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The Meditation Course Podcast

Health & Wellness Podcasts

Welcome to The Meditation Course Podcast. I am Robert Mitchell. I teach meditation, mindfulness and resilience in London, England. The podcast episodes are recordings of classes I run on my online meditation course called The Meditation Course. To join us, sign up for four weekly live guided meditation classes.

Location:

United Kingdom

Description:

Welcome to The Meditation Course Podcast. I am Robert Mitchell. I teach meditation, mindfulness and resilience in London, England. The podcast episodes are recordings of classes I run on my online meditation course called The Meditation Course. To join us, sign up for four weekly live guided meditation classes.

Language:

English

Contact:

4407590489993


Episodes

The Counting the Breaths Meditation

12/6/2023
Counting the breaths is an ancient mindfulness meditation technique and the best practice for about 50% of new meditators to start with. It's a practice where we count each breath using the inner voice. The way I teach it is to count each in and out breath. This engages the mind in an activity that helps to calm the mind. Counting the breaths is the single mindfulness meditation practice that is most helpful for most students. The Meditation Course is Four Live Guided Meditations On Most Weeks. To Learn More about The Meditation Course, visit our website at: https://www.meditationcourse.live/ You can subscribe to our mailing list and get updated regularly with new content and offers.

Duration:00:09:43

The Power of Mudra

8/29/2023
In this class, I teach about mudras, which are hand gestures used in meditation. Anjali Mudra The Anjali mudra involves pressing your palms together. I teach this because it has a real effect. You can explore it yourself. Specific Mudras in Meditation I focus on the chin mudra, where you lightly touch your thumb and first finger. My methods for Anjali and chin mudra are unique. They're not just gestures; they have a purpose. Some say the chin mudra connects to universal consciousness. If you experience that, let me know. Focus and Awareness And The Importance of A Light Touch I use these mudras to help focus awareness. They're also useful for relaxation and sleep. A lighter touch in these mudras can have a strong impact. Anjali Mudra Explained In India, Anjali mudra is a greeting, often accompanied by the word "Namaste." It's an old practice seen in ancient art. It's a sign of peace, showing you're unarmed. It's a way to show you're safe to talk to. This gesture is powerful when done with a light, springy pressure between the palms. Pressing your palms together like this engages many nerve cells in your body, making it a rich sensory experience. The brain has a part called the somatosensory cortex that processes touch. The single largest part of which is dedicated to interpreting our hand sensations. Our hands are important for sensing our environment and using tools. They're a big part of our sensory experience. Sensory Focus in Meditation Focusing on the sensation of the hands pressed together can be immersive and comfortable. The chin mudra involves a very light touch between the thumb and first finger. You need to maintain this light touch, noticing if the contact changes. Keeping this light touch requires focus but not forced concentration. The aim is to maintain a light focus, which can bring a sense of calm over time. https://meditationcourse.live/the-power-of-mudra

Duration:00:42:01

Nature Meditation

7/23/2023
Dive deep into the mechanics of nature meditation in this particular recording from our Sunday guided meditation class held on July 23rd. As part of The Meditation Course, this podcast explores the intricate relationship between the natural environment and the process of meditating, illustrating how the calm and quiet of nature can significantly enhance our emotional processing and healing journey. The complete transcript of this insightful group session is now available on The Meditation Course website here: https://www.meditationcourse.live/understanding-nature-meditation This will allow you to reflect more on each point and perhaps deepen your understanding at your own pace. By subscribing (for free), you gain access to a variety of resources. You will be the first to know about our new podcasts and receive notifications about insightful articles, upcoming online events, and much more. The beauty of the meditative journey is that there's always something new to learn, and our platform aims to make this journey easier for you. Subscribe today and join us on this life-enhancing path. Remember, the subscription is free! Explore, learn, meditate, and grow with The Meditation Course. Learn More: https://www.meditationcourse.live/about-the-meditation-course/

Duration:00:39:21

Mood and meditation

7/2/2023
Mood and meditation This is our second instantly recorded live group, guided online meditation podcast episode. Hopefully the audio quality will be better than the last one. A lot of students of meditation, engage in meditation to help and benefit their mood and they're looking for ways to improve their mood. I'm confident there in time pretty much. Everyone can benefit emotionally from Meditation but it's a long process. In this class, I teacher set of practices that you can use when you're in alone mode, and you're feeling demotivated, and you don't feel like meditating . This is a class taught on 2 July 2023 online on The Meditation Course. The Meditation Course is four live guided group meditation classes each week for the same price as a weekly Starbucks latte! https://meditationcourse.live

Duration:00:36:56

Purpose, Resilience and Connection

7/1/2023
This is a class taught on first of July 2023 in Bromley on the subject of purpose, Resilience and Connection. The Meditation Course is four live guided group meditation classes each week for the same price as a weekly Starbucks latte! https://meditationcourse.live

Duration:00:54:51

Listen to This if You Believe You Can't Meditate!

