Jessica Mauboy Panic Attack
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Anxiety Can and Does Affect Everyone

Recently, it was revealed that the mystery reason the popular Australian singer Jessica Mauboy did not appear at the Melbourne Cup last November to sing the national anthem, was because she suffered a panic attack. “This is far more common than you think” says Pauline McKinnon, psychotherapist and respected meditation teacher for over 30 years.

“I’m sure Jessica was terribly disappointed not to have been able to perform at the Melbourne Cup, a coveted gig for Australian entertainers”, said Pauline.  “But equally she is very brave for opening up and seeking help”.Jessica Mauboy

Jessica’s willingness to talk about her own struggles with anxiety makes it easier for others to recognise symptoms in themselves or loved ones and encourage them to seek help.

“Anxiety is debilitating and can limit one’s life quite severely” continued Pauline.  “Usually the sufferers do whatever they can to hide this from others and often begin to withdraw from activities that may bring on the feelings of anxiety or a panic attack”.  This is clearly demonstrated in the case of Jessica Mauboy anxiety, withdrawing from performing at the last minute.

But not all is lost.  Pauline herself was a long time anxiety sufferer who spent 8 years fearing to leave the safety of home.  After seeking and trying numerous medical remedies, she finally found relief through Stillness Meditation Therapy (SMT) as taught by renowned Melbourne psychiatrist Ainslie Meares.

That was over 30 years ago.  Since then Pauline has been teaching thousands of others how to similarly find relief and overcome limitations and fears.

“The practice of SMT, simply enables our central nervous system to achieve homeostasis – to return to a balanced way of functioning, which is essential for mental health” said Pauline.  “It does not require concerted effort or constant awareness of one’s self, which is a relief for most anxiety sufferers.”

Pauline offers these tips for anxiety relief:

  1. When you feel anxiety or panic symptoms rising, note the tension in your body and practice letting that tension go. The more you practice letting go, the quicker the anxiety will diminish.
  2. Don’t force or fight against fear as that reaction only stimulates the fight or flight response. Instead, stop and think: ‘I will do this and I will do it calmly and easily by letting go of tension”
  3. Cultivate an attitude of ease in your everyday life. This will gradually come into being by practicing stillness, until ease becomes the way you live.

We know Jessica Mauboy anxiety struggle is not uncommon.  There are many many people suffering similarly, but perhaps more silently.  While public figures get a lot of coverage and seemingly a lot of support for what they are going through, ultimately, it is about reaching out and seeking help.  If you or a loved one is struggling with anxiety SMT can help.  Contact us to make an appointment and start living calm!

© Stillness Meditation Therapy Centre, March 2016
03 9817 2933

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Mindfulness Meditation Apps Pauline McKinnon

The troubling rise of Mindfulness Meditation Apps

Pauline McKinnon, Owner and Founding Director of the Stillness Meditation Therapy Centre, sees a lot to be stressed about when it comes to the growing popularity of mindfulness meditation Apps.

“The huge promotion and swell of interest surrounding mindfulness leads the public to generally believe that mindfulness is the best or only form of meditation,” Pauline said today.

“The proliferation of readily available online meditation, often in free Apps, means that people are often undertaking meditation with no real basis, and ultimately being disappointed in their result.”

McKinnon is a pioneer of Stillness Meditation, a form of meditation founded by psychiatrist Dr Ainslie Meares.  Stillness Meditation is distinct from other forms of meditation in its foundation of physiology  and health practice. It is of modern origin, and created specifically to deal with psychological and physical health. It is non-sectarian, and is unrelated to traditional meditation concepts and ideals.

“People are increasingly believing that teaching by underqualified practitioners or ‘fast track’ Apps is an adequate method of learning meditation,” Pauline added.

“Many are undertaking one or two or even a weekend of rapid sessions and getting no result and forming a negative or confused opinion of meditation.

“It’s a worrying trend; it leaves many suffering from the same issues they began with, and it undermines researched meditation practices and qualified professionals.

McKinnon says “the power of Stillness Meditation is that it does not require any specialised technique. Dr Meares’ intention was for the body to rest completely, to a point of ‘atavistic regression’.   This is a deep and profound experience that requires the support of the therapist and takes time and repetition to learn and benefit from.”

