Tag: meditation

Some Ideas on How to Continue after a Retreat

Posted on by Silvia Eriksson

At the end of a retreat I am often asked how to continue a regular meditation practice once we get home.

Usually, on a retreat everyone is meditating together at the same time and everything is laid out for us making it easy do the meditation. It can sometimes feel harder not to practise!

When we get home the opposite is true. Suddenly there is so much to do and so many demands on our time. And however much we may have felt the benefits from a daily meditation practice while on retreat once back home we just forget to do it.

Ironically, it’s while caught up in the busyness of daily life that we may need meditation the most. 

Be Realistic

Often we leave the retreat with high hopes. We are inspired to keep up a regular meditation practice, which is great, but we should be realistic. 

Know that:

  • Even small amounts of practice can have a huge impact.
  • You don’t think you have to do hours of meditation every day for it to be beneficial.
  • It’s much better to succeed at doing 5 minutes a day rather than fail at trying to do 1 hour per day.
  • A little meditation regularly more important than bursts of lots occasionally)
  • Richard Davidson (neuroscientist, professor, and pioneering researcher into the impact of meditation on the brain) has demonstrated that even 8 minutes a day for 2 weeks had a measurable impact on the brain

Short Term Goal

—Make a short term commitment to meditate every day for 1 month (or even 10 days). At the end of that period evaluate whether it’s helping you. If it is, then keep going. Maybe make another goal. If not, give it up and do something else.

—Knowing we only have to continue for a fixed time makes it easier to stick to. We know we can give it up at the end of that time but it also gives us a good opportunity to test out if meditation is helpful for us.

—Don’t give up if you miss a day. Maybe you made a commitment to meditate for 10 minutes every day but something came up on day 6 and you didn’t practice. No problem. That’s life. Just puck it up the next day. Some research suggests that the most successful approach is to aim for every day bit to give ourselves 2 ‘get out’ days per week. Then if we don’t managed to meditate on 1or 2 days we don’t give up and sacrifice the whole project. 

How to Form a Habit

If we can make a habit of meditation then we don’t have to keep making ourselves do it. It just starts to happen automatically. These tips apply to any habit, not just meditation:

—Meditating at the same time every day helps. For some people this is the morning but find a time that suits you. If you really can’t find time at home then maybe on the train, or in a break.

—Meditating every day  helps form the habit much quicker than occasional practice. Even if it’s just 1 minute a day, we will create the habit of sitting.

—Attach your meditation to a pre-existing habit (piggyback!) Find something you do every day, brushing your teeth for example, and decide to practice meditation after that.

—Reward yourself – nice cup of tea/coffee/chocolate…

Trigger / Action / Reward is the basis of forming habits. The gratitude and appreciation that we bring at the end of each practice is also a subtle reward. Saying ‘well done’ and thanking ourselves.

• Don’t judge your practice. There is no such thing as a bad meditation (the only bad meditation is the one you don’t do)

• If you can, create a beautiful space in your house or apartment. It can be very simple, but a clean, clear space – with no distractions. A place you like to go.

Some Additional but Important Points

—Don’t make a separation between your formal meditation and everyday life. We are not trying to become expert meditators on the cushion and then be completely stressed out and distracted during the day.

Find moments during the day to come back to a simple awareness of the present moment – a single breath, or just aware of sounds…. This will really help to bring mindfulness and awareness into everything we do – until eventually it just becomes how we are.

Formal practice will help you remember to come back to these moments during the day.

The more you do this the easier and quicker you will be able to re-centre and ground yourself during the day. Just one breath can bring you straight back into the practice.

—Come together with people. This is really important. Once a week, or even once a month can be such a great help in maintaining inspiration. Find a local group. If that isn’t possible then try to connect digitally (even knowing someone, somewhere is meditating with you can help)

—In Amsterdam: The Meditation Cafe has morning and evening meditations. Feel free to drop in.

Apps

—The Plum Village app. A beautiful app that allows you to time a daily practice with start, stop, and interval bells. There are teachings and other features including a nice way to set mindfulness reminders through the day.

Teachers 

Below are a few Tibetan Buddhist teachers of the Nyingma and Kagyu tradition. They have written a number of books, all of which I would highly recommend, but I have given a few suggestions that may be a good place to start. I also share links to their organisations.  

—Sogyal Rinpoche

His book, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, gives a thorough introduction to Tibetan Buddhism. It also has a full description of the tonglen practice.

His organisation is  Rigpa

—Dzigar Kogtrul Rinpoche, 

His book, Training in Tenderness, is an excellent support for the loving kindness practice. 

His organisation is Mangalashribhuti

—Mingyur Rinpoche,

His first book is, Joy of Living

His organisation is Tergar

—Tsoknnyi Rinpoche,

His organisation is Pundarika

—Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche

And Finally

What I’ve described here are some tips that different people have found useful over time but most important is your own journey of trial and error. Learn what works best for you. Give something a go, see how it works, review and then adapt accordingly.

Feel free to share in the comments what works best for you and any different approaches that you have found to be particularly helpful.

A Purposeful Heart ~ Interview with Ajahn Mahāpañño

Posted on by Silvia Eriksson

Can you tell us a little about your lineage? Is it part of the Thai Forest Tradition?

Yes, our lineage is the Ajahn Chah and Sumedho lineage, and we are part of the Thai Forest Tradition. We belong to a network of monasteries spread around the world. Most of them are in Thailand, but there are also four in England, one in Switzerland and others in Portugal, Germany, the USA and Australia.  

I am from Santacittarama Monastery in Italy, but this tradition originated in Thailand, but over time, Western monks trained there returned to their home countries and established monasteries, like Santacittarama.  

Was there a specific moment in your life that made you decide to become a monk? 