4/29/2023
I taught this class today on Saturday, the 29th of April on The Meditation Course at https://meditationcourse.live because I was contacted by yet another person who told me that they can't meditate because they can't stay focused on their breath. It is a common misconception that meditation is an attempt to stay focused on the breath and the successful meditation is one where we remain focused on the breath instead of losing our attention and mind wandering. In this class, I explain the mechanism behind all the benefits of meditation, which is called the *Moment of Recognition*, and is actually what happens when our mind wanders. Blessings🙏🙏🙏 PS, apologies for the delay in getting a podcast published. I've been really busy with retreats and courses and classes.

Duration:00:42:08

Listen to This if You Believe That You Can't Meditate!

4/29/2023
I taught this class today on Saturday, the 29th of April on The Meditation Course at https://meditationcourse.live because I was contacted by yet another person who told me that they can't meditate because they can't stay focused on their breath. It is a common misconception that meditation is an attempt to stay focused on the breath and the successful meditation is one where we remain focused on the breath instead of losing our attention and mind wandering. In this class, I explain the mechanism behind all the benefits of meditation, which is called the *Moment of Recognition*, and is actually what happens when our mind wanders. Blessings🙏🙏🙏 PS, apologies for the delay in getting a podcast published. I've been really busy with retreats and courses and classes.

Duration:00:40:07

Mindful Awareness

4/7/2023
Mindful Awareness is that crystal-clear sensory experience we can feel in a forest. Or when standing on a quiet beach or at the top of a mountain. Mindful Awareness is what we can sense when we connect to nature and what we share with animals. We can culture Mindful Awareness by practising focused attention meditation. Focused attention meditation is often called mindfulness meditation and is an ancient mental exercise that helps you focus on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting your feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Focused attention builds attention regulation, which in turn, can enhance many aspects of our lives.

Duration:00:40:07

What is Mindfulness-Based Resilience?

4/5/2023
In 2013, I started teaching meditation to a group of friends, who then suggested that I teach it at a local church room. In 2015, I was asked to run some courses by my students who wanted more structured training. I had discovered the high level of stress in the modern world, so I started by including stress management and emotional regulation techniques with the mindfulness and meditation practices. I learned after some research that this combination contributes to resilience. Resilience is the ability to cope with adversity in a way that helps us cope with future adversity. Resilience is a process, not a state. At any given time, our resilience is either growing or diminishing. Since 2013 I've taught around 3,000 sessions, with an average of 10 people per session. I gather feedback at every stage. I continually research to better understand and improve my teaching, drawing from wisdom traditions and scientific studies. Building resilience has been my guide throughout most of this time. The practices of Mindfulness-Based Resilience are aimed at five aspects: focus, calmness, relaxation, mindfulness, and resilience. Focus is Attention Regulation. Attention Regulation comes about through practice. Meditation is that practice. Focus and calmness involve attention regulation, being aware of the mind's direction, and regulating its choices. Mindfulness is the undistracted awareness of the experience of the present moment. Mindfulness is awareness of all the sensory experiences happening right now. Life isn't the past and the future. It is a succession of present moments. Unfortunately, we're trained to live in a world where the past and the future are like a continuum. And we are simply walking along this path from the past to the future. The present moment then becomes something to get out of the way to gain future happiness. Mindfulness brings awareness of the present moment. It doesn't mean that you don't have any memories, or that what has happened in the past doesn't affect you. It isn't that you ignore your future or you stop caring about it. What does happen is that fear of the future and regret or resentment of the past no longer rules your present moment. Because life is a succession of present moments. Mindfulness is the foundation of all the Mindfulness-Based Resilience techniques. For example, if you learn a stress management technique, you have to be aware that your stress is growing to know when to use it. To relax, we might have a glass of wine and watch TV. That is not relaxation. Relaxation is releasing the musculoskeletal tension that builds up in our bodies due to stress. I teach relaxation practices that are also great stress management tools. Calmness is becoming comfortable with the mind, thoughts, and emotions. Training the subconscious to become sensitive to changes in state enables awareness and intervention using various tools, like extending the breath. Mindfulness-based resilience includes stress management, emotional regulation, and meditation practices to process emotions and improve focus, relaxation, and calmness. It's about integrating these skills and not relying on external factors. I teach Mindfulness-Based Resilience in 6-week online and in-person courses. Learn more here: https://bromleymindfulness.org.uk/mindfulness-courses

