The course is well structured and the advice is pragmatic, straight forward and easy to understand. I really liked the
fact that Susann made meditation fun. I feel like I have started on a journey of discovery, I’m just sorry I
didn’t start it earlier.
Yvonne Roach, HR Manager
News
Meditation improve attention span
Researchers at the University of California-Davis sent a group of 60 people to study Buddhist meditation during a three-month retreat.
At three different times throughout the retreat, participants took a computer test that measured their ability to sustain visual attention.
The test showed they improved each time.
In fact, the improvements continued for five months after the retreat was over. Those
who kept meditating on a daily basis witnessed the greatest benefit.
Source: http://www.health.usnews.com
Date: 2010-07-27
University of Manchester tests MBCT against pain
According to a new study, meditation helps in making pain less unpleasant and decreases its emotional affect.
Dr. Christopher Brown who carried out the research said:
"Meditation is becoming increasingly popular as a way to treat chronic illness such as the pain
caused by arthritis."
Source: http://www.topnews.co.uk
Date: 2010-06-22
Daydreaming vs. Mindfulness
Can’t we all just get along?
When we understand how our minds work, we can have the best of both worlds.
Maybe that is the calm ’control’ that Eastern philosophers speak of – becoming aware of
our various and very human states of mind, and instead of fighting them, learning to understand
them and use them to our advantage.
It’s wonderful and fulfilling to calm the mind, to open your eyes to the present, to reap the results of focused action, or to be swept up in the flow of concentration. And we don’t have to pit one state of mind against the other – idolising the present, focused mind while demonising the mind’s capacity to take off on imaginative forays. If we can’t achieve a perfect balance, we can at least accept a certain dichotomy.
To paraphrase an old folk song – there is a time to be present and a time to conceptualise,
a time to be still and a time to create, a time to be productive and a time to be dreamy.
One refreshes and invigorates the other.
Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com
Date: 2010-05-18
Mindfulness for Therapists
Eric McCollum, professor of human development and Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) programme director at Virginia Tech University conducted a research to find evidence that Mindfulness meditation helps students (therapists) improve their ability to be emotionally present in therapy sessions with clients.
The tested students credited several ’effects’ of their mindfulness practice with their ability to be present as therapists.
They felt they were calmer in general and specifically in their therapy sessions; were more
aware of their inner chatter and could either decrease or disconnect from it, and were able
to slow down their perceived inner pace or sense of hurry. Finally, some of them used brief
periods of formal practice to allow themselves to set aside thoughts and feelings associated
with the previous session or with their lives outside of the clinic and focus their attention
on what was happening in the current client session.
To read the full article use
this link.
To experience the benefits for yourself you are welcome to book a place on one of
Susann’s Mindfulness Intensive Retreat Days.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org
Date: 2010-04-13
Stress free, medicine free
Doctors at Mayo Clinic say meditation can reduce anxiety, improve ability to focus, and prevent disease. Dr. Amit Sood and his colleagues developed an application after four years of research. It's very user-friendly.
Musical chords synchronized with moving circles help you focus your breathing and mind. Dr. Sood says if you practice this two or more times a day, you will begin to feel more alert, focused, relaxed and better equipped to confront a busy day.
There is no mystical, ritualistic or religion-based approach to it. It's simply a way to train your mind so that your attention becomes strong. And that can help you live a fuller, more balanced.
For us it sounds very much like OSHO Active Meditations™, which we know and practise for ages...
To read more of this article – follow the link.
If you like to practice OSHO Active Meditations™ with us please click
here.
Source: http://www.volunteertv.com
Date: 2010-03-09
Why do we tend to look toward the East?
Helpful meditative techniques can be found in the West as well as in the East.
It is true! Curious? Follow the link to the article.
Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com
Date: 2010-02-13
The BBC says:
GPs access to depression treatment ’is too narrow’.
Three quarters of GPs have prescribed anti-depressants even though they think another treatment would have been more effective, a survey has found. The Mental Health Foundation says meditation halves the risk of repeated depression and should be more readily available, but access is very limited. The Department of Health in England said access had improved. Depression affects one in 10 people a year, with more than half of those experiencing more than one episode.
