Meditation (Brighton)

Yoga Nidra MP3

2011-12-04T01:30:00.000-08:00

Here's an introduction to my Yoga Nidra MP3:

You can buy the full Yoga Nidra MP3 for £2 by clicking on the following link:

Yoga Nidra MP3

Enjoy.

Metaphors and “Pocket Rituals” - Meditation Workshop, Sussex

2011-11-21T05:36:00.000-08:00

Just a quick reminder that my meditation and NLP (neuro linguistic programming) workshop is this coming Saturday 26th November from 10am to 1pm at Shoreham Chiropractic Clinic, Shoreham-by-Sea. You can book your place now by calling reception on 01273 461155.

The workshop is called "Meditation and Pocket Rituals for Self Realisation".

Many of the greatest therapists utilise metaphor to help their clients achieve emotional, mental and behavioural change. This is not surprising when you consider the power of your own dreams and how they can help you overcome difficulties and prepare for action.

In the western world Carl Jung led the way in understanding the amazing role of dreams and metaphor in our psychological and emotional development. Meanwhile many ancient civilisations have engaged in symbolic rituals for initiations and personal transformation.

In this workshop I will be sharing a variety of “pocket ritual” methods for generating inner resources and greater self awareness through the use of metaphors. All the methods in this workshop will be easy to learn and suitable to practise at home in your living room.

The workshop will conclude with a guided meditation allowing you to utilise your own metaphors in a highly focused state.

For more information about the influences on my work visit my websites:

Lucas Bright, Brighton - NLP

Spirit Space, Brighton - Meditation

Meditation / Yoga Nidra mp3 download

2011-03-02T04:49:00.000-08:00

I now have a new guided meditation / Yoga Nidra mp3 available for just £2.

The download includes two tracks:
A Brief Introduction to Yoga Nidra
A Guided Yoga Nidra Practice (29 minutes)

You can buy and download the mp3 here: YOGA NIDRA DOWNLOAD
or here: MEDITATION DOWNLOAD

You can read more about Yoga Nidra and how I teach: HOW I TEACH YOGA NIDRA

Yoga Nidra / Meditation at Aloka, Brighton

2011-03-02T04:25:00.000-08:00

Just a quick reminder I am teaching two new weekly classes in the lovely Studio at Aloka, East Street, Brighton this evening and every Wednesday. The first class starts at 6.45pm and the second is at 8pm. Both classes are for one hour during which I guide you through a process of deep ralaxation and meditation.

This is an extremely comfortable practice - the whole thing is done lying on the floor.

Aloka provide mats, bean bags for the eyes and blankets. So all you need to bring is some loose clothing to change into when you arrive.

There is a lot of useful information about Yoga Nidra and how I teach it on my webpage:

Yoga Nidra in Brighton

You can also find more information about all my classes and workshops:

Meditation in Brighton

And here is a map of how to find Aloka: Aloka Map

New Brighton Meditation & Yoga Nidra Class

2010-09-07T01:30:00.000-07:00

Getting back into the swing of things
The summer draws to an end and we prepare for the cooler autumn weather, many people returning from their holidays and back to the routines of work and daily living.

This can be the perfect time of year to make sure we have healthy beneficial routines in our lives, routines to handle the pressures of daily life, to gain some clarity in decisions and choices and to enjoy maintaining energy and enthusiasm for life.

We are very lucky in Brighton, because there are so many great ways we can learn to look after ourselves better, lots of fabulous yoga courses, Tai Chi, Chi Kung and meditation classes.

Meditation Workshops starting in October
This October I am teaching a series of three hour workshops focusing on meditation. The purpose of these workshops is to help you develop skills to meditate easily and successfully, to achieve all the benefits available from meditation, to enhance your thinking and emotional health.

The first workshop is on Saturday October 9th 10am to 1pm at The Studio, Aloka, East Street, Brighton BN1 1HP. There is another one on October 30th at the same time and place. Then I will be running the meditation and Yoga Nidra workshops monthly.

You can read more about my approach to these workshops by checking out an interview I did with The Brighton Magazine - follow this link:
Brighton Meditation Classes

My first workshop will focus on an approach know as Yoga Nidra. This is unlike over forms of yoga because it doesn't involve any postures, movement or bending - you just lie down on the floor for the whole practice. It involves a series of amazing techniques to take you into a very relaxed state of calmness and wellbeing. In fact the state you will experience is much deeper than ordinary meditation.

