Upcoming Weekend Retreat - September 9th - 12th, 2011

All Vedic Meditators are invited to attend this Long Weekend Retreat in beautiful Bundanoon from Friday 9th September (6.30pm) to Monday 12th September (3pm). 

During the Retreat, you will learn and practice 'Rounding'.  ‘Rounding' combines a simple sequence of yoga positions (asanas) and a Vedic breathing technique (pranayama) with your current meditation practice.  The result is an 'industrial-strength' program designed to enhance the restfulness of meditation, release your deepest stresses and expand your consciousness.  

You will come away from the Retreat feeling refreshed and revitalised for months to come.  For further details, please click here: Weekend Retreat

What The Bleep Do We Know!? - It's time to get Wise!

Next time you're in the DVD rental store, I highly recommend -  "What The Bleep Do We Know!?"

It is a documentary and a story combined and contains elaborate and inspiring visual effects and animations.  It is truly enlightening entertainment and a must for anyone interested in expanding their world view and learning more about the relationship between quantum physics, human consciousness, psychology and neurophysiology.

Meditation Retreat in Rishikesh, India - February 2011

Some photos below of our recent Retreat in India. 60 Vedic Meditators from all over the world converged onto the town of Rishikesh in Northern India for a special course on Vedic Mythos facilitated by my teacher Thom Knoles.

Pandit Baskaran (Vedic Meditation Teacher from Chennai) and Thom Knoles

Rishikesh - Shiva statue outside Parmarth Niketan Ashram

Revi Kadoury, Limor Babai and Patsie Polly at Kanjapuri Devi (Mother Divine Temple). Snow Capped Himalayas in the background.

Rishikesh - Raam Jula (Bridge)

Thom Knoles and Vedic Meditators at the Maharishi Ashram in Rishikesh (where Thom trained to be a meditation teacher and the Beatles wrote the White Album)

Limor Babai and Jackson (Vedic Meditator from Los Angeles - who rode that bike from Delhi to Rishikesh) and Sadhu (an ascetic)

Shiva Statue - up close and personal

Vedic Meditators about to swim in the Ganges River

Jules Green, Michael Miller and Thom Knoles watching a Yagya (fire ritual) by the Ganges River

Panchakarma - Ayurvedic detoxification and rejuvenation therapy

Panchakarma is the natural purification therapy of Ayurveda.

"Pancha" means five

"Karma" means action

The "five actions" refers to a range of cleansing therapies which are designed to purify the body of toxins.

The therapies are personalised based on the specific needs, imbalances and body type of the individual.

Therapies include:

- Various types of massages using oils and milks tailored to the individual

- Nose, eye and ear treatments

- Ayurvedic herbal supplements

- Enemas

Some of the benefits include:

- Highly enjoyable, with two practitioners massaging the body in tandem

- Prevents the recurrence of disease and restores health to the body

- Brings order to the digestive system and improves metabolism

If you click on the link below, you can read more about Panchakarma and the Clinic in Delhi where I have spent the past 14 days.

http://www.maharishiayurvedaindia.org/

This Clinic houses the best (in my opinion) Ayurvedic Doctor in the world, Dr Raju.  Through pulse diagnosis, Dr Raju determines your current state of health and any imbalances and then tailors your Panchakarma program accordingly.

In the photo below; Limor Babai and fellow meditators Michalle Smith and Liz Young, all undergoing Panchakarma in Delhi.  Also in the photo, master chef Rajender who cooks the most delicious vegetarian meals for Panchakarma clients at the Clinic.

Ayurveda - Knowledge of long life

Ayurveda is the world's oldest and most comprehensive natural system of health care.

Ayus = Lifespan or Longevity

Veda = Knowledge

Thus Ayurveda translates as "knowledge of long life".

The easiest way to understand the approach of Ayurveda is to review the description of nature that modern physics gives us.  Physics tells us the world exists in layers.  The surface levels of nature behave like particles and are the domain of classical physics.  The deeper, more subtle levels of nature behave like wave patterns in a field (Unified Field) and are the domain of quantum physics.  Ayurveda is a health care system based on an analysis of health from the deepest quantum mechanical level in nature.

Ayurveda evaluates all issues in health from the perspective of the Unified Field and its first manifestations.  The approach comes from the direct cognition, or experience, of the Vedic Rishis.  Rishi means seer.  Vedic Rishis purified and refined the functioning of their nervous systems until they could consciously experience and perceive the Unified Field and it's functioning from deep within their own minds.  Their cognitions of the laws of nature functioning on this deepest quantum mechanical level became the body of knowledge called the Veda.

The Vedic Rishis described three fundamental fields that are the first expressions of the Unified Field.  These fields orchestrate the functioning of the entire physiology on grosser, more manifest levels.  Ayurveda calls these three fields (or doshas); Vata, Pitta and Kapha and gives detailed descriptions of their structure and activity within the body.

According to Ayurveda, all disease is caused by imbalances that are present in Vata, Pitta and Kapha.  Imbalance in the doshas is imbalance in the body's inner intelligence responsible for proper functioning of all the grosser, more material aspects of the physiology. Treating Vata, Pitta and Kapha is equivalent to enlivening the body's natural healing, balancing and self-repair processes.

There are many ways Ayurveda prescribes for balancing the doshas; these include diet, herbs and lifestyle routines. 

I highly recommed Deepak Chopra's book, "Perfect Health" as a fabulous reference book on Ayurveda.

