Articles of interest

How can Stillness Meditation help

Here you will find a selection of articles we have put together for your information and interest

Take the Stress out of De-Stressing

Modern life is filled with noise. We may not realise it, but our stresses and anxieties cause our thinking to become muddled and prevent us from hearing our more positive and rational selves clearly enough. Stillness Meditation Therapy returns a sense of quiet to your mind, allowing you to approach life in a more focussed way for a calmer existence.

The Stillness Meditation Therapy Centre was recently invited to provide expert advice for Bupa Life Insurance about how to live a calmer life. The answer, in a way, is to stop thinking about it so much. This is where SMT differs from other kinds of meditation and mindfulness training.

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Yes – No,  No – Yes

Indecision!  Must be one of the most debilitating emotional conditions we can find ourselves in.  And one that most of us face at one time or another.

Provided we are amongst the lucky ones who have all our basic needs met,  it is bewildering to think in retrospect how much time we spend trying to make up our minds about simple and mundane things – what to have for breakfast; what to wear; to go for a walk or not; what movie to see, etc, etc.  Usually, making a decision either way about any of these every day issues isn’t that significant.   And yet, we can get ourselves into a ‘state’, over-worrying and over thinking.

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SMT for students

As we move further into the school year many students experience stress ~ the difference between problems faced and the ability to cope.

For adolescents it is not only the challenge of keeping up with work deadlines and looming exams, but also worries about being ‘ left out ‘ academically and socially. More and more there is an element of competition in all areas of life.

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Working with children and SMT

The following quote comes from Let’s Be Still the Teaching Manual that accompanies the book Quiet Magic by Pauline McKinnon:

‘To link ‘magic’ with the word ‘quiet’ may seem to be a paradox.  And yet, perhaps the simplest way to discover the real magic of life is by not trying in any way to find it at all, but by being open to positive possibilities, allowing them to transpire.  And that is the essence of this teaching program.’

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5 easy tips for change without fear

I recently came across a witty little sign at a Cafe counter that said: “If you don’t like change, we’ll have it”.  It is a clever way of asking for tips and I’m sure many of their customers like me appreciated their sense of humour by leaving them some loose change.

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A problem shared …

I love old sayings.  You know, the kind that imparts so much wisdom in a few words that puts a Descartes essay to shame – almost!

But I didn’t always!  My family is very fond of these sayings and growing up no adult has ever missed the opportunity to share some of this wisdom with me.  I have spent so much of my childhood and adolescence rolling my eyes at all this knowledge, it’s a wonder my eye balls haven’t been permanently stuck backwards!

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When I can read “Le Monde” 

It has been a long while since I’ve had to account for school terms in my life.  But this all changed in the middle of the year, when I decided that it was high time to tick one more thing off my bucket list – to learn French!  Despite my best intentions to get started, there was never enough time or enough energy and always something more important to do – sounds familiar?

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Setbacks are OK

When someone has lived with anxiety for a long time, it is often difficult to imagine a life without it. The desire for change however is strong along with eagerness and impatience.  “How long will it take” or “how many sessions do I need to do” are very common questions, to which there is no simple answer.

SMT is a very personal process – it can be slow or fast; it can be easy for some, more challenging for others. Even one individual can experience these differences at various times. And almost inevitably, everyone will experience a setback of some description.  This will differ from person to person depending on what he or she is dealing with; a common response for some however is to lose heart, to be disappointed, to become doubtful of one’s ability to overcome anxiety, or perhaps even to revert to old patterns.

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 Commitment to self care
Extract from In Stillness Conquer Fear

Caring for oneself is a life-long project — a kind of challenge to live well. Like a strong marriage, good health and a good life do not ‘just happen’ as many might hope; we must be prepared to work at achieving this state. So in the serious desire to over-come the obstacles of anxiety, panic and agoraphobia, it is necessary to be committed to this cause.

The film City of Joy, based on the book by Dominique Lapierre, uses the principle that in life we have three options:

•    to run
•    to spectate
•    to commit

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Butterflies in the Stomach?

Only just recently, the world was treated to the glamorous affair of the Oscars. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of movie actors, directors, producers, sound technicians, costume designers, and many more ‘movie makers’, young and old, dressed in their finest, ready to applaud the best and support their own. Some were in the running to win the ultimate – the golden Oscar. And while the world knows them as the famous actor, or producer or director, have you wondered how many butterflies they had in their stomach as they waited for the winners to be announced? As the world waited to see their reaction to the announcement; and even more, to hear their acceptance speech.   Click here for the full article

 

Mind Safety

In recent weeks, the Work Safe campaign seems to have intensified, with many TV and press advertisements reminding us of the importance of safe work practices – a strong message for workers and employers alike. By and large these warnings deal with the possibility of accidents and ‘physical’ injury, if safe procedures are ignored. And these are valid warnings; many people whose work is essential to the smooth running of our everyday living, do so under dangerous and unpredictable conditions. It is imperative that everything possible is done to protect them and their families from harm.  Click here for the full article