There is more information about Yoga Nidra, and why it is good for meditation, on my website:
What is Yoga Nidra

You can also find more information about how I teach Yoga Nidra and how I incorporate NLP to help people learn more quickly:
Yoga Nidra Classes Brighton

And if you would like to book your place on the workshop now for £35 you can do this by visiting my booking page:
Booking your place on my Brighton Meditation Class

Alternatively you can contact me to ask any questions or to arrange to meet me for a chat about meditation and Yoga Nidra:
Contact Me

Brighton Meditation and Yoga Nidra Workshop in October

2010-08-05T03:23:00.000-07:00

In October I am teaching a new meditation and Yoga Nidra workshop in Brighton, designed to help you meditate more easily. The workshop is more than just meditation, it is based on a technique known as Yoga Nidra.

What has Yoga Nidra to do with meditation

Yoga Nidra is a unique practice incorporating relaxation, meditation and the actual state of Yoga Nidra itself i.e. “conscious sleep”. Unlike other styles of yoga, such as Hatha, there are no stretches, no postures and no movement. The whole practice is performed lying on a mat.

How I teach meditation and Yoga Nidra

When I teach Yoga Nidra and meditation in Brighton, I use a unique approach to guide the practice, incorporating techniques from the Bihar School of Yoga and from NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), to accelerate the process of relaxation and meditation, so you develop a routine to use for the rest of your life.

The system of Yoga Nidra, as developed by the Bihar School of Yoga, is extremely effective and NLP helps you get started a little more easily. That's why I combine the two techniques because it will help you overcome some of the typical obstacles to relaxation and meditation.

There is another reason I use some NLP when I teach Yoga Nidra in Brighton, because it helps you develop your "sankalpa". The word sankalpa roughly translates as resolve or resolution and it helps you set-up a strong intent whenever you practise Yoga Nidra. In fact, you will always repeat a specific resolution phrase, or sankalpa, to yourself three times at the start and again at the end of each practice. Using some very simple NLP you can make sure you really experience the full intention behind your sankalpa, thereby giving it more power, more than just words, much more.

I am a qualified NLP trainer certified by Richard Bandler (co-creator of NLP) and licenced to train by the Society of NLP, so you can enjoy peace of mind knowing I will be using the very latest knowledge to enhance your experience.

You can find more information about Yoga Nidra, meditation and my Brighton classes and workshops on my new website http://www.spiritspace.co.uk

Meanwhile here is some more detail about what my Yoga Nidra workshops are all about.

What you will learn in my Brighton Yoga Nidra workshops

Unlike regular Yoga Nidra classes I am offering a full three hour workshop to give you a chance to explore some of the specific elements of Yoga Nidra in a bit more detail and to combine other consciousness teachings to achieve the best benefit from the practice. Each workshop is unique because I adapt the way I teach to meet the requirements of the group I am teaching.

My aim is to help ypou develop skills way beyond relaxation, skills you can use in your everyday life to improve your emotional well being, your mental effectiveness and your general health.

The workshops are always very practical. I remain focused on the experience itself throughout the Yoga Nidra workshop to ensure you enjoy a positive learning experience. I encourage practical questions rather than theoretical ones, though I will make sure you have some basic theory to support your understanding.

During the first two hours of the workshop I help you develop some useful skills by tackling key elements of Yoga Nidra, supported by some useful NLP. Then, during the last hour, I guide you through a compete Yoga Nidra practice.

Dates & venue for my Yoga Nidra workshops in Brighton

- Saturday 9th October 2010, 10am to 1pm

- Saturday 30th October 2010, 10am to 1pm

Venue: The Studio, Aloka, 14 East Street, Brighton BN1 1HP

Booking your place on a Yoga Nidra workshop in Brighton

You can contact me by telephoning 07771 823651 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 07771 823651 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, e-mail info@springtomind.co.uk or message me on Skype, username lucasbright.

Meditation & Posture (Asana)

2009-10-08T02:21:00.000-07:00

Have you been to a meditation class and struggled with relaxing or had difficulty stilling your mind?

