Meditation

Meditation is a wonderful way to quiet the mind, still the body and relax into your being. It is a way to connect with your Intuition and a way to simply recharge and balance your spirit.

Class Schedule:

evening classes are postponed until further notice

Fridays 11 AM Fairhope - Bancroft studio

We generally start right on time and ask that you please come early to sign in and pay before you get nestled into your spot with a message card and a crystal.

Class Description:

Guided Group Meditation - (great for beginners) This particular style takes one through a deep and peaceful relaxation of the body and mind and then on a journey of the senses through visual suggestions. The only requirement is to bring your imagination along and enjoy the ride. If you are not visual or suffer from an inactive imagination, this style of meditation increases your ability to build that part of you. It is a perfect style for anyone- beginners and masters alike and generally lasts 30-40 minutes from beginning to end. You will be guided from closing your eyes to opening your eyes. Fee $5

Private Meditation - Private Guided is available to those desiring to learn how to meditate and feel more comfortable outside of a group setting or for those looking to address specific issues and concerns. Private sessions

are constructed to suit whatever YOU have going on personally. Each session lasts 60 minutes, fee $60 per session or purchase a package of 5 sessions for $275

Purification Meditation -Purify your body and your mind with this NEW Purification Meditation hour. We purify our bodies in the Heat; We purify our minds thru Meditation. A pioneer hour combining both heat and guided meditation to take your yoga and meditation practice even deeper. Enjoy resting your body and mind in a heated space that inspires detoxification and releasing physical and mental impurities. Allow yourself time to simply BE in the heat and practice letting your thoughts go. Let yourself be guided to move into a place of openness and feel what it's like to let go of resistance. Free yourself from expectations, judgments, thoughts of past or future and truly let the power of the heat and power of the mind bring you to a new state of clarity, both physically and mentally.

For a free Guided Meditation, you are invited to listen below:

NEW

Try this Guided Relaxation audio

Let yourself find peace within your mind and your body in just 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Rosie Bluum - Meditation

Bhajan Meditation music Fusion Qawwali Mantra & Chant

Music can play an effective role in helping us lead better, fruitful lives. Listening to specific kinds of music at specific times of the day has been shown to be helpful in maintaining good health. Indian music, with its many Ragas, is known to be particularly therapeutic. One vital point is that actually singing the raga will help more than listening to it.

It was discovered in ancient India that there are 7 basic musical notes, which were derived from sounds of nature or songs of various animals. Through meditation, we can feel that each note corresponds to a certain chakra, or energy wheel, within us. The chakra becomes activated when the frequency of the note matches that of the corresponding chakra and can be strengthened by it. By using the notes in certain combinations, the connection between the chakras is also activated.

Music has a way of carrying these Divine Vibrations, but music has to be Divine also.The music which is erotic or something very base or related to something very ugly doesnt work out. But if it is a proper music of a proper type then it communicates. But that discretion only comes after realization. What you enjoy there is the vibrations. You feel the cool vibrations and you start enjoying itThe cool vibrations soothe you down. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

When the energy, vibrations and frequency of Indian classical music match with the energy, vibrations and frequency of the chakras, they get activated. This inner integration makes a natural path for the Kundalini to rise upward.

The Awakening of the Kundalini in Sahaja Yoga takes place with the touch of Musical Notes. The notes touch the Chakras and the Kundalini gets awakened. The Kundalini reaches the Sahasrara through the Sushumna (Central Path) and through the Chakras. The the Kundalini becomes one with God. Vibrations begin to flow, Yogis go into NIRANANDA (Joyful Meditation) and the seeker begins his journey on the path of evolution. Dr Arun Apte

When rising, the Kundalini nourishes the chakras and provides proper energy to them. Since organs are connected withthe chakras, they also get the proper and adequate energy required and thus the balance is restored. Once the Kundalini finds its path to rise, it rises and pierces through the fontanel bone area and forms connection with the cosmic energy (power of divine love): it enlightens the brain and activates all the nerves in the brain, which in return, enlighten the heart.

