Johannesburg Meditation Course Outline

Our course content is drawn from Sri Chinmoy's best selling publication, 'Meditation', a comprehensive and outstanding guidebook that leads the reader from the very first beginning steps to advanced levels of practice. Written with the simplicity and clarity that are hallmarks of Sri Chinmoy's teachings and writings, Meditation is available at a number of bookstores or at any of the classes.

A 5 session introductory meditation course includes:

Session 1:

• Topic: What is meditation? - How does it work? The benefits and principles of meditation.
• Exercise: 'Still mind – still breath'. Breathing techniques to focus and calm the mind.
• Topic: The ABC's of meditation at home – when/where/how long/ how often? The first steps needed to develop your daily practise.
• Exercise: The heart chakra – a guided meditation in the spiritual heart centre to bypass the restless mind

Session 2:

• Exercise: Breath visualisation and opening the heart centre through meditation – developing our concentration on the power of breath.
• Topic: Mantras and meditation.
• Exercise: Putting theory into practise – a guided exercise in mantras. We learn to use chants and mantras to still the mind and go deep into the spiritual heart.

Session 3:

• Topic: The principle branches of Yoga.
• Exercise: Bhakti yoga – a guided meditation.
• Topic: Physical excellence and well-being as a foundation for spiritual growth.
• Exercise: 'Light of the soul' – a guided meditation.

Session 4:

• Topic: The principle of holistics – the mind/body/spirit connection and how to harmonise these to deepen your meditation experience.
• Exercise: Music and meditation.
• Topic: Using meditation as a life-skill in problem solving/decision making/eliminating stress.
• Exercise: Japa meditation – purifying the mind.

Session 5:

• Topic: Spiritual paths and masters.
• Exercise: A meditation visualisation on the crown, third eye and heart chakras.
• Topic: 'Enhancing creative potential through meditation' – how to use the silence, stillness and inspiration of meditation to tap into the source of creativity and discover new capacities in art, writing, music.

What's Next?

Our Advanced Programme.

Once you have completed an introductory course you are most welcome to join our free continuation programme. This normally offers one or two evenings per week of guided meditations and discussion points and focuses more specifically on deepening your meditation practice. We will also introduce in more depth the teachings of Sri Chinmoy which are filled with practical advice on how to develop and maintain a strong and blossoming spiritual life while living in our busy modern world.