Meet Meditation Australia member Trish Talob, bringing her ‘equitable mindfulness’ approach not only to her teaching but also to her work as a centred designer. In my 9 to 5 job as a human-centred designer, I help organisations create accessible and inclusive digital and in-person services. In my 5 to 9 job as a meditation teacher, I advocate “equitable mindfulness” by teaching meditation in a way that makes it more accessible to and inclusive of more people. I have been practicing meditation since my university days (around 12 years now), however, I am a fairly new teacher. I joined Meditat ..read more

With his new album Running River released today, we had some time to speak with John this week about his process and inspiratons. Enjoy this great exchange with John and Asher. “I’m always taken by how music by itself can make you feel and go to places that you can’t get to through intellect. I love when the lyrics of a song pass the baton onto the music to say everything the lyrics couldn’t” John’s hope is that people will connect to the album in the same way it was created. Slow gestation, slow time, slow music, finding the people it needs to find when they are ready. Perhaps it changes th ..read more

Trigger warning: this article refers to domestic abuse and violence. It can feel jarring to see the words meditation and violence in the same sentence; yet in my life they have mingled closely. It was through my 6-year personal experience of what Rosey Batty accurately calls “terrorism against women” that I discovered the life altering possibilities in meditation. In this article, I’ll describe some profound and practical ways in which meditation: can support the prevention of violence aid psychological survival through periods when terror is inescapable support the long process of recovery h ..read more

John Butler Aims To Heal With Ambient Album Running River The international roots star is healing himself and others through a new album of meditations, chants and instrumental beauty, out on May 24. John Butler has been a household name in Australia for two decades; hardly a festival in the country has not been graced with the sounds of his unique guitar sounds and unmistakable vocals on hits like “Better Than” and “Zebra”. He has just released the first single, “Surrender,” from his upcoming meditative album Running River out May 24. After Butler’s release of his seventh studio album HOME ..read more

When a strong feeling comes up, it will often be accompanied by a strong habitual pattern. These are the emotions where you automatically start to go into your justification or defense, or your story or search for pleasure, or whatever it is you do. This is where we really get stopped in our tracks on our path of awakening. This is also the very place where we could make enormous progress on the path if we’re willing to allow our thoughts and emotions to become part of our path. When the emotion arises, go to the body and breathe in and out, and at the same time experience the emotion. If you ..read more

Meet Natalie Michels, teaching meditation in St Agnes, Adelaide. She has been teaching meditation for 3 years. “The techniques that I teach are mindfulness, visualisation, breath, mantra, body scan and relaxation. I facilitate weekly classes from my studio in St Agnes, Adelaide and have also provided onsite sessions for councils and other businesses. I offer meditation for adults and also run a children’s program for ages 6-11. Some keys that I have learnt is 1. Intuitively delivering guidance provides a deep attunement of self with the group and can provide as much healing for you the fa ..read more

I enjoyed a wonderful Uber trip the other day. Surprising in several ways, but particularly because of the questions the driver asked me. I wonder, what do you say when someone asks you what you do? I typically stumble around my answer, starting with something like … ‘well, I’m a meditation teacher and an executive coach’ … which usually prompts a series of responses like, ‘so, you’re a school teacher then?’, or ‘what sport do you coach?’, or more often a non-committal ‘hmmmm’. Perhaps you have also experienced the thoughts which follow – ‘am I odd to practice meditation and to teach it?’, ‘Is ..read more

We have seen the pressure that the mental health system is under, for both practitioner and client, these times are unprecedented. We also know how effectively meditation can support a mental health healing process for clients, while offering the opportunity to build insight, stress-management and resilience for psychologists. That is why we have created Stable Ground – Professional Development sessions specifically and exclusively for psychologists. These sessions have been created by Olivia Downing, who has been a Council member of Meditation Australia, is a registered Senior Meditation teac ..read more

A Universal Strategy for Peace-building at a time of much wounding and sorrowReflection by Bishop Philip Huggins A poetic meditating friend, Noel Keating, shared this phrase of Heidegger: “Poetry is language in service of the unsayable.” Noel says that, likewise, “meditation is a practice in service of the unsayable – a pathway to that which can be apprehended by the heart although never fully comprehended by the head.” [Meditation and Metaphor 2.] In a world full of much wounding and the many wounded we are trying to help people refind and live with a love of this planetary life, a love of ..read more

Meet Nicky Smith, teaching Dru Meditation in Western Australia I have only been teaching meditation for a year however have been a yoga teacher for over 5 years. I teach Dru Meditation which comes from the yogic tradition of meditation. I teach in person and online classes based in my hometown of Dalyellup, Western Australia. Sharing practices to support mindfulness meditation I have learned that all of us can benefit from more kindness and self-compassion. I have learned that keeping it simple works best by sharing practices people can add to their “toolbox” and use off the mat or cushion in ..read more