“Our sessions are extremely personalised with support commencing via an individual consultation.

“Stillness Meditation Therapy (SMT) is unique within the market place, it is health based as its foundation is based in physiology, its therapeutic aim being that of mental rest as opposed to meditation techniques that use the mind to direct the process.

“Another point of difference in SMT is the very special role of the therapist and the use of non-verbal communication via calming touch as well as personalised individual de-briefing after each session.”

McKinnon wants to stop the rise of meditation practices that can be misleading in their lack of expertise and the promises made that aren’t based on recognised disciplines.   She emphasises too, the value of SMT and its medical basis as distinct from traditional meditation techniques.

“There’s definitely a big rise in stress and anxiety these days,” Pauline added.

“I’ve seen it in parents, children, workers, even in the sports arena.  I regularly treat war veterans and members of the police service and emergency services to help them work through job related stress.   This requires a high level of expertise in the field of meditation.   This is not meditation that can be delivered through an App, this is meditation that requires delivery through a highly trained expert.

“The rise in use of Mindfulness Meditation Apps and of practices that seem appealing or flashy but which have no basis in reality or science is worrying, and I think it’s ultimately harmful.”

Pauline McKinnon is a highly respected stillness meditation therapist, founder and CEO of the Stillness Meditation Therapy Centre and author of ‘In stillness conquer fear’.

Published on Hashtag

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How to Overcome Your Fear

Mind control can help you overcome your fear of flying and cruising!

Pauline McKinnon on how to overcome your fear

Overcome your fear of flying — or cruising or any of the hassles of travel. Relax into these situations before the stress of getting there affects your holiday — and your health.

Melbourne based Pauline McKinnon has been a leader in the field of therapeutic meditation for over 30 years. Pauline helps people of any age group overcome anxieties such as fear of flying and even fear of cruising among other things. As an author on the topic and psychotherapist, Pauline specialises in the Ainslie Meares’ natural style of meditation. According to Pauline, also the founder of the Stillness Meditation centre in Melbourne, Victoria, fear and anxiety surrounding travel are a common type of anxiety affecting a large portion of the population.

“Thousands of people are already making plans for their end of year holidays, and of course, for the upcoming end of term holidays, and many of these plans involve airplanes and perhaps cruiseliners,” Pauline said.

“It is completely normal to feel some level of anxiety heading into a holiday; new places, new expectations and more. However some people are so anxious about flying and cruising that it affects their enjoyment of the upcoming holiday and increases personal health risks too.

“Anxiety can cause spikes in your blood pressure. This can cause serious harm to your health. Anxiety can cause hyperventilation and lead to panic attacks. Anxiety creates too much nervous tension and when this becomes habitual, anxiety becomes a constant companion.

“Some people are so fearful of the prospect of facing these demons that they avoid traveling anywhere that involves getting on an aircraft or taking a holiday on a cruise ship. This can potentially reduce their holiday options significantly and fills many lives with disappointment.

“I have helped many people over the years to overcome these fears by assisting them to learn mental rest through an intensive style of meditation. At my Centre we aim to help people master anxiety before anxiety masters them!

“Just last week one of my 50-something clients told me how much she is looking forward to her upcoming trip to the UK and Europe, simply because she now knows that getting there no longer fills her with dread.”

According to statistics, over 10 percent of people struggle with a phobia. The American National Institute of Mental Health describes a phobia as an intense, irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger. Of these phobias, aviophobia (fear of flying) is the most common with some 2.5–6.5 percent of people scared of flying.

“The underlying issue associated with fear of flying is control, or the feeling of not being in control. For some there is also a feeling of claustrophobia, because obviously, once on board, there is no immediate escape from that confined space,” Pauline added.

“The bizarre thing here is that while people realise they can’t seek comfort by going up to the cockpit to find out what is going on, some will resort to taking refuge in the toilet which is an even more confined space.

“This is the problem with high levels of anxiety. People may feel out of control, fearing the embarrassment of a panic attack, or they develop certain phobias that may result in strange behaviour, or perhaps seek relief through the overuse of alcohol — all in an irrational bid to feel safer.

