August, 2009
Vol 5/Issue 8
relaxation... clarity of mind... better health... self awareness...

In This Issue...

Spot Meditation — The Full Stop

Walk around the block

Here's a novel idea for a spot meditation. When reading, take punctuation marks literally. Pause momentarily each time you come across a comma, and at the end of each sentence take a full stop. Try it as you read this paragraph, and at the end breathe out completely before you commence the next paragraph. This is a great way to slow down and be more present, and a nice way to really absorb what you're reading about.

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.

Meditation Myths Exposed

"The mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master."

When I ask people why they want to learn to meditate there are surprisingly few answers. Some are hoping meditation will help them to sleep better. Others might be hoping to learn how to focus, to do whatever it is they do more efficiently. There's usually a couple who want to manage their anxiety or improve their health. The vast majority however, are hoping they'll learn how to live a less stressful life.

In all the cases above what people are really searching for is a way to escape from the tyranny of their own minds. A way to change, avoid or banish entirely the typical barrage of unwanted thoughts, sensations and feelings that so often assail us.

Unfortunately though, this desire to escape is the very cause of the stress we seek to avoid. Read more...

Course Schedule

Our next term of meditation courses commences mid September. You can register online for any of the following.

Term 5, September/October 2009

Course Start Date Cost Duration Venue Day Time
Basic September 13 $220 6 Weeks Glen Waverley Sundays 7.00 - 8.30pm
Basic September 14 $220 6 Weeks Clifton Hill Mondays 6.30 - 8.00pm
Basic September 16 $220 12 Weeks Elwood Wednesdays 8.00 - 9.30pm
Basic September 17 $220 6 Weeks Melbourne CBD Thursdays 5.30 - 7.00pm
Basic September 17 $220 6 Weeks Port Melbourne Thursdays 8.00 - 9.30pm
Workshop October 4 $88 3 Hours Elwood Sunday 2.00 - 5.00pm

Meditation Events

Simply Silence

Simply SilenceGet your regular dose of relaxation and calm at one of our Simply Silence sessions in Northcote or Elwood. It's a great way to discover and explore meditation in a friendly group environment.

Elwood Schedule

  • August 10 - Sarah Fletcher
  • August 24 - TBA

Northcote Schedule

  • August 6 - Paul Majewski & Garth Stone
  • August 20 - David Hall

Free Guided Meditation mp3s

Searching for half-decent guided meditations on the web it not typically a rewarding process, so if you're looking for some variety for the ipod, you might like to search through the Meditation Made Easy archives, where you'll find numerous good quality podcasts and downloads.

Our addition for this month comes from www.meditationoasis.com and while the voice might be a little too sugary and American for some, the content and philosophy underpinning the meditations is sound. You can download 31 different guided meditations from their podcast page.

Missed an issue of the newsletter? You can browse through the archives at http://news.melbournemeditationcentre.com.au
Happy Meditating,
Matt.
Matthew Young - Director
p. 03 9531 1607
e. matt@melbournemeditationcentre.com.au
w. www.melbournemeditationcentre.com.au
Melbourne Meditation Centre
PO Box 1174
Elwood, VIC 3184
AUSTRALIA

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