In This Issue...

• Meditation Tip
• Drop-in Classes
• Course Schedule
• Harnessing the power of emotion
• Meditation & Health

Meditation Tip

On our daytime course this week we had the opportunity to guide a 70+ year old through a meditation. He'd been meditating for many decades, but had never been instructed in body scanning techniques - and was astonished to discover that he was holding tension in his cheeks.

It seems that we have an incredible capacity to ignore stress. It's possible to charge through an entire life without becoming aware of certain tensions within the body. Meditation is the spot-light which can illuminate these tensions - thereby preventing injury and illness and improving the ease with which we move through life.

So, whenever you're feeling edgy or rushed - check out the facial muscles. They'll usually be tighter than they need to be. Take a few moments, sigh as you breathe out, and deliberately soften the muscles around and behind the eyes. When you do this the whole body begins to relax in sympathy.

Drop in Classes

Our casual group sessions, run in conjuction with Meditation Solutions, have been a big success. Meeting on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month at the North Melbourne Library, they're a great way to keep up practice in a group environment. For more information see www.simplysilence.org Entry is by donation.

Course Schedule

Term 3 - June/July 2006

June 03: Workshop at St Kilda (Saturday 2.00 - 5.00pm)
June 19: 6 Week Basic Course at Clifton Hill (Mondays 6.15 - 7.45pm)
June 19: 6 Week Teacher Training Course at Clifton Hill (Mondays 8.00 - 9.30pm)
June 21: 6 Week Basic Course at Elwood (Wednesdays 8.15 - 9.45pm)
June 22: 6 Week Course at Melbourne CBD (Thursdays 5.45 - 7.00pm)
June 22: 6 Week Course at Port Melbourne (Thursdays 8.00 - 9.30pm)

Teacher Training Course

Designed for yoga teachers, health professionals and others wishing to teach or guide meditation the Teacher Training Course takes a behind the scenes look at what's involved in meditation instruction and how best to integrate meditation with other modalities.

Harnessing the power of emotion

When a desire is thwarted other emotions may arise: frustration, anger, fear, anxiety, depression. We may even feel several of these simultaneously, and we might not really have a clear idea of what's driving our frustration or disappointment. When this happens our stress remains partially hidden. We need to examine it in order to come back to balance.

Let's take a closer look. Give yourself five minutes for this meditation, right now if you can.

First up, take a few deep breaths, sigh gently and settle into your body. Notice how it feels to breathe in a calm, relaxed fashion. Continue for about 1 minute.

Now think of something that makes you angry and breathe with it. It could be something that's effecting you presently or a memory from the past.

Notice what happens to your body and your breath. How do you feel when you think about this issue?

What emotions are triggered? Is there a thwarted desire behind them?

Don't try to repress these feelings. Let them bubble up to the surface. Savour whatever feelings arise for you - it's ok if part of you wants to yell, hit something, lash out or be rid of the situation.

Give your anger room to breathe - to transform. Surrender to its energy without acting upon it. Then pause and feel the clarity of the energy running through you. This is meditation in action - you can feel your anger without resisting, repressing or expressing it.

Perhaps in the clarity of this moment, you'll find that your anger was masking some other emotion - disappointment, sadness or regret. Or perhaps you'll find that the all the wind has gone out of your emotion, or that you suddenly see a new way to respond.

Meditation & Health

Eric Harrison wrote Meditation & Health in order to explain how meditation can be helpful for specific ailments. Backed by accepted medical and scientific evidence the book shows how and why meditation improves the functioning of the body and offers specific applications of meditation for healing both physical and emotional problems, including hypertension, insomnia, pain, fatigue, migraines, panic attacks, cancer and other chronic illnesses.

Meditation & Health is now available as a downloadable e-book for just $12. To find out more or to order a copy visit www.melbournemeditationcentre.com.au

Know someone who could chill out?

Do you have friends who are perpetually stressed or anxious, have trouble sleeping or could just do with learning how to relax? Do them a favour and forward this email to them. (Or if this is you, subscribe here.)