Online Meditation class – science behind happiness

ONLINE Relaxation and Mindfulness in practice

For the next few weeks, we will explore:

– science behind happiness

– misconceptions of the mind about happiness

– how can we train our brain to be happy

In this course you will engage in a series of practises designed to increase your own happiness and build more productive habits. As preparation for these tasks, will talk about misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind that lead us to think the way we do, and the research that can help us change.

Skills you will learn:

meditation, relaxation, gratitude, savouring

If you close your eyes and observe your mind for a moment you will notice that most of the time, we think about something what already has happened (past) or something has not happened yet (future). And very rarely we become aware of the present moment. And present moment is where all the miracles of every day happen. Mindfulness and meditation practices teach us how to train your brain to stay in a present moment for longer. By purchasing the ticket, your email will be added to mailing list, which you can always unsubscribe from.

By purchasing the ticket, your email will be added to mailing list, which you can always unsubscribe from.

Zoom link will be emailed once ticket is purchased.

Single class ticket choose the date £4

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/relaxation-and-mindfulness-in-practice-single-ticket-tickets-115412837905

Monthly access discount ticket – £14

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/relaxation-and-mindfulness-in-practice-4-weeks-ticket-tickets-115468873509

or pay via paypal – paypal.me/annasmithers

Contact me on 07821417634 for account details to avoid charges

As a self-employed person, I understand that for some of us financial situation can be difficult. If you cannot pay the full amount, please contact me directly.

 


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Meditation experience

Today I would like to keep you a bit longer than usual. Person attending my mindfulness/relaxation class, wrote to me with the practice experience and with the permission – I am sharing. Love the creative way. Obviously, that doesn’t have to be your experience, but I just want to show you how exciting the journey into yourself may be! Searching for the true Self…
This person is practicing meditation for 1.5 years now. Thank you so much for sharing and allowing me to pass it on!

Sending love and light

Our live streaming online class each Wednesday 8PM
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/102887902486

“Hello”
Who said that?
“Me”
Which me?
..
..
I don’t know about you, but I have long been aware of at least two Me’s, although I have only recently begun to understand their relationship with each other. The two Me’s are the “Story- Teller” me and the “Narrator” me.
The Story-Teller me, is the one you hear when I talk out loud. Words come out of my mouth and both you and I can hear them.
The Narrator me, is the one that only I can hear in my head. You can’t hear this one, but it is always there. In fact, this is the one I can hear now as I type, it is saying the words and my fingers are doing the typing.
In fact, the Narrator me is nearly always there. It hardly every stops, always chattering away randomly, repeatedly, arguing, challenging everything, worried about everything. It is the storm going on around.
These two Me’s are not different people in anyway, just a different version of the one “Me”
The Narrator also has an eye, it’s the “Mind’s Eye”. It can see things just like my real eyes but in a different way. It’s the visual imagination. Nothing particularly weird, spiritual or insightful but still there all the same. As the Narrator is chatting on, it is creating images in the mind of what it means. As other conversations, noises, sights, feelings come in form the senses outside, it is building new images in my mind. Oddly, I can’t actually see the Mind’s Eye itself, but I can see the canvas it places the images on. The “Movie” screen. This constant Movie of images is all part of the chattering, a part of the storm. To find the eye of the storm, is to quieten the Narrator and switch off the Movie.
Sometimes I am aware of it going quiet when it is in sync with the Story-Teller me. These are the times the Narrator is being able to externalise what it is says through the Story -Teller. This is why I think writing is good because it often allows this sync to happen. A type of shortcut or bypass. A version of truth. Sometimes the Narrator goes quiet when it is listening, but usually not for long.
I find another way of quietening the Narrator, through Meditation. However, this is a different type of quiet. It’s not in sync with the Story-Teller as such, because the Story-Teller is either not present or maybe is quiet also. It is rare I find this quiet Narrator time, but it does happen. Concentrating on the breath or any other singularity, reduces the Narrators chatter to a hum, or an “ommmm….”, or sometimes even more rarely, even an absolute nothing. The Narrator is listening for longer.
Both the Narrator, me and the Movie screen are in my head. Inside my skull. The Eye “sees” from there and I “hear” the Narrator’s voice from there. I expect this because this is where I have always assumed the “I” of me exists. Both my consciousness and unconsciousness live there.