I decided to try being a monk when I was 29, and I was later accepted into the community. The decision came from two emotions. One was a sense of suffering and dissatisfaction, a feeling of “Is this all there is?”  And the other was trust—trust in the teachings of the Buddha and in the possibility of doing something meaningful, something good.  

Before becoming a monk, I spent about ten years meditating, exploring different traditions and approaches. When I encountered the Thai Forest Tradition, I felt at home. I understood it, and I could sustain the practice.  

I was lucky to meet Ajahn Sumedho, who inspired me deeply—not just to be a Buddhist but to try to become a monk. His way of living and teaching impressed me, especially since he trained in Thailand for ten years before returning to the UK in 1976. He is still alive, very powerful.  What inspired me was his freedom, his independence—it gave me the sense that I could give my life meaning and perhaps help others too.  

What is the most common struggle your students come to you with? 

Confusion. People don’t know what to do with their lives. It’s quite surprising. Many people don’t know what to do – even when they’re older—60, 70 years old. They’re searching for meaning and direction. 

I would tell people to first to simply take responsibility for their life, and start to learn how to make the right choices. Not to make decisions to promote ourselves, but to promote the Dhamma, the freedom of the heart, the awakening of their mind. To prepare this possibility, to prepare the proper conditions for the mind to realise this. That’s what I would like to pass on. 

We can learn how to prepare for the path of awakening, it’s not just hoping for something to happen, but how to learn how to develop this. I’m quite optimistic in humanity – that all can do this, can do a good job with this – just that we have to create the proper opportunity for this to unfold.

Do you believe silence and Vipassana retreats play a significant role in addressing these struggles? 

Yes, retreats like these are very supportive. But they are just the beginning. People need continuity in their practice—one retreat is not enough.  

In these few days, people can figure out what is really important to them. The challenge is arranging their lives afterward to reflect those priorities. Often, people’s hearts are spread everywhere—a little here, a little there, but they rarely focus their hearts on one purpose. They see it like a financial investment, but it doesn’t work like this. True freedom comes from dedicating ourselves to one meaningful purpose.  

This doesn’t mean being sectarian or obsessed. It means offering our lives to something we believe is truly worthy—not just for ourselves, but for others too.  

Do you think people living “normal” lives, with jobs and families, can live this kind of purposeful life?

Yes, definitely. Our daily life can be our temple. It’s not about what we do, but how we do it. Even something as simple as washing dishes, and that can be a perfect cleaning of the mind. The problem is that we don’t perceive this action as a step towards enlightenment. 

Of course there is some action and speech that should be avoided, some things that do not support our morality, but in the end our monastic life is quite ordinary. We also deal with ordinary tasks—working, interacting with people, and managing daily responsibilities. I take care of the accounts, and my friend here takes care of other tasks. The difference is in how we approach these actions, seeing them as part of the path toward awakening.  

How are you finding your time at Mandali?

It’s an amazing place—beautiful in every way. I was surprised at the details –  the attention to detail here is remarkable. I can feel the care and heart that went into creating it. 

I’ve been a guest monk for 19 years and hosted in many places, but I’ve never experienced such a reception. Rafal even came to meet me at the gate! I feel very cared for here, also the participants.

Is there a story or teaching from the Theravada tradition that inspires you which you’d like to share?  

One of my favorite teachings is from Ajahn Chah, who established our lineage:  

“If you let go a little, you will have a little happiness.

If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of happiness. 

If you let go of everything,  you will realise happiness.”  

This really touched me, and if you go this way, this way of letting go, there is a real possibility of finding the freedom of the heart.

To know more about the Santacitarrama Monastery where the Venerable Ajahn resides, you can go here. The autumn Vipassana retreat at Mandali was organised in collaboration with the “Progetto Pienessere”, an association dedicated to transpersonal mindfulness, inspired by teachings from the Karuna Institute and wisdom from various spiritual traditions. It focuses on nurturing the transcendent aspects of consciousness to foster relationships based on kindness and mutual respect, creating opportunities for elevated connection and spiritual growth.

Teachings from an Elephant

Posted on by Silvia Eriksson

I arrived at Mandali on a Sunday afternoon. After the opening ceremony, the day was coming to an end, when I joined my first yoga practice in temple. As I was closing my eyes, breathing consciously, letting in clear energy and releasing what no longer served me, the forehead of a big white elephant emerged in front of my third eye. I sat there, letting the image grow, following the message. She was greeting us, welcoming us in her home. Her head slowly swaying side to side, making her ears float a little of her head. Soft energies and gentle nods made me feel safe and helped me to settle in this magical place.

The following day, I joined the evening meditation. And as I was sinking in, shifting back and forth between mind and center I was becoming more and more in tune with the present. The moment the guide hit the singing bowl to seal of the practice, there she was again. Like a force of nature this time. Made of copper, fiercely pushing her image onto me. I could feel the strength and I deeply wanted to stay with the vision, but people were getting up and the moment had passed. The image stuck with me however, like a guide, leading the way, or a guard, keeping me safe.

Another day went by, and I was in savasana at the end of Yoga Nidra, when she appeared once again. Richly decorated, beads and jewelry on her back and across her face. It was festive in a way, colorful, joyful and yet…I felt I had to keep looking. She was dancing, moving her head side to side, rocking her body. The movement became more reckless and at one point all decorations slid off and fell to the ground. She stood there, looking at me, challenging, relieved, free, pure in all her glory.

Now I had walked around the garden several times. Somehow however, I always passed the pond from the backside, which left me convinced that the statue in the middle, was an image of Budha. Imagine my surprise, or rather joyful discovery, when I saw the sculpture was in fact an elephant. Ah…there you are, that is why. What a strong presence and what an amazing spirit traveled along with it. At meditation that evening, I got treated of an image of a line of elephants, walking in the woods, leading each other back to nature, connecting with Gaya. It is what I came for. To become more rooted and connected to this beautiful planet and let it help me, feed me, take a load of me and guide me home.

