I needed all this formal training and I would never be able to meditate, to pretty much being able to do it in seconds.
If meditation is something you’re interested in then my piece of advice would be to find a guided meditation online and just sit comfortably in a cosy room and close your eyes. That is literally all you need to do to start and it is so simple - it just can be daunting! Yes, there are techniques, different types and the opportunity to learn but the first step is always the hardest.
The other piece of advice I have when it comes to meditation is to be kind to yourself and don’t expect too much. It’s easy to become frustrated with yourself, for example if your mind starts wandering or you don’t feel you are relaxed enough, but the truth is that there is no point of judging yourself. There is no right or wrong way to meditate, you are going on your own journey and that is what you should focus on. I know I have been to yoga and meditation workshops before, to have people describe their crazy enlightening experiences and I am sat there wondering if I missed something! The truth is that everyone’s experiences will be different every time - you are unique so own your experience and enjoy it.
A new type of meditation
Anyway, back to my meditation challenge. So I had learnt Vedic meditation at this point and I was managing to fit in about 20 minutes each morning of meditation before work. With Vedic meditation you use a mantra which is like a phrase you repeat in your mind throughout the meditation. It is quite a simple meditation to get to grips with which is why I really liked it.
The meditation course I was going to in the Blue Mountains was to learn a different meditation technique called Vipassana meditation. In hindsight this technique felt much stricter - it was a silent meditation where you use a body scanning technique.
Off I went for 14 days on this retreat and I am not sure if I was actually prepared for what was ahead of me…
It involved not speaking a single word for 14 days, and sitting on the floor meditating for 10 hours a day. In terms of food (I love my food!), everything was vegetarian (and it was yummy), however you were not allowed to eat after 3pm each day so that you were cleansing your system - very beneficial I am sure, but very challenging! You had no mobile phone, and no access to any other stimulation like books, notepads, music, etc. All you could do was meditate (on the floor in excruciating pain at times) or go for a short walk around the centre gardens (not particularly pretty gardens either). It was genuinely crazy. I remember seeing a girl I’d met on the first day (before the silence kicked in) go through a really tough time. She was often crying, having quiet conversations with the teachers and generally looked like she could not carry on. I so wanted to give her a hug and check she was okay but that was forbidden.
So does meditation actually help?
So did I actually benefit from it and how did I get through it? Well first of all I would say I learnt so much and I still use the technique today, I love it and it has really helped me in my life. It helped me with improving my migraines and feeling more calm and in control of my life. Whenever I start my day with meditation life just seems better. However at the time and during those 14 days I was pushed to the extreme. I remember feeling hungry, with back pain and leg pain from sitting on the floor in all sorts of uncomfortable positions. I felt lonely, all I had was my thoughts and nothing else. Although I guess this was the whole point of the 14 days - an opportunity to really discover myself and grow as a person. I spent my free time on walks and thinking about my loved ones - I remember I would write them letters in my mind with things I wanted to share. It felt good to be able to reflect and do this and I feel it must have helped me accept some of the challenges I have gone through in my life.
I totally believe that meditation is a life changing habit but one that is very easy not to do - especially in the busy world we live in today. I still don’t manage it every day, but I keep it high on my priority list and do my best to do it when I can.
If you are interested here are some links to where I learnt to meditate and there are opportunities to learn all over the world - get in touch if you have any questions for me. Plus if all else fails there are plenty of apps and online videos to inspire you too!
Bondi Meditation Centre:
https://bondimeditation.com.au/
Blue Mountains Vipassana Meditation Centre:
Jennie, With Love xx