When a Sahaji listens to music, he hears it not through ears but through chakras. Chakras become the ears and Kundalini gets awakened. Dr Arun Apte

I cannot compose anything without it (a glad ring,): for I translate into music the state my heart. When I think of the grace of God my heart is so full of joy that the notes fairly dance and leap from my pen Joseph Haydn

It is my nature to be one with music. Its not necessary to understand all the intricacies and all that but if you are in thoughtless awareness, the joy which was created by the artists starts flowing through your being and you can really enjoy the music. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

Arecently-released study by the University of California suggests that singing can make one healthier. Increased levels of disease fighting proteins were discovered in the mouths of persons singing in the study. These proteins are used by the immune system of the body to fight disease. An increase of up to 150% was noted with the singers during rehearsals and around 240% increase was noted during performance. Many singers also reported a sense of happiness or euphoria when they sang. Robert Beck and Thomas Cesario who both conducted the study for the college of medicine suggested that the increase in levels of immune proteins might be because of the singers state of mind as they became more familiar with the music. Some of the subjects reported having deeply emotional reactions to performing. It was speculated that there could be a link between immune response and singers emotions. So, this study suggests that singing could be very good for our emotional and physical health. (July 24, 2001)

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Free Meditation Music | Enhance your meditation with ...

Meditation: The Inner Awakening

Suitable for beginner and experienced meditators alike, thisfree meditation workshop will help you:

Using a variety of simple, effective meditation techniques, as well as music and mantra, you will learn how to quiet your mind and enter into a deeper part of your being. It is in this tranquil inner space that the infinite potential of the human spirit is experienced.

This workshop isoffered by students of renowned meditation Master, Sri Chinmoy

When we meditate, what we actually do is enter into the deeper part of our being. At that time we are able to bring to the fore the wealth that we have deep within us. Meditation shows us how we can aspire for something and then achieve it.

Sri Chinmoy

Questions? kindly callcall 212-380-8153 or use our contact form.

Meet ourmeditation workshop instructors

More about meditation

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Meditation Workshop FREE Meditation classes in New York City

OBJECTIVE:

The underlying changes in biological processes that are associated with reported changes in mental and physical health in response to meditation have not been systematically explored. We performed a randomized, controlled study on the effects on brain and immune function of a well-known and widely used 8-week clinical training program in mindfulness meditation applied in a work environment with healthy employees.

We measured brain electrical activity before and immediately after, and then 4 months after an 8-week training program in mindfulness meditation. Twenty-five subjects were tested in the meditation group. A wait-list control group (N = 16) was tested at the same points in time as the meditators. At the end of the 8-week period, subjects in both groups were vaccinated with influenza vaccine.

We report for the first time significant increases in left-sided anterior activation, a pattern previously associated with positive affect, in the meditators compared with the nonmeditators. We also found significant increases in antibody titers to influenza vaccine among subjects in the meditation compared with those in the wait-list control group. Finally, the magnitude of increase in left-sided activation predicted the magnitude of antibody titer rise to the vaccine.

These findings demonstrate that a short program in mindfulness meditation produces demonstrable effects on brain and immune function. These findings suggest that meditation may change brain and immune function in positive ways and underscore the need for additional research.

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Alterations in brain and immune function produced by ...

Alexander C.N., et al. Treating and preventing alcohol, nicotine, and drug abuse through Transcendental Meditation: A review and statistical meta-analysis. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 13-87, 1994.

Aron E.N. and Aron A. The patterns of reduction of drug and alcohol use among Transcendental Meditation participants. Bulletin of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors 2: 28-33, 1983.

Clements G., et al. The use of the Transcendental Meditation programme in the prevention of drug abuse and in the treatment of drug-addicted persons. Bulletin on Narcotics 40(1): 5156, 1988.

Gelderloos P., et al. Effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation program in preventing and treating substance misuse: A review. International Journal of the Addictions 26: 293325, 1991.

