by Matthew Young | Last updated May 26, 2018 | Published on Feb 11, 2014 | Spot Meditations
This meditation can be done in under sixty seconds. You can do it anywhere, at any time. You can even do it with your eyes open, while standing in a queue or waiting at the traffic lights. When extended, it can lead you to the point of sleep within three minutes. When...
by Matthew Young | Last updated Apr 7, 2023 | Published on Feb 11, 2014 | Getting Started Guide, Popular Posts, Spot Meditations, Student Resources
Here’s what you need to meditate: 20 minutes ‘spare’ time A quiet place (where you can sit with your eyes closed) At least, that’s what I’d always assumed. Turns out I was wrong. A formal meditation of this kind is certainly useful, but...
by Matthew Young | Published on Feb 10, 2014 | Articles
Much of the stress we experience is amplified by our painful emotions – by the feelings we’d rather not experience. These unpleasant emotions can be difficult to face, so it’s not surprising that we try to avoid them. Many of our compulsions and...
by Matthew Young | Last updated Aug 7, 2017 | Published on Feb 10, 2014 | Articles
In this chapter I talk about serious, chronic or debilitating sicknesses, including those which turn out to be terminal. Since cancer can fit into all of these categories, I use it as a representative example of the other serious illnesses as well. When we first fall...
by Matthew Young | Last updated Oct 28, 2015 | Published on Feb 10, 2014 | Articles
Meditation affects our physiology in subtle but obvious ways. Even a beginner can notice muscles relaxing, the breath becoming smoother and the mind slowing down during a meditation session. From these humble beginnings, many other benefits may accrue. Meditation...
by Matthew Young | Last updated Nov 27, 2016 | Published on Feb 10, 2014 | Articles, Popular Posts
In this article Eric Harrison, from the Perth Meditation Centre, explores the differences between mindfulness and meditation. Because I teach meditation I get phone calls every week from prospective students. Many callers say ‘My doctor (or psychologist) has told me...
by Matthew Young | Last updated Jan 29, 2020 | Published on Feb 10, 2014 | Inspiration, Resources
People sometimes assume that you need a special (or specific, or appropriate, or quiet) place to meditate, and that it should be done at the same time (or some optimal time) every day. But for those of us with kids, jobs and appointments at all hours, the traditonal...
by Matthew Young | Last updated Sep 7, 2023 | Published on Jan 20, 2014 | Getting Started Guide, Inspiration, Resources
One minute. That’s all you need to take the sting out of stress. The following meditations can all be done in 60 seconds or less. Find the ones that work best for you, and adapt them freely to your needs — they can make a huge difference to the way you feel....
by Matthew Young | Last updated Apr 27, 2018 | Published on Jan 20, 2014 | Next Steps, Resources
Most people find that they can meditate well when guided by a teacher. Without guidance, however, it’s not always so easy. If you’re new to meditation, you might have good intentions, but no clear idea of what to do. Or you might have too many ideas, and...
by Matthew Young | Last updated Oct 28, 2015 | Published on Dec 21, 2013 | Articles
Most people new to meditation (and many with quite a few years — or even decades — of practice under their belts), find themselves repeatedly struggling with certain aspects of the practice. With the right understanding, these struggles are largely avoidable. Below,...
by Matthew Young | Published on Dec 19, 2013 | Articles, News
If you’ve ever wondered exactly what the real — rather than anecdotal — benefits of meditation are, let neuroscientist Sara Lazar explain. In the video below see the amazing brain scans which show how meditation can actually change the size of key regions of...
by Matthew Young | Last updated Jul 28, 2020 | Published on Nov 21, 2013 | Articles, Popular Posts
My mind must be empty. Thinking must be stopped. If I’m thinking, I’m NOT meditating. Those, at least, are the assumptions many people taking up meditation believe. It’s as though thoughts can’t be trusted, and indeed, we’re sometimes...