“People with a fear of cruising are worried about not being able to see land, or not being able to get off the ship if the ocean becomes a little rough. They conjure up visions in their own mind of Titanic and The Poseidon Adventure. As we know, you have more chance of getting into a car accident on the way to the airport or port than you have of disaster happening during your trip.

“In stillness meditation therapy, people learn to deeply relax their mind. In this way, reactivity is reduced naturally and travellers can look forward to an easier journey. A calm mind creates a calm body, which is relaxed, comfortable, and in calm control.”

Stillness Meditation assists people to minimise their fear of flying or cruising by:

· Lowering overall tension levels

· Lowering overall anxiety reactions

· Empowering natural relaxation

· Empowering personal confidence

· Empowering a sense of calm control

· Providing natural ongoing stress management

Through mental rest, Stillness Meditation assists both the function and structure of the brain to support self-control. When people are more in control of their feelings, they are better able to manage and maintain calm. Thereby minimising fear and all the negative influences of high anxiety levels, that overcome your fear. This is mind-control at its very best — after all, the fear is in the mind.

Pauline McKinnon and her team love helping people feel happier, at ease and in control — not only of their upcoming flight or cruise, but in greater control of their entire life!

If you want to take the next steps to overcome your fear the Stillness Meditation Therapy Centre offers regular meditation sessions for all age groups with options of daytime or evening attendance. Stillness Meditation Therapy sessions are available one on one or within a personalised group.

“I recommend booking in now so you are well and truly ready to really enjoy your upcoming holidays,” Pauline McKinnon said. Get in touch

By Shirl Orono

Published On Brandgelist

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why write failure résumé Melbourne

Why you should write a failure résumé

It’s not as depressing as it sounds – in fact, it can get your career or relationship back on track.

Almost every working Australian has a résumé tucked away somewhere on their hard drive. Those of us searching for a new job update them routinely, chipping away certain sections and moulding others depending on the job market. For most, however, it’s a document accumulating cyber dust in a distant cloud.

In its traditional structure, your résumé is a synopsis of your accomplishments, achievements, promotions and the job titles, becoming either more impressive, more fulfilling or perhaps even both if you’ve really nailed the brief.

All of which makes the idea of creating a failure résumé somewhat of a contradiction in terms, or even an exercise in masochism, but it’s recently been hailed by experts as a crucial self-help skill.

Psychotherapist Pauline McKinnon, from Melbourne’s Stillness Meditation Therapy Centre, sees failure as being crucial to success when viewed as a tool for growth.

“As soon as we hear the word ‘failure’ we think: ‘Oh my God, it’s a disaster, it’s shameful, it’s a total upheaval of everything,’ and we get a huge stress response. But it’s a universal experience. Everyone’s going to have it and it can seem so unfair. Where you do have some power is in your response,” she says.

Think about what's gone wrong - just trust us. Image: iStock.

Think about what’s gone wrong – just trust us. Image: iStock.Source:BodyAndSoul

Likening failure and success to “two sides of the same coin”, she says: “I think very often as human beings we tend to want to push the failure behind us. We get past it and then we don’t want to think too much about it, but I think it’s a really important thing to take time for reflection.

“Working with our failures helps us to grow in self-understanding, helps us to develop wisdom, helps us to build self-esteem and to develop personal, emotional freedom.”

McKinnon stresses that while it can be way more pleasant to dwell on the victories, it’s the defeats that bring a sense of true learning — but only if you’re willing to keep going into battle and don’t let the failures define you.

Where to start

Before you begin, remind yourself of all you have attained — be it professionally or personally. Acknowledge that you’ve got to where you have because of your skills, chops and adaptability.

Now for the tough part — list the jobs that went to someone else, the work presentations that didn’t score the deal, the debates where your point of view failed to prevail. You can make the list as extensive as you like, but for the sake of your self-esteem and the purposes of the exercise, try to crack double figures. Recall at least 10 instances where someone or something else got the nod.

That is the ‘what’ part of the failure résumé. Now for the ‘why’. Under each of these instances — and this is the important part — list two or three reasons that may have contributed to this event not panning out as you’d hoped. It’s vital to be specific here. Instead of making bold and negative generalised statements about yourself, the focus is on the specific actions you could and should have done differently.