Duration:00:51:27

Yoga Nidra Month - Class 1

3/26/2023
Each Sunday Evening from Sun 26 March 2023 on The Meditation Course for the next few weeks, I shall run a Yoga Nidra meditation. Yoga Nidra is a type of meditation that can help us access the hypnagogic state. This state is the transitional phase between wakefulness and sleep. Practicing Yoga Nidra can make it easier to move into this state and therefore help us achieve rest. To practice Yoga Nidra, find a comfortable and relaxed seated position with your back free and your head balanced. The goal is to enter and stay in the hypnagogic state while maintaining awareness of the warm, comfortable feeling that comes with it. If you wake up from this state and you don't feel sufficiently rested, use the feeling to guide you back into it. Use the feeling of the hypnagogic state to get back into it. So, get comfortable, and let's start practicing. You can also find various other Yoga Nidra meditations on my podcast. This podcast episode is a recording of a class from The Meditation Course, an online program that offers live guided meditations throughout the year, with up to four classes per week! You can join us on The Meditation Course by clicking on this link here: https://www.meditationcourse.live/about-the-meditation-course/ If you can't join us for whatever reason but you enjoyed this meditation, I encourage you to become a podcast supporter. By joining us, you'll receive two newsletters and a host of other benefits that will take your meditation practice even further. All for the price of a monthly Starbucks extra shot, caramel latte! Become a Podcast Supporter here: https://www.meditationcourse.live/podcast-supporters-membership/ And if you're feeling generous and you would like to support my work with a single one-off donation, you can buy me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robertmitchell

Duration:00:28:17

Meditations for sleep and rest

3/12/2023
Yoga Nidra is a type of meditation that can help us access the hypnagogic state. This state is the transitional phase between wakefulness and sleep. Practicing Yoga Nidra can make it easier to move into this state and therefore help us achieve rest. To practice Yoga Nidra, find a comfortable and relaxed seated position with your back free and your head balanced. The goal is to enter and stay in the hypnagogic state while maintaining awareness of the warm, comfortable feeling that comes with it. If you wake up from this state and you don't feel sufficiently rested, use the feeling to guide yourself back into it. Use the feeling of the hypnagogic state to get back into it. So, get comfortable, and let's start practicing. You can also find various other Yoga Nidra meditations on my podcast. This podcast episode is a recording of a class from The Meditation Course, an online program that offers live guided meditations throughout the year, with up to four classes per week! And get this: the price of this program is actually less than what you might spend on a weekly Starbucks latte. Enjoy the countless benefits of regular live guided meditation classes while saving some serious cash. You can join us on The Meditation Course by clicking on this link here: https://www.meditationcourse.live/about-the-meditation-course/ If you can't join us for whatever reason but you enjoyed this meditation, I encourage you to become a podcast supporter. By joining us, you'll receive two newsletters and a host of other benefits that will take your meditation practice even further. All for the price of a monthly Starbucks extra shot, caramel latte! Become a Podcast Supporter here: https://www.meditationcourse.live/podcast-supporters-membership/ And if you're feeling generous and you would like to support my work with a single one-off donation, you can buy me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robertmitchell

Duration:00:24:59

Connection and Acceptance Meditations

3/10/2023
Mindfulness is the undistracted awareness of the experience of the present moment. Mindfulness meditation is a set of ancient practices now supported by a mountain of scientific study that we use to gain that experience of mindfulness. There are many barriers, distractions and dead ends that can divert us from our path of acceptance and connection to all of the experiences of the present moment, internal and external. By connecting to the entire body, we are able to minimise physical and emotional pain enough to learn to become comfortable with it. This is a key step in the process of learning to accept and release our suffering. In the period leading up to the next nature connection day retreat, I will be teaching practices specifically to support this process of acceptance and connection. In this class, taught on Thursday 9 March on The Meditation Course, I teach a set of practices designed to connect to the present moment and to our bodies. This podcast episode is a recording of a class from The Meditation Course, an online program that offers live guided meditations throughout the year, with up to four classes per week! And get this: the price of this program is actually less than what you might spend on a weekly Starbucks latte. Enjoy the countless benefits of regular live guided meditation classes while saving some serious cash. You can join us on The Meditation Course by clicking on this link here: https://www.meditationcourse.live/about-the-meditation-course/ If you can't join us for whatever reason but you enjoyed this meditation, I encourage you to become a podcast supporter. By joining us, you'll receive two newsletters and a host of other benefits that will take your meditation practice even further. All for the price of a monthly Starbucks extra shot, caramel latte! Become a Podcast Supporter here: https://www.meditationcourse.live/podcast-supporters-membership/ And if you're feeling generous and you would like to support my work with a single one-off donation, you can buy me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robertmitchell