There are many different meditation traditions and each of them have their own ideas about the most suitable posture. I've come to the conclusion that there is no universal correct posture for all beginners.

One of the first things I recommend to anybody learning meditation is to experiment with the best posture for you. It doesn't matter what everybody else says they do. By all means pay attention to their advice and suggestions and then make sure you adopt the posture that works for you. This may mean trying a few different ones for a while.

You may be familiar with the lotus position, which can be a great posture for meditation. However it is not great for everybody. There are many alternative postures for sitting on the floor, e.g. the simple crossed leg position. There are also a variety of props to help you. You can use blocks or cushions. Or you can lean against the wall to keep your back straight.

You don't even need to adopt a seated posture on the floor at all. Why not try one of the kneeling postures. These can be very comfortable, especially to start with. Just make sure you don't kneel if you have any knee injuries.

While you are on the floor you can even try shivasana (corpse pose), lying on your back, arms beside you, palms facing upwards, legs slightly apart. It is best to do this without any cushion under the head, unless you have neck problems. (You can also use a cushion under the knees if you have knee problems in this posture.)

Some people like to sit in a chair when first learning meditation. This can be great for getting the basics of meditation. Just make sure you find a comfortable chair with adequate support for your body.

Many of my students particularly enjoy standing in meditation. This is a terrific way of getting the body fully aligned, enjoying visualisations of the chakras and focusing on the flow of prana (chi, mana, energy) through the energy channels in the body. It is also an interesting way to develop a connection between the earth and the heavens through your body. You might be surprised by how long you can stand in meditation and how deeply you go. This is a very good posture for people who have tended to sleep during their first attempts at meditating. It is much easier to stay awake when you are standing, isn't it.

Have fun experimenting. Feel free to post your comments and questions on this blog or contact me for further advice and information.

Author: Andy Lucas, Spring to Mind Meditation Brighton and Hove

Meditation & Yoga Nidra - Reminder

2009-10-06T01:22:00.001-07:00

Quick Reminder:

My Yoga Nidra / Meditation Classes continue tonight. Here are the details:

What does it cost
£8

Where - Shoreham Chiropractic Clinic
1-3 Ham Road, Shoreham By Sea, West Sussex BN43 6PA

How to book
Call the clinic on 01273 461155

Many people I meet are looking for ways of relaxing, calming down, switching off and/or stilling the mind. Some people find themselves thinking too much or having excessive internal chatter whilst others want to learn ways of tackling feelings of stress and anxiety.

Regular meditation is an excellent way of training the mind to develop healthier ways of thinking and feeling.

Yoga Nidra / Meditation - Shoreham nr Brighton

2009-09-19T05:27:00.000-07:00

Exciting News!!!!

I have started teaching a brand new Yoga Nidra and Meditation Class here In Shoreham-by-Sea every Tuesday 7.30pm to 8.30pm. Full details of how to book and where to go are on my website: http://www.advancedtherapy.co.uk/meditation.php

YOGA NIDRA: a unique practice (no postures or movements), incorporates relaxation, meditation & the state of yoga nidra, 'conscious sleep'.

How I teach
I guide the practice with techniques and meditations from Bihar School of Yoga & from methods used in NLP (neuro linguistic programming). I find this combination accelerates deep relaxation & stillness of the mind.

What is Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra is an amazing practice. It's more than just relaxation. In fact it is more than just meditation. Some people liken it to a hypnotic trance. Others say it is a state of total integration between the consciousness and unconsciousness. Some people don't say anything at all about it, because sometimes there are no words to describe deep and profound experiences.

Where does it come from
The practice itself is based on techniques and a philosophy going back thousands of years with roots in the vedic teachings and the self realisation traditions of India. The specific style taught nowadays was developed by Swami Satyananda Saraswati of The Bihar School of Yoga based on extensive studies of ancient texts and by following the principles of Raja Yoga and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

What are the benefits
In my experience Yoga Nidra can be a very healing experience. It can enable you to live more consciously and gain greater control and insight into emotional and thought processes, especially if you allow it to become a daily routine.

As you become experienced in the practice of Yoga Nidra and meditation you can enjoy working with your chakras (energy centres) and discovering a natural ability to maintain greater control over the emotional states experienced in daily life, replacing old automated unconscious behaviours and responses with something more graceful and stable - a kind of superconsciousness.

