What startled me the most when joining the team at Amchara Malta was the number of guests that struggled to sit still and just simply be during their detox process.
I say this completely without judgment as I like to observe people whilst applying for my work as a Yoga teacher.
Back home in the U.K., I’d experienced the fidgeting students in class but I just assumed that when I came out to work at a detox centre that people were ready to simply detach from life.
I thought that they were ready to; rest, convalesce and to not think but to simply surrender to the process of detoxing and allow all the juicy stuff to take over and heal them.
How little did I know about the stages of the detox process and how people are unaware of what they truly need and are governed by what they want. Of course, I can relate to this on so many levels and I can completely understand it.
It intrigues me and got me thinking about why it is so important that as human beings if we leave a detox centre with anything, we should leave with the knowledge that mediation is so crucial to our very peace of mind that it should become a part of our daily routine, just like waking up and cleaning our teeth.
I’ve listed three of the main reasons as to why I believe we should do this – check it out, it’s so easy and has an abundance of benefits.
1) Got a problem or at a crossroads – stop thinking and start meditating.
We live in a society of action and energy, therefore, it’s understandable that we believe that when times are tough and we’ve got a problem/situation or are simply at a crossroads we believe that if we think long and hard enough about it, we will be able to resolve it or overcome it.
However, have you ever exhausted yourself so much with the number of options that you have, all of the pros and the cons that you’ve simply come back to earth with a bang and are lost in a world of confusion as to the best course of action.
If you think back to those times when you’ve given some of the best advice, maybe to one of your best friends, a work colleague or someone that you don’t even know that well.
You’ve been on the outside of the problem, looking in and can see clearly what it is that they should/could do.
It seems so clear, so obvious, emotion isn’t attached and logic is applied and so this is why by taking yourself out of your story, out of the drama, clearing the mind and allowing the breath to flow in and out – it will actually put you in great stead for dealing with what can be an intense situation – try it.
2) Once you learn to be the master of the monkey mind – anything is possible.
Have you ever tried to lose weight, give up smoking or start a new project and then on a Monday morning the monkey mind kicks in and starts talking to you;
“It’s only a little piece of cake, this time it won’t hurt you”
“You can always give up smoking from next week”
“Get an extension for that project, life is for living, enjoy life now, work later”
At the time the monkey mind wins as we’ve given in to its suggestions and then sadly we reflect later and we beat ourselves up and punish ourselves with thoughts of weakness and failure.
There’s another way!
By meditating we start a process that controls this constant chatter of thoughts.
We learn how to become the master of the monkey mind and then suddenly when we’re faced with a need/desire for self-control/ self-discipline – it seems easy as we’re just simply applying the principles that we’ve learnt in meditation.
We don’t even actively have to do this it will just naturally happen after setting time aside for regular mediation.
3) Take a vacation – meditate.
Have you ever gone away for a holiday and been so looking forward to it to only come back to work a week or two later feeling exhausted and the need to jet set off again!?
This is because we can take ourselves off anywhere but if our head’s still thinking, feeling and talking to us then it won’t allow us to fully relax and unwind. By setting 10-20 minutes each day for meditation it gives the mind a holiday.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that when you sleep the mind rests as it doesn’t.
That’s why we have dreams, whether we remember them or not.
We process our subconscious in our dreams. Have you ever woken up from a long night’s sleep only to feel exhausted, it’s the mind?
This is why mediating is so important for our; body, mind and our soul and we cannot see these things as separate parts of ourselves.
Let’s start seeing the bigger picture and making ourselves complete by dealing with all of these assets of our very being.
LEE COOPER – Yoga Teacher & Personal Trainer
Lee specializes in Yoga; showing people how to use it as a tool to rehabilitate the body back to health.
Lee also has experience running her own Yoga retreats and workshops and is confident in working with both people that are fitness addicts or complete beginners to yoga. Lee is currently undergoing Reiki training and is looking forward to incorporating this into her yoga classes.
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