Image: iStock

I’ll give you just one example from my personal cavalcade of flame-outs. Some years back I was invited to pitch some article ideas to the editor of an international magazine who happened to be passing through Australia. Thinking I’d get by on moxy, personality and a cursory glance through the source material, I received a subsequent email that featured the death knell phrase ‘I wish you all the best with your future endeavours’.

I later met the person who got the gig. It turned out that not only had she practised her pitch with more dedication, but also memorised the magazine’s readership figures and analysed the advertiser base.

It was the kick up the pants I needed to start my own failure résumé. As the list grew, certain phrases began repeating. Mainly ‘too little preparation’, ‘lack of rehearsal’, ‘not enough attention to detail’.

For a fairly confident person, these were three particularly bitter pills to swallow. But they echoed through my past like a chorus of disappointment, providing me with an insight into the errors I’m most likely to make in crucial situations. Moreover, it not only provided the opportunity to ask whether I was committing the same mistakes in the here and now, but also gave me an opportunity to remedy them before they had a chance to hinder my future success.

Be brave, share

Some people are even brave enough to post their failure résumés online as a beacon of hope for others. A leader in this movement is Dr Melanie Stefan, a lecturer at The University of Edinburgh’s Medical School. In it, she lists graduate programs she didn’t get into, the degrees she didn’t complete, harsh feedback from an old boss and even the rejections she got after auditioning for several orchestras.

It makes sobering reading, but underscores the irrefutable concept that the pathway to success is rarely travelled in a straight line. It’s full of stumbles, starts, almosts and not-quites.

Another benefit of the failure résumé is that it facilitates the language of disappointment and gives you the ability to express it. This can be a crucial skill as increasing numbers of employers and recruiters move away from asking prospects about the glory days. Instead, the 2019 version focuses on a willingness to acknowledge personal shortcomings and, more importantly, the humility to express what it took to overcome them. Even when it’s along the lines of: “I learnt to better maintain professional boundaries within the management team.” An extreme example, but you get the picture.

Could look at your failures help you... succeed? Image: iStock

Perhaps most valuable is that aside from the insights gained and remedial tips acquired, a failure résumé can also be heartening in a way that your regular CV never will.

“Sometimes I look back on them and see how much I’ve struggled to be where I am. That’s a powerful reminder that I deserve to be here,” says Stefan. “Even people who, on paper, have had extremely successful careers have struggled along the way, and failure is part of a career. Everyone has to go through it if they want to be successful.”

The do’s and don’ts of a failure résumé

  • DO: Acknowledge your successes before you start.
  • DO: Be honest about what went wrong, but keep it specific.
  • DON’T: Focus on the thing that went wrong.
  • DO: Focus on why things went wrong.
  • DON’T: Make broad negative statements about yourself.
  • DO: Check out the failure résumés already online. Just Google the term and you’ll quickly see their uplifting power from those brave enough to publish.

 

by David Smiedt

Published On Body & Soul

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Fear flying Stillness Meditation Therapy Melbourne,

I Tried To Cure My Fear Of Flying with Hypnosis

I wasn’t always scared of flying, I used to travel a lot in my uni days and never had a problem. I even lived in Europe for two years and loved going from country to country.

And then one day, all of a sudden, I was terrified.

It’s difficult to estimate, but it’s believed that between six and 18 percent of the population have a fear of flying. For some, it’s crippling, and means sacrificing all overseas travel.

For others, like me, it makes getting on a plane a really uncomfortable experience.

Captain Ron Nielsen, who runs Fearless Flight in the US, says it can manifest in a number of ways, from the ‘white-knucklers’ “whose death grip on the armrests, literally causes their knuckles to go white”, to the ‘avoiders’, “who will do anything to avoid flying including lying and making up excuses to get out of any family or business travel involving flying.”

However, he says it all comes back to the fear of flying being a form of anxiety disorder.

A pilot’s take on fear

“It’s the brain’s fight-or-flight response run amok,” Captain Ron tells Yahoo Lifestyle, “The underlying issue is control; either lack of or feeling out of control.”

“The myriad of unfamiliar sights, sounds, and sensations during a routine flight serve as constant reminders that the average person really doesn’t understand much of what is normal about a routine flight.