The Nature of Reality - Quantum Physics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF61lhEeGng

In the video link above, Scientists, Fred Allen Wolf, Gregg Braden, Bill Hicks, David Icke and more...speak about the nature of reality.

Quantum Physics is confirming what the Sages,Yogis and Seers have been saying for over a Millenia:

Objects only exist when there is a conscious observor.

Reality is a model created by your brain.  

Everything is inter-connected; individuality is an illusion.

We are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively.

Meditation is the technique that allows us to experience this one consciousness which is our own least excited state of consciousness.

Give the Gift of Acceptance

A young student who didn't like the way some of his colleagues were behaving commented to his teacher: "Isn't it a shame that they are behaving in this way." 

The master smilingly responded: "No.  It's a shame when one expects a walnut tree to produce mangoes."

What the master was trying to teach his young student is: All knowledge is structured in consciousness; all action is performed on the level of consciousness and all perception and experience comes through our state of consciousness.

One cannot expect anyone to behave in any way other than according to their state of consciousness - having any other expectation will always lead to disappointment.

Giving the gift of acceptance means we need to accept that a person is behaving according to their state of consciousness.  We do not expect a new born baby to speak perfect English, eat food gracefully and not cry when their favourite toy is taken away. In the same way, we cannot expect an adult who is carrying numerous stresses in their body to exhibit divine behaviour and to always act in a way that is friendly, compassionate and loving.

As meditators, we are fortunate to have a technique that is not only a technology for the elimination of stress, but also a supreme tool for the systematic expansion of consciousness.

Acquiring a higher state of consciousness naturally yields greater perception, broader awareness, appropriate behaviour and more dynamic fruitful action.

In order for thinking, behaviour and action to change, one's state of consciousness needs to change.

With love,
Limor

Complimentary Private Meditation Checking Session - Until end of January, 2011

From now until the end of January, I am offering complimentary private meditation checking sessions to my students (usual fee: $120).  If you learned to meditate with me and would like to come in for a 1 hour private checking of your meditation, please email me at: info@doublebaymeditation.com.au to make an appointment. 

This is an ideal opportunity to have your meditation checked if you are unable to attend a Monday night Group checking meeting or for those of you who have lapsed in your meditation practice and wish to get back on track.

Exploring the Veda

Below you will see a photo of some of the course participants who just completed the Advanced Knowledge Course entitled Exploring the Veda this weekend.  Exploring the Veda is a course of knowledge and tools which are designed for those meditators who wish to fast track their growth to higher states of consciousness.  You can read more about the course by clicking here: https://www.doublebaymeditation.com.au/exploring-the-veda

Monday night Group Meditation Meeting

Some photos from tonight's Group Meditation Meeting.  These meetings are free of charge for anyone who has completed the beginner's course in Vedic Meditation.  They are held every Monday night at 6.30pm.  They commence with group meditation (which most people find very relaxing and stabilising) followed by a discussion about the fine mechanics of correct practice of meditation and the life implications of continued practice of twice daily meditation.

Double Bay Meditation Centre - a celebration of Vedic Architecture

My vision for the design of the Double Bay Meditation Centre was to create a sanctuary in the city where people could come and immediately feel uplifted.  Fortunately with the help of my teacher, Thom Knoles and brilliant Vedic Architect Alex Smith (http://www.csa-arch.com.au/) we were able to design and build the Centre in accordance with the principles of Sthapatyaveda or Vaastu. 

People who live and work in buildings designed according to the principles of Vedic Architecture report that they think more clearly, make better decisions, feel happier and healthier, enjoy more restful and refreshing sleep and have more energy and less fatigue.

Below are 2 photos of the Centre - one from the outside and one of the meditation room.

Advanced Meeting at Double Bay Meditation Centre

Below you will see the group after our Advanced Meeting which was held today at 5.30pm.  These meetings are held on the first Sunday of each Month and are for meditators who have completed the course, Mastering the Siddhis. 

The Siddhis program involves practicing a set of Sutras at the end of meditation.  For more information, please click here: https://www.doublebaymeditation.com.au/mastering-the-siddhis

The Innocence Of Meditation

People quite often forget the simplicity of the technique. Often I like to remind my students, that reaching the meditative state is as effortless as a mote of dust falling onto a rose petal. When one engages the mantra, the importance is not to try and manipulate your way into a meditative state by concentrating or controlling, but to effortlessly surrender yourself to the natural desire of the mind to find greater levels of charm. The mantra is the vehicle that provides this charm. Take it as it comes, be effortless.

Guru Deva

You don't have to look like Guru Deva in order to meditate.  The Vedic Meditation technique doesn't require you to wear orange robes, change your lifestyle, religion or philosophy.  It requires no belief or faith.  Even if you don't believe in it, it still works.  It is a natural technique that is able to be mastered by anybody.  The only requirement is that you are able to think.  If you can think then you can meditate.

After some procrastination, the blog begins!

Dear Students,

I have succumbed to the phenomenon of 'blogging'. Over the coming weeks I will share wise words, videos, exciting news and updates, Ayurvedic recipes and much much more in this blog. The mission is simple, to spread the word of the benefits of Vedic Meditation. Vedic Meditation is a simple, natural, effortless technique which produces wide-ranging benefits in all areas of life - mind, body, behaviour and the effectiveness of our activity . Below you will see the group after one of our Monday night meetings which are always free once you have taken the beginner's meditation course. Remember, I am always available on info@doublebaymeditation.com.au or else visit the formal website at www.doublebaymeditation.com.au

With love,
Limor