Instructor Spotlights Neil McKinlay – Meditation Instructor Can you give us a little background on how you began instructing meditation classes? I had been meditating - studying and doing both daily practice and retreats - for almost twenty years when, in the mid-2000s, my work situation changed dramatically. It was my wife who one evening said, “You’re trained to meditate, so why don’t you teach?” I reached out to Monterey Centre later that week and have been here ever since. I think we can all agree that the last couple of years have been challenging. How do you think Meditation can help people through these times?
Christine Balinski– Yoga Instructor Your yoga and fitness classes have been a Monterey staple for many years! How and when did you start instructing at the Centre? I had been an instructor in Ontario for many years. After moving back to Victoria in 1989, a friend asked me to substitute a yoga class with Recreation Oak Bay for a few weeks, which I was happy to do. After that I was asked to teach at Monterey and the rest is history! Wow, that is an impressive amount of time! What is it about this community that keeps you coming back year after year and do you partake in any of the classes at Monterey Recreation Centre? The people keep me coming back! Both the staff, whom have always been supportive, and the participants. Even though I’ve instructed at other facilities in Victoria, Monterey has always been extra special. It’s a friendly and cheerful place and a pleasure to be a part of. I love the Dance Express class. It is such good fun. Great for my brain and my mental health. Many friendships are made at Monterey! 10
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Meditation has a lot to offer in these challenging times. On the one hand, the practice allows us to connect with a sense of stillness and insight that is built into us as human beings. On the other hand, meditation slowly develops our capacity to be present with uncertainty. While none of this removes the difficulties many of us are facing, it does resource us in some very helpful ways.