On closing day, during the final meditation, she appeared one last time. Up close, like she was resting her forehead against mine. A lemniscate drawn along the lines around her eyes, connecting in the middle, pointing out to her inner wisdom. She stands silently, in peace. I can only thank her deeply, for showing up all these days. 

On my way back home, closing my eyes, I keep on getting images of the mountains. Yet the tops of the hills seem to shape into giant elephant heads looking sideways, giving me a deep perspective of the distant future. I’ve been home for a week now, and I can still tap into her presence. Like part of her traveled back with me. Or maybe part of Mandali will forever rest in me, waiting to be reconnected and guide me on my way. Thank you so much for this place. It is enchanting. I will be back, if only, to meet my dear friend again. I can’t wait…

Sorajah

She emerges
from the mist
of sound
surrounding me

Headfirst
ears gently swaying
stroking
the energy

Inviting us
on a journey
beyond the
physical realm

She is our guide
she sets the pace
she carries
peace and calm

Posted in Blog, Content, SoulTagged Guest Reflection, meditation, sadhana

Wholeness in Healing – Meet the Teachers

Posted on by Silvia Eriksson

What happens when two traditions merge into a one-of-a-kind retreat? At Mandali, we value diversity in lineages, teaching styles, and practices, so, when two of our beloved in-house teachers decided to bring their teachings together, it felt like a cosmic cocktail. This collaboration birthed the Wholeness in Healing retreat, blending QiGong, KumNye (Tibetan Yoga), and Breathwork. 

We sat with Mario and Gijs to get to know more about the core elements that make this retreat so unique and sought after.

What is the intention behind the ‘Wholeness in Healing’ retreat?

Mario: The intention of the retreat is to give people instruments to achieve a better quality of life, energy, and calmness of the heart.

Gijs: To bring about balance and harmony within our entire way of being; integrating all aspects and elements of life into a wholesome flow, and aligning ourselves with our deepest intentions and our natural state of being.

What’s special about the combination of Qigong, KumNye, Breathwork & Inquiry?

Mario: The combination of these techniques offers a complete understanding of the human dimension. Breathing works on the energetic field, inquiry enhances communication and self-expression, and Qigong focuses on the ‘three treasures’ of our human form: body awareness and energy expression.

Gijs: This combination of practices moves our energies on multiple levels, drawing out the core potentiality within the promise of our lives. It spirals our way up to embodying freedom.

What benefits can one expect to experience as part of these practices?

Mario: The benefits are numerous: unblocking energy that may be stuck in the physical body, improving communication skills to be more incisive, and increasing physical and energetic endurance.

Gijs: To find confidence in the full capacity of our authentic humanity.

Kat, a previous retreat participant, shares her experience:

“The KumNye meditation practice that Gijs taught has enabled me to achieve a state of blissful meditative clarity much faster and easier than I’ve ever been able to in 17 years of meditating. Since then, I apply KumNye in my daily life, and it’s led me to a more vital, embodied, and grateful daily existence.

“In one of the breathwork sessions, after a profound KumNye session, I experienced myself as pure energy and light. The result was blissful joy, clarity, and more confidence in my intuition. It unlocked a feeling of lightness throughout the rest of the retreat, and it’s something I can now tap into even in my own self-guided meditations.”

I attribute this depth of meditation to the highly curated variety of techniques that Mario and Gijs interweave throughout the retreat. They constantly ‘read the room’ and build off of each other’s sessions to create a holistic practice that left me floating at the end of every day.

Because of this retreat’s focus on movement and body in everything we did for five consecutive days, I significantly improved my ability to reach a meditative state of clarity and peace through various types of movements. This has vastly broadened my toolbox for finding the right method at the right moment in my day-to-day life.

I often refer to this retreat as a major turning point in my burnout. It’s the only event I can point to and clearly see a big difference before I started it versus after, in terms of my energy, optimism, and mood.”

What makes YOU feel vibrantly alive?

Mario: The connection with myself and my expression, supporting people in their personal development, and seeing them happy and alive.

Gijs: Sharing the light of love in our lives, spending time in nature, and enjoying musical creations with dear muses.

Join Gijs & Mario for their next Wholeness in Healing: Bringing Balance into Being this October 20-25, 2024 at Mandali.

Posted in Blog, Mind, SoulTagged breathwork, kumnye, meditation, qigong

Interview: Money, Desire & Power: The Alchemy of Transformation ~ with Nishta Matarese and Evangelos Diavolitsis

Posted on by Silvia Eriksson

First things first, why ‘Money-Desire-Power’? What inspired this provocative trio as a theme for your upcoming retreat? 

It’s not a trio, it’s a trilogy or a tragedy because, if they are unconscious, they create pain and chaos. They can also be enjoyable and transformative tools depending on the view and approach. 

Look, life is provoking us all day long. It is part of moving from a life lived from somatic-emotional reactivity to clear adult responses. We simply need to get better at navigating how trigger patterns around money, desire, and power reveal themselves in our being and how it affects our state of mind. At Four Ways to Freedom, we get behind the things that provoke us so we can liberate them. 

There is so much there for us to work with and that inspires our teaching and how we best can convey it to students with a sense of lightness – with joy, humor, and support. It provokes a lot of creativity in us as teachers.

MDP are juicy topics! There is so much there for us to work with and that inspires our teaching and how we best can convey it to students with a sense of lightness – with joy, humor, and support. It provokes a lot of creativity in us as teachers. We study them, dance with them, process them, and offer universal teachings to expand upon them. 

Many of the great masters in the last 100 years and certainly our personal teachers, emphasized that developmentally, we need to awaken to potent hidden messages underneath MDP. The work is to move as a whole from an egocentric perspective, to an ethnocentric, world-centric, and ultimately, a cosmo-centric existence. We need to know where we are on the map so that we can traverse along the path with confidence and know how to help others move along the path as well. 

