How to meditate in four easy steps

Meditation - Focus. Awareness. Feelings. Kindness.

by regular columnist Peter Fernando, The Meditation Guy. You can ask him anything! (On meditation that is.) I like to consider what 'meditation' is, from the perspective of a beginner, or someone who's never heard of it. Sometimes the more I think I know about something, the further away I get from really knowing the heart of it! So, having reflected on it, from an experiential place, I reckon this thing called 'meditation' actually just consists of four qualities, or skills in the … [Read more...]

What’s Love got to do with it?

Living with an open heart

by regular columnist Peter Fernando, The Meditation Guy. You can ask him anything! (On meditation that is.) In many traditions, the practice of kindness and love is an integral part of the meditative journey. You may wonder, 'why?' Sometimes the way that the concept of  'mindfulness' is presented can make it seem like a utilitarian technique to become more efficient, or more functional in the world. This is certainly a part of it, of course. But then there's the love thing. You can't … [Read more...]

How being kind to myself helped me do 108 sun salutations at Global Mala Wellington

Global Mala Wellington 2010

by guest author Alys Titchener, author of blog Squashed Mosquito. Set up against all weather predictions, long term at least, Global Mala took to the outdoors on Wellington’s waterfront. An hour before, it was hard to tell if the blue sky was teasing us or accommodating us. From one hour to the next, it’s hard to know what the weather will do in Wellington. We arrived in optimism giving thanks to the sun; an attitude to befit an afternoon of sun salutations. Not having done more … [Read more...]

How to learn from the goals we don’t achieve

Wide child's pose

by guest author Elissa Jordan Seems I don’t trust myself. I’ve recently committed myself to a 30-day sadhana or committed practice through 30 days of yoga. And as a result I’ve not gone anywhere near my yoga mat for days. Every morning I wake up and I have a talk with myself about how today is going to be different. Today I’m going to get up early. Today I’m going to respect my commitment. Today I’m going to practice yoga. And then the excuses start - too tired, too … [Read more...]

Completion of a loving-kindness sadhana, Day 30 to Day 40

Mudra on the beach

This was the easiest sadhana (daily spiritual practice) I've done. Simply sitting cross-legged and repeating four lines (in English no less!) over and over. May I be filled with loving-kindness May I be well My I be peaceful and at ease May I be happy I finished yesterday, with a twenty minute meditation. Yet this morning, getting stuck into work, I couldn't wait to do my meditation. So I did. Day 41. This may just be a daily practice for me until... well who knows? … [Read more...]

How to connect to other people while holding your centre – a new loving-kindness sadhana

Hugs at Paekakariki

Perhaps my biggest discovery this year has been the power of sadhana. I started my new years with a Forty Day Sadhana of Sodarshan Chakra Kriya. It took me a bit longer than forty days to finish it, as I missed a day at day 35 and had to start all over again... but boy was it powerful when I finally finished. I was super excited when I started my next sadhana - all about accessing infinite energy and prosperity. Unfortunately, I had to stop that one at Day 15 because I discovered I was … [Read more...]