In reality, the ability to slow down, be centred and relax on cue is essential for the health and success of people in fast paced jobs.
It is often those who feel they don’t have the time and aren’t able to quieten their minds and switch off that need meditation the most.
In the lead up to her four day mindfulness retreat at Wild Bush Luxury’s South Australian Arkaba property, Vedic Meditation expert, Jacqui Lewis of The Broad Place explains why, and how, it can benefit us all.
1. It helps us to disconnect
In this digital age we live in it is more common than ever to take work home with you, whether it’s responding to emails on your mobile on the train home, logging onto your laptop in front of the TV to work on a presentation or managing your diary of meetings on your phone, business people are always connected and multi-tasking all the time – not just between nine to five.
It can be so difficult to put the phone down and take a deep breath – and for some, this fast paced lifestyle leads to stress, anxiety and a feeling of being overwhelmed. Vedic meditation gives you the tools to acknowledge your need for a break and shows you how you can disconnect.
2. You don’t need a lot of time
While you might picture people who meditate doing so for an hour at sunrise, overlooking the beach or in a sun-room in their Feng Shui designed homes, the reality with Vedic Meditation is you can grab 20 minutes in a taxi on your way to a meeting, no need for crossed legs, and quietly repeat a mantra to yourself to help you focus. You will come out of the meditation feeling refreshed, poised and ready for your meeting.
3. It encourages creativity and engagement with the left side of our brain
When you’re working in a busy office environment dealing with logistics, data and numbers it can be difficult to switch the right side of your brain and work on a more creative task.
There are many jobs out there that require strength in both areas and Vedic Meditation allows your mind to take a step back and rest. In turn this opens you up to creative thoughts. Without the clutter and noise of ticking off the endless to-do list, you allow yourself to plant creative seeds and give yourself the time and space to allow those ideas to grow.
4. Once you’ve learned the tools you can implement them anywhere
Vedic Meditation is not hard. You don’t need to do difficult yoga positions while you chant, you don’t need to consider yourself an ‘alternative’ personality and you don’t need to find your way to a clifftop overlooking the sea every time you want to meditate.
At your desk, on the bus, in a taxi, anywhere you can take some time for yourself and breathe. Once you’ve been taught the tools, you’ve been given your personal mantra and practiced a bit; you can practice wherever you want.
5. Vedic meditation aligns your mind and body to nature
It can be tricky to drag yourself away from the ‘concrete jungle’ of the city; all the traffic, buildings and crowds, that is where all the action happens! However, connecting with nature every now and then is important to help keep you grounded.
The convenient part of Vedic Meditation is, it is designed for people who are fully engaged in life and while you might mostly practice in the city, you can take the time to connect with the nature around you. Vedic Meditation expands our awareness and increases our capacity to take in everything in life, rather than fly through with blinkers on. If you’ve ever felt like the days are melding into one big mash, and you can’t believe the year is flying by so fast, Vedic Meditation is for you.
For anyone from ‘suits’ to creatives who perhaps hadn’t thought meditation was for them, ‘The Mindfulness Retreat at Arkaba with Jacqui Lewis’ takes a practical approach to meditation set in the awe-inspiring South Australian outback, where disconnecting from a fast paced life is surprisingly easy thanks to the synergies between the ancient healing wisdom of Vedic Mediation and the and the holistic healing powers of nature.
Visit www.arkabastation.com/mindfulness-retreat for more information.
The Carousel thanks Jacqui Lewis for this article.