May is a mindfulness month, and we thought it would be good to take a step back and relax into a guided meditation this morning. Resident Noni will be leading the session, as she has many years of practising and teaching meditation techniques. Anyone is welcome to join us. This is what Noni has to say:

“A bit about my meditation practise. The first meditation I learned was going into the Alfa state of the mind, using the colours of the rainbow. That was 35 years ago. Since then I have learned many ways to meditate and have been on retreats in Australia, Thailand, Burma and America. In Moss Vale I ran Meditation and Relaxation classes for many years as well as having THAI Buddhist Monks teach at my home once a week for eight years. I can honestly say it has been survival for me and many of my friends who were introduced to it.

One doesn’t have to sit in the lotus position on the floor or climb a mountain or sit with a guru. It can be done anywhere. Standing, walking or sitting in a chair are all acceptable. Even going up to Bondi Junction on the 333 bus.

 We are all in the Beta level of the brain, right now, alert and conscious. When we focus on our breath or an object, our brain slows down to the level of Alfa or further to Theta. You can find more about this on a Google search.

Meditation is the training ground for patience. Your ego mind likes to be occupied. Before you can begin meditation you need to punch through the conflict that prefers to be somewhere else and the pull to be doing something else. This is your time for your self. The monkey mind swings from branch to branch. Meditation calms and stills the mind. When thoughts appear, let them float by, like passing clouds in the sky.

 There are many forms of meditation, shop around to find one that sits well with you and that you will use on a regular basis. We will start with a simple breath awareness technique. When your breath is calm, you can introduce a word or short sentence, to be repeated or a manta/ affirmation. I use ‘Today is the best day of my life, I bless the road ahead of me with love’.

 OK let’s get started…”