War, competing economies, domination over natural resources, politics, religion, sex trafficking, etc… Much of the horrors that occur in these arenas have MDP at their roots. The game is rigged and we no longer can delude ourselves – so we do the work of coming to terms with them in our personal lives first so a collective healing can be facilitated. 

What makes them so taboo? 

The intensity of the force and influence they have over our ability to reason what is useful and wholesome and what is useless and unwholesome. The dictionary defines the meaning of taboo as a social or religious custom prohibiting or forbidding discussion of a particular practice or forbidding association with a particular person, place, or thing. 

There can be a lot of shame related to money, desire, and power. We feel ashamed if we have not become skilled money hunters in this money-obsessed world. Some are also obsessed with rejecting money. We feel shame when we cannot afford some of the necessities of life.  

Regarding desire, we are afraid to admit our heart’s desire as we fear judgment from others or have some sort of spiritual guilt. There is rarely a moment when humans aren’t desiring something. It’s important to desire the things that actually create a positive outcome.  

Power gives us a sense of control as well as strength and clarity. Knowing what we want and knowing what we don’t want and how to honour that.  

Power can range from impotence to tyranny. Some are afraid of too much power and others are afraid of too little power. Power becomes confusing when our authority to lead outgrows beyond our ability to embody the responsibility of it.

What are some ways we can destigmatize these topics? 

Simple, bring them out in the open through dialogue and then transmute the energy of them – redirect the energy that is making them so potent in the first place. First, we must peek at them, touch them, and understand them! 

Coming together as a group body is the fast path of destigmatisation. We co-create a field together to blast the lid off of the mystery of MDP. We want to recognize MDP for what it is and be able to have healthy discussions around them as if we were talking about the weather. 

How are each of these topics related? What is the intersection?

We can spend our entire life oscillating between contraction and expansion around our personal lovability in terms of money, desire and power.

As Dharma teachers, conscious movement facilitators and behavioral money coaches, we see that much of our survival responses are set in us by the time we reach grade school. Society goes on to overlay a message that our self-worth is linked to our net worth. We can spend our entire life oscillating between contraction and expansion around our personal lovability in terms of money, desire and power. They are intricately intertwined in terms of knowing when to lead and when to follow, how to give and receive as an act of sharing, and the success at which we can resource ourselves in a balanced way in both our inner worlds and the outward expression of that, while in the world. 

How has your personal relationship with money evolved over the years, and what lessons have you learned about its impact on your well-being?

All the lessons have resulted in cultivating a conscious and healthy relationship with an energetic frequency that has its own language, direction and attitude.  When we were younger, money was an elusive mystery but by making peace and forgiving our personal history, our relationship with it has become much more fluid. Biggest lesson: Don’t blame others for your lack of abundance and success. You and you alone can change the story by befriending the energy of money.  Whether it is an ally or enemy depends on the user’s mindset. 

What is the difference between healthy desire vs. unhealthy desire?

Healthy desire has a texture of certain qualities: There is balance in the nervous system, an ease with the way things are. You are not chasing to escape but to expand and feed a curiosity.  Food is a desire we all share in common.  Healthy desire is that I listen to when my body tells me to stop. Unhealthy desire, on the other hand, comes with an obsessive, keep going, attachment attitude which leads to resentment, confusion, and disappointment. 

What is your definition of ‘power’ in the context that you teach it? Can you expand on this?

True power is resting in the ground of your being with calm, clarity, and compassion for yourself, others and the situation presenting itself to you. For this, we need training in mindfulness practices and an understanding of what meditation IS and what meditation IS NOT. You are a more powerful person when you are no longer subject to the fears that bind you.

True power is resting in the ground of your being with calm, clarity, and compassion for yourself, others and the situation presenting itself to you

Redirecting fear energy alleviates somatic-emotional distress. Claiming back our bodies wholeheartedly requires trust. We learn to trust as babies. We were utterly dependent on another, a guiding authority to meet our basic needs. 

At times, the babies’ needs are not met. There are thousands of examples of disruptions in the process of pair bonding and learning when and under what circumstances one can trust. Each disruption creates a unique response in you. As one of my teachers used to say, we are all just walking wounded hearts. 

When needs are not met, life is asking you to not only survive but learn to figure this shit out and thrive. We become more intelligent as our urge to thrive grows. We greatly evolve our resilience when we are babies. 

It requires tremendous trust to take full responsibility over one’s own sovereign being and not outsource it to others – we are conditioned that our power depends on mommy and daddy. It means harnessing the power of one’s own body-mind. True power is attending to the needs of one’s own awakening heart. The greatest power is having every reason in the world to react with a harsh strong response and choosing not to. Saying ‘no’ to our own negative responses is powerful.  

What do you hope retreat participants will take away with them after exploring these topics with you? 

A sense of inner revolution. To become a rebel with a cause. To leave the fight behind. That is what revolution is about – replacing an existing way of being with a better way of being – one that is more illuminated.  To embody imagination, archetypal energies and confidence to dream YOUR life and to recognize when you are living in someone else’s dream. 

Success to us, is when you are able to go to bed at night with an ease of heart and capacity to restore. To collectively remember there is an unknowable mystery calling us to upgrade – to evolve. To include, to fold into the being all that has come before and make room for what is to come. 

Ultimately, we hope participants transition out with a sense of peace and composed awareness when addressing the topics of Money, Desire and Power in their daily lives. 

Do you have any advice for setting intentions to be more mindful in the new year around money/desire/power? 

2024, here already? 

“ There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the passion of life. “

The great Italian movie director, Federico Fellini, said “ There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the passion of life. “

If there is no beginning and no end to be found then what is there? Who is there? How do you settle into the ever-changing continuum awareness that you are?

