Meditation

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Meditation

Meditation is the journey inward, a journey of self-discovery or, in fact, rediscovery. Meditation is taking time for quiet reflection and stillness, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. In our modern world, the pace of life gets faster and faster and we lose touch with our true inner peace and strength. When we no longer feel grounded, we may experience being pushed and pulled in all sorts of directions. It is at this point that we begin to experience stress and a sense of being trapped. Over time, this feeling leads to illness as our mental, emotional and physical health become unbalanced.

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Raja Yoga meditation is a form of meditation accessible to people of all backgrounds. It is a meditation without rituals or mantras and can be practised anywhere and anytime. Raja Yoga meditation is practised with ‘open eyes’, making this meditation method versatile, simple and easy to practice. Meditation is a state of being in that place just beyond everyday consciousness, where spiritual empowerment begins. Spiritual awareness gives us the power to choose good and positive thoughts over negative and wasted ones. We begin to respond to situations, instead of just reacting to them. We begin to live in harmony, create better and happier, healthier relationships and change our lives in a very positive way.

Meditation

WHY

HOW

WHEN

How to meditate

Just as there are many ways to relax and exercise our bodies, there are many different ways to meditate. All meditation methods give our mind something to focus on.

For example, some people meditate by concentrating on a candle, others on a mantra, while still others use affirmations.

Raja Yoga meditation is about experiencing soul consciousness - becoming aware of ourselves as spiritual beings, souls, independent of our physical identities. This awareness of the inner self helps to free us from self-limiting beliefs and habits we are stuck in and to start thinking and acting in a way that is more in line with our inner values.

We observe our thoughts and choose to direct them towards a positive experience with that understanding and from that perspective. We speak to our thoughts gently but forcefully, reminding ourselves of who we really are inside and our inner qualities and strengths. The self-respect this brings us leads us to feel very differently about ourselves, the people around us and the world around us - and what our priorities are right now.

It is good to find a special place to meditate regularly - a comfortable chair - or on the floor, if you prefer - but it is important to stay alert. In fact, it doesn't have to be sitting, but concentration is usually better that way!

Sometimes we try too hard in the beginning and think we have to get it ‘right’ right away. We just need to continue our practice and accept where we are. Learning to meditate is a gradual process, so we need to take it slow, be patient and be kind to ourselves.

When to meditate

People so often say they don't have time to meditate. It is said: when we have time to worry, we have time to meditate!

The best times are in the morning when we wake up - before we look at our phone or do anything - and in the evening last before we go to sleep.

When we are worried, nervous, upset or unsure about something, that is a good time to practice meditation.

During dinner, when we are cooking, at the traffic light or waiting for the bus, while the kettle boils or the computer starts up - these are all times when we can meditate. It's a brilliant use of free time or unexpected delays to pause and re-energise.

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One minute of rest can make the next 59 minutes easier and more successful. Try just-a-minute and experience it for yourself

Taking a break every hour or at regular intervals in a day is a great way to control your thoughts and steer them in a positive direction. You can set reminders and tools on your laptop, phone or watch to help you stop and refresh. We call this ‘traffic control’ - calming the ‘traffic’ in your own head.

Here are some apps to help you calm that traffic:

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Just-a-minute

Meditation Lounge

Why meditate

Most of us have busy minds and a thousand things to think about. Therefore, it is crucial for our well-being to quiet our minds with daily moments of true peace with ourselves and our world.

Raja Yoga is a simple method to rise above our chattering mind and find that peace. Every day. It helps us know and experience who we really are inside - apart from the many different roles we play and labels we are given. We call it ‘soul consciousness’.

Understanding, appreciating and trusting this inner self, the soul, and its natural qualities and strengths brings more self-confidence, balance and meaning to our lives. Barriers that have arisen between us and others - or even between us and a Higher Energy or God - begin to dissolve.

Anyone can meditate. All it takes is a little understanding and knowledge and regular, dedicated time to practise and find out how it can work for us.

Our courses, events and meditation sessions are free because we don't want money to be a barrier to anyone wanting to learn this ancient skill. So we cover our costs with voluntary donations from those who benefit themselves and choose to support our work.

Benefits

for health and well-being

Both research and personal stories show that regular meditation can contribute significantly to our overall health and well-being.

How? Being able to bring ourselves into a sense of peace and well-being is truly a powerful and valuable life skill. Then, even when things don't go ‘right’ - or rather, especially then - we can deal with the situation more easily. With a calm, clear mind, we save energy, see the bigger picture and are more likely to make better decisions.

Stress, anger and anxiety, though understandable, only make things worse for us. They put extra strain on our physical health and immune system. Practising Raja Yoga meditation helps us better understand the roots of these strong, toxic feelings that can overwhelm us and replace them with thoughts that are constructive and in line with our inner values and the natural capacity for love, peace and wisdom in each of us.

Yoga Raja meditation course

Understanding Meditation

‘I'm learning to be myself. It may sound crazy, but I think I spent much of my adult life pretending to be something else.’