Dear Meditator,

In This Issue:

1. Details of our first Intermediate course in over 12 months.
2. September 9 - 'How to Meditate' Workshop
3. Guest teachers for Simply Silence in September.

Plus, tips on using the breath, a link to one of the oldest and most profound meditation texts and our usual Spot Meditation suggestion.

I hope you enjoy the newsletter. Feel free to email comments, questions or suggestions to: matt@melbournemeditationcentre.com.au

In This Issue...

• Spot Meditation
• Next course(s) begin in October
• Casual Meditation Classes - Guest Teachers for September
• Meditation Tip - The Ins and Outs of the Breath
• Website of the Month - Meditations from 3000BC

Spot Meditation

Spring is in the air. Make use of that most underutilised of senses this week - smell. When out walking take a minute to notice how many fragrances you can identify.

How and where do you meditate when you've only got a minute? Send your own spot meditations to matt@melbournemeditationcentre.com.au

The best suggestion each month will be published here.

Course Schedule

Our next series of courses commences in October. We're running both an Intermediate course and Tuesday evening classes in the CBD.

You can register online for any of the following classes. Note that courses often book out a week or so before they're due to start.

For information on courses beyond October check out our 2007 course schedule.

Term 5 October/November

Casual Classes

Simply Silence

Simply Silence in September includes guest teachers Kate James from Total Balance Group (September 10) and Arian Young from Intrinsic Meditation Services (September 24).

Get along and enjoy the fresh approaches and wealth of experience these teachers bring to meditation.

Simply Silence provides you with the opportunity to practice your meditation in a group setting on a casual basis; entry is by donation and you're invited to join us for tea and biscuits afterwards. For full details or to subscribe to our reminder service, which lets you know when the next session is scheduled, visit the Simply Silence website.

Meditation Tip - The Ins and Outs of the Breath

"There are moments when we stop taking life for granted and inhale deeply of the beauty that is around us. A cleansing breath drawn at glorious dawn; savouring the bouquet of a glass of fine wine before dinner; or, nestled in a lover's arms, surrendering to his or her smell — at such moments, you take life deeply into yourself and are intimate with something great. In the time it takes to breathe in and out, you touch life and are touched by life intensely."

Lorin Roche, Breathtaking

Breath is the most central, and usually the most neglected element of our experience. It's obvious that our breath influences the way we feel — our emotions, our energy levels, even our health — and yet how it does so usually remains elusive.

Here's an invitation to explore a world that is always there, a simple please that's right under your nose, waiting.

1. Inhale through the nose, perhaps two or three times; then try through the mouth. Notice the similarities and differences.

2. Exhale through the nose, two or three times; then breathe out through the mouth.
Notice the similarities and differences.

Jot down your observations and send them to matt@melbournemeditationcentre.com.au, and try both exercises many times over the next month.

In the next issue of Meditation Made Easy I'll include description of the effects and benefits of these different ways of breathing.

Website of the Month - 112 Time Tested Meditation Techniques

If you've completed a course at the Melbourne Meditation Centre you'll know that we steer clear of dogmatic, religious and overly mystical approaches to meditaiton. We teach meditation as a simple, practical skill; assuming you want to learn how to destress mind and body (rather than spend weeks in a cave or monastery). There are no gurus and no lectures on morality.

Still, there's no denying that much of the wisdom and many of the techniques we teach have been distilled from these very traditions. If you can see past the historical and cultural trappings of the ancient texts there's much of value.

With that it mind, for those of you who wish to explore a little further, you might like to try the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra, a 5000 year old text, considered by many as the last word on meditation.

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.)