The Mental Health Foundation says Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) halves
the risk of further bouts of depression. Find the full article here:
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk
Date: 2010-01-10
The Role of Mindfulness Meditation
in Health Care Reform
"Strategies for health promotion and disease prevention – those that focus on self-responsibility and that support positive behavioural change – will yield the greatest long-term cost savings and are the foundation for a sustainable health care system," explains Kelley McCabe Ruff, CEO of eMindful Inc, and Elizabeth R. Mackenzie, PhD, the two lead authors of the The Journal of Science and Healing.
One of the most promising preventive interventions, they report,
is Mindfulness Meditation.
Source: http://www.prweb.com
Date: 2009-12-17
Jennifer Aniston and Mindfulness
"Mindfulness – the simple act of noticing new things – is crucial to our health in several ways. First, when we’re mindless, we ignore all the ways we could exercise control over our health. We turn that control over to the medical world alone and accept limits, which closes us off to the power of possibility", says Ellen Langer, Ph.D.
The life and work of Harvard psychologist and author Ellen Langer, Ph.D. is about
to get the big-screen treatment. Her book ’Counterclockwise: Mindful Health and
the Power of Possibility’ is being adapted into a major motion picture
scheduled for release in 2010. Langer will be played by Jennifer Aniston.
Source: http://behavioralhealthcentral.com
Date: 2009-11-20
German pop singer loves OSHO Meditations
"OSHO had an answer for me", says NENA (German pop singer):
The OSHO Dynamic Meditation™!
According to an article in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung the German pop singer meditates
regularly. She discovered OSHO around 3 years ago for herself.
"I like to read
his books and find myself there again", NENA said.
Before she tried TM but with no success.
See her newest song on youtube where the video shows all the stages
of an OSHO Dynamic Meditation™: http://www.youtube.com
Source: http://www.bunte.de
Date: 2009-10-23
Daily dose of meditation might boost flu shot
"I feel like broken a tape recorder talking about the same stuff over and over" – says Dr. Manoj Jain an infectious-disease physician – "hand washing, cough etiquette and social distancing as ways to prevent getting the flu. So I was thrilled to find a 2003 research article from the journal Psychosomatic Medicine (not my usual bedside reading) on how meditation could help us in fighting the flu."
More about meditation as flu prevention?
Source: http://www.commercialappeal.com
Date: 2009-09-25
Need To Lose Weight?
Do you blindly turn to food as a source of comfort when you’re feeling upset?
Since emotional overeating doesn’t provide any lasting satisfaction and can lead to health problems, it’s far better to find other ways to deal with the stresses of daily life.
Albert did it – from 102 kilograms to 85 (or nearly 2 stones) in
less than 3 month.
How? He divides techniques that emotional eaters can use
to avoid seeking comfort in food into five skill areas:
- Mindfulness techniques,
- Strategies to calm and relax your body,
- Strategies to change your thoughts,
- Finding distractions and
- Gaining support.
"Taking a mindful approach involves paying close attention to your eating patterns and circumstances that make you most vulnerable to emotional eating. And relaxation strategies can ease the discomfort and anxiety that may lead to emotional eating in the first place", Albert says.
If you are eager to do the same – why not book a place in Albert’s
AwarenessCoaching Programme
and learn from the ’expert’ himself?
For details please click here.
Date: 2009-09-03
How to become the happiest man in the world?
By sitting quietly and doing something.
Daniel Goleman's latest article reveals the way of happiness. Curious read his article by follow this link.
If you like to go for a practice as described join us at
London Meditation to celebrate life and be happy.
Source: The New York Times
Date: 2009-08-11
Meditation Made Easy:
No Pretzel Legs or Chanting Required!
Starbucks isn't the key to enjoying coffee, and the Himalaya isn't the only place to learn meditation. You don't have to sit cross-legged on a mountaintop to get the calming payoff of meditation.
Here's the Women's Health Magazine's truth behind the trend:
Read this article about
The Zen Commandments
or even better book yourself a place in a London Meditation's Introductory Course
and experience the truth: Meditation can be easy and a lot of fun.
