New Dates Added for Vancouver Meditation Classes

New dates have been added for Vancouver meditation classes.  Go to the Chopra Center Teachers page to see the details (click on Class Schedule).

Contact me for pricing and further details.  Discounts available for early bird registration and companion tickets.

Namaste

Join me and the Chopra Center at Journey into Healing - Vancouver, February 16-20, 2011

The renowned Journey into Healing event is coming to Vancouver, BC in February 2011.  It is a profound mind-body healing workshop that combines modern Western medicine with Eastern healing arts. Join me and the Chopra Center staff at this powerful event.  For further details, click here.

When you register, don't forget to mention that Iulia Mihai recommended this workshop to you, and ask for the special discount available for this event.  If you register before December 17, 2010 you can get $900 off the regular price for all 2011 events, including this program and Seduction of Spirit, which will take place in Whistler in July 2011.  Yes, that is right!  $900 OFF ANY 2011 PROGRAM.  After December 17, 2010 you can still get a discount by mentioning my name when you register, but it will be lower than $900.

I look forward to seeing you at this event.

Namaste

Join me for a 21-day meditation challenge

The Chopra Center’s 21-Day Meditation Challenge™ will help you discover your untapped potential, opening your gateway to true freedom, extraordinary bliss, and the life of your dreams.

Join now and receive 21 daily guided meditations!

Namaste!

How will Primordial Sound Meditation affect my health?

Nowadays, doctors are increasingly citing stress as a major contributing factor to most illnesses.  Even though meditation should not be considered a cure by itself, research has shown it to be beneficial for a wide range of health problems.  As stress is greatly eliminated through Primordial Sound Meditation, our minds and bodies begin to function with maximum effectiveness, creating health, vitality and happiness.

During meditation, the body shifts into a state of restful awareness, in which we see:

• Decreased heart rate
• Normalization of blood pressure
• Quiet breathing
• Reduced stress hormones
• Reduced sweating
• Strengthened immunity

When our minds and bodies are less engaged in fighting stress, we are better able to express the creativity and enthusiasm for life that is inherent in our soul.

Ayurvedic products in combination with meditation can help releave stress and many other health issues.

Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old healing system founded in ancient India, is derived from the Sanskrit words ayus meaning "life", and veda meaning "wisdom". Ayurveda, the wisdom of life, offers a proven guide for a life of happiness, vitality, love and purpose.

From the Ayurvedic perspective, human beings are not viewed as mere thinking physical machines, but rather as fields of intelligence in a dynamic exchange with the energy of the environment around them. Health is a state of vibrant balance in which all the layers of one’s life - mind, body and spirit - are integrated.

To take the next step towards experiencing an Ayurvedic lifestyle, order the world-renowned Chopra Center Ayurvedic products.  These products are entirely natural and of the highest calibre.

What is Primordial Sound Meditation?

Primordial Sound Meditation is a meditation technique originating in the ancient wisdom of India.  Primordial Sounds are the most basic, essential sounds of nature and they are used to disconnect us from activity and thoughts.

These individually selected sounds, known as mantras, are based on the vibration the universe was making at the moment of your birth.  Once your Primordial Sound mantra has been determined, you will be taught how to use it on a daily basis to reawaken balance, tranquility and compassion within. 

As a Chopra Center Certified Instructor, I will help you integrate this practice into your daily routine. Contact me today to start meditating and experience the benefits Primordial Sound Meditation will bring into your life.

Namaste!

Attention and Intention Meditation

This simple attention and intention meditation is courtesy of "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga", by Deepak Chopra, M.D., and David Simon, M.D.
Sit comfortably and close your eyes.  Take a slow deep breath in.  Slowly exhale and release any tension you may be holding in your body.  For the next 3-5 minutes, practice your Primordial Sound Meditation if you've been instructed in it, or another type of meditation you're familiar with.

Now bring your attention to your heart area.  Feel the sensations in your heart and acknowledge everything you're grateful for in your life.  Take a moment to let go of any regrets, grievances, hurt feelings you may be holding on to.  Simply have the intention to release them as they no longer serve you.  Feel your heartbeat as a sensation or vibration. Next, introduce the intention to slow down your heartbeat.

Now direct your attention to a part of your body that you believe needs healing and feel your heart slowly throbbing in that area.  After a few minutes, bring your attention to your breath, simply observing its flow in and out.  When you are ready, slowly open your eyes.

Namaste!

It's not about your thoughts

Meditation - it's not what you think! Really!

One of the most common complaints new meditators have is that they are having too many thoughts.  But thoughts are a natural component of meditation and... life.  We have between 50,000-60,000 thoughts every single day.  If we stop having them, we are dead!

Meditation is not about making your mind completely quiet.  It's about slipping beyond those 50,000 thoughts and reaching the quiet that's already there, burried deep down under hectic days at work, relationship issues, health concerns, sleeplessness, anxiety... 

As your ability to calm your mind improves, so does your ability to become more creative, healthier, and happier.

Read tomorrow's blog about a simple attention and intention meditation.  Namaste!

What is meditation?

Meditation is a tool for rediscovering the body's own inner intelligence. Practiced for thousands of years, it's not about forcing the mind to be quiet, it's about finding the silence that's already there and making it a part of your life.

Silence is the birthplace of happiness, creativity and infinite possibilities. From this field of pure potentiality we get our bursts of inspiration, our most intuitive thoughts, and our deepest connection to the universe.

Practicing meditation on a daily basis allows you to weave silence and stillness into your mind and body to create a life of greater compassion and fulfillment. Meditation is a journey to the centre of our very being, a journey to emotional freedom, and a journey to the reawakening of our unconditioned self.