In This Issue...

• Spot Meditation
• Meditation Tip
• Course Schedule
• Events - The Big Retreat, Meditation in the Gardens.
• Free Guided Meditation mp3s

Spot Meditation — Mobile Meditations

What do you do when your mobile phone rings, beeps (or sings) at you? Do you jump to reply regardless of what you are doing or who you are with? Does your mobile phone enhance your life, decrease your stress, keep you connected, or not? Could you use it  as a reminder to relax?

This week, pick a person who calls you with some frequency. Each time they text, pause, bring their face to mind, reflect for a moment on why they are your friend and how you feel to have heard from them. Breathe in deeply two or three times, savouring any associated thoughts and feelings. There's your one-minute meditation.

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 #2

"Don't Do Something, Just Sit There!"

It may be that someone has told you to slow down, that you are doing too much. You may even have heard the spiritual cliche, "We're meant to be human beings, not human doings." Meditation too, as a popular antidote to stress, may suggest that taking time out to do nothing is the royal road to a balanced life, or even enlightenment.

But how much nothing is enough? Can we get too detached? Being able to view our thoughts and emotions objectively, without being endlessly buffeted, can be a useful skill to develop. But what do you do with that skill? Is the point of meditation to view things as they are, or is there something beyond? 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

Meditation Events

Big Retreat

The Big Retreat
Jamieson Sanctuary
Starts: 4pm Friday October 30
Finishes: 2pm Monday November 2
$550/$500 couples/concession

Facilitated by Matt Young, Paul Majewski and Garth Stone.

The annual Big Retreat provides a wonderful opportunity to deepen your meditation practice, rebalance and rekindle your creativity and vitality, leaving behind the demands of fast-paced urban living and reconnecting with deeper natural rhythms.

The flexible program of meditation, yoga, bush walking, movement, sound meditation and sound massage offers a harmonious blend of solitude and group activities to allow you to relax deeply and re-energise the core of your being. More information...

How to Meditate Workshop

Sunday, October 4: 2.00 - 5.00pm, Elwood.

This workshop is a condensed form of the Basic Meditation Course. Designed as an introduction to meditation it will help you get started with a range of simple techniques. The workshop is particularly suitable if you can't come to regular classes, if the next term is too far away, or if you just want to get a taste of what meditation is before committing to a full course.

Meditation in the Gardens

Start your day with a relaxed and clear mind. Join me on Tuesday mornings from 7.00 - 7.45am at the Rose Garden Rotunda in the St Kilda Botanic Gardens for a series of free guided meditations, presented by the City of Port Phillip. There's limited seating available so arrive early or bring a yoga matt, rug or cushion to sit on. Sessions run on October 20, & 27 and November 3, 10, 17 & 24.

Simply Silence

Get 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

• September 14 - Sarah Fletcher
• September 28 - TBA

Northcote Schedule

• September 17 - Paul Majewski
• October 1 - Rita Cattivera

Free Guided Meditation mp3s

Searching for half-decent guided meditations on the web is 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.fragrantheart.com where you'll find over 30 meditations in categories such as Relaxation & Stress Relief Meditations, Healing Meditations and Self Esteem Meditations, all guided in a Kiwi accent.

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.)