If passion is the way then let’s agree to call it what it truly is — COM-PASSION (our actions aligned with our innate loving aliveness for the health of the whole)

This urge to live, love, and thrive is ours for the taking. 

Let’s live the best version of ourselves for the uplifting of all beings! 

Evangelos and Nishta are international Dharma, meditation, and movement teachers and the founders of Four Ways to Freedom. They will be facilitating the retreat Money, Desire & Power: The Alchemy of Transformation in Mandali on 23-29 March 2024.

The Dance of Movement & Stillness

Posted on by Silvia Eriksson

Today, we celebrate MOVEMENT! There is something magical that happens when we consciously move, whether it’s in a yoga class, walking, hiking, dancing or whichever way you love to shake and wiggle your being. Movement of all forms plays such a big part of our spiritual and wellbeing practices, and also in what we offer at Mandali. In this article, we asked some of our teachers and guides: “In your discipline, what is the connection between movement and meditation?”, and we got some insightful and interesting answers.

Silvia Eriksson – Yoga Teacher

I think movement can be seen in yoga in several ways: First, as a way of purifying and strengthening the body (Tapas), moving our energies, becoming aware of and training our breath, in order to prepare ourselves for meditation – sitting still and resting in awareness. When I don’t move, meditation becomes an effort, and is not only hard on my body, but the excess stagnant energy can lead to restlessness or being caught of in stories of the mind. On the other hand, when I don’t allow stillness, my energy remains a bit scattered. So it’s all about balance.

Movement is also healing on so many levels. Dancing helped me overcome social anxiety and brings me immense joy, Pilates and yoga asana helped me heal injuries, trauma and corrected my posture, a bonus being a strong back, and supple hips, help me sit upright comfortably for meditation. It was movement that changed my life ultimately and led me to a spiritual path.

Alas, meditation and movement practice ripples out into action and creativity.  A great way to bring meditation to everyday life is through being aware and present of movement. So now, movement becomes meditation itself. Moving consciously is about becoming intimate and friendly with yourself. Being open, undistracted, tuning into the body as we move and riding the wave of the breath, emotions, clearing out internal barriers is like a dance, cultivating presence and closeness with our physical body. We close gaps of separation. Feeling in, listening, without judgment – some might call this self love, authenticity.  As I often tell my students, what we learn on the mat practicing Asanas, we take into our lives. Like the balance between ease and effort, when to push, when to let go.

Moving consciously is about becoming intimate and friendly with yourself. Being open, undistracted, tuning into the body as we move and riding the wave of the breath, emotions, clearing out internal barriers is like a dance, cultivating presence and closeness with our physical body. We close gaps of separation.

Nishta & Evangelos (Four Ways to Freedom)  – Conscious Movement & Meditation

In ancient times, seekers who wished to understand the meaning of life would lay down at night and watch the movement of stars and planets. During the day they would observe the movement of the clouds and the sun as well as the changing natural landscape through the seasons. When you look up at the sky, you feel a sense of stillness and eternity. It’s quiet, unborn, and full of potential but not static. Sometimes a storm comes to disrupt the quiet sky.  It’s a natural fluid tango. In tango you pause and then move. 

You can’t have movement without meditation just like you can’t have stillness without action or chaos. They are codependent lovers.  Healthy movement emerges from stillness and if it isn’t born from the still womb of tranquility, it manifests as frantic unstable energy.  Too much stillness can make you dull while too much non-stop movement can exhaust you. Finding the balance of how they work together can revolutionize your life.  

Meditation is the art of sitting with nothing but the quiet mind and watching the movement of life. When we sit and get really still, we see that movement is simply a declaration of change, creativity and evolution. 

If we wish to be a master of our own lives, we must master the art of meditation as well as the art of moving gracefully and mindfully through life.  They go hand in hand.

If we wish to be a master of our own lives, we must master the art of meditation as well as the art of moving gracefully and mindfully through life.  They go hand in hand. The deeper your movement practice, the greater the stillness of mind. The deeper you can go into silence and meditate, the more you can confidently move with life’s unpredictable events. You are here to explore polarities. Some call it the cosmic dance of life and whether you know it or not, it is moving through you right now but you might miss it if you can’t be still for one tiny moment!

Prafulla Giuseppe Carnaghi – Nature walk guide 

To me ‘spiritual practice’ means bringing meditation into the small “movements” in my daily life.

Meditation cannot be confined to the time I sit cross-legged with eyes closed.

It’s the moment I get up and start moving in the flow of everyday life that my meditation is challenged. It’s reminding myself to be present in small movements like washing my hands or peeling an apple.

When I walk in nature, listening to its sounds and to its silence, I find a deeper sense of stillness, and this becomes my spiritual practice, a precious doorway to inner silence, a space beyond thinking. This way I’m the ‘space’ in which all movements (my body, my thoughts, my emotions) happen.

When I walk in nature, listening to its sounds and to its silence, I find a deeper sense of stillness, and this becomes my spiritual practice, a precious doorway to inner silence, a space beyond thinking

Gijs Fermie –  Kum Nye (Tibetan Yoga)

Movement can serve as a preliminary to meditation, a state of present pure awareness. In Kum Nye practice (Tibetan Yoga) we integrate movement, massage and meditation into one holistic discipline. Here we first practice movement exercises in order to stimulate energy within the body. Now the feeling-experience in the body, linked with the energy of the breath, will massage our being from the inside out. This inner massage in turn will allow us to relax more and release tensions.

Kum Nye practice brings us to a calm, clear and creative state of being, which is the heart of meditation.

And at the same time it will create more space to embody this free flow of energy,  expanding our presence in space. In the end this process will open-up within us a warm and deep, sacred space of infinite awareness. Kum Nye practice brings us to a calm, clear and creative state of being, which is the heart of meditation. Movement can serve as well as a form of integration; meditation in action. For this to come about we would need to bring movement, stillness and awareness together. And in this way, by practicing body-awareness that leads into space-awareness, movement becomes meditation.