Book now!
Source: Women's Health
Date: 2009-07-11
The Marriage of Mozart and Mindfulness
Researchers show that audiences (and dolphins) prefer it when the people performing
for them bring some awareness of the moment with them instead of being captives of rote.
But as usual ... there's the matter of overcoming resistance from musicians
who might consider the notion silly, or fear it will mean more work.
People think it's more effortful to do things mindfully, in fact, it's not, and it's
more fun. Mindfulness is a way to create passion ... for more research facts
about musicians and dolphins – click here!
Source: http://www.miller-mccune.com
Date: 2009-06-11
Meditation and brain growth
New research claims that "meditation could make you more intelligent as it boosts
the size of your brain",... and ... because these areas of the brain are closely
linked to emotion, Dr Eileen Luders (University of California, Los Angeles) said, "these might be the neuronal underpinnings that
give meditators' the outstanding ability to regulate their emotions and allow
for well-adjusted responses to whatever life throws their way".
Source: http://www.nhs.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
http://www.sciencedaily.com
Date: 2009-05-21
What is "Slow Down London"?
"Slow Down London" is a new project to inspire Londoners to improve their lives by slowing down to do things well. "Slow Down London" will hold a campaign and festival, offering ideas and opportunities to help us challenge the cult of speed and appreciate the world around us.
London Meditation welcomes the new project as it underlines
the necessity to slow down if you want discover the benefits of meditation and
invites everybody who wants to continue after the festival with this new discovery
of slowing down to a mindful personal practise. How? Give us a call or
drop us a line.
Source: http://www.slowdownlondon.co.uk
Date: 2009-05-01
The Dalai Lama's Active Morning Meditation
It looks like Active Meditation and the master of meditation, the Dalai Lama, have something in common – the physical aspect as meditative approach.
To see how the
"world's most important Buddhist monk" incorporates meditation into his fitness
life watch the video at the bottom of the
following article.
Source: http://www.fitsugar.com
Date: 2009-04-02
Stress-related problems "up 20%"
A mental health hospital is reporting a 20% rise in the number of people seeking
advice for stress-related problems. The statistic is accompanied by a warning
that the recession may be having "serious repercussions on the nation's mental
health and wellbeing".
Capio Nightingale Hospital, central London's only
independent mental health hospital, has responded by suggesting wellbeing support
including sleep and energy management, diet, exercise and mindfulness meditation.
It has also set up a confidential free phone helpline for people who would like
to receive advice on mental health issues, including stress and anxiety.
Source: Health Insurance Magazine
Date: 2009-03-10
Befriend your fears
Brain chemistry and genetics may predispose a person to excessive fearfulness, which can be fuelled by societal circumstances, such as the perception of a terrorist threat. Traumatic childhood experiences may also give rise to the trance of fear...
Here's the good news:
When you are not being against your fear but need to face
something different or in other words, as you learn to admit your fears with courage
and mindfulness, you discover the loving awareness that is your true nature.
To have more understanding you can read a good relationship case study from Tara Brach
– an clinical psychologist like Susann and also practise therapy with
the mindfulness approach or contact
Susann to elaborate on your personal
befriending strategy for combating fear.
Source: http://www.yogajournal.com
Date: 2009-02-18
Be Confident - Be Sexy - Be Strong
"Pole-dancing classes offer an intense workout in a serene and discrete setting.
Fear not. You really don't have to strip, but you can get a good workout, cut your stress,
increase your confidence and have a lot of fun", states Jennifer Rundell a Daily
Herald correspondent from Chicago. And it is all based on meditation (seriously!)...
Read all about it here, have fun and don't forget the blogs...
Source: http://www.dailyherald.com
Date: 2009-01-29
Zen and the art of drinking beer
What is meditation? How do I do it? And what are the benefits?
Quite simply, meditation is the intentional practice of experiencing life in
the present moment. It's about realizing the power of now vs. the power of the past or
future.
When we meditate, we can feel our breath trickle past our nose, tickle our throat, and expand our lungs and diaphragm. It is the moment when we lie down in bed after a long day, and luxuriate in the warmth and comfort of the sheets. And it is the sipping and enjoyment of a frosty mug of beer.