This is just what I think today of course. Ask me tomorrow and I may say something completely different. The best way to truly understand Yoga Nidra is to try it.

Meditation / Yoga Nidra - Shoreham, West Sussex

2009-07-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

GREAT NEWS!!!

I am now launching some new meditation and yoga nidra classes starting in September at Shoreham Chiropractor Clinic. This is a lovely purpose built venue and it is literally around the corner from the station, so it is very easy to get to.

Yoga Nidra is a unique practice incorporating relaxation, meditation and the actual state of yoga nidra itself i.e. “conscious sleep”.

I use a unique approach to guiding the practice by incorporating techniques from the Bihar School of Yoga and from NLP to accelerate the process of relaxation and to build a routine available to you for the rest of your life.

Here are the details:

When - Tuesdays 7.30 - 8.30
Start: 15th September 09
Half-term: 27th October 09
End: 8th December 09

What does it cost
Payment for 13 week course:
£96 in advance (1 week free)
or two instalments of £52 (2nd instalment payable before half-term)
or £8 taster session

Where - Shoreham Chiropractic Clinic
1-3 Ham Road, Shoreham By Sea, West Sussex BN43 6PA

How to book
Call the clinic on 01273 461155

Let me know if you need any more information. Just post your general questions on this blog and I will post answers for everybody to read. If you have more specific questions please contact me using the contact form on my website by following this link: Yoga Nidra Queries

And please feel free to pass this information to anybody you know who may be interested.

I hope to see you at the classes.

Meditation Class (7) - Huna

2009-01-20T06:45:00.000-08:00

Notes on Class (7) - 13 January 2009

Todays class started to explore applications of meditation from shamanic traditions and in particular from Huna (Hawaiian shamanism).

THEORY

The Seven Principles of Huna according to the Order of Huna International are as follows:

IKE - The world is what you think it is
KALA - There are no limits
MAKIA - Energy flows where attention goes
MANUA - Now is the moment of power
ALOHA - To love is to be happy with
MANA - All power comes from within
PONO - Effectiveness is the measure of truth

It would be helpful to research these principles in more detail and to contemplate what they mean to you. They can form an excellent foundation for applying meditation and higher consciousness to your daily life.

It is also helpful to remember the huna belief in three levels of consciousness. The first two levels resemble western theories of consciousness i.e. the notion of a subconscious and a conscious. However, the huna teachings also include a third level called the superconscious.

Here is a very brief explanation of the interaction between the three levels:

The conscious focuses attention on something
The subconscious treats the focus of attention as an event and retains a memory of it
The superconscious uses the memory as a pattern/blueprint to create an equivalent physical experience
The more attention you give to something consciously or subconsciously, the more it manifests in your life
Conscious attention is a matter of choice, subconscious attention a matter of habit

PRACTICE

In the first part of today's practical we practised observing each level of consciousness as the mind became stiller (see previous weeks' notes for the process of stilling the mind).

When "level 7" was reached we practised a technique known as "centred awareness":

Either visualise or feel a point of light at the navel
Experience this point of light as the source of unlimited energy, power and love
Allow the light to vibrate at a high frequency, radiating outwards so you eventually become surrounded by that light
As you inhale you can focus on drawing in more light
As you exhale you can intensify the light and allow the vibration to become stronger
Throughout this practice maintain your awareness as long as possible

This centred awareness and the ability to work with light forms a good foundation for many applied meditations, including meditations for specific purposes such as personal change, healing, protection, spiritual development.

Recommended reading: Mastery of Your Hidden Self (A Guide to the Huna Way)

by Serge Kahili King

Blog posted by: Andy Lucas, Spring to Mind Meditation Brighton

Consciousness in Meditation

2008-12-03T03:18:00.000-08:00

Class (3) on Tuesday 2nd December moved things on a bit as we began to explore methods for maintaining consciousness during meditation.

Preparation

As usual we started with our preparation exercises (see the blog for class (1)). With regular practice at home these exercises are becoming easier to remember and are really helpful for settling the mind and beginning the process of meditation. Some might even say the exercises are a moving meditation when done slowly, patiently and with total attention.