How do you feel movement intersects with your discipline? What’s your favorite way to move? Drop us a note in the comments, we’d love to hear!

The 6 Keys to Happiness

Posted on by Silvia Eriksson

Real Happiness is not based on external circumstances.

This is one of the main lessons we receive in our studies of yoga philosophy, so how can you feel more happiness even if life is not always up to giving it?

These are the 6 keys to happiness:

1. Know Yourself

Get to know yourself on deeper levels. Use your yoga practice to connect to the part in you that is everlasting, permanent through all of life’s changes. Your soul’s essence always remains at ease and in peace, you’ll get to know it with meditation and a calm mind, mostly in moments of stillness.

Knowing yourself also includes getting to understand what triggers you and acknowledging your “dark sides” and your limitations. Yin Yoga is a wonderful practice for this.

2. Fulfill Your Potential

Seeds need sun, water and nutrition in order to grow. In the same sense you need to gather your forces and your power to fulfill your potential, your desires. Who are the people who see you and support you to grow? What practices help you gain more confidence and courage?

3. Be Courageous

Choose to live from your heart, no matter if life’s circumstances are pleasant or challenging. Cultivate your intuition and follow it. Become aware of the power of intention and resolve, it will help you push through any obstacles. You are committed to stay true to yourself and this will make you feel proud of yourself.

4. Serve The Greater Good

Remember that you are a part of the bigger web, you are not isolated. Whenever self doubt and fear creeps in remember the greater good and how you can serve with what you have to offer. This will be stronger that your ego which might want to keep you small. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world, so keep sharing your story and your light.

Here’s a wonderful quote by Martha Graham:

“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, not how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open.”

5. Non-Attachment To The Outcome

Ever felt a deep inner calling? Maybe you didn’t follow it because you were to concerned about the outcome? Let go of the attachment to the outcome, do what you need to do because it’s your inner calling. You will find a deep satisfaction in doing so and inspire others to follow. The universe works in magical ways!

6. Have Faith

Cultivating faith is the understanding that life is perfect in all its imperfections. It doesn’t need to be any different for you to be happy. Trust that life reflects back to you exactly what you need to learn to grow. Imperfection leads to Evolution. Your affirmation: I may need to change, but Life does not.

Which of the 6 keys resonated most with you? I love to hear from you in the comments. And if you’d like to listen to these 6 keys in a yin yoga practice please head over to Dagmar’s YouTube channel for the video. Enjoy!

Sound, Silence and the exploration of Consciousness

Posted on by Silvia Eriksson

When I was in my late teens and after moving out from my parents home, I was living in a small apartment in Italy that was located on a busy main street. At times when I was in the kitchen preparing a cup of tea or doing nothing in particular, I would notice that the sound of the traffic on the road or the water boiling in the tea kettle was suddenly carrying a particular flavor, very difficult to describe…almost like a mixture of nostalgia and longing: as if every sound had a long tail, like an echo. They were also losing any connotation like being pleasurable or disturbing. They would become just sounds, devoid of any quality I would usually attribute to them….almost as if they would become perfect just as they were.

Those particular moments remained an unresolved mystery for me, until a few years later: 

I am sitting in a large meditation hall in India listening to my spiritual teacher Osho, commenting on some writings of a Zen master who is describing the different stages one encounters when entering deeper states of meditation. 

My attention awakens in the moment I hear Osho reading from the Zen master’s text something like: 

“…and as you move deeper into your inner silence and stillness all sounds start having a particular quality, like an echo…as if coming from a distant valley…” 

This was the first time anyone would give words to that unusual experience I had and it helped me realize that these moments happened when I was in a generally relaxed and unoccupied state of mind, like a natural state of meditation. 

Often the same experience would happen to me while listening to Osho talk. Just sitting there, with nothing to do…just listening…and suddenly all sounds seemed to be situated in the perfect space and time with an incredible sweetness to them. A train whistling in the distance, a dog barking, the sound of a woman sweeping the street, a child crying or the wind blowing through the bamboo… in those moments every sound became an intrinsic part of the great symphony of the present moment. 

To add to my intrigue, quotes from various masters also began to come my way: 

“When I am silent, I fall into the place where everything is music.” – Rumi 

“Where is the door to God? 

In the sound of a barking dog 

In the ring of a hammer 

In a drop of rain 

In the face of everyone I see.” – Hafiz 

“Start listening to sounds, let music be your meditation. 

Listen to the sounds, all kinds of sounds. They are all divine – even the market noise, even the sounds that are created in the traffic. This airplane, that train … 

all sounds have to be listened to so attentively, silently and lovingly… as if you are listening to music. 

And you will be surprised: you can transform all sounds into music; they are music.”  – Osho 

I started to explore this open door into the ever-present moment, and during these explorations I discovered that 

the space in which all sounds echo, or “the valley” as described above, is an ever present silence. 

Just like light cannot exist without darkness or matter without space, sound cannot exist without silence. 

We could say that silence is for the ears what space is for the eyes. 

In fact, to me music is an attempt to play those notes (objects) – to arrange them together – in a harmonious way that does not override silence but enhances it. Like in interior design or in Feng Shui one tries to place furniture in a fashion that creates a feeling of harmony, where space is not “filled” but “played” with and emphasized. 

One of the problems I encountered is that it can be difficult to tune into silence or space because our attention is very much object-oriented rather than space-oriented. 

For example, if I were to enter a room the first thing I would notice would be the furniture and not the space per se – even when “room” actually means “space”. 

So let’s say that in a room there is a piano and some chairs and I decide to take the piano to another room. When I return and I look where the piano had been standing, what do I see? Space. 