Drinking beer can be a meditative practice.
First observe the beer.
Watch the colors, the swirling of the amber liquid, and the haze created by unfiltered
and cask-conditioned ale. Then bring the glass to your nose and take a whiff. Read more about here:
Source: http://www.odemagazine.com
Date: 2009-01-07
How to tackle a downturn-related depression?
Dr. Rosalind S. Dorlen, a clinical psychologist like Susann, has no openings for new patients. Though she's always had a busy practice, the past few months have brought an intensity she's never before witnessed.
"Every person coming into my office is talking about this global roller coaster we're on, " says Dorlen, who counsels many Wall Street employees. "There's widespread anxiety, which I haven't seen around economic factors in my 30 years of practice ..."
It's important
to eliminate counterproductive habits like gambling, substance abuse or over- or
under-eating and rely instead on sustainable relief giving activities like therapy,
coaching and meditation...
Source: http://www.ctv.ca
Date: 2008-11-27
Stress Less, Have Better Sex
The economy has everyone worried and guess what’s suffering?
Our sex lives.
London Meditation can help! You already know what really does work to fight stress and lift your spirits (which can help you feel sexier, too). Techniques such as meditation and Progressive Muscle Relaxation (where you clench and then let go from head to toe) all can help.
If you like to read more about this topic – here’s a new book
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Sexual Health and Fitness by
Kate Bracy, RN, Kathryn Arendt, MD, and David Winchester, MD.
Source: http://www.rd.com
Date: 2008-10-21
Work rage
According to recent research from employment law firm Peninsula, eight in 10 of us suffer from 'work rage' triggered by anything from lazy colleagues to ill-defined job roles. As many as seven in 10 report that verbal abuse and shouting is common in their place of work. Mike Fisher, founder of the British Association of Anger Management, says most organisations are in denial over work-rage, making it 'the hot potato that nobody wants to touch'. 'Yet this is a problem that will only continue to rise along with the country's current economic problems,' he adds... To read more about this topic click here.
If you know about this problem and want to get the problem under control – we recommend Dynamic Meditation...
Date: 2008-09-29
Forget rehab – Amy Winehouse...
...turns to Buddhist chanting for help
The singer (24) was inspired by the Tina Turner's meditation clip on 'You Tube'.
Wild child Amy Winehouse has reportedly taken up Buddhist chanting in an attempt
to get her booze and drug habits under control.
"Amy says chanting is filling her life with positivity ..."
If you want to know how Germany's 'Bild' is rating Amy's new development read http://www.bild.de.
Date: 2008-09-08
Tough times can take toll on your health
The financial bad tidings – high gas prices, rising home foreclosures, job layoffs, escalating food prices, mounting credit card bills – take more than just a toll on your pocketbook.
They also affect your health ... and if you want to know how meditation
can help read what Dr. Warren Mills recomments ...
Source: http://www.pressdemocrat.com
Date: 2008-08-28
Meditation slows AIDS progression
Meditation may slow the worsening of AIDS in just a few weeks, perhaps by affecting
the immune system, US researchers reported ... "This study provides the first
indication that mindfulness meditation stress-management training can have a direct
impact on slowing HIV disease progression," said David Creswell, who led the study.
Source: Reuters
Date: 2008-08-12
Knowledge database about Meditation
Did you know ...
... that the ancient tradition of yoga and meditation began in Indian prehistory as a system of mental, physical and spiritual exercises?
In approximately 500BC the physician and sage Patanjali formalised this tradition into a science with four major and four lesser branches involving ethical restraint, self-discipline, mental focus, physical exercise and meditation. The entire system was used in an integrated fashion and directed at the attainment of a unique state of spontaneous, psychological integration.
Modern psychologists have described this state as "individuation" or "self-actualization" and it has been traditionally termed "self-realisation".
A great deal of meditation research
has occurred over the last fifty years with various results.