Whatever the movement in each exercise we avoided compressing any joints in the body by focusing on extending - whether we were rolling our heads, arching our backs or opening and closing our fists we concentrated on extending.

Shivasana

Following on from last weeks practice in shivasana (corpse pose) we began by ensuring the arms and legs were slightly spread with palms faced up and the whole body loose. Then we tensed and released every part of the body five times before resting completely into corpse.

We gave attention to the whole body lying on the floor, not any specific part of the body, the whole body. Plenty of time was given to being with the whole body, experiencing the whole body.

Kneeling

So far during the classes we have practised meditation in crossed legged, standing and shivasana postures and compared the experiences in each.

Today we spent ten minutes meditating in a kneeling posture. Focus was given to alignment as with the standing postures. And we also allowed ourselves to bring the stillness of the mind from the previous shivasana into the kneeling pose.

Breathing

I introduced the class to the concept of swara yoga.

According to the ancient text Shiva Swarodaya throughout each day we all experience cycles between the two major nadis, energy channels, ida and pingala. There is an excellent illustration of the way these two channels wind up through the central chakras on himalayanacademy.com.

When the right nostril is clear pingala is the dominant channel and corresponds to the left hemisphere of the brain. When the left nostril is clear ida is the dominant energy channel and corresponds to the right hemisphere of the brain.

We will be discussing this in more detail at today's class. For now it is sufficient to understand that each active channel flows for a period of 60-90 minutes at a time after which there is a transfer to the opposite channel. The transfer takes approximately 1-4 minutes during which both nostrils are clear and sushumna, the central energy channel, flows. (Have another look at the illustration referenced above and you will see the vertical central channel. This is sushumna.)

During the last class we sat in cross legged position and practised "nadi sodhana" wherein we used the fingers to alternate the nostrils whilst breathing. By clearing both nostrils we stimulate flow through sushumna which aids the practice of meditation.

Creating the State of Yoga Nidra (Conscious Deep Sleep)

The practice of yoga nidra is growing in popularity and yet it is often misunderstood. The practices taught in yoga nidra classes are not in and of themselves "yoga nidra", rather they are techniques to help us reach the state of yoga nidra. We are aiming to adjust the frequencies in our brains to a level known as "delta", 1-3.5 Hz per second, complete relaxation of mental, emotional and muscular tension. Later in the course we will be discussing the benefits of attaining a delta state whilst remaining conscious. Meanwhile students will already begin to notice some interesting results from attaining this state even if it's just for a few seconds or minutes at a time.

During the class we returned to shivasana and applied two useful techniques:

1) awareness of the space between the body and the floor

2) alternate nostril breathing without using the hands i.e. just using the mind to control the nostrils

3) experiencing lightness and heaviness in sequence

4) experiencing heat and cold in sequence

At today's class we will be recapping some of the work done in class (3) before moving on to some more techniques for yoga nidra.

Author: Andy Lucas Spring to Mind Meditation Brighton

Daily Awareness

2008-12-02T09:02:00.000-08:00

Putting Meditation into Practice

(Adapted from an idea by Steve Andreas in his book Six Blind Elephants)

At the end of the second class the following practice exercise was set up.

Each day ask yourself the following question:

“What would I do differently today if I was living more consciously and experiencing more prana, or as if I was living more consciously and experiencing more prana?”

Among all the things that come to your mind, choose the smallest, most minimal but concrete thing and put it into practice. Every day, choose a small but concrete thing as if you had already started building more prana and as if you were already experiencing greater consciousness, and voluntarily put it into practice. Every day choose something different.

Posted by: Andy Lucas, Spring to Mind Meditation Brighton

Meditation - Experimenting with Postures

2008-12-02T08:28:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everybody from the Tuesday group who came along to the second class on 18th November.

Preparation Exercises

It was great to see how well everybody is remembering the preparation exercises taught the week before. And it was also encouraging to hear how you are all noticing the effects of doing these simple exercises and how it helps the meditation. In a couple of weeks we will start to explore one or two additional exercises you can use.

Standing Meditation

Meanwhile continuing our exploration of meditation in different postures was very illuminating. I would encourage you to carry on practising standing meditation with hands in prayer position at least once each day for about ten minutes.