Removing the object revealed the space that was there before the piano arrived and is there after the piano has been removed. In other words, it was always there but it was “occupied”. At the same time the space between the chairs also helps to distinguish where one chair ends and another starts. So we can say that all objects exist in space, are contained by space and are also defined by space. 

In the same way we can perceive all sounds as floating in an ever-present silence. Silence contains them and defines them. When a sound ends, silence becomes more obvious and tangible, although it was there all the time. Silence is the container and sound is the contained. 

Silence is the blue sky within which all sound-clouds move. 

Silence is the white canvas on which all sounds are painted. 

Our physical senses can be precious anchors and doorways into the present moment. If we give our full attention to deep listening, in that very moment we are taking away the fuel from the continuous stream of thoughts, redirecting that energy into presence. 

This makes listening a great meditation tool (and the same is true for the other senses). 

But to have this tool activated it is necessary that we are able to listen to any of the sounds without labeling them  either “pleasant” or  “disturbing” and this allows us to listen from a non-dualistic space. 

The moment we judge a sound we are back in the dualistic world of the mind and we will not be able to enter the door of Oneness and perceive its divine qualities. 

This is not unlike our sitting meditation practice when we observe thoughts coming and going without getting involved and without judging them as “good thoughts” or “bad thoughts”. The moment we start judging them we are back in the turning wheel of the mind. 

As a listener, did you notice that the more quiet you become, the more you can hear? 

To me, this points to the fact that whatever perceives sound is the silent space inside of us and the more silent we can become the better sounds can be perceived and defined, and their divine “sweet” nature revealed. Every sound thus, even the most mundane, becomes a doorway to a deeper reality. 

Through this process one is bound to stumble upon the understanding that all sounds perceived by us as coming from the outside and floating into space-silence are also perceived inside of us in space-silence. 

At this point one starts wondering if there is actually any separation between the “outside” and the “inside”… could it be that the ever-present space-silence outside of our body is the SAME as the one inside of us? Could it be that there is no inside and outside as far as space-consciousness is concerned? 

I often asked myself what is it in me that perceives sounds? The ears are only a channel, an entryway, but sound is perceived at a deeper level. This becomes obvious to me every time I enter or come out of sleep: if sounds were perceived just by the ears then I would be able to hear sounds all the time even while I am asleep. But I don’t. As I fall deeper into sleep, sounds are no longer there (that is why people can fall asleep in front of a blaring TV screen). 

When I am conscious sounds are there but when I am unconscious they disappear, therefore whatever is perceiving sound seems to be related with consciousness. 

At times, I experience an empty silent space inside of me where no ripples are created by any wandering thoughts. I question: is this where consciousness dwells? Or is this what consciousness is ? 

Indeed it seems to me that the closest thing comparable to consciousness is this space-silence. This leads me back to the fact that moving from an object-related awareness to a space-related awareness will bring about a deeper understanding of Self. 

Once I heard Osho say that senses are doorways, and as one can walk through the door to go outside, one can change direction and go inside through the same door. He said that senses are like a double pointed arrow. 

I personally resonate with this embodied approach to life, where the body and its senses are an integral part and expression of who we are as conscious beings on this planet. Many spiritual paths disregard the body as “not who we are”. To me this approach is not only a bit outdated but it can also be harmful as it recreates the dualistic separation between above and below, inside and outside, spirit and matter. 

Over the last few years this deepening relationship with sound and silence has inspired me to lead music meditations where music is used to point to the container: silence. 

As a musician, when I allow music to arise out of the inner silence, it carries a different quality. This is music that does not try to override silence but emerges from it. In this space, the contained and the container are interlaced in a harmonious play where sound eventually disappears back into the space from where it came, making silence more tangible, within and without. 

I can’t help but feel that like a sound-wave returning into the ocean of silence, I too will go back from where I came. It is as if each of us is a piece of music, a unique song existence has chosen to play out of the eternal silence, out of the space in which eventually we will all be reunited.

Shastro will be facilitating the Journey in Mindfulness Retreat at Mandali the 21-25 August 2023, for those who would like to deepen their meditation practice with his playful and sincere approach.

6 Tips to Improve your Meditation Practice

Posted on by Silvia Eriksson

The fastest way to improve your meditation practice is to see everything you do during the day as an opportunity to cultivate pristine awareness. Show up for life with eyes wide open! Show up for the small stuff especially. That’s where you want to fall asleep. It’s easy for the mind to wander when you feel bored by a small task.  

Meditation in action also known as mindfulness, is an opportunity to practice continuum awareness. To stay connected to the present moment, you want to turn every activity of the day into an opportunity to deepen your practice.

Meditation is not just about sitting on a cushion with your eyes closed. It’s about being alert, awake and open to the moment you are living in. When you meditate on the task at hand, you are creating a conscious relationship with your experience as it arises.

These are the six areas we advise would be beneficial to train yourself not to let your mind wander off. 

1)    Dishes – Pay attention to how you scrub the food particles and the order of which dishes you wash first and how you stack the dishwasher. Are you slouching? Are your feet squarely grounded on the floor? Are your body and spine straight? Notice if you are resisting the task. 

2)    Taking a shower – Activate your sense of touch and feel the temperature of the water. How do you touch and wash your own body. Slow down and be present to the foam, the bubbles and how you scrub yourself. Are you rushing to get to the next moment? 

3)    Folding laundry – Practice precision awareness. Make elegant folds and breath into the experience. Learn to master space in your closets and feel how different textures require different handling. 

4)    Driving a car – Practice multi-directional awareness. Be aware of the space in front, behind, left, and right – Pay attention to your breath as you inhale and exhale. When your mind wanders, gently redirect your attention back to the breath and the road. At every stop sign and light, take a conscious breath. Are you rushing to get somewhere?

5)    Sweeping – Find your flow. Connect the body to breath. We call this the dancing meditation. You aren’t sweeping. You are dancing with life and with every swish of the broom, the past is being released. 

