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Soul Therapy in Bristol and London teaches mindfulness meditation to clients from Bristol, London, Bath, Cheltenham, Cardiff, Swindon and Reading. Click on the Book A Therapy Session button above to make an appointment with Stephen Shaw. You will learn mindfulness meditation in one session, with an optional follow-up session after 3 weeks.
The Soul Therapy Two Worlds Meditation MP3 utilises deep relaxation and subtle energy principles to move you toward a place of serenity and peace. Click on the MP3 Downloads button at the top of the page and listen to the first 60 seconds free.
What are the benefits of meditation?
Reducing stress, anxiety and depression; increasing mental and emotional peace; increasing self-acceptance and self-love; deeper and more restful sleep; greater clarity of mind and increasing creativity; increasing energy; deepening sense of connection and understanding of life and self; naturally improving sense of well-being; moving toward bliss.
What is meditation?
When you were born your mind was clear and beautiful like a crystal lake. This beautiful clear lake has gradually been filled with pollution for as long as you have been alive. Pollution results from all the shoulds, musts, rules, measures, media, culture, religion, school, parents, and the list goes on. Who are you really? Can you see yourself beyond all this imposed pollution? Most people have no sense of their true nature and as a result experience varying degrees of stress, anger, anxiety, emptiness and depression.
Meditation simply clears this pollution, revealing the beautiful crystal-clear lake that is always present. Soul Therapy meditation in Bristol and London gradually helps you discover your true nature and deeper reality.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a form of meditation. It is something you do with your eyes closed for 20-30 minutes when you are watching the traffic of your mind. When you find yourself lost in your thoughts or emotions, simply notice your breath and continue watching.
Mindfulness is also a meditation you can do every moment of every day. With practice you learn to notice your breath and watch what is happening around you. What are you seeing, hearing, thinking, feeling? Instead of getting lost in all the stimulation, you begin to mindfully observe the events and people nearby.
As you develop your watching skills, you will become more adept at not attaching to your thoughts and feelings or to the events happening around you. You will also become more adept at not resisting your thoughts and feelings or life events. You will begin to observe and experience yourself, others and life in a relaxed non-judgemental way.
How do you meditate?
Meditation is not about uncomfortable postures, concentration or prayers. It is not associated or linked to any religion, teacher, guru or spiritual philosophy. Meditation is about You. It is an individual practice; it is your journey into freedom and deep peace.
Simply put, meditation is the ability to distance yourself from the mind. Imagine you are sitting on a hill and watching the motorway traffic just a short distance away. Meditation is learning to watch the traffic of the mind: the endless flow of thoughts and emotions. Most of us are lost in this traffic, instead of simply watching it travel past.
Meditation does not require faith; it is a natural process that gradually clears the polluted lake. When you meditate you should hold no outcomes or agenda in mind. There is nothing to do or achieve except to simply watch the contents of your mind. You are watching an interesting film. Sometimes there will be a moment when there is no traffic, no thoughts and nothing to watch ... and you may become aware of the observer - the one who watches!
If you can't see this video, click here: Namaste
You Have Only Moments To Live
You have only moments to live ... this moment here and now ... and this moment here and now ... and here now. This is all you really have. Time is an illusion.
What is mindfulness? It's being fully present in this moment ... here now. An interesting meditation is to just say "Here Now" whenever you find yourself trying to recreate your past or daydreaming about your possible future.
Every time you ruminate about the past or get lost in fantasies about the future, you are not here now, and you lose this precious Moment to be fully alive. "If only" or "I should have" or "I wish" distract you from here now.
Being mindful means learning to accept what Is. Noticing your thoughts and emotions as they rise up and sail past. Not attaching, not resisting, not judging - just noticing the traffic of your mind and heart as it travels along. Sometimes you may even experience pure awareness with no traffic.
Being fully Present in the Moment means Awareness of the information coming in through your senses, your internal sensations, your thoughts, your emotions, your body and events and situations unfolding around you. Just mindful watching and observing.
And every so often you will wake up ... and ask yourself ... Who is the Watcher?
If you can't see this video, click here: Eckhart Tolle Speaks
There Are No Ordinary Moments
Living in the moment is a lot more than mere mindfulness about Here Now. Being here now means being fully present in this precious Moment instead of trying to continually recreate your past or live in your surmised future.
