TESTIMONIALS

Comments from London Meditation Participants


The Benefits Of Meditation At Work

Andrew Wilkins
City of London
"Meditation can take many forms; gardening, a long walk, a gruelling gym session. Catherine teaches a practical, efficient and timeless form. One of the best business enhancing courses I have ever attended."

Stephen Rider
Finance Director
The Prince's Foundation
"After having attended the London Meditation Project for a year I was delighted to be given the go-ahead by my chief executive to welcome the London Meditation Project into the Prince's Foundation to run a Friday lunchtime meditation class, over six weeks, open to all staff. I believe that a spiritual foundation helps us to counter the stress that we experience in every day life.

Turbulence in organisations is something that we often face - but how can we help ourselves and our colleagues to cope with all this flux and change? Secular organisations cannot promote a religious activity in the work environment but meditation is a spiritual technique that transcends all faith groups.

The point of meditation is meditation but its fruits are well documented: focus, calm, a peaceful and balanced approach to life, and more - it's a journey really.

Providing a space within which people can learn to meditate is, I think, a leadership issue. If you want to introduce it into your organisation you will need support from senior management.

Meditation can be seen as an investment that supports the longer term well being of staff, and can lead to better relationships and enhanced performance. Meditation is not about competitive advantage. It is not a quick fix to a disfunctional department - but it can be an important part of the ethos and culture of an organisation, and a way to help your colleagues cope with the challenges they face."

Sarah Brown
Executive Assistant to Chief Executive
The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment

I found the meditation classes a wonderful way to de-stress at lunchtime. I really looked forward to them! The approach was very non-threatening and accessible, and I learned a new meditation technique that brought me some very valuable results in my work life.


Sustaining the Spirit at Work

Rhona and Anna
Mental Health workers
NHS
"We attended the Sustaining the Spirit at Work Day at the St Ethelburga’s Centre for Peace and Reconciliation – an oasis of calm in the city!

The day was held for people working in mental health and there were a number of organisations and professions represented. Some people had previous experience of meditation and others little or none, but the day was relevant and accessible to all.

The focus of the day was looking after ourselves and maintaining our own well-being. The day started with refreshments, welcome and introductions followed by a space to reflect on our work and what we wanted to get out of the day. After some instruction on posture we were given a gentle introduction to three meditations over the course of the day.

We had a thoroughly enjoyable day and left feeling relaxed and refreshed, as well as inspired to take it further. We took away ideas that we could use in our clinical practice as well as helping us to manage our work life balance."


Meditation and the Helping Professions

Sarah Leach
Speech and Language Therapist
"I think that without my meditation practice I might have burned out at work by now. Instead, I find I have far more calm, positive and creative responses to the inevitable stresses at work. My colleagues and patients also benefit from having a therapist who is more aware, kinder and happier. As an NHS worker, I feel I have to learn how to take care of myself properly first in order to effectively help others. Meditation plays an important part in this."

Jim Taylor
Occupational Therapist
" When I manage to meditate before work there's a tangible difference to my day. I have a subtle sense of underlying calmness even if I'm having to rush about. I enjoy my work more because I feel more on top of things, I'll remember to do stuff and I'm more thoughtful towards patients and colleagues. I think I do a better job."


Retreats with Paramananda

Charles Porter
Psychotherapeutic integrative counsellor and musician.
"…I could sum up my retreat with Paramananda as life changing, an increase in my awareness of myself and of everything around me, a better relationship with my body, a slowing down and a sharpening up of my sight, an increase in love and acceptance towards myself and others, and the beginnings of a personal respect for poetry inspired by Paramananda's spoken words.

He doesn’t look how I'd imagined your average Buddhist… more like something out of big audio dynamite! Once past these human judgements I found myself amazed, wowed, inspired at the depth, caring, speed and knowledge of this wonderful man so full of compassion and honesty.

He doesn’t try to prove anything to anyone - if he’s not sure he will tell you and that is to be respected and cherished. Meditation can be a hard ride but Paramananda makes it a whole lot clearer, inspiring, loving and wonderful. "

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 London Meditation Project Office with Trees Meditation Yurt