“Add to those triggers the fact that we are wired to anticipate the ‘worst possible scenario’, and you’ve got all the makings for a miserable experience.”

Jet Pilot Preparing for Takeoff
Captain Ron helps people overcome their fear of flying by explaining all the details about how planes work. Photo: Getty

Bad fliers will recognise this as heart palpitations, rapid breathing or sweaty palms, for others it may manifest as a nervous stomach, throbbing head, tingly hands or light-headedness.

However, if we look at the facts, modern day commercial air travel is the safest mode of transport you can engage in.

At any given time thousands of planes are completing safe and uneventful flights, and as an Australian, you’re infinitely more likely to run into misadventure while driving or walking, than you are on an airbus.

I’m acutely aware of all this, and yet, the anxiety is still there.

So I tried hypnosis

While there are certain techniques you can use to cure fear of flying while on a flight, I went down the professional route.

Trained therapists and counsellors can help break down your anxiety, I saw hypnosis specialist and elite business coach, Daniel Tolson, who uses a technique called ‘timeline therapy’ to confront and dissolve fear.

Far from the showmanship of stage hypnotists, there is no quacking involved in this kind of treatment – rather, it’s a session where you’re completely in control of the process and are guided through a timeline of your present, future, past and any past lives (quirky, I know).

To describe one of the processes simply, it involves taking your mind to a place where you feel happy, safe and comfortable, and then bringing those feelings into a present situation where you feel scared.

For example, as you start to feel anxious while on a plane, close your eyes and picture your future self after you’ve arrived safely and successfully at your destination. Once you’re there, notice how you feel in that moment, perhaps you’ve just been reunited with family or friends, or perhaps you’ve settled into a hotel room and are getting a good night’s rest before your holiday begins.

When you’ve locked onto that feeling, bring it back to your current point in time, and hold onto the feeling of your safe and happy future self until the anxiety eases.

Commercial aircraft cabin with rows of seats down the aisle. morning light in the salon of the airliner. economy class
Daniel suggests using the power of your mind to imagine your safe and successful arrival at your destination. Photo: Getty

It takes a bit of practice (and a lot of belief) to do this yourself, and in a session, hypnosis is used to guide you through this process as an immediate way to feel more in control of your fear.

It’s all about control

A perceived lack of control is what makes many people fear flying, but as Daniel reminded me; sure, you may not know the pilot, or the service history of the plane, or who built it – but the same can also be said for the bus, train or ferry you take for your daily commute.

Or what about the building you work in (assuming you do) – do you know the people who built it? Do you know how regularly checks are carried out to ensure its safety? And yet, you don’t spend your daily commute or your working day feeling like you’re not in control.

What we are in control of (most of the time) is the way we choose to react to certain scenarios. So I’ve been trying to couple my visions of a happy and safe arrival with attempts to feel more in control of my anxiety.

Unnecessary baggage

Stress and anxiety negatively impact our health both in the long and short term – and not just mentally.

A host of common physical ailments including headaches, digestive disorders, chest pain, and low libido can be caused by anxiety, as well as the risk of more serious conditions developing over time.

“Many people grow used to the uncomfortable feelings they are experiencing and take these as part of ‘normal’ life,” Australian author and former anxiety sufferer, Pauline McKinnon, tells us.

“Many people don’t in fact realise that their life could be better if they addressed issues that are concerning them. It’s long been known that ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ – an old adage that carries much truth. Today of course, there are countless therapists from various disciplines to assist.”

She suggests meditation and exercise as great ways to combat stress and anxiety, as well as a healthy diet, breathing techniques and perseverance.

“One must have the desire to change, make the commitment to the decision/therapy/technique of choice, and persist with the therapy until results are apparent and then maintain that indefinitely for long term benefits.”

Suitcase or baggage with airport luggage trolley in the international airport.
There’s already enough baggage associated with flying. Photo: Getty

So, did Hypnosis cure fear of flying work?

Well, the jury’s still out. My first flight after trying hypnosis was the smoothest I’ve had in a very long time – both physically and emotionally – but I’m worried the lack of turbulence may be skewing the results.

