Meditation*
What is meditation?
Meditation is universal and vast and at the same time a highly personal experience. Everyone meditates in their own way. Actually, strictly speaking, you cannot learn to meditate from someone else. But by doing meditation exercises with others you can create an openness and state of mind within yourself that allows your own meditation to emerge from the depths of your being. Meditation then makes you aware of a source of peace and love within yourself that you can always draw on.
Meditation exercises
Explore our guided meditations
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Meditation with soulful music
Then shift your focus to your breathing. Observe the natural rhythm of your breathing without trying to change it.
Then start the meditation music. As the music starts, focus your attention on the sounds you hear. Tune in to the melody, instruments and voices. Notice how each note and sound resonates with your body, mind and heart.
As the music continues to play, visualise yourself immersed in a soft, golden light. With each inhale, imagine that you are breathing this light into your body. Feel the music fill you with peace and joy.
As the music comes to an end, take a moment to express your gratitude for being able to spend this time with your inner self. Then gently return your attention to your breathing and the here and now.
Visit radiosrichinmoy.org to listen to more spiritual music
FAQ
Because they are priceless 🙂 and we hope you will agree! Actually, there are quite a few reasons. For one thing, we feel that meditation is such an essential practice, that it should be freely available for anyone who wants to learn it. More importantly maybe, is that to facilitate the soulfulness classes for us is part of our spiritual practice. It is our service. The way we want to give something back to the world. For the soulfulness classes to be a true service, a true act of love, we feel that they must be given for free. Unconditionally. We do not have a ‘donation box’ or something like that because we still feel that generates a subtle pressure. However, if you really feel you want to give something back, you can buy some of Sri Chinmoy’s books or come by in our health food store (www.madalbalshop.com) and do some shopping (or just chat :)).
You don’t have to bring anything to the meditation. Most people sit on chairs but we have cushions too if you prefer that. You don’t have to wear anything special, just clothes that you will feel comfy in. It can help to wash yourself a little and wear clean clothes before you come, to shake off some of the impressions of the day and feel fresh. Also, if possible, try not to eat a heavy meal just before the classes. We know the timing is not great for that, but if you can eat as long before the classes as possible, or otherwise just a light meal that will help you. It’s pretty hard to meditate well with a full stomach!
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Yes, we will be giving out handouts with everything that has been discussed on that particular evening. Most of the exercises we do are available on this website for you to follow along at home.
The first two evenings of the classes you can still bring friends. Our experience is that if people join after that, they have usually missed too much to have a good experience, but we can always discuss. If you prepare your friend well, it can work. In any case, please register new people with Pradeep (0636566852)
After the first three or four evenings of the beginner’s classes, we offer another four evenings of follow up classes. The beginner’s classes focus on building your soulfulness practice at home. The follow up classes focus on integrating it into your day and leading a ‘spiritual life’ through developing qualities as acceptance, love and gratitude.
After the first two sets of soulfulness classes we offer another four evenings themed: ‘Sri Chinmoy, the Path of the Heart.’ These evenings are specifically for people who feel a connection with us or with Sri Chinmoy and would like to learn more about meditating with Sri Chinmoy as their teacher.
Outside of the classes we offer a public meditation every Friday from 17.00-18.30h. We start this session with some general inspiration from Sri Chinmoy’s songs, writings or art and then we have a silent meditation from 17.30-18.00h. After the meditation we sing some mantra’s or songs. This meditation is free and open to anyone (who can sit still for 30 minutes J). You don’t have to commit but can just come whenever you want. Please register with Pradeep before you come the first time. (0636566852)
Nothing is expected of you. However, having said that, your soulfulness practice will only really bear fruit if you practice regularly. The group meditations and course materials will give you all the necessary inspiration and input to do so. We suggest that for the duration of this course, you intend to spend 15-30 minutes a day to practice at home.
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It is no problem if you have to miss some evenings. The materials we share are very comprehensive so you will be able to catch up. You will notice though, that the group meditations really give a boost to your own practice so we hope you will avoid missing too many.
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