Gelderloos P., et al. Effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation program in preventing and treating substance misuse: A review. International Journal of the Addictions 26: 293325, 1991.

Orme-Johnson D. W. Transcendental Meditation as an epidemiological approach to drug and alcohol abuse: Theory, research, and financial impact evaluation. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 11, 119-165, 1994.

Royer A. The role of the Transcendental Meditation technique in promoting smoking cessation: A longitudinal study. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 219-236, 1994.

Shafii M. et al. Meditation and marijuana. American Journal of Psychiatry 131: 60-63, 1974.

Shafii M. et al. Meditation and the prevention of alcohol abuse. American Journal of Psychiatry 132: 942-945, 1975.

Wallace R.K. et al. Decreased drug abuse with Transcendental Meditation: A study of 1,862 subjects. In Drug Abuse: Proceedings of the International Conference, ed. Chris J.D. Zarafonetis (Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger): 369-376, 1972.

Walton K. G., and Levitsky, D.A. A neuroendocrine mechanism for the reduction of drug use and addictions by Transcendental Meditation. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 89-117, 1994.

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Transcendental Meditation (TM) Technique - North Carolina

Deepak Chopra, M.D., FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation and co-founder of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation, and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, and a professor at UCSD. Deepak Chopra is the author of more than 80 books translated into over 43 languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. For the last three years, Greatist.com... Born in Liverpool, England, Roger spent his formative years in the United Kingdom. He first learned meditation there in the early 70s, which instantly became his passion and he soon trained to be a meditation teacher under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. After moving to the US, Roger began studying Ayurveda the ancient Indian system of healthcare. In 1985, while helping to establish centers for Ayurveda and meditation, he met and became friends with Deepak Chopra. Since then, Roger has assisted Deepak with numerous training programs, seminars and workshops, taught thousands of people on all... Melissa Carver specializes in Metaphysics, guiding her clients through the art of manifestation with one-on-one webinars and in-person sessions. Melissa is also a graduate of the Chopra Center University, completing her certification in the Perfect Health: Ayurvedic Lifestyle program. She and her husband, Leo Carver , are the core of Holistic Life Sciences , providing the Chopra... Tamara Lechner is a happiness expert and Chopra-Certified Primordial Sound Meditation Instructor. Her mission is to be so happy that those around her cannot help but step into her light. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada where she just launched a webinar series called "Happiness Handbook." For more information, check out her website http://www.ahamoments4u.com . Melissa is the Senior Content Strategist at the Chopra Center. Also a yoga instructor, she is passionate about motivating people to live a healthy, balanced, and purposeful life. Melissa is the author of The Type A's Guide to Mindfulness: Meditation for Busy Minds and Busy People , a practical guide for new meditators in the modern world, and the creator of mindfulminutes.com , a personal blog about mindfulness and life balance in the digital age. Melissa teaches Vinyasa...

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Meditation Resources | The Chopra Center

1

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Evening Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 pm

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Saturday Morning Practice

Starts: 9:00 am

Location: 515 S Crystal Lake Dr, Orlando, FL 32803, USA

Sunday Night Practice

Starts: 7:00 pm

Location: Center for Pranic Healing 619 N. Thornton Ave. Orlando, FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Evening Meditation Practice

Starts: 7:00 pm

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Evening Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 pm

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Saturday Morning Practice

Starts: 9:00 am

Location: 515 S Crystal Lake Dr, Orlando, FL 32803, USA

Sunday Night Practice

Starts: 7:00 pm

Location: Center for Pranic Healing 619 N. Thornton Ave. Orlando, FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Evening Meditation Practice

Starts: 7:00 pm

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Evening Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 pm

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Long Sit

Starts: 9:00 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Saturday Morning Practice

Starts: 9:00 am

Location: 515 S Crystal Lake Dr, Orlando, FL 32803, USA

Sunday Night Practice

Starts: 7:00 pm

Location: Center for Pranic Healing 619 N. Thornton Ave. Orlando, FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Evening Meditation Practice

Starts: 7:00 pm

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Evening Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 pm

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Morning Meditation Practice

Starts: 6:30 am

Location: Orlando Zen Center 515 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Orlando FL 32803

Saturday Morning Practice

Starts: 9:00 am

Location: 515 S Crystal Lake Dr, Orlando, FL 32803, USA

Sunday Night Practice

Starts: 7:00 pm

Location: Center for Pranic Healing 619 N. Thornton Ave. Orlando, FL 32803

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Meditation - Orlando Zen

Stressed out? Heres how just 20 minutes a day spent meditating can improve health.

