Meditation Class - The importance of a teacher

With the introduction of Google, we spend many hours researching and reading "stuff" on the web. We soon become an expert on any and every topic by reading second hand information in huge amounts.

So can we learn mediation on the web, and do we really need a teacher?

The simple answer is "Yes" you can learn meditation (to a certain extent) on the web and "Yes" you do need a teacher if you are serious about Meditation.

So why do I say you need a teacher?

First, the mind is a tricky little devil, and over 60,000 thoughts are whizzing through in any one-day. So you sit to meditate and some of the first thoughts that come in are;

• “ Am I doing this right?”

• “ What should I be thinking?”

• “ How do I stop thinking and have no thoughts “

This is natural and most of us start out like this on our journey with meditation. Having a teacher with you allows you the confidence and freedom to ask these questions and to be guided on correct answers.

Having no thoughts is one of the many myths of meditation; it's a little bit like expecting the heart to stop beating once you tell it to.

So a teacher also dispels these myths.

Having sat through 12 years of meditation classes I have heard so many myths ...

•  You have to sit cross legged to meditate

•  You have to shower before you meditate

•  You have to place your palms on your knees and make a lotus shape with your fingers to meditate

•  You have to meditate for over an hour to benefit

•  Meditation is religious

•  You cannot meditate during your menstrual period

These myths, and many more, are easily dispelled by a teacher and thus put the mind at peace.

A teacher will explain clearly what meditation is and what it is not.

A teacher will also listen to what you are saying and be able to guide you as an individual to experience the technique that is best for you.

After all there are thousands of techniques in meditation and it’s not a "cookie cutter" experience where everyone is precisely the same.

A teacher will also see your habits and challenge you a little to see them for yourself. After all meditation is all about getting to know yourself and to see how your own thinking and actions bring results in your life.

So sign up for a class today!

SoulCentre is Asia’s Premier Centre for Meditation

Our next program is on 16/17/23/24 August

We have 10 am and 7 pm classes

Meditation Classes in Singapore

MEDITATION CLASSES IN SINGAPORE

2016 has seen a sharp increase in the number of people turning to Meditation. The pace of life is speeding up; we are all multitasking more often and for longer periods and also the opportunities for distraction have never been greater. It all results in excessive thoughts and a mind that feels as if it is spiraling out of control and has no peace.

I caught up with the latest batch of students who have learnt Meditation Made Simple, a beginners guide to meditation at SoulCentre.

SoulCentre is Asia’s Premier Centre for Meditation and Mindfulness and under the guidance of Vikas Malkani, students are taken through a 4-session beginners program.

I asked them how has Meditation benefitted them and here are some insightful replies.

• Meditation has really benefitted me, I have learnt to see the positive in all situations and to focus on the good in my life.
• Meditation has given me simple tools to use throughout the day and in life to quiet my mind and to be in tune with myself.
• I changed how I view my life!
• It has opened my eyes more to my surroundings and helps me see the negatives that I have let affect me.
• Now I really understand meditation, its simple and the tools are helpful and work.
• How beautiful to get the tools for a happy life.
• It was a truly great course!
• I am more conscious of the good in my life.
• Made me understand that it is me that can bring good things into my life.
• It was so simple – powerful and easy to apply into daily life.
• I am already calmer at home with my children and more understanding with my husband.
• I had learnt meditation earlier but this course was so different – it taught techniques that can be used anywhere! It was so beneficial.

Students leave after 4 sessions like a new person…it was so inspiring to see. And as for Vikas himself, the teacher, this is what they say:

• He is very accessible, calm and clear, I love his style of teaching.
• No words can describe him – thank you Vikas!
• He is inspirational, interesting, informative and encouraging.
• He is an ocean of wisdom; I am so blessed to be able to learn from him.
• He is fun, an excellent storyteller, authentic, clear and direct.
• Lovely, gentle, warm natured and so approachable.
• He vibrates calmness, compassion, acceptance, wisdom and is such an amazing teacher.

SoulCentre holds classes each month and they are in the morning (10 am – 12 noon) and again in the evening (7pm – 9pm)

Check out the website – www.soulcentre.org for dates and for on line bookings.

There is also an On-Line program for mediation on the website – for those who want to learn in their own space and time and for those who simply want to stay connected to the wisdom at all times.

Interview with Sally Forrest - Co-founder of SoulCentre

Sally was interviewed this week by Nerissa from Brown and Chase, a leading global company of talent acquisition / advisory, for a pod cast to be broadcast in May.