On Tuesday you began to develop an awareness of alignment and how you could make very small subtle changes to your body allowing your mind to become stiller. Sometimes for some people these tiny adjustments can be done very quickly whilst others may find it takes a few minutes before the body feels totally aligned - eventually it becomes very intuitive.

Shivasana and Meditation

We also had time to contrast the experience of shivasana (corpse pose). This posture can be challenging. A certain amount of mindfulness is required to avoid either dropping into sleep or experiencing "monkey brain" (where the mind starts becoming preoccupied with lots of thoughts).

Now you have observed how your mind behaves in various postures you can discover the differences you can make with some ancient and very simple techniques. Practising meditation in shivasana can be assisted by various methods of mindfulness, guiding the direction of consciousness. In fact these methods will begin to have a positive effect in how your mind behaves in ordinary day to day activities too.

We will be working with some of these techniques during class (3) this evening.

Author: Andy Lucas, Spring to Mind Meditation Brighton

Structuring Your Meditation Practice

2008-11-18T07:26:00.000-08:00

A big thank you to everybody who has joined the Tuesday evening meditation group. It was lovely to start the lessons with you all last Tuesday.

Now, as promised, here are some notes on what we did to help you practise at home. Please note the following exercises are only provided for the use of students who have already attended the class.

PREPARATION

Before starting your meditation it helps to warm up with some gentle exercises. Some people already practise yoga asanas, Thai Chi, Chi Kung or some other body work. However, if you have no such routine, you can still learn some simple movements to prepare your body and mind.

In many mind body systems it is believed we benefit from moving energy around our body. In India this energy is called Prana, in China it is called Chi and in Hawaii it's Mana. Whatever the nature of this energy, it seems performing some simple traditional exercises prepares our mind and body for successful meditation.

In the first week we tried six exercises (adapted from "Hidden Dangers of Meditation & Yoga" by Del Pe):

1) Shake your body

Wriggle your fingers and toes

Just loosen up the whole body - shake the arms, wrists, legs, ankles, shoulders and gentle sway from the hips and from the waist

There is no need to force any movements

Sometimes it helps to imagine you are a tree gentle moving in a breeze

2) Exercise those eyes

Do each of the following eye movements ten times:

Up and down

Side to side

Diagonally in each direction

Anti-clockwise rotation

Clockwise rotation

Gently rub your eyes and face

3) Loosen the neck

NB. If you have any kind of neck injury please seek medical advice before doing this exercise.

Do each of the following neck movements ten times:

Tilt from side to side

Then from left to right to left and so on

Tip head back whilst inhaling through your nose and tip head forward whilst exhaling through mouth

Rotate in one direction

Then rotate in the opposite direction

4) Shoulders and spine - releasing stress

10 times

Place your hands together in front of your tummy, palms face down and fingers gently stretched outwards

Raise your arms upwards towards the back of your head as you rapidly inhale, tilting your head backwards and arching your back (only as far as is comfortable without forcing or straining)

Then exhale rapidly as you return your hands and arms to the starting position and reverse the position of the lower back so your bottom is tucked in and your back is curled

5) Hands and arms

10 times

Straighten your arms together in front of the chest

Inhale and move arms outwards to the side

Open and close your hands three times whilst maintaining your arms in the T-position and holding your breath

Then rotate the wrists three times

Return your hands and arms to the starting position whilst exhaling

6) Swing the arms

10 times

(This is said to oxygenate your lungs and blood giving power to the upper body)

Arms in the same starting position as (5) above

Swing those arms behind you in an upwards direction whilst inhaling

Then brushing the arms over the ears as they rotate down towards the starting position

POSTURE AND MUDRAS

During the class we also experimented with a variety of mudras and postures discovering the difference in the meditation experience in each one.

In particular the class compared cross legged and standing.

FINISHING A PRACTICE

It is important to finish the practice correctly. There are a variety of ways to practise GROUNDING. In this class we first imagined a sphere of light radiating out of each of us and used the power of INTENTION to focus the healing light onto the planet.

