Meditation Practices
The Awareness Exercise
From the first session of the introductory course, we aim to support a more conscious way of living. With the help of a simple awareness exercise our students gradually become more connected with the senses and hence the present moment, better able to turn the attention out to whatever or whoever is in front of them and a little less subject to mental agitation and circling thoughts. In time this naturally leads on to the practice of meditation.
Meditation
The aim of meditation is to connect with deeper realms of being within oneself. It makes it possible to find rest, to recharge oneself and meet life with greater energy and happiness.
“Through meditation I feel a connection to the wider universe around ‘me’ and more and more begin to experience an inner peace which I can keep returning to regardless of the tumult in my own head and in the world around me.” University administrator
Meditation is not a quick fix. Slowly but steadily it works to transform life. Students say:
“Meditation is the single most useful thing I ever came across. Over time its practice has helped me to see the movements of my mind more clearly, free from my ideas about them. In my experience it eliminates fear and produces freedom to act more naturally.” Design engineer
"Meditation puts you in touch with yourself. All the surface things, all the trivialities of life, tend to take you away from yourself. But in meditation you leave these things alone as best you can and come back to yourself. It is like a thread which is always constant although everything else changes." Civil Engineer.
"Meditation brings us to the bedrock of our being, a place of lightness, confidence and peace." Drama Therapist.
Students in the School have been practising mantra meditation for over 60 years. Throughout that time, invaluable advice has been received from two great exponents of non-dual philosophy and meditation, Shri Shantananda Saraswati and his successor, Shri Vasudevananda Saraswati.
“The system of meditation is not religious. It is designed for the human spirit which is not bound to any religion.” Shri Shantananda Saraswati
"Through the ages a number of systems have been given. Some are hard compared with others, some are long in relation to time. The system of meditation which has been given to us is the culmination of all simplicity by which the evolution of mankind is most easy.”
Sri Shantananda Saraswati
“By going into meditation, one recharges oneself with finer energy and comes out with extra energy imbued with consciousness and bliss.” Sri Shantananda Saraswati
The meditation is introduced in a traditional way. Students are asked to make a donation, which is how it has been possible to make it available for over 60 years. The advised sum presently is £150. This may be less in case of hardship or more if desired. The intention is that the donation be generous, according to people’s circumstances.
Students in the School are introduced to the practice in the second year, or earlier if they wish. After the second year, meditation, as introduced in the School, is an essential part of the ongoing philosophy courses as it helps to give deeper experience of the ideas discussed.