4 week meditation course – at The Arc Centre
Awakening to presence
18 Sep – 9 Oct 2024
18:30 – 19:40
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Deepen your practice
Join me on retreat
Regular weekends and 2 week-long retreats
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A conversation about meditation
Matt Marney, a Dubai based fitness instructor and meditation teacher, and I talk about our journey into meditation and why we keep going. I’ll share some practical advice for beginners, we talk about different approaches to meditation and going on silent retreat. And there’s even a little mini-practice that can be done any time anywhere.
Listen to the podcast
Let us not look back in anger or look forward in fear, but look around us with awareness.
James Thurber
Practice helps us to
develop focus, self awareness, and mental stability
meet physical, mental and emotional challenges
adapt to change
gain a more positive outlook
develop empathy and emotional intelligence
become more resilient
reduce stress and anxiety by increasing brain activity in the prefrontal cortex (linked to regulation of emotions)
increase grey matter in the brain (the part of the brain involved in muscle control, sensory perception, memory, emotions, speech, decision making and self control)
decreases brain activity in the amygdala – the part involved in triggering fear (active when we feel stressed)
My practice and teaching
My meditation practice and teaching draws from my background in Vipassana (Insight) – a Buddhist approach to meditation based on the Theravada lineage, but universally valid independent of any religious believes. Developing mindful awareness and a calm abiding in the present moment are central to the practice
In addition to my own home practice, I’ve done many retreats: Usually I spend 3 weeks per year on silent retreats, mainly at Amaravati monastery in Hertfordshire (a Theravada Buddhist monastery in the Thai forest tradition) with Ajahn Amaro or Ajahn Sundara, or with my teacher Burgs. They have definitely been my strongest influences, but I’ve also been influenced by the teachings of S.N. Goenka (and his vipassana retreat), and other teachers, particularly Tara Brach, Rick Hanson and Jack Kornfield.
I teach meditation, mindfulness and self-compassion, as part of my regular classes, in dedicated courses over 4-8 weeks, and as part of my yoga and mindfulness retreats. Classes and courses cover a range of subjects including mindfulness, self-compassion, resilience, managing anxiety and stress, eastern philosophy, modern psychology, neuroscience and more. I also regularly give talks in the corporate environment around these subjects.
I’ve trained in yin yoga and mindfulness with Sarah Powers and in mindfulness and self-compassion at 200hr level with MindfulnessUK, accredited by the Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body. I’ve also taken advanced level training in trauma-sensitive mindfulness with David Treleaven. Additionally, I trained in neuroscience with Dr Sarah McKay at the Neuroscience Academy.
For yogacampus I offer a regular Meditation Teacher Training programme co-taught with Graham Burns and I also offer shorter CPD weekend workshops on integrating meditation into yoga classes. I provide mentoring and supervision to meditation teachers both in groups and 1-2-1.
My teaching is inclusive, and infused by warmth, care and humour.
I am also a yoga teacher and teach privately and in yoga studios in London.