We then practised balancing ourselves and energy by focusing on five points:

Top of head

Palms of each of the hands (upturned)

Soles of the feet

Then we focused our attention on the notion of planting roots, like a tree, into the ground and extending imaginary branches up towards the sky. The purpose of this is twofold, to reconnect to wakefulness and to develop the capacity to bring our raised consciousness into our daily life. This can seem abstract to start with and yet it becomes easier through practice.

Author: Andy Lucas - Spring to Mind Meditation Brighton

Meditation Open Events for New Students

2008-10-27T05:49:00.000-07:00

Just a quick reminder that the free open events for the new meditation classes begin this week. Each event is about one hour long and is an opportunity for you to find out more about the planned classes and for me to find out what you would like to get from the course.

This weeks events are as follows:

Tue 28th October – 6.30pm

Tue 28th October – 8.00pm
Thu 30th October – 11.00am
Fri 1st November – 11.00am

To book a place on one of the events contact me as soon as possible using the contact form on my website.

Author: Andy Lucas - Spring to Mind Hypnotherapy Brighton

Useful Resources for Yoga Nidra

2008-10-23T06:35:00.000-07:00

When you first discover yoga nidra you may decide you want to read more about it to understand the theory or to develop a home practice. And you may find it helpful to use an audio CD guiding you through the steps towards the state of yoga nidra - conscious deep sleep.

Here are a few suggestions of useful yoga nidra resources:

Book: Yoga Nidra by Swami Satyannanda Saraswati published by Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India. This book includes a good introduction to the theory as well as a series of transcripts of typical sessions.
Website: http://www.swamij.com/yoga-nidra.htm
Audio CD: Experience Yoga Nidra by Swami Jakananda Sarawati – you can find this CD on Amazon
Audio CD: Yoga Nidra - A Step by Step Guided Class by Andy Lucas - to be released in early November 2008

If there are any questions you have about yoga nidra please add a comment at the bottom of this blog. If you would like to join a regular yoga nidra class you are invited to come to one of my meditation open evening and open days. Please see my previous blog for dates and times or visit my Brighton meditation webpage.

Author: Andy Lucas, Spring to Mind Brighton Hypnotherapy

Brighton Meditation Classes - New Courses

2008-10-22T07:33:00.000-07:00

After several weeks of planning I am pleased to annouce the launch dates of my new meditation classes in Brighton. And, as promised, I am offering a variety of different courses to suit the many needs, requirements and levels of ability of people in Brighton.

Many people I meet are looking for ways of relaxing, calming down, switching off and/or stilling the mind. Some people find themselves thinking too much or having excessive internal chatter whilst others want to learn ways of tackling feelings of stress and anxiety.

Regular meditation is an excellent way of training the mind to develop healthier ways of thinking and feeling.

Meanwhile you may want to take your meditation deeper. Maybe you want to explore your spirituality through a more evolved meditation practice or perhaps you feel its time to tap into your inner wisdom and develop your true potential. If you are ready to focus on a regular meditation routine, like the sound of what I'm offering or just feel it's the right time to start, you can meet me at one of the free events below.

Free Open Evenings and Open Days

It can be difficult to decide whether a course of classes is right for you, especially when there are so many meditation groups and classes in the city. So, to make it easier for you to decide, I am running several free open evenings and open days.

During these events I will be answering your questions and finding out what you want from meditation classes. Then if you decide you would like to join my classes, I will match you with students of similar needs so that each group can develop at its own pace and in its own way.

Choice of Course Syllabus

Each course will consist of eight weekly classes. I am currently planning five separate courses, each designed for different levels of ability and on one of the themes below. (These may vary slightly after I have met with students and discovered what you want from the classes.)

Course Level (1) Meditation for beginners - with an emphasis on unwinding, relaxation and stilling the mind.
Courses Level (2) Option (1) Healing meditation - introducing and developing a range of healing meditative practices from a variety of traditions.
Course Level (2) Option (2) Meditation for personal growth - developing your own regular meditation practice to advance your consciousness and wellbeing.
Course Level (2) Option (3) Yoga Nidra - learning techniques to reach the state of yoga nidra, conscious sleep.
Course Level (3) Option (1) - The theory and practice of meditation - how to develop your own regular home practice for personal and spiritual development using ancient and modern teachings.
Course Level (3) Option (2) - Developing your energy system - theories and practices of energy and meditation.