During the body scan last week, I experienced a third Me. One that wasn’t a Story-Teller me or a Narrator me and more interesting wasn’t in my head.
I (both Me’s) hear your guided description, Feet, Lower Legs, etc. My Narrator me, is instructing my Minds Eye to look at these body parts (along with lots of other random chatter in the background), and the image of the body part is placed on my Movie screen in my head. At which point I experience, feel, see the body part in isolation. This is pretty normal for me. I try not to listen to everything the Narrator is saying, especially the unrelated background chatter, and try not to pay to much attention to the Movie. Instead, I try and just let it just happen without the Narrator, narrating and displaying the events.
As you direct I/me to be aware of my Arms, my Head etc, all is normal, as it usually is. The Narrator me and the Movie are both playing their role but getting quieter. But then you said something along the lines of “be aware of your brain”. A this point, without realising it at first, I moved out of my head and “felt” I was looking at my head (where my brain exists) and seeing the Narrator and the Move screen (which is where they both exist) from somewhere else.
At first it was like when you put two mirrors face to face, and they produce infinite images of each other. Because the act of looking at my brain and head, which contained the Movie screen, which is usually what I watch, was like looking at a Movie of a Movie.
It was at this moment I also felt I was seeing the Story-Teller me and the Narrator me and the Movie screen as a whole for the first time. But then I became aware that in order for this to be happening, I had to be looking from a new place. A place outside of the normal place of the head. I also realised for a split second that I was looking at all this from a new Me I had not been aware of before.
Was this an out of body experience? Was this the new Me? A real Me?
I have no idea what it was, but it was a new experience. This thought process will be continued….

#yoga, #yogacrewe, #creweyoga, #meditation, #relaxation, #mindfulness, #whoami


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FREE 10-day Mindfulness Challenge

10-day Mindfulness Challenge

Starting 20th of April 2020!

For people who are too busy to do yoga!
I created private group where I will post short, 5-10-minute-long mindfulness practice for morning and evening to fit into your life.

What to do
1. Like Orange Lotus Yoga page
2. Follow the link
https://www.facebook.com/groups/OLYmindfulnesschallenge
3. Request to join the group
4. Answer ALL the questions (required for insurance)
5. Enjoy in your own time – content will be uploaded from 20th of April.

Access and content are FREE. However, if at the end you think that was beneficial for you, you can always donate some money. Only if you can afford it and there is no pressure.

Why mindfulness?
Those practices can help us to increase our ability to regulate emotions, decrease stress, anxiety and depression. It can also help us to observe our mind, thoughts and emotions, without judgment and creating safe space for them just to be.

#yoga #yogacrewe #creweyoga #yogacheshire #cheshireyoga #mindfulness #mindfulnesschallenge #10daymindfulnesschallenge


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Online Classes

It will come as no surprise that I have taken the decision to put all my yoga classes on hold. With heavy heart and sadness however in current situation I think it’s the best solution because I do have classes with vulnerable people. But I will not let the virus to defeat us!

ONLINE CLASSES AVAILABLE PLEASE CONTACT ANNA ON 07821417634

ONLINE LIVE YOGA CLASSES TO DE-STRESS DURING CORONA VIRUS

Classes open to new, past and current students. New students need to fill in health questionnaire before attending

  1. Gentle Hatha Yoga – Mondays 7.30PM
  2. Relaxation and Mindfulness Class – Wednesdays 8PM
  3. Private 1:1 with adults, Family Yoga and Kids Yoga available on request.

 

Tickets:

  1. Hatha Yoga £5 ticket for a single class – choose a date

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gentle-hatha-yoga-online-single-ticket-for-existing-students-only-tickets-100410195598

 

  1. Relaxation Single ticket £4 – choose a date

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/relaxation-and-mindfulness-in-practice-single-ticket-tickets-100403202682

 

As a self-employed person, I understand that for some of us financial situation can be difficult. If you cannot pay the full amount, please use donation ticket. If you cannot pay anything at all, please contact me. We are all in this together! You can also use paypal account if you wish

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/orange-lotus-yoga-online-classes-donation-tickets-101342837154

 

paypal.me/annasmithers

Or ask for my account number to avoid charges.

 

You also need to agree with the below to participate:

I take responsibility for my own health and safety whilst participating in the yoga class, whether face to face or remote, and I also understand that it is my responsibility to:

 

  • check with my doctor if I have any difficulties or concerns about my ability to participate in the yoga class
  • advise the yoga tutor of any change in my medical information or ability to participate in the yoga class
  • follow the advice given by my doctor and/or yoga tutor remain on screen when participating in a remote yoga session

I understand that for any periods of time throughout a remote session during which I move off screen or are outside of the teacher’s view, whether intentionally or not; no liability will arise on the part of the teacher.

 

Why Yoga?

– to de-stress during coronavirus
– It improves flexibility, strength and balance if practiced regularly.
– It has potential impact on relaxation response and helps to relax.
– It has impact on internal organs and hormones.
– Could promote sleep quality.
– Helps with breathing.
– And many, many more – you need to experience it!

