Articles
January 6th, 2012
For several years I have been leading the "Cosmic Mindfulness" meditation group based on the traditions of yogic meditation. In each class we practice simple yoga stretches and chi-gong movements followed by breath work and guided meditation. Yogic meditation is a body based practice which leads to relaxation and subtle states of awareness.
Many people have come to the classes, each with a unique motivation to find something. Some want relief from anxiety and stress. Some are dealing with high blood pressure or addiction. Others have dabbled in meditation and want to establish themselves in a practice and go deeper in their spiritual journey. Many find that they come away with more than they initially expected. I thought it would be inspiring to hear what some participants have to say about their own experiences.
Relaxation
"After the first class I felt profoundly relaxed and slept more deeply than I can remember doing in a long, long time."
-A.
Creativity and Intuition
"I am now a singer-songwriter. I had been singing covers of other people’s songs for about two years. One night last May during our meditation class with Chris (at the Church of Ascension) we were deep in a chant. I opened my eyes briefly and noticed two large sheets of paper tacked on a cork board. One said "Inside", the other "Outside". They were lists of spring tasks for church members to do inside and outside the church. Suddenly, the melody for a song, that was very different from the tune of the chant, came into my head. I also had complete lyrics and melody for a verse and the melody for a chorus. I rushed home to complete the lyrics. The meditation had led me to my first original song that became entitled "Inside/Outside". It was about the dangers of internalizing things in life and the peace and contentment that was available to us if we only sought it out. This was a profound moment for me, created through the experience of meditation. I have gone on to write over 40 original songs since that night, several more have come to me during meditations".
-Frank
Physical and Emotional
"Meditation brings peace to my chaotic world. It rejuvenates me. I have found that through meditation, I can sooth achy joints by simple focusing my attention on the pain site. It has made me more centred and through its practice, meditation has allowed me to be in better control of my emotions. By this, I do not mean that I'm emotionless; I just don't get as angry or upset as I used to. Meditation is a part of my life now. I see it as a life preserver in this topsy turvy world we live in."
-G.
Connecting to the Real
"My personal experience of meditation is an awakening to a deeper link connecting me with the real, the true, the permanent light inside and around me. It’s not a dry, static experience or a thought-bound process, but goes far beyond all the mind-games to the root. It immerses me in deep peace and a rare sense of unmediated reality."
-William
Spiritual Support and Nourishment
"For me, meditation is a physical experience. When I meditate I feel like I am in a bubble of air, where nothing touches me. I am isolated, yet part of a totality which supports and nourishes me. The outside world with its petty stimulations and threats has disappeared. I feel energy and vibrations travelling through me as if I was light as air."
-M.
I feel inspired to hear these responses and hope they inspire you to take up meditation too.
- Chris Simmonds
Chris Simmonds is an ordained meditation teacher in the Ananda Seva Mission, (an international network of meditation teachers and practitioners). He leads the "Cosmic Mindfulness" Meditation group in Ottawa. He also provides personal instruction in meditation techniques. A new series of classes will begin on Wednesdays at 7:30 pm starting February 1st through February 29th. For more information go to www.ottawameditation.ca