Open Days and Open Evenings - Dates and Times

Tuesday 28th October – 6.30pm
Tuesday 28th October – 8.00pm
Thursday 30th October – 11.00am
Friday 1st November – 11.00am
Tuesday 4th November – 6.30pm
Tuesday 4th November – 8.00pm
Thursday 6th November – 11.00am

Prices

Level (1) - £60 for eight weeks
Level (2) - £70 for eight weeks
Level (3) - £80 for eight weeks

When you are ready to book a place on one of the above events or if you would like to ask me some questions, please contact me at my Meditation Brighton website where you will find e-mail and telephone contact information.

Author: Andy Lucas, Spring to Mind Meditation Brighton

Yoga Nidra Brighton - Follow Up

2008-10-22T01:36:00.000-07:00

Two days ago (Monday 20th October) I gave a presentation on Yoga Nidra to the the Magical Mondays group in Kemptown, Brighton. It was great to have an opportunity to explain some of the theory and principles of Yoga Nidra as well as giving a guided practice.

Here are a couple of the questions that came up and my answers to them:

1) Is Yoga Nidra meditation?

Well, yes and no. It is not really meditation in the normal sense of the word. Meditation normally involves reaching a state of consiousness equivalent to the stage between waking consiousness and dream sleep. During a Yoga Nidra practice you may pass through this state, however your goal is to reach the deepest state of dreamless sleep whilst remaining conscious. This may seem like a contradiction. You might even ask "how can you be in deep sleep and yet be conscious?" This is the beautiful paradox of Yoga Nidra and its power for personal change.

As you practise Yoga Nidra you discover for yourself the unique experience of being in conscious deep dreamless sleep. You may experience this the very first time you practise Yoga Nidra or it may take repeated practice for you to achieve the state of conscious sleep.

2) Should you use a CD to practise Yoga Nidra?

It can be very helpful when you are new to Yoga Nidra to use a CD or to attend a guided class to help you learn how to reach the Yoga Nidra state. In my next blog I will suggest some CDs for you to try. Eventually you will develop the ability to enter the state without any CD or guidance, and then you will be able to practise in any place at any time.

REMEMBER: Yoga Nidra is not the techniques, it is the state you reach - the state of conscious dreamless sleep.

Author: Andy Lucas - Spring to Mind Hypnotherapy Brighton

Yoga Nidra in Brighton

2008-10-17T00:09:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in my previous blog, I am working on the launch of some new exciting meditation classes here in Brighton. Watch this space for more news very soon.

Meanwhile I am making a number of guest appearances at local events in Brighton where groups will be getting a flavour of the approach I adopt to meditation and the sort of ideas I can share with you.

The next event I am attending is a group in Brighton called Magical Mondays. This is a weekly spiritual development group hosted by the lovely and talented Karl Lester. Karl invites a wide range of speakers to present to his group and encourages exploration of spirituality through a variety of traditions, ancient and modern.

My talk is during the evening of Monday 20th October. I will be teaching the beautiful practice of Yoga Nidra by describing its:

history;
theory;
structure

and by guiding the group through a 40 minute session of Yoga Nidra.

To find out more information about the group you can visit Karl's website .

Posted by: Andy Lucas - Spring to Mind Hypnotherapy Brighton

Launching Brighton Meditation Blog

2008-09-04T13:56:00.000-07:00

The purpose of this new blog is to provide support, tips, information and advice to accompany my new meditation classes in Brighton - starting in October.

These classes will provide training at a range of levels for people in Brighton wishing to develop their meditation practice. The class sizes will be small, between six and nine in number. The content will be designed to meet the specific needs and aims of the group members. There will be a different style for each group, which means you will be able to select a level and style to meet your particular requirements and enjoy being with others with similar aims.

Currently I am planning the following groups:

Meditation for beginners with an emphasis on unwinding, relaxation and stilling the mind.
Healing meditation, introducing and developing a range of meditative practices from a variety of traditions.
Meditation for personal growth and development.
Yoga Nidra.
The theory and practice of meditation and how to develop a regular practice.

These themes are subject to change and will ultimately depend upon your requirements. The advanced groups may also involve some reading and home study.

For a map of my location follow this link to my google map.

For more information about me please visit my website Spring to Mind Brighton Hypnotherapy.