A huge source on this topic is the following website:
Source: http://www.researchingmeditation.org
Date: 2008-07-23
Psychiatrists promoting Meditation
At the annual meeting of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Imperial College, London,
1 - 4 July 2008:
"Meditation is a way of life rather than quick fix achieved
by paying for eight sessions or using gimmicks such as incense, music and light,"
Dr Avdesh Sharma, past president of the Indian Psychiatric Association,
said. "It doesn’t work immediately. You need to practice it for several weeks
before the effects begin to be felt. If meditation was a drug, we’d all want shares
in it. It has a beneficial effect on most physical health problems and is very effective
for mental health problems significantly reducing levels of depression
and anxiety by improving relaxation, oxygenation of the brain, insomnia and energy
levels."
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
Date: 2008-07-07
Pavlov a meditator?
Russian scientist Ian Pavlov, most famous for his research on salivating dogs, was once very ill with a fever at a time prior to the availability of antibiotics. To have some relief from the fever, he made a strange request: a bucket of mud.
He placed his hands deep in the bucket, and recalled in detail his favourite childhood memory. Pavlov imagined himself playing in the mud by the river, listening to his mother tell him stories as she washed the clothes.
This meditation brought him a feeling of deep peace and his fever
broke soon after. Deep relaxation tumbles into peace, which can then boost the immune
system.
Source: http://www.NorwichBulletin.com
Date: 2008-06-19
Batman trauma for Christian Bale
Christian Bale had to practice meditation to put on Batman's batsuit because he didn't want claustrophobia to cost him the role. The movie star admits he was terrified the first time he had to be encased in the iconic black bodysuit and he had to overcome his fears.
Meditative breathing techniques helped him to overcome his fear
and to get into his famous Batman outfit to act as the superhero in black...
Source: http://www.myparkmag.co.uk
Date: 2008-06-06
Stay smarter, slimmer and healthier in 60 seconds
Meditating also can keep you trim. Demanding jobs with long
hours -- the kind that leave you whipped and seeking solace in the fridge -- are a siren
call to excess pounds.
So a mini-dose of meditation (meditation for busy people) can mean not needing
bigger belts. So can walking or having a good laugh. But if your day feels endless
by 11am, meditation is easier to do surreptitiously at your desk or while walking
to another meeting.
Source: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com
Date: 2008-05-20
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)...
...which primarily consists of meditation
- brings full recovery about depression.
It is currently available in every county across the UK, and can be prescribed on
the NHS. One of the pioneers of MBCT is Professor Mark Williams, from the Department
of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford. He helps to lead group courses which
take place over a period of eight weeks. He describes the approach as 80% meditation,
20% cognitive therapy.
The benefits of Meditative Therapy in general are
described by Dr Richard Davidson as follows: "By meditating, you can become happier,
you can concentrate more effectively and you can change your brain in ways that
support that."
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk
More information about our Meditative Therapy Programme
(one2one sessions and workshops) you
find here.
Date: 2008-05-01
Photo shooting after Dynamic
One of London Meditation's participants stars in a 4 pages feature about meditative techniques in the SPIRIT AND DESTINY magazine's June issue.
The photo shooting took place at Studio One and all the participants including the photographer had a lot of fun. Also impressions from one2one meditation sessions were captured. Before we had a 1 1/2 hour interview about the benefits of meditation in general and the Dynamic Meditation as well as Gibberish and Laughter work in particular.
For sure we let you all know when the article will be published...
Date: 2008-04-16
Can we train ourselves to be compassionate?
A new study suggests the answer is yes.
Cultivating compassion and kindness through
meditation affects brain regions that can make a person more empathetic to other
peoples' mental states, say researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
"People are not just stuck at their respective set points," he says. "We can
take advantage of our brain's plasticity and train it to enhance these qualities."
The researchers are interested in teaching meditation to youngsters, particularly as
they approach adolescence, as a way to prevent bullying, aggression and violence.
Source: http://www.news.wisc.edu
Date: 2008-03-31
Dynamic Meditation
every Sat and Sun - for the next 5 weekends
For a limited period of time London Meditation has the chance of using a sound proof room of a former recording studio for Dynamic Meditation.