 

Also if you are staying at home with kids from next week I will be posting every day on Facebook some easy breathing practices for children and parents to keep us sane and calm

So like Orange Lotus Yoga page and check the updates. Also “Yogi Superhero” is available on amazon if you are struggling for ideas what to do with kids.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1654493368/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=anna+smithers&qid=1578984027&sr=8-1

You tube video explains on how you can use it

Any questions ring me on 07821417634


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New Year – New Me

New Year – New Me – that’s how the saying goes right? Wrong…

This year 2019 did teach me a lot and one of the things I focused on was self-discovery. The journey of re-connecting with my True self and going through the old versions of myself. Have I mentioned I started counselling course this year? It was the best decision I ever made. And I fell in love with Carl Rogers. This guy was a yogi without even knowing. His book “on becoming a person” (1957)  reminds me so much of Yoga Sutras. I love this quote:

“I have pointed out that each individual appears to be asking a double question: “Who am I?” and “How may I become myself”. I have stated that in a favourable psychological climate a process of becoming takes place; that here the individual drops one after another defensive masks with which he has faced life; that he experiences fully the hidden aspects of himself; that he discovers in these experiences the stranger who has been living behind these masks, the stranger who is himself. I have tried to give my picture of the characteristic attributes of the person who emerges; a person who is more open to all of the elements of his organic experience; a person who is developing a trust in his own organism as instrument of sensitive living; a person who accepts the locus of evaluation as residing within himself; a person who is learning to live in his life as a participant in a fluid, ongoing process, in which he is continually discovering new aspects of himself in the flow of his experience. Those are some of the elements which seem to me to be involved in becoming a person.”

Rogers writes about the masks, masks I am wearing at work, home, in lonely moments in every part of our life. The masks I am hiding behind. But why would I hide? Because I don’t want to face the truth. The truth about who I really am can be painful. Being honest with myself is sometimes difficult. Because I am a people pleaser, I sometimes will do things for others even if I don’t want to. The most difficult part is that I am not even aware of that happening. It’s because I tell myself a story which I believe and becomes my reality, so when I tell the story to others, I think it’s true. Being congruent – honest with myself, means facing many unpleasant moments and facts which I am trying to hide away from. But to me congruence means for searching of who I am.

Being honest with myself and facing the experiences when they appear helps me to find who I really am. The only problem is as more I know, less I know. Sometimes it feels like I lose ground under my feet, everything what I knew, everything what I believed in, becomes a lie. And as more I am asking myself what the truth is, as less I know. The picture I created in my head is a lie. And somehow part of me (ego) tries to keep it no matter what. And it fights, fights so hard. There are countless conversations between my ego and my Self.

Sometimes it hurts. And it hurts so much that I feel it in every part of my body, it becomes physical pain. Sometimes it feels like my whole body is being torn to pieces, burned inside. I cried so many times. But when I don’t fight it and allow pain to happen, it becomes less. It’s like I am taking away the power to control me, like I don’t accumulate the energy connected with pain and the energy does not control me. So, beyond the pain there is freedom. But sometimes I don’t have the courage to face that pain. And that’s ok too. I believe there is different timing for everyone, and I will face it when I am ready.

Sometimes it feels like I am a countless piece puzzle and I am made of other’s people opinions and believes. Where is ME in all that, my true self? That discovery causes a lot of suffering, because I touch layers of myself which I had no idea existed. The truth is very often difficult to accept, but it’s so important that I accept myself as I am, do not judge or criticise, just understand there is no good or bad, whatever is just is. And discovery is only a process I am going through and beyond the suffering there is realisation.

And then there are moments in my life of complete stillness, moments of joy so powerful that nothing else exists in this moment, moments of realisation that we are boundless creatures and carry the whole universe inside of us.

As more honest I am with myself, as more honest I become with other people. Obviously I still apply care and acceptance, but I also think sometimes I need to create space for things which hurt and allow them to be released because only this way we will be able to free ourselves from emotional attachment and discover of who I really am. But sometimes I cannot cope with the truth on my own and having a counsellor to help me in this journey is amazing. The relationship allows me to grow as a person.

I am still on the path of discovery which probably will take my whole life but I am so grateful for this experience and for the possibility of becoming a person.

So is it New Year – New You or is it New Year – True Self? The perception is that in the New Year we have to create new persona, change our habits, change how we look but what if our life should be with reconnecting with something which is unchangeable, constant, still, boundless, pure consciousness, pure awareness, just perfect as it is – our True Self. So that’s what I wish you in the New Year – amazing journey into reconnecting with your True Self. Happy New Year!

 


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