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Freeing the mind Vajrasati yoga teacher Alistair McCall outlines the benefits of meditation along with some basic steps for the practice Meditation can be defined as concentration. Not the sort of concentration you might apply to solving a problem, but rather a light, bright attention to your inner state. There are many benefits from meditating regularly. Stated conservatively, you will experience an increased sense of peace and wellbeing. If you continue in your practice you may notice that your daily life begins to feel richer and more vivid.
Healing Properties of the World Around Us
Richard Jeneway offers some simple suggestions for using nature to improve mental and physical health ) Yesterday, while walking my dogs along the
undercliff at Rottingdean, I took a moment to enjoy a glimpse of wintry sunshine, feeling its warmth on my face while inhaling the saltladen air. At the same time I was regaled by the plaintive call of a curlew wading in the rockpools – a sound seasonably linked in my mind to winter, but in the knowledge that spring is on its way. As a blind person my life is auditory, heightening my other senses and making me reliant on sound and smellscapes to understand my surroundings. Before I lost my sight, vision often dominated my other senses.
“Making the most of what is here – whether park, beach or Downs – is paramount to our wellbeing” We are fortunate here in Brighton to have both coastline and a city surrounded by downland forming part of the South Downs National Park. At the time of writing, I am going to stress that we will be limited by travel restrictions for more time to come. So, making the most of what is here – whether park, beach or Downs – is paramount to our wellbeing. It’s worth stopping now and then, whether you’re out for a run or just an amble around your neighbourhood, and taking time to be in the moment. Following an extraordinary winter of lockdown, social isolation and much more, I’ve been keeping in contact with a wide range of people of all ages, some of whom experienced depression for the first time and others a paranoia of becoming infected with Covid. For many emerging from winter alongside Covid feelings of depression remain, but hopefully with the roll out of vaccinations this will get easier. However for some this won’t happen overnight.
I am acutely aware from speaking to a wide range of people in our community that many have a negative outlook, so accessing support from friends and other sources is very important for mental health and wellbeing. Sometimes getting out of our home environment can be achieved with a little encouragement to enjoy the beauty of springtime and putting the dark days of winter behind us. From childhood the spring has always filled me with a sense of excitement and renewal. The swelling buds of hawthorn, the sticky buds of horse chestnuts, the fluffy down of pussy willow, the early wild flowers and the heady fragrance of new season’s grasses along with the lengthening days. Bird song changes from the wintry sound of the territorial robins and gulls to the sound of chattering finches, sparrows and the gentle hum of bees brings a sense of joy. One of the few benefits of the current situation is that many have discovered what is local and on their doorstep.
“As a blind person my life is auditory, heightening my other senses and making me reliant on sound and smellscapes to understand my surroundings” Yoga and meditation are part of my own routine. With the warmer and longer days ahead, maybe find a place in a local park or within your local area and take time to sit under a tree and clear your mind of chatter and random thoughts. Learning to meditate has heightened my sense of self but, more importantly, my surroundings. The learnt ability to focus with a clear mind is a result of some very simple steps in meditation. I’ve asked a dear friend to make a contribution to this piece, enjoy reading and try the practice.
Happily, you don’t have to fold yourself into a pretzel shape to practise meditation. The actual practice is very simple. In the Satipatthana sutra, the Buddha’s advice is straightforward: Find a tree (or quiet space), sit with the body upright, and observe the breath. Try it. Find a time when you have 15 minutes to yourself. Sit comfortably with eyes gently closed and the spine straight – a hardback chair is fine – breathe freely and watch what arises within your mind and body. It could be a thought, a feeling, a sensation, or something else entirely. Most people’s minds struggle to accept that anything that offers a great benefit can also be this easily achieved. For this reason, people often worry that they ‘aren’t doing it right’. That’s where trust comes in. Trust whatever it is you are noticing, keep your attention on it and see what it does. There’s no need to describe the feeling to yourself or create an inner commentary on it. Just let it be what it is. Give it total acceptance. And, when the next thing pops into your head, do the same with that. You might notice in time that the space in-between things ‘coming up’ increases. At some other point, your mind will probably stray. Mine does. This is normal and fine. Bring your attention back to the breath. Don’t worry about it. It is only by redeploying the energy we lose to the various distractions of everyday life that we get to focus on our true selves for a while. I sometimes speak to people who have the impression that their meditation has been unsuccessful unless it is a profound spiritual experience. The truth is that, for many people, most of the time, meditation is not like that at all. This is because when we meditate, we move beyond what we sometimes refer to these days as the ego, which is essentially a collection of stories we have constructed about ourselves. It is this ego that is gratified when we feel a sense of achievement. Surprisingly, it is this break from the need to achieve or ‘be something’ that, for many people, can be the most compelling aspect of meditation. Meditation is unconditional love applied to every aspect of our being. No wonder it does us so much good.