Duration:00:28:06

The Third Eye Meditation and Deep Relaxation

3/8/2023
The body and mind are deeply connected. The ancients had a concept of the body-mind which is the combination of thoughts, emotions and drives that influence our choices and actions. This leaves us with a psychophysiological state that can be unhelpful and is sometimes difficult to shift. We can find ourselves 'in a mood' and subject to a combination of autopilot behaviours and mind loops. We all need to build a toolkit of practices we can use to intervene in these processes. To coin a phrase, we need learn how to take back control. In this class we explore the ancient third eye meditation which was first taught in the Bhagavad Gita. We then go on to practice a deep relaxation technique that focuses on the key areas of stress in the body which are: the eyes, the jaw, the shoulders and the hands. This is followed by what I call The Relaxation Response which is a practice that, in time, you can learn to use to totally change your state with a single breath. This podcast episode is a recording of a class from The Meditation Course, an online program that offers live guided meditations throughout the year, with up to four classes per week! And get this: the price of this program is actually less than what you might spend on a weekly Starbucks latte. Enjoy the countless benefits of regular live guided meditation classes while saving some serious cash. You can join us on The Meditation Course by clicking on this link here: https://www.meditationcourse.live/about-the-meditation-course/ If you can't join us for whatever reason but you enjoyed this meditation, I encourage you to become a podcast supporter. By joining us, you'll receive two newsletters and a host of other benefits that will take your meditation practice even further. All for the price of a monthly Starbucks extra shot, caramel latte! Become a Podcast Supporter here: https://www.meditationcourse.live/podcast-supporters-membership/ And if you're feeling generous and you would like to support my work with a single one-off donation, you can buy me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robertmitchell

Duration:00:36:52

Meditations To Calm The Inner Narrative

3/4/2023
This article and podcast are from a class taught as part of The Meditation Course - Four live online classes each week for the same price as a weekly Starbucks latte. We all have a voice in our heads, and that voice tells a story. I call this voice the Inner Narrative. Our Inner Narrative can become unhelpful, destructive or self-destructive. It can weaken us instead of strengthen us. Thought has what I call momentum. Over time, our Inner Narratives can become more intense. It can fixate on one or a few subjects and become really unhelpful. This self-destructive process is intensified by consuming the fear-based narrative of the media. To counteract all of this, we need a powerful set of tools that have stood the test of time and are backed by a growing mountain of scientific research. We need to get our focus back from the voice in our heads that is being continuously enhanced by a stream of continuous messaging from the media to us, and to our peers. This is the place where the focused-based meditations I've been teaching meets our Inner Narrative. https://meditationcourse.live/meditations-to-calm-the-inner-narrative/

Duration:00:35:06

The Five Focus Meditation

3/2/2023
This Meditation is taken from the Deepening Course which is a course for committed meditators. See the end of this description for the link. There are a five different main areas of focus for our awareness. There is mind wandering and awareness of the body. These are what are called Inner Phenomena. With mind wandering, our single awareness has been captured by an inner narrative. There is autopilot and external awareness. These are external phenomena. In autopilot, we are generally repeating activities we have learned unconsciously, such as driving or navigating on a regular journey. Then there is balanced focus where we can maintain our awareness and yet be sensitive to both inner and outer phenomena. In this class, we explored these both with meditation and by going through the experiences that we have that enable us to become aware of these different states of focus. From a class in The Deepening Course. https://www.meditationcourse.live/about-the-deepening-course/

Duration:00:40:33

About The New Podcast Episode Format

3/2/2023
Dear friends, I hope that you are in high spirits and good health. Thanks for your wonderful response to my message about supporting my podcast. I shall be making some changes to the format of the podcast so that I can deliver more meditations. Starting from this week, I will only put the meditations themselves online. To listen to the talks, please subscribe to the meditation course at https://meditationcourse.live. This will enable me to publish a podcast with the absolute minimum of audio editing. You will then have multiple meditation only episodes each week. This will begin as series 11 of the podcast which starts this week. Thank you again for your support. Please do contact me with any questions. Blessings to you all. Robert.

Duration:00:01:16

A Message From Robert About the Future of the Podcast

2/26/2023
A three-minute message from Robert about the future of the podcast and how you can help me continue to deliver high-quality content.

Duration:00:03:15

Mind-Body Connection

2/24/2023
An episode where I teach a set of practices to enable frictionless connection to our physiology in the present moment.

Duration:00:33:40

How To Calm The Inner Narrative

2/15/2023
In this class, taught in February 2023 and part of a series on the inner narrative, I explain the process that we apply to calm the inner narrative and I explain how it is not a process of distraction.

Duration:00:38:32

The Power of Narrative and The Inner Dialogue

2/9/2023
An explanation of the nature of narrative, how it is so deeply embedded in all human culture, and the first insight into how the cultural narrative finds its way into our minds.

Duration:00:36:15