Either way I felt much better, until I broke one of Daniel’s cardinal rules. Throughout our session, he kept reminding me not to talk about my fear of flying.

Whenever someone brings it up, change the subject, he said. And then I decided to sit down and write this article, and now I don’t feel so comfortable about taking to the skies again.

by Bianca Soldani

Published On Yahoo Lifestyle

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Find Your Natural Calm with Stillness Meditation

Stillness Meditation: How to Find Your Natural Calm

With many Australians turning to meditation as a form of stress relief, the practice has reached a mainstream audience in recent years. 

However, few may know that Aussies have developed their own form of meditation, free from spiritual or religious attachments.  

Pioneered by Melbourne psychiatrist Dr Ainsley Meares, “stillness meditation” is a medical-based therapy that has reached millions due to its simple approach and widespread accessibility. 

World renowned for his innovative ideas, Meares taught thousands of people how to find their own peaceful sense of quiet stillness during his lifetime. 

“The essence of his teaching is that we all have within ourselves the ability to find your natural calm, and know how to access that,” says practitioner Pauline McKinnon, who has been teaching stillness meditation for over 35 years, and has authored multiple books on the subject. 

“Stillness meditation is really a form of therapy, it’s medically based,” she tells Coach.

“It’s really the opposite to any other forms of meditation because it’s not strictly a technique, it’s about helping people to access their own inner strength.”

The difference between stillness meditation and other forms of the practice is the use of minimal sound, and complete detachment from cognitive function. 

“We don’t use words or instructions, just ‘murmured sounds’ for a few minutes to impart a sense of calm and letting go,” explained McKinnon. 

“So it’s not an imposed technique, it’s helping people to experience their own calm, their own silence, their own stillness, deeply within without putting in any other stuff like mantras or chanting or being mindful or any of those additions.” 

The practitioner-led practice also involves “calming touch”, which is used as a tool to create safety and security. 

“Touch is more powerful than words, it’s reassuring, and makes people feel safe,” explained McKinnon, who treats “all sorts of people”, from children through to the very elderly. 

“Mostly it’s because of general stress, too much anxiety and tension and the pressure of life,” she said. “I think we all recognise there’s a lot of pressure in the modern world.” 

While the practice of meditation has been around for centuries, McKinnon acknowledged that it’s often connected to traditional styles of philosophical and spiritual practice, or relegated to new age hippies. 

“A lot of people do still think it’s a bit left of centre, but this is a very practical, medical based, functional and natural practice,” she assured. 

“We’re very everyday people here, teaching a very profound, but everyday life skill.”

by Claire Knight

Published On Nine Life Coach

If you want to know more about how to find your natural calm, please get in touch

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meditation in the workplace Melbourne SMT Centre

Why meditation is the new secret weapon in the workplace

Pauline McKinnon meditation in the workplace

Melbourne based Pauline McKinnon has been a leader in the field of therapeutic meditation for 30 years.  As an author on the topic and psychotherapist, Pauline specialises in the Ainslie Meares’ natural style of meditation.  According to Pauline, also the founder of the Stillness Meditation centre in Kew, Victoria, the workplace is high on the scale of stress levels.  Within the general pace of life, high expectations, technology and related disruptions, competitive pressure and a range of other challenges, many workplaces are seeking skills to assist in managing these stress levels.  Meditation, if learned and practiced effectively, can be an ideal answer to workplace issues.

“Meditation is the skill of choice made by many organisations wanting to lower stress and support the wellbeing of their employees,” Pauline said today.

“And it’s well known that a range of significant businesses have already incorporated meditation into their staff wellness programs; companies such as Apple, Google, Proctor and Gamble and many more.

“Meditation is ideal because once learned, it is easy to implement, low cost and can be tailored for any workplace.  Staff can participate without having to change clothes or commit too much time and meditation can usually be undertaken conveniently for example, in a spare meeting room.”

