Meditation
“I think the coolest thing about meditation is that it’s about taking time every day to do nothing and not feeling guilty about it. It’s so easy to get caught up in feeling badly about taking time for yourself or simply doing nothing, but with the practice of mediation, you are not only doing something to help yourself and make your life better, but you are also making the lives of the people around you better too.”
What is Meditation?
Meditation has been shown to have an effect on the gray matter in the brain. Gray matter is a key component of the brain that is involved in processing information, controlling movement, and regulating emotions.
Studies using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have shown that meditation can increase the volume of gray matter in specific regions of the brain, including the hippocampus (involved in memory and learning), the prefrontal cortex (involved in executive function and decision-making), and the insula (involved in self-awareness and empathy).
Research also shows a regular meditation practice can reduced the concentration of gray matter in the amygdala, a region associated with fear, anxiety, and stress — and that this reduction was correlated with lower stress levels.
Other studies have found that meditation can lead to changes in the thickness of the cortex, which is made up of gray matter, in regions related to attention, sensory processing, and emotional regulation.
Additionally,research has shown that long-term meditation practice is associated with increased activity in brain regions that are involved in executive control,attention, and emotional regulation.
Overall,scientific evidence suggests that meditation has a positive effect on the gray matter in the brain, leading to improvements in cognitive, emotional, and physical well-being.
Benefits Include:
Increases the mind, body, and spirit connection
Less reactivity
Improved overall physical, mental, and emotional health
Decreased Stress
Helps to alleviate anxiety and stress
Helps to manage pain
Improved sleep
Overall calming effect
Better breath quality
Increase in brain power
Enhanced focus and concentration
Balanced mental and emotional health
The most important thing to remember about mediation is that it is not good or bad, right or wrong; the most important thing is showing up and taking the time for yourself and your practice. It’s about letting go of all judgment.
It’s also important to understand that mediation isn’t the act of not thinking about anything. It’s the seeing and letting go of thoughts. It’s being the observer or the seer.
I like to imagine it like rain on a car windshield that has been coated in Rain-X. The rain droplets are the thoughts; they hit the windshield, that’s the thoughts coming into your mind, and they simply roll away (the raindrops and the thoughts). You see them, acknowledge them, know that they are there, and then let them go without judgment. Mediation is seeing your thoughts without judging them and letting them go.
I personally struggled for years with developing and remaining faithful to my daily mediation practice. Through much work and personal discovery, I realized that a great deal of my resistance was a product of unresolved trauma; thus, my specialty is being aware and conscious of what others may be experiencing due to their own traumatic experiences.
I take great care to ensure that each client feels comfortable and cared for during our sessions. I have a carefully laid out plan in place for each person prior to taking them through a meditative or sound healing experience.
Please know that you are always welcome to share with me but do not ever have to feel like you have to disclose anything that you do not feel comfortable sharing. The attention and care given to individuals experiencing trauma or the effects of trauma can be considered without knowing the exact details of the situation.
Trainings & Certifications
Mediation and Mindfulness Teacher Certification
Scott Feinberg of Kula Yoga Shala
200-Hour Certified Yoga Teacher
Kula Yoga Shala
What is it like to work with me?
I am offering a few different opportunities to work with me to help you create a practice that fits your needs. Each offering is completely customized to the individual or group. Mediation can include some sound healing, such as with the inclusion of one or more singing bowls or not, depending on personal preference.
While I do not conduct Reiki sessions in a traditional hands-on or auric field way, Reiki and healing energy can be infused into mediation sessions if the client is interested, however, if Reiki is something you do not feel comfortable with, it doesn’t have to be used at all.
In-person, One-on-One Sessions
Virtual One-on-One Sessions
Group Meditation Sessions (virtual and in-person)
One-on-One
One-on-One sessions are completely personalized to your individual needs. I can teach you to mediate through a series of sessions. I can create video-recorded mediation sessions for you to use on your own. Together we can develop a plan to facilitate healing in whatever way feels right and “doable” for you.
If you are local and want to work together in person or a combination of in-person and virtual sessions, I’m here to support you. These sessions are for and all about you!
Sound therapy is available in the one-on-one sessions as a sound bath or incorporated into a mediation session.
Group Sessions
Do you have a group that you feel would benefit from a group healing session? Run a business and want to bring meditation practice to your staff? I conduct one-off and series of sessions of group meditation and mindfulness practices where you can choose a specific focus, take the time to learn more about mindfulness and how to incorporate meditation into your daily life, or simply teach one or more styles of meditation to participants.
Click here to see times and dates for virtual coaching groups or contact me directly below.