Mindfulness & Meditation for Yoga Beginners & Yoga Teachers

You will learn the correct way to breathe, not just during Yoga sessions or Meditation but throughout your life. Abdominal breathing also called Yogis breathing or Diaphragm breathing is the best way to breath. I explain all the essentials on how to do abdominal breathing. Not only should you learn this but also share with your family, friends, community and colleagues.

During Meditation it is important to know how you should sit. Our Kundalini Energy located at the bottom of our spine ( just above our anus) will rise along the spine towards the top of the head. This flow of energy should not be blocked by sitting slumped or hunched. You will learn the best sitting position and also alternative sitting options.

All times are good for Meditation is also true. Infact, that is the desired outcome eventually, whereby you are always contemplating on the One that is the basis of the Many while being engaged in your daily activities.  However in the beginning of your meditation journey, it is best to meditate on certain times of the day. You will learn when and why here.

One Pointed Concentration is required to succeed in Meditation, or for that matter to succeed in any undertaking in life. While we are all capable of concentration while reading, writing, driving, walking or cooking it may not be always one pointed concentration whereby the Mind is trained to only focus on the task in hand and not wander around. Here you will learn about One Pointed Concentration and it's benefits. Please read the attached document on the Benefits of One Pointed Concentration before you proceed. I have also given you a Daily Practice Diary which you can download. Keep a journal of your practice details in this Diary

Here is an easy to do One Pointed Concentration practice. Try it. Before you start, count how many times you breathe in a minute. One count is one cycle of inhale and exhale. Once you complete this practice for say 5 minutes, count the number of breaths in a minute again. Let me know your before and after breath counts.

In this One Pointed Concentration practice I have added an extra step whereby you need to not only train your mind to stay in one place and do One Pointed Concentration, but also to turn away from the pulls of the sensory world and look into your throat. If you practice this daily for 5 minutes, you will develop an ability to stay calm the rest of the day, whatever is happening around you. This is also preparing you to turn your mind inwards to discover your own Self, the limitless consciousness that is embodied in you as your inner divine ( Atman) or soul. This entity resides on your spine between the 9th and 12th vertebrae.

I learnt this very ancient One Pointed Concentration Practice from Sri Sathya Sai Baba of India and am very happy to share this with you. You will need to use a flame of a lamp or candle to do this. If you do this for 5 minutes you will experience very deep relaxation. Again, measure your breathing rate per minute before and after the practice and let me know.

In this lesson I introduce you to what is Meditation and the process of meditation. Often Meditation is confused with Mindfulness practices or even Prayers. You will learn the definition of what can be called Meditation, thereby not being confused by the myriad of techniques on the internet which are merely concentration or visualisation practices and not meditation.  Download the attached Daily Meditation diary and fill it daily as you practice the Meditations your will be learning in this section

So - Ham Meditation is very easy to learn and yet very profound as you engage in one pointed contemplation on the sound So - Ham and it's meaning. Practice this

The Sound AUM is called the primordial sound. When there was nothing but the One which existed always, and when this One decided to become many ( Creation), first there was the sound, it was Aum. From Aum came the five elemental energies in order as Ether( space), Wind, Fire, Water and Earth. Everything in creation is made up of these five elemental energies. You will learn the significance of chanting AUM and meditating on it.

Here you will learn the finer points of how to recite the primordial sound AUM. If you practice chanting AUM daily before your prayers or Meditation your mind will become calm and your nervous system will also become much more efficient and you ability to handle stress will improve.

here you will learn the process of AUM meditation. Irrespective of your faith you can do AUM meditation. You can also adopt it to your faith as I have explained in the lesson. if youc an do AUM meditation for 10 minutes a day, you will see the effect on your mind

I have deliberately chosen Ocean Meditation to highlight the process of Meditation can be on any object. Here I have chosen the Ocean and given your something to Contemplate upon as you embark into Ocean Meditation. By now you would be knowing Meditation starts with One Pointed Concentration stage and moves on to One Pointed Contemplation. You can develop forbearance and fortitude through Ocean Meditation.

Waves emanate from the ocean toss around and merge with the ocean. Likewise, we emanate as an individual wave ( Soul or Atman) from the ocean of universal Love called God in a human body and then finally after being tossed around the ups and downs of life merge with the very ocean from which we came from. As you practice Ocean Meditation you will become keenly aware of your origins and will develop a positive attitude towards life and society, accepting all ups and downs as part of life's lessons to be learnt.

You will learn what is Light Meditation here. This is a technique that anyone from a young child to a senior can do, regardless of their faith or background. The light meditation steps are explained in the downloadable audios attached here.  The audio takes you step by step into Light Meditation. After a few times, you will be able to practice Light Meditation without the audio. I have given two audios, download them. First, listen to the one with detailed explanations, and become familiar with each step in the process of Light Meditation. Then you can use the audio with minimal explanations to use for your practice. Remember Light Meditation is the safest and highest of all meditation practices.

This Meditation technique can be finished in 5 minutes, and is an extension of the One Pointed Concentration on the Flame which you did earlier. It induces deep relaxation in your mind and nervous system and gives you command over the Mind.

Here I discuss the various meditation techniques given in this course, why there are many techniques and also highlight that Light Meditation is the safest and surest path to realise the Self (inner divine) and achieve equanimity in life to deal with the ups and downs of life.

Here I dispel any myths about who can do meditation. Everyone can do Meditation.

Now that you have learned all you need to know about meditation, I also share with you what else can complement your Meditation practice and why. I also attach a brief overview of What Yoga is all about as a downloadable document for your reading.

If you want to enhance your physical and mental well-being and progress in your spiritual path, you need to develop a few traits and capabilities in your life, however busy you are. In this lesson, you will be introduced to these traits or habits you will need to develop.

Here I want you to take stock of your life situation now, what are your aspirations, issues, and where you want to head in life. Whether you are a student, adult, senior, or a monk it is good to do this exercise every year. When you introspect and search for answers you will be presented with some interesting perspectives by your inner voice. Please complete the attached downloadable spread sheet and keep it some where so that you can re- visit it every six months.

Here I will share how you can jot down your daily activities and assess which are essential and which are not important. Often we wake up in the morning and get caught up in a flurry of activities without taking a breather to assess Why am I doing this? Can I delegate this to someone else? Can I completely drop this activity from my schedule? As you re-look at your activities on a daily basis you will be able to find enough free time to do self-care for your own mental, physical, and spiritual health. You will be amazed how much time is wasted on unwanted activities. Please use the attached downloadable spreadsheet to take stock of your daily activities and create your self-care time as your number one priority, especially if you are a family head or corporate head many people are depending on you to function well with clarity and maintain your health

I summarise what you have learned so far and give you tips on how to proceed with your daily Meditation for 10 to 20 minutes. If you are wondering what is the indicator of progress in meditation, listen to this lecture and also read the attached downloadable notes which gives you an invaluable insight into Meditation and where it will take you.

I wish you success in your meditation journey and wish to remind you that I am always available to clarify your doubts or queries.     Thank you. Narendra