Often thought of as a hippy-dippy practice aimed at transcendence, meditation is coming into its own as a stress-reduction technique for even the most type-A kind of people.

In 2005, for instance, severe chest pains sent Michael Mitchell to the emergency room in fear of a heart attack. It turned out to be gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. Nevertheless, after checking his heart, the doctor admitted him and chastised him for not coming in sooner. That really shook me up. It was a wake-up call to have a look at my type A personality and workaholic lifestyle, says the 44-year-old Simi Valley, Calif., statistician for the Veterans Health Administration.

Go on a Meditation Retreat

By Jenn Sturiale Meditation is not a team sport. There are no teammates to help us sit on our cushions, and there are definitely no finish lines or cheering fans. Most often an intensely solitary pursuit, meditation takes us on a personal, inward journey. So then, what's the deal with meditation retreats? "In modern life, with all its disparity and emphasis on intellectual education, talking and materialism, it's rare to pause long enough to allow another focus to deepen and come into view,"...

Read the Go on a Meditation Retreat article > >

Mitchell had shrugged off his high blood pressure, but now he kicked off a personal makeover. He read books on happiness, started psychotherapy, and got more exercise. And, despite a skeptical frame of mind, Mitchell turned to meditation on the recommendation of a trusted co-worker. Within a month, he felt more relaxed -- and his blood pressure returned to normal.

Mitchells experience is borne out by studies showing that meditation not only lowers blood pressure but also can amp up your immune system -- although the mechanism isnt clear -- while improving your ability to concentrate.

Those who meditate can choose among a wide range of practices, both religious and secular. What they have in common are a narrowing of focus that shuts out the external world and usually a stilling of the body, says Charles L. Raison, MD, clinical director of the Mind-Body Program at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.

Raison participated in a study that indicated that meditation improved both physical and emotional responses to stress. In the study, people who meditated regularly for six weeks showed less activation of their immune systems and less emotional distress when they were put in a stressful situation.

Stress reduction could be the key to meditations beneficial effect on health. We know stress is a contributor to all the major modern killers, Raison points out. More studies have shown improvement for fibromyalgia and even psoriasis in patients who meditate. Its hard to think of an illness in which stress and mood dont figure, Raison says.

Science hasnt yet connected the dots between what happens in the meditating brain and the immune system. But a University of Wisconsin study saw increased electrical activity in regions of the left frontal lobe, an area that tends to be more active in optimistic people, after eight weeks of training in meditation.

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Meditation Health Benefits and Stress Reduction - WebMD

Flashback to twenty years ago, and meditation was considered a practice with a penchant for robed monks, rhythmic chanting, and achieving a state of mind only a few could grasp. While this peaceful (and frankly, unachievable) stereotype of Zen meditation was amusing, it didnt convey the simplicity or availability of meditation for the masses. #meditationfail

What exactly is meditation? Were so glad you asked. Meditation is a way to separate our thoughts from the emotions associated with them. Through observation and awareness, we can begin to separate ourselves from our reactions to things. This separation keeps us in the present moment, allowing us to understand more about our thought patterns, and learn more about our emotions and ourselves. Oh, and fun fact: The original purpose of yoga was to prepare the body to sit for long periods of time in meditation. So these two practices go together like bread and butter.

Next question: Why meditate? Two words: stress management (among other things, but well focus on that one). Stress is a known trigger for a slew of awful health conditions, and current research shows that meditation can help lower stress. In addition, meditation has been linked with anxiety management, overcoming sleep disorders, and coping with chronic pain. Its also been shown to boost the brains capacity for attention span, focus, and creativity. Getting more interesting, isnt it?

