What I Learnt From An 8 Week Meditation Class

So what is meditation really? 

‘Traditional Meditation’ is the practise used to calm our mind from the usual chatter that continually goes on.

The regular and consistent practise of meditation allows and empowers us to feel and be calmer with everyday life. It provides us with peace within. My instructor Debbie Rossi states, “meditation allows you to step into a space of clarity, of centeredness and love within our everyday lives”.

Meditation is traditionally used quite simply as a relaxation method. There is scientific evidence that:

• provides access to your own subconscious and inner knowing
• lowers anxiety
• improves sleep
• clears the mind and sharpens focus
• can support the ease of depression
• raises vibrational energy
• improves happiness by anchoring you more into the ‘now’
• improves immune function through lowering of cortisol levels (ie stress).

Powerful right? Absolutely yes, especially for someone working through symptoms of PTSD. The lessons from this course have frankly been divinely timed and an absolute godsend.

Easy? Not exactly. In fact, it’s been challenging for someone with ants in their pants, like me, to sit quietly. But what I found is this, the art meditation isn’t limited to sitting in a static yogic position. It can be done whilst walking, hanging out the washing, or even doing the dishes!

“Meditation is a means for you to move beyond your analytical mind, so you can access your subconscious mind” — Dr Joe Dispenza

Thanks to the modern-day current fad called mindfulness (of which I am a self-confessed junkie), meditation is now being officially recognised by Western Medicine and scientific research. It is frequently listed as a possible stress-relieving tool and now recommended by GPs to combat the modern illness — stress.

For me what I have learnt from my classes is this, meditation is when I surrender to ordinary thinking. It’s that quiet space whereby I can lay down judgement from thinking. In fact, I can get out out of my head altogether. I can enter my heart space and connect to my divinity.

It’s powerful and timeless, and for me, in these last eight weeks, it’s saved me from destruction. It’s helped me glue together the broken pieces of self, much like kintsugi — the art of repairing broken ceramic dishes with gold because you understand the piece is more beautiful for having been broken.

I am now able to more readily understand, let go and even forgive using meditative techniques. The possibilities in this meditative realm are limitless, and there is only one real requirement — acknowledging consciously what I need in that present moment to understand, know, see, hear, feel or release for my higher good. 

One of the best lessons reinforced is that I can forgive myself for becoming ill.

Meditation has reintroduced me back to the sacredness of my heart space, my divine connection with my higher self. Each time I visit depending upon my mood it is decorated and lit differently. And that is perfectly ok.

Sometimes my sacred space is an open cave with a crystalline roof which opens to the stars, anchoring me to my ancestors. Other times it is a carved stone temple. Once it was a jungle with no roof and smothered in exotic flowers. 

Most of the time it is a cosy quiet space, mood-lit with crystal salt lamps, plush coloured cushions, and curtains to hide the walls and ceiling — so if I choose I can change the landscape beyond if I need to explore deeper answers. 

Sometimes I am drawn down a path, other times I am comfortable remaining in the space and awaiting the truth to flow. There are times where I hear messages or a guide will present themselves. The experience of visiting this place is never the same, and for that I am grateful. This forces my chatty mind to be quiet and pay attention to my exciting surroundings.

Accessing the heart space through meditative breath empowers me to surrender and release unwanted emotions. When I am in that meditative state I am calm and more readily able to release the need to squash the unwanted feelings. 

This is an important skill to have when migrating through PTSD symptoms due to a challenging experience. Being able to meditate whenever and where ever I need has been invaluable in managing anxiety.

It is truly a gift to surrender to stifling the old paradigm stuff and realising that when I choose to process anything arising within the heart space, I gain a much deeper and often universal understanding of the content causing me stress. It is then that I can simply allow things to be.

The old paradigm pattern within me just wanted to control everything. This caused me to miss opportunities, but more importantly, struggle with stuck flight/fight emotions.

This connection to our heart space gifts a deeper understanding and knowledge of self, but also strengthens our connection to our intuition. Imagine stepping purposefully forward each day instead of trudging along with worry? What might your life be like if your heart space was lighter? Or better still imagine if you could get out of your head — how much easier might things flow?

These two months of weekly meditation class has gifted me the knowledge, awareness and connection that I am exactly where I need to be in this moment. I am happily sitting within the silence of my heart space.

What I learnt over 8 weeks of being challenged to commit to daily devotion was this. Connecting to the heart space is this is where I find the answers to the questions I have not yet asked myself — because I was stuck in my head. The worry you invest in becomes like a tired mouse on a wheel, it never goes anywhere but round and round.

I sit with what I need to feel. I connect to my wisdom. I connect to the right now at this moment, not just before and not in the future but right now.

Judgements keep us boxed up tightly. Regularly visiting my heart space breaks through the box walls and shows me a different way to do and embrace reality. Its the place where I get to practice the Law of Mentalism — everything in the universe is created by thoughts. When I calm my thoughts and open my heart, I become the creator of my reality.

Frequently visiting our heart space enables us to shift our vibrational energy, much like topping up a half-full glass of good juju. We practice activating the Law of Vibration. Our prayer, in this instance the feeling we experience in our heart space, attracts a matching vibrational external to us. Love is all there is and life reacts to how much love we hold within ourselves.

This flows onto the Law of Correspondence whereby everything we have within us is reflected beyond, as spirit works on our behalf to bring us what we think and talk about. Every single thought and feeling causes an action/reaction in the world.

My meditation teacher reminded me that we never passively receive the world. Have to say that one smacked me upside the head. It made me think about how complacent I have been with myself. In these last eight weeks, I have changed that around and made myself my own priority.

It is my waking intention first thing in the morning, my check-in throughout the day and my evening gratitude moment before sleep. 

“I am the priority of my life.”

Meditation provides a beautiful mechanism to invoke silence, stillness and solitude within oneself. All of which enables an individual to become more present.

The most profound lesson learnt is that it is safe to drop the external hustle for my business. What I learnt and mean by that is this … I now lead my life led by my heart space. I allow my high vibrational to attract whatever is required to be of service, starting with honouring self first.

I’ll say it again. I surrender to ordinary thinking. When I nurture self, especially with nature immersions I am grounded, centred, focussed, balanced and protected. I don’t invest in external drama but simply remain focussed on dedication to self.