Dynamic Meditation is recommended to be done in the morning. This hour-long method is
a powerful way to kick-start your day. It provides an outlet for tension and withheld
emotions as well as being a great energy-booster!
More details about this morning meditation class you find here.
Date: 2008-03-13
Monday Evening Drop-In 3-Month-Membership
Now you can go for a regular meditation practice by becoming an official member
of London Meditation's Monday Evening Drop-In.
To join the 3-month-membership costs £ 60 and allows you unlimited participations
of the Monday Evening Drop-In during the validity of your membership card.
Take the advantage and become a member. You know: Don't wait - meditate™.
More details about our Monday evening meditation classes you find here.
Date: 2008-03-07
The Times: Relax
Meditation may offset age-related cortical thinning.
An increasing number of studies are revealing that as well as providing a much-needed breather in our busy lives, stress-busting techniques such as yoga, meditation and breathing exercises may also help to rejuvenate the brain. A study this year at the Boston University School of Medicine found that meditation increased the amount of the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain, low levels of which are linked to depression.
Research also indicates that meditation may improve memory,
especially in older people. A 2005 study at the Massachusetts General Hospital
in Boston found that regular meditators had thicker prefrontal cortexes
than non-meditators did. This brain area is linked with short-term memory.
The researchers suggested that "meditation may offset age-related cortical
thinning".
Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk
Date: 2008-02-28
Don't Wait - Meditate™
One of the biggest obstacles to developing a regular meditation practice is
TIME. People say they don't have enough time to meditate! Did you know that we spends
42-60 minutes a day waiting? We wait for doctor's appointments or meetings. We wait
on hold on the phone and for computer programs to download. We wait in line at
grocery stores and banks and we wait in traffic. The Don't Wait - Meditate™
pledge invites people to convert waiting time into meditating time. If each and every one
of us did this, we would all have a regular meditation practice and experience the
beneficial results!
Source: http://www.earthtimes.org
How?
Join our meditation course and Susann will teach
you "meditation techniques for busy people".
Date: 2008-02-18
Eat consciously!
"Sorry, but food combining is just a silly fad!" says Jane Clarke.
Our state of mind has an enormous impact on how comfortable we feel eating different foods. Hormones released when we're feeling negative or angry make the muscles of the stomach and the intestine tighten. These hormones also constrict the blood vessels supplying the gut, therefore our food can feel very uncomfortable inside and can cause symptoms of irritable bowel or indigestion.
This mind-body effect is why relaxation and meditation can work with people with digestive problems, as they can reset the way the gut works.
The converse of this is that if we're feeling happy and
positive about the food we're putting into our body, the muscles of our gut are far
more likely to relax and be in the best state to digest the food - which explains
why we can feel good after eating specific foods. This mentality also comes into
play when we feel great about not putting foods together, and this is no bad
thing. So it's really up to what you think suits you. Eat consciously!
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk
Date: 2008-02-18
What's new...
...under the label London Meditation?
First of all - let us introduce the idea to design another healthy workshop called Gibberish and Laughter weekends for the seriously "crazy Meditator" with the ability to have fun whilst preparing for the state of meditation. This workshop will be a part of our Meditative Therapy Programme – the holistic alternative to deal with stress, anxiety, sleeping disorder, fears and other problems. Scientific studies continue to reveal an ever-expanding list of disorders which are able to be tackled effectively using meditation.
Date: 2008-01-26
A new research confirms...
...the successful synergy of coaching and meditation
For years we have been working with a special approach in learning and development - coaching based on introspection and meditative techniques. This approach is designed for the more mind-oriented learning type, who wants to "talk to see" by using the oldest and constantly scientifically tested awareness tool... Guess what? Meditation. It's true!
And that's not all. This coaching approach was identified in an European-wide research over 3 years and funded by the European Union as the best way to develop Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). For more information about the research and its result - use the following link to the detailed Final Report of the RESPONSE project.
Date: 2008-01-26
Happy New 2008 with our new website!
London Meditation has a new website since 1st January 2008. We hope that it will be easy for you to find the information you need at a glance. You also have the opportunity now to book your courses and sessions on-line.
Have a wonderful, prosperous 2008 with many Me-moments!