Yoga Essentials Studio, LLC

Meditation Classes at

Yoga Essentials Studio

A six week workshop on Thursday evenings from

5:30 to 6:30 pm, starting on Thursday, April 15, 2010

Presented by Arline Rowden, Meditation & Reiki Master Teacher

Meditation is one of many complementary therapies which focus on the whole person (mind, body and spirit) and works very well in conjunction with western medicine. These therapies enhance the body's ability to promote healing, relieve pain, reduce stress and create relaxation, thereby improving a person's sense of overall well-being.

Have you been wanting to begin to meditate but you aren't sure how to start or you feel the need of something to motivate you to start? Taking a meditation class is often the best way to begin a personal meditation practice.

In these meditation classes, Arline Rowden will facilitate guided meditations for body relaxation, a journey in nature, a chakra meditation and more. You will also have an opportunity to experience mindfulness meditation. Extensive handouts will be provided, too. There will be time to share, ask questions and learn more about meditation and it's benefits.

You can benefit from this group experience if you want to start to meditate or re-start or just want to meditate with a group and experience the wonderful group energy. Also, this is a great way to reduce stress. 

Arline began her personal meditation practice in 1977 & began facilitating meditations and teaching meditation to others in the mid 1980's. She started her own business in 1990 teaching meditation and all levels of Reiki. Arline is also a spiritual mentor. For more information, please visit her website: www.ReikiWisconsin.com

Cost:  $55 per person for six one hour classes &  includes 2 meditation cd's(*).

Space is limited to the first 15 registrants, so you are encouraged to reserve your spot early.  Reserve your space by completing the form on this page. Payment must be received within three business days or your spot may be released.  Payments are payable to Yoga Essentials Studio, LLC and may be mailed to 14 N. Parker Drive, Suite 208, Janesville, WI 53545, or left with your instructor at a regularly scheduled class.   Registrations will be accepted until April 8, 2010 or the class is filled, whichever comes first.  After that date, please call to see if there is still room in the class.  We will keep an overflow list, and consider adding another session depending on interest.   

(*) The cds of guided meditations by Arline Rowden ($15 retail value) are each professionally recorded & mixed.  The CD's you will receive during the meditation classes are:

Focus on Body Relaxation which is recommended for individuals who find it difficult to relax deeply & consistently & beginners. Track 1) Relaxing Breath; Track 2) Relaxing in a Whirlpool.

Focus on Healing which is recommended for anyone including beginners. Track 1) Healing Meadow Track 2) Sacred Garden

Meditation techniques bring calm, help with healing
By Arline Rowden, Reiki Master Teacher © 2006

Meditation is one of the most well known complementary therapies today. It focuses on the whole person (mind, body and spirit) and works very well in conjunction with western medicine. It enhances the body's ability to reduce stress, create relaxation, promote healing and relieve pain, thereby improving a person's sense of overall well-being and peace of mind. A meditation practice can help to calm and smooth out one's emotional life, too. As a spiritual practice, a person, while meditating, may feel they are sensing the energy of one's higher self and beyond. Meditation, with a spiritual focus, could facilitate a deeper understanding of life and of one's place in the greater design of life.
 
In meditation, we concentrate on learning to focus and direct our awareness onto our breath, an object, a phrase, an image, etc. Meditation is a simple process but it can be difficult to practice. A person could become discouraged by or critical of their meditation experiences. For that reason, meeting with a meditation group or taking meditation classes can be helpful, especially when starting the process of meditation. Dean Ornish, MD, said, "It is the process of meditation that makes it so beneficial, not how well you perform." It's best to be kind, gentle and accepting of one's experience during their practice of meditation.
 
There are many forms of meditation for people to experience. Each person can choose a form that works best and is the most satisfying to them personally. Some of the forms are visualization (such as visualizing yourself in a peaceful place in nature); using a mantra (repeating a word or phrase); mindfulness (focusing on your breath, sensations in your body, etc.); contemplation of loving kindness, compassion or other positive concepts; relaxing or walking out in nature; or chanting, to name just a few of the more popular forms.
 
The reasons that people decide to meditate can be as varied as the forms of meditation. A desire to relieve stress might be the most common reason that a person begins to meditate. Thirty years ago, when I started to meditate, it was because I was experiencing a lot of stress in my work and personal life. Now it's not unusual for doctors to suggest meditation to their patients as a form of stress reduction therapy. When I started to meditate, it was not such a well-known or accepted practice here in the United States. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated the benefits of meditation since that time and the medical community has come to accept and even embrace meditation as a credible complementary therapy.
 
Most people who meditate regularly find that they become more aware of themselves and their environment. This enhanced awareness can provide information about how they are doing moment to moment. It's important to tune into one's body and notice any sensations or feelings. This is the mind-body connection. The physical body must rely on the mind to recognize an unhealthy condition and direct action to resolve the problem. The action might be to get more sleep, relaxation, or exercise, or to go to the doctor. If the mind doesn't receive and recognize the energy communication, then the body will instinctively hold onto the message until the mind acknowledges it. This "holding on" could be what we notice as stress and pain in the body.
 
Once a person decides to try meditation, it's helpful to try various forms to see what works best and is most appealing. Often guided imagery for body relaxation is a good place to begin. Teaching one's body to relax, perhaps while breathing slowly and deeply, can also result in training one's mind to focus on what that person wants it to focus on. Often the beginning practices of mindfulness meditation focus on counting each inhalation and exhalation, which will result in body relaxation and mental focus, too. If you decide to take meditation classes, it could be helpful to take classes that give you the opportunity to explore various forms of meditation rather than teaching you just one form. Once you decide what works best for you, then you could decide to take training in just that form, if you are having difficulties practicing it on your own.
 
Sometimes meditation can be combined with other complementary practices. If a person has taken a Reiki class, then doing self-Reiki while meditating can be a very empowering experience. Some energy systems, such as the Light Body course, are learned in a meditative process. Meditation is often a part of eastern practices such as yoga. Tai Chi could be considered a moving meditation. Certain meditative practices could even be considered complementary medicine when techniques are taught for recovery from cancer, or to lower blood pressure, or to lessen chronic pain.
 
I believe meditation has come into the mainstream because so many people have personally experienced the benefits of a meditation practice. Scientific studies are always helpful, but it's antidotal evidence – the personal testimonies of those who have practiced meditation – that has demonstrated how meditation can relieve stress, and so much more.
 
 
This article was printed in the 2006/2007 Issue of Healing Arts Magazine, published by Nursing Matters and Capital Newspapers in Madison, WI

Registration for Meditation Class

Registration is currently closed for this workshop, as it is in session.  If you have additional interest, please contact us through the form below.  Thank you.