If youre ready to try meditation, or if youre a seasoned practitioner looking for a new cushion or other accessory, weve got you covered. We offer a collection of meditation seating in a gorgeous array of jewel tones to make your mindful meditation more comfortable. Looking for some guidance? We carry several guided meditations on DVD to lead you into a state of calm. Practicing after a yoga session? Weve made a beautifully soft 100% cotton blanket to cut the chill during a yoga meditation session. And for those who love their tech, weve even got Musea headband to guide youand your mindinto peace and quiet.

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Meditation - Guided, Zen, Mindful, Yoga - Gaiam

Elements of meditation

Different types of meditation may include different features to help you meditate. These may vary depending on whose guidance you follow or who's teaching a class. Some of the most common features in meditation include:

Focused attention. Focusing your attention is generally one of the most important elements of meditation.

Focusing your attention is what helps free your mind from the many distractions that cause stress and worry. You can focus your attention on such things as a specific object, an image, a mantra, or even your breathing.

A quiet setting. If you're a beginner, practicing meditation may be easier if you're in a quiet spot with few distractions, including no television, radios or cellphones.

As you get more skilled at meditation, you may be able to do it anywhere, especially in high-stress situations where you benefit the most from meditation, such as a traffic jam, a stressful work meeting or a long line at the grocery store.

Don't let the thought of meditating the "right" way add to your stress. If you choose to, you can attend special meditation centers or group classes led by trained instructors. But you can also practice meditation easily on your own.

And you can make meditation as formal or informal as you like, however it suits your lifestyle and situation. Some people build meditation into their daily routine. For example, they may start and end each day with an hour of meditation. But all you really need is a few minutes of quality time for meditation.

Here are some ways you can practice meditation on your own, whenever you choose:

Breathe deeply. This technique is good for beginners because breathing is a natural function.

Focus all attention on your breathing. Concentrate on feeling and listening as you inhale and exhale through your nostrils. Breathe deeply and slowly. When your attention wanders, gently return your focus to your breathing.

Scan your body. When using this technique, focus attention on different parts of your body. Become aware of your body's various sensations, whether that's pain, tension, warmth or relaxation.

Combine body scanning with breathing exercises and imagine breathing heat or relaxation into and out of different parts of your body.

Walk and meditate. Combining a walk with meditation is an efficient and healthy way to relax. You can use this technique anywhere you're walking, such as in a tranquil forest, on a city sidewalk or at the mall.

When you use this method, slow down the pace of walking so that you can focus on each movement of your legs or feet. Don't focus on a particular destination. Concentrate on your legs and feet, repeating action words in your mind such as lifting, moving and placing as you lift each foot; move your leg forward and place your foot on the ground.

Engage in prayer. Prayer is the best known and most widely practiced example of meditation. Spoken and written prayers are found in most faith traditions.

You can pray using your own words or read prayers written by others. Check the self-help section of your local bookstore for examples. Talk with your rabbi, priest, pastor or other spiritual leader about possible resources.

Read and reflect. Many people report that they benefit from reading poems or sacred texts, and taking a few moments to quietly reflect on their meaning.

You can also listen to sacred music, spoken words or any music you find relaxing or inspiring. You may want to write your reflections in a journal or discuss them with a friend or spiritual leader.

Don't judge your meditation skills, which may only increase your stress. Meditation takes practice.

Keep in mind, for instance, that it's common for your mind to wander during meditation, no matter how long you've been practicing meditation. If you're meditating to calm your mind and your attention wanders, slowly return to the object, sensation or movement you're focusing on.

Experiment, and you'll likely find out what types of meditation work best for you and what you enjoy doing. Adapt meditation to your needs at the moment. Remember, there's no right way or wrong way to meditate. What matters is that meditation helps you reduce your stress and feel better overall.

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Meditation: Take a stress-reduction break wherever you are - Mayo Clinic