We are delighted to share a snippet from the interview.

"We are delighted to be speaking today to renowned Reiki master and teacher / former senior corporate executive / medical pharmacist with an MBA / Philanthropist and co-founder of SoulCentre Academy, Asia’s premier Centre for Personal Development, Sally Forrest.

"Sally inspires people worldwide to take responsibility for their lives and to live a life of happiness and holistic health"

Sally let me ask you  “How did you start your Reiki journey”

I am a medical pharmacist by training with a business MBA and so have a science/management background.

I was born in the UK into a large family where money was limited and so from an early age I learnt the qualities of working hard, being independent and going into the world to earn a living.

I worked for a company called Boots and was successful at growing my career rapidly with them. The external rewards of life at that stage were a key focus for me – job promotions, house, and car, gathering more and more.

The universe then stepped in, and out of the blue, Boots decided to go international and I was asked to be part of the team opening Boots stores in Thailand. Thailand was an amazing experience and it was hear that I first experienced Reiki.

The first time you experience Reiki it's like a wonderful comforting warm sensation moving through your body, giving your a feeling of deep relaxation, joy and happiness.

After 3 amazing years in Thailand, the Boots Company asked me to return to the UK to be part of a project downsizing the company. This was a turning point for me. Each day I woke and felt as if my heart was dying.

I felt my energy and passion ebbing away, so one morning I decided to become authentic and to follow my heart and so I quit my role. I decided I wanted to return to Asia and so this is what I did.

A few things were driving me, including a deep desire to set up an orphanage and give back to Thailand. I relocated myself to Singapore and for the first few months I focused my efforts on setting up an orphanage with 2 wonderful people I had met in Thailand.

It was whilst I was working with the hill tribe people in Thailand that I had another amazing awareness, and that was that some people with no access to medicines can heal themselves.

This was the start of my journey to understand the mind, body, health and healing.

I approached Reiki with an open mind and an eager heart. Naturally the mind wants to know the "how’s and whys" of things, and with Reiki is much more about feeling and experiencing it first before you try to understand it.

Once I had this beautiful feeling, I just knew I had to learn it for myself, as I wanted it to be a part of my daily living. Reiki made me feel was as if my eyes had taken an "eye wash" and suddenly the world looked a brighter, more colorful place and amazing synchronicity started to happen. 

I just knew deep down that I would go on to become a Reiki Teacher and spread this gift to others. I am eternally grateful to Dr Usui and his authentic teachings of Reiki.

At SoulCentre we teach in a very professional way, with excellent classroom facilities, comprehensive manuals and individual tuition.

Thousands of students have studies with us, and many are now teachers themselves. Students progress at a pace that suits them.

We are recognized as “Asia’s Premier Centre for Personal Development”

Simplify your Life - The Main Door Solution

As I mentioned one of the stress free tips is to “simplify your life”. So lets do this focusing first on the main door.

The main door of your home is equivalent to the mouth on your face. The life force energy enters the home here, just like food enters your body through your mouth. So the main door is vitally important to the positive energy in your home.

Just like your mouth – the main door must be in proportion to the space of the home – too small a mouth and you cannot eat food easily – too big a mouth and the look is confused. A crooked mouth is out of balance.

If we have a main door that is clutter free and allows positive energy into the home, then life will be more in balance and harmony.

So lets get started!

1) First – stand outside your home and look into your home through the open door.
What do you see?

Do you see a neat and tidy room, one that allows energy in easily? Or is your space cramped and full of clutter?

The energy (Qi) must be able to enter the property and have space to gather inside.

2) Secondly – stand inside your home and look out of your main door. Again what do you see?

Is there a clear open space so Qi can enter into your home? Or have you blocked it?

We are all guilty of placing bicycles, shoes, plants, cabinets right outside the main door, but in so doing we actually block the energy (Qi) from entering.

There are also some objects, which you do not ideally want to have outside of your main door!

These give off a negative energy and are not ideal for harmony in the home.

    •    Pylon
    •    Sharp roof
    •    Dead trees
    •    Unhealthy mountains
    •    Straight roads
    •    T junction
    •    Y junction
    •    Temples
    •    Anything that creates a large noise

The idea is to open your main door onto greenery, clean still water features, open fields, gentle curving roads.

Of course we cannot move home easily – so lets focus on what we can do to improve the energy of the main door area.

    •    Clean out the clutter
    •    Paint the door in a nice bright vibrant colour.
    •    Only keep small healthy plants in this area
    •    Wet clean the door area (inside and out) on a regular basis .