Stillness Meditation, originated some 40 years ago by Australian psychiatrist Ainslie Meares, is Western style meditation and medically based.   It is also known as Stillness Meditation Therapy (SMT).  Unencumbered by spiritual or ritualistic traditions, SMT aims to reduce physical and mental tension and provide profound mental rest.  Within this practice, results demonstrate lowered blood pressure, anxiety reduction, stress management and a higher quality of life that leads to health and wellness.   SMT can be undertaken in any quiet place and doesn’t require special positions or chanting or focus of any kind.  With a significant history of Meares acclaimed work and supported by Pauline’s personal experience, books and teaching practice, this form of meditation is growing in popularity.   While anyone of any age can benefit from SMT, it is well suited across the corporate sector for its simplicity and ease of integration into life.

“All the research indicates that meditation in the workplace is an excellent way to help staff balance the weight of corporate responsibility with the need to be calm and effective communicators,” Pauline added.

“Setting up a program of meditation in the workplace is easy.   There are five simple steps:

 

–        Research meditation providers to find the most suitable for your needs as well as requirements for the best meditation experience within your workplace.

–        Undertake a one hour workshop with a chosen meditation provider to address staff and educate in the proposed technique and its potential benefits.

–        Commit to a series of sessions for individuals or groups.  Meditation requires persistence if benefits are to be realised.

–        Allocate a quiet room that provides the necessary facilities as discussed with the chosen provider.  It’s good to have a few ‘rules’ in place to ensure everyone understands the protocols involved, for example, respect for others, quiet entry, no talking, no phones, etc.

–        Be prepared to allocate two to three days per week on which a time for meditation can be integrated into the workplace.  As with any skill, practice makes perfect – and repetition of meditation is the key to success.

 

“Meditation is an excellent way to reduce stress levels across an organisation.  For lifetime benefits, ideally, employees will practice their meditation sessions out of office hours as well.

“We have helped many organisations implement Stillness Meditation programs.  The world needs a little more peace – corporate no less!    Once a style of meditation has been introduced and practiced, it takes little time to appreciate the value it provides to health and wellbeing – and the benefits may be felt almost immediately.”

Do you want to know more? Or want to book an appointment. Get in Touch

By Tess Sanders Lazarus

Published On Business Daily Media

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What's Stillness Meditation Therapy benefits

What’s Stillness Meditation Therapy? Is This New Trend Overtaking Mindfulness

Experts agree that meditation brings a range of good outcomes; reduction of nervous tension, anxiety, depression and the stress reaction, assistance with pain management, regulation of blood pressure and increased immune function, to name but a few. While the list of benefits is long and well researched, for some reason meditation hasn’t become a mainstream topic until recent times.

Today, there are many forms of it, with mindfulness, a derivative of Buddhism, perhaps the most well-known.  However, within all traditional meditative practices, there are techniques to be learnt and followed.  Some involve the use of the cognitive mind, placing purpose upon personal or spiritual growth and the aim of wellbeing, while others may include movement, chanting or mastering particular physical postures.

Stillness Meditation Therapy, (or SMT), is different. So, What’s Stillness Meditation Therapy?

thinking

It’s a Western style of meditation, free of the constraints of technique.  It’s aimed solely at achieving peace of mind and wellness by relieving anxiety, tension and pain through effortless mental rest. Stillness of mind means the experience of “atavistic regression” … that is, a state of being that doesn’t involve the intellect.

In addition, it means resting without focus or trying to achieve any outcome or insight. This stillness is significant as it leads to a complete absence of disturbance and a point where the mind does not register discomfort, emotion or reactivity of any kind. It is this natural, clinical approach that sets SMT apart from other types of meditation.

It also offers another unique feature: it is experienced with the assistance of a specialist teacher who is suitably trained to include a distinctive style of therapeutic touch to be brought in to the meditative experience. The presence of such a professional ensures that people are supported on their journey towards better health.

LYING

With so many people affected by stress, busy schedules, trauma, upset, challenges and other difficulties, it is easy to see why Stillness Meditation is becoming recognised as the ‘go to’ form of meditation. Whether you’re looking to reduce anxiety or simply improve the quality of your life SMT provides a safe, therapeutic method that is long proven to produce good results.

Pauline McKinnon is a best-selling author, internationally known for her signature book, In Stillness Conquer Fear.  She is a practising psychotherapist and the Founding Director of the Stillness Meditation Therapy Centre in Melbourne.  

by Pauline McKinnon

Published On Women’s Health

Have more questions about What’s Stillness Meditation Therapy?

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