A number of different meditative techniques are taught and practiced in a variety of contexts, from the medical fields of psychotherapy and palliative care to sports such as basket ball, baseball, and hockey (players often practice meditation to “get in the zone”). Meditation is also practiced in prisons and schools, and a growing number of major companies in both North America and Europe, like Apple, Google, Yahoo! and AOL Time Warner, for example, have begun offering meditation opportunities for their employees.
Meditation helps us return to a state of natural tranquility through calming excessive mental activity. This does not mean ceasing all thought, but rather simply no longer following every idea that pops into our mind, a subtle yet exhausting habit. Instead, we learn to focus the mind and remain in a naturally tranquil state.
The main objective of my instruction is to make meditation accessible to all, even outside of a traditional religious context, in order to help people achieve greater and more sustainable tranquility and well-being in all aspects of their lives.
No prior experience is needed. Though largely inspired by Buddhist principles and practices, as a teacher of religious studies in both private and public universities, I ensure that every session takes place in confidence and with the utmost of respect for the particular beliefs and sensibilities of each participant.
The meditative technique I teach is based on Calm-Abiding Meditation (Shamatha in Sanskrit), a foundational method for developing stable attention, heightened concentration and mental tranquility. It is also provides the basis for investigating more subtle aspects of awareness.
Sessions are structured so that participants of all levels can easily understand and integrate both the theoretical and practical aspects of meditation. Workshops consist of short practice sessions (10 to 20 minutes each) interspersed with discussions in which questions are strongly encouraged.
Some of the themes we work on in the workshops include:
- Physical Posture: sitting position, legs, back, head, gaze, shoulders and hands
- Mental Posture: developing the right motivation
- Breathing naturally
- Different meditation objects
- Tools and remedies for difficulties that may arise during meditation
- Properly ending a meditation session
- Advice for individual practice
Practical exercises are given for each of these points to ensure that participants truly integrate the basic principles of meditation.