Meditation workshop at the Ananda Marga Centre

by Elizabeth Marchetti

With the swiftness at which our multi-tasking, fast-paced, materialistic lives are speeding, it’s no wonder that we often get hung up on the little things - on a stressful day, missing the bus can seem like the end of the world.

And so switching off from daily routines and the myriad of choices we are constantly exposed to seems like a waste of precious time. But what if for a moment, we could just escape and shout, "Stop"?

With meditation it is possible and the positive effects are limitless. Mistakenly perceived by many as a practice for hippy freaks or happy clappy new-agers, it is truly within everyone’s reach.

All you need to do is find a quiet spot, close your eyes, stay silent and breathe deeply - simple, right?

Yet, when you listen to your thoughts, you’d be surprised at how fast they race and how hard it may be to let them go, even if for a minute.

Dada Jyotirupananda's meditation classes take place every Wednesday at the Ananda Marga Centre in Stoke Newington, and help people of all ages, religions and backgrounds reach that state inner state of peace, free of charge.

Jyotirupananda, yogi and author of a self help-book Meditation - Searching for the Real You, starts his sessions by discussing the basics of well-being and spiritual fulfillment, using a clear language, with examples and anecdotes.

The talks are followed by group meditation and chanting, using a mantra - which after a long and stressful day at uni is truly liberating.

You may feel silly at first, but no one is there to judge you. Since last April, when I started going to the weekly sessions, I have been feeling a lot calmer, balanced and focused in my outlook on reality and personal relationships.

Meditation puts things into perspective and helps you answer fundamental questions.

It's not myth that the peace, love and happiness all men look for is only achievable through the balance of mind, body and soul.

During this process of self discovery, we realise that in a lifetime spent keeping ourselves busy, we have lost the ability to listen to ourselves and with it that primordial connection with our inner being that no amount of TV, shopping or booze could ever replace.

Free Mediation and Self-Realisation 

3a Cazenove Road
London
N16 6PA

Tel: 02088064250