Truly living in the moment creates powerful, poignant and transcendent experiences. For most of us, pouring and drinking a glass of water is done automatically - we do it without thinking consciously about our actions. Usually your mind is on something else while pouring and drinking a glass of water, e.g. a deadline, a work project, fetching the children, planning an event, shopping, regretting - anything but focusing on the present moment.
Try this exercise: Stand with an empty glass in your hand in front of the tap or water filter. Pay close attention to the tap and the empty glass. Very slowly open the tap. Imagine you have never seen water before. Be fascinated. Slow everything right down.
Now really use your eyes and see how the water flows into the glass, and notice how the water appears. Hold up the glass and examine every bit of the glass and the water.
Now slowly dip a finger into the water. Feel it thoroughly, noting its texture and temperature. Place the glass under your nose, becoming aware of any aroma and any physiological responses. Take your time.
Bring the glass slowly to your lips, noticing what the body is doing and feeling. Take a sip of water and let it rest in your mouth while you become aware of the feel of the water, and then move the water gently in your mouth. Notice your intention to swallow, and as you swallow, notice the feeling.
Next time you are outside your office, in a restaurant, in your garden or walking in nature, try to slow everything right down and allow yourself to really see, to truly hear, to intensely feel and deeply sense what is around you. Be fascinated and enraptured with each Moment.
If you can't see this video, click here: Who Are You ... Really?
Wherever You Go, There You Are
I am sitting on the awesome slopes of Les Arcs, France. All around me is fresh white powder; the sky is crystal-clear, the sun is shining brightly, and the air is cool and refreshing. It's a beautiful day. My snowboard rests next to me, and I look down the valley and gaze upon the skiiers and snowboarders.
Some people are working so hard to improve their technique! Many are falling and tumbling in the snow, crashing and cursing. Others fly past with relaxed smiles, high on endorphins and the exhiliration of speed.
I notice that some skiiers are always looking at others who are faster on the slopes, who have better technique, and who can handle steeper inclines and moguls. Comparing upwards never brings much satisfaction or happiness.
Others look at the struggling beginners and appreciate just how far they have come.
Sometimes people forget that at every level of skiing and snowboarding there are hard falls, difficult challenges, sore muscles and fear. Yet at every level of skiing and snowboarding there are new experiences of mastery, fun and exhiliration.
Once in a while I sense that rare individual surfing the snow in pure relaxed pleasure - not comparing, just being. Knowing that this is the Moment they are living. Realising that there is nothing to compare, nothing to do, nothing to strive for ... it's just the joy of being.
If you can't see this video, click here: I Am video
The Magic And Challenges Of Life
Many of us have the idea that at some point in life, whether through will or intention or faith or prayer or hard work, everything will start to be really wonderful. We hope that the difficulties we experience will subside and we will live in complete happiness and fulfilment.
Have a look at your body right now. What is magic about your body? What do you like? What do you find challenging, e.g. an injury, a disability, or the way something looks?
Now look at your mind. What is magic about your mind? What do you like about it? What do you find challenging, e.g. you get gripped by thoughts about the past?
Now look at your emotional self. What is magic about your emotions? What do you like about your emotions? What do you find challenging, e.g. you are not assertive enough?
Now look at your lover or partner or children. What is magic about them? What do you find really challenging?
Finally, have a good look at your life. What is magic about your life? What challenges are you experiencing?
As you journey through life you will always experience both magic and challenges. These are part of your adventure. Magic inspires and makes you feel good, and challenges push you in new directions and expand your thinking, feelings and values.
Now ... what would happen if you let go of the idea of magic and challenges? What would you experience if you began to accept your body, mind, emotions, lover, partner, children and life just as they are? Does acceptance mean you cannot change anything? Or does acceptance lead you to a still centre allowing you to responsibly change what you need?
If you can't see this video, click here: Soul Inspiration
Desiderata - a poem by Max Ehrmann
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.
Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
If you can't see this video, then click here: Ancient Secrets
The Prayer Of St Francis Of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
If you can't see this video, click here: Prayer of St Francis
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Soul Therapy
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Bristol
BS7 8TS
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