6)    In Conversation (advanced practice) – While talking or listening, focus on their eyes primarily but look at their lips once and awhile. Be aware of your heart when you speak and your inner ear lobe when you are listening. Pay attention to how ideas, opinions and words cause emotional reactivity and stay cool. Keep returning to insight questions: Do I have all the facts? Is this true? What is this person really wanting to share with me?

by Evangelos Diavolitsis and Nishta Matarese

Evangelos and Nishta are international Dharma, meditation and movement teachers and the founders of Four Ways to Freedom.

Interview: What I love about ageing – with Prema

Posted on by Silvia Eriksson

What’s the most rewarding thing about getting older?

I experience that time has more space. I can breathe deeply, I experience more space inside my container, like it is getting bigger inside. The capacity of including more things, situations are less black and white. There is an understanding that brings grace, and I am more patient and accepting.

I have more of a 360 degree point of view, and better able to see the bigger picture. It might have to do with the fact that I have been on a spiritual path for 40 years, it could be a result of that. I feel open, spacious. Also, a big bonus, I don’t have to worry about what men think anymore!

Who was the most influential person in your life?

My father. He was always supportive of me, whatever I was interested in, encouraging me, making me feel I could do anything, he never said no. This gave me so much independence and freedom to be myself. We had a lot in common about philosophy and literature. He had so many ideas, he even built a theater for us as kids, he taught us how to express emotions without violence, he was an amazing story teller. He was my first teacher. He taught us how to paint with our hands and feet, he was wild and fun. We loved Nietzsche, Dostoievsky, Kirkegaard, and poetry, because of him.

Later on, Osho was my spiritual teacher, and funnily enough – the first book by him was given to me by my dad. He was proud of me choosing the spiritual path.

As a 40-year-old, what advice would you give me?

Don’t choose your path in life because of a man!

When you think of ageing, what emotions does it trigger?

I feel gratitude and happiness, because I have experienced a lot of love in my life. I had beautiful love stories and friendships, each relationship the right one for my age at the time. It is so important to feel loved, to do what you do in every age.

What’s your favorite invention that was released in your lifetime?

I was very excited by my first mobile phone, for sure! My ex-husband and I both got a phone at the same time, and we loved calling each other randomly. It was the first banana Nokia. It struck me to realize that I could reach someone on the street at any time.

How has your definition of beauty changed?

When I was young, I was glowing, very beautiful and I had a lot of attention from men. I was so bothered by the attention, and also, a part of me enjoyed it. On the other hand, it also made me feel vulnerable. I am happy that I am free of all that; I had the love I wanted, I felt desired so I don’t feel like I regret anything.

Now I feel what makes me beautiful with age is my inner space, my capacity to be comfortable with myself, forgiving myself and others. It makes me feel beautiful, and I don’t need others to tell me that.

My body is changing, my face is changing – I’m very different. So the outer look is not the same, but the beauty I feel inside is immense. I feel so good, I see wisdom, openness and my cup is full. I have a great understanding of others, I see people, and I feel proud of that. I also feel the true love I receive from people is from those who really see me for who I am, and it comes from those who truly count. Sometimes that makes me a little sad, and I recognize the need to confront that.

I really love what I see when I look at myself.

If you could go back to any age, which would it be?

Between 25-35, for sure. At 25 I joined a commune, and I felt that I found the reason for coming into this world. I dove into inner seeking completely, and it became very clear that my life would be dedicated to service of my own inner realization and that of others. I don’t see those two as separate things, so a communal setting is my way to go, it is where inner transformation can happen.

I’m not in a commune anymore, but that’s where I realized the impact of a buddha field a group can create.

One of my favorite quotes:
“The next Buddha will not take the form of a person.

The next Buddha will rather take the shape of a community, a community that practices understanding and loving kindness, a community that practices a way of conscious living.

This may be the most important thing for Earth’s survival.” -Thich Nhat Hanh

What should we not waste time on, as 30/40 year olds?

Making others happy, caring too much about what others think. I did it for a while, and I regret it, I felt I wasted 6 years of my life. It’s like I took a pause in life from the age 37-43, I didn’t follow my own gut and was living in a dream, wanting to fulfill other people’s expectations.

As you enter this new season of life, how has it impacted your relationship with spirituality?

It has changed a lot. I’ve been very fortunate to meet great masters in my youth who gave me the foundations to my spirituality. This was important, I really learned the art of surrender. It is different now, I am not anymore focused on someone else, a teacher, a master. My spiritual world is much broader now, and since then I feel that on this path I’m truly on my own.

Even though I still have great realized teachers now, people I seek out for consolation, I do not call them my guru and I am not in search of masters. Things are happening on a different level now. I see my own wisdom, which is inside all of us. After all these years, I feel like I have a opened a door to this wisdom, which I can access when I need to and it is always available to me to dive into. When I listen to spiritual teachers now, it just deepens my connection into that door, that space, which is myself.

The biggest gratitude I have for a master is when I sit in front of them and I see myself.

What do you most value at the age 65? Who are you most interested in spending time with?

I love spending time with very close women friends and I enjoy deep intimate talks. I love to talk about life, how we are walking through it. I love listening to stories from others, both men and women. I’m not interested in superficial small talk, except for when it comes to clothes and shoes 🙂

I also love spending time in silence with people, going on walks, to a cafe, not necessarily talking all the time. I like spending time with people who enjoy silence.

And, I enjoy my own company very much, I love being by myself. Its necessary for me to have my own space.

I do love a good party, but with the right people. What I value the most is true friendship.

About Prema

Prema Bellucci is the Vision Holder of Mandali, and oversees the Mandali Experience Programme. Her passion for self-discovery and helping others find their home within themselves is her life’s purpose, a purpose shared by Mandali. Her care and dedication is felt in all the details of your experience as a retreat participant.