Welcome to the start of your lifelong meditation journey!

Are you feeling curious and ready to dive in?

I've been where you are and understand the different reasons that may have landed you here. You may have wanted to meditate for years, have tried different kinds of meditation but aren't quite sure, or have been told you should meditate for health reasons.

Whatever brings you here, I'm excited you have made it this far, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to teach you a lifelong skill. Meditation and mindfulness are absolutely the most valuable and rewarding skills you will ever learn. The benefits can be subtle, through to life-changing, as you cultivate a relationship with your mind and thoughts through your meditation practice.

My mission is simple: to educate and convince you that meditation isn't as complicated as you may think, and that yes, you can learn how to do it effectively within six weeks. It's not hard, it's not complicated and can be taught to almost everyone. By giving yourself a chance to absorb my teachings and truly understand what I am conveying to you, I guarantee you will have many "a-ha" moments and "now I know what they are talking about" insights.

There are so many myths surrounding meditation because it has been taught in countless different ways for centuries. Some practices are based on spiritual methods (yoga, for instance), while others are based on religious methods (Buddhism, Hinduism, and Catholicism all include meditation). While all these provide people with great benefits, some of the techniques and methods have been interpreted by individuals who believe that their approach is the only way (for example, there is a whole meditation "business" based on mantra).

Some meditation practices give the impression that they are harder than they actually are, or that you need to possess special qualities or a particular type of personality to meditate effectively.

You don't.

If people find peace and calm within any type of practice, then that's amazing.

But it's not the way I view meditation. I see meditation as something that doesn't need "special conditions". I want more people to be open and willing to give it a go. To believe that yes, they can do it too. Regular, everyday people from all walks of life. Old, young, and middle-aged. All sexes, all races, all genders, all abilities, all humans.

Everyone faces the same barriers, challenges, and varied experiences when beginning to practice meditation. I can guarantee you that even people who have been meditating for many years still experience these challenges. These include: "I don't have time", "I can't stop thinking", "I get frustrated", and "It just makes me go to sleep".

This is all normal.

Our brains are incredibly complex organisms. They keep us alive and safe. They warn us of real or perceived danger. They create what we feel, what we say, and what we do. Our brains have been trained to influence our behaviour based on what has happened to us in the past. Patterns are etched into our brain's functions, and much of what we experience is based on this subconscious level of brain activity.

But do we control our brain, or does it control us?

Can meditation give us even a little bit more control over our automatic reactions and responses? Especially concerning the stress response?

The answer is absolutely, yes.

Through teaching many groups of meditators over the years, I have encouraged new meditators to share their experiences, and several common themes have consistently emerged. People are often relieved that others have had a similar experience, and realise "it's not just me"!

It may be a shock for some to realise that it is incredibly challenging to control our minds, even for a few seconds. You may have a university degree, run a business, or raise a family, but sitting still with your thoughts, let alone creating a relationship with them, may seem like an impossible task.

You are not alone!

What meditation is not.

Meditation practice is not about "spacing out" or achieving some mystical state. It's not about falling asleep or thinking about nothing. Some people report "drifting away", "floating away", or "zoning out". People can go for years thinking that this is meditation. It's like booking a round-the-world ticket and getting off at the first stop. There is a whole world of incredibly valuable meditation practice benefits if we commit to the journey and learn how to meditate effectively, informed by the current understanding of the science of the brain and body.

Drifting off, zoning out, and floating might feel relaxing and provide temporary relief; some people have been doing it this way for years, as I mentioned. However, in the long term, our brain needs more training and a more structured approach to achieve the incredible array of results reported by regular meditators.

Meditation is a Sensory Gateway

Meditation is like gently opening a gateway to the present moment by bringing our focused awareness to one or more of our senses (the only way we can be in the present moment).

We shift from thinking to sensing by focusing a spotlight of awareness on the sensory input provided by what you can see, feel (both external and internal), smell, hear, or taste. You might focus on only one sense, or two or more.

Imagine your thinking mind (which is where we spend most of our time) is behind a closed gate, and on the other side of the gate is the present moment, which you experience through your senses.

During meditation, you begin to bring your awareness to the present moment, which might be easy for a few seconds. The gate might open and close, open and close, open and close. Or the gate opens for fifteen seconds or (if you're lucky) maybe a minute or two!

Or the gate might be half opened or barely cracked open. The thoughts are leaking through because we are half in and half out. Sometimes we notice the gate has been closed for a long time before realising. We open the gate again. We continue to open the gate. Over time, the gate becomes more accustomed to being opened, and we are able to enjoy the present moment for longer periods. We are gaining more control over the gate and how often it opens. Our practice is to be disciplined enough to open the gate and keep it open at will, more and more, for the rest of our lives. And notice when it closes on us! Which it always does.

Meditation is the practice of training your brain, much like you train your body with exercise, by giving it a simple task to do and repeating it, changing neural pathways and forming a habit. We are strengthening our brains to become more resilient and better able to cope with stress. It is the ultimate self-care. We learn to look after ourselves. Life is more fulfilling, and emotions are felt in reality. In our bodies and our brains.

Meditation builds mental health in much the same way that exercise builds a healthy body. It takes time, practice and commitment. While it's a simple concept, there is still work to be done. It can be a little frustrating at times. It can be easy to skip when you think that you are "alright" or "don't need it anymore".

But there are no quick fixes, and the rewards are a thousandfold compared to the effort.

What are we doing to our brains?

In our fast-paced world, with constant distractions and stress from technology, our brains desperately need to rest and restore. Meditation is the key to the reset we all so desperately need. Using technology as "downtime" or as a distraction when we could use that time to complete a short meditation is doing us way more harm than good. Our addictions also come into play. We may medicate or distract instead of learning how to emotionally regulate.

In this course, I will discuss what chronic stress (which can even make us feel good in the moment) is doing to our brains and bodies. Once you have truly absorbed this and perhaps conducted further research yourself, you will want to help your precious brain. It needs you to take charge and help it remain strong and healthy.

With meditation, you can learn to lower your stress levels in as little as fifteen seconds with a mini meditation. I'm excited to show you how.

Your more formal "sit" of twelve minutes is your foundation. It is essential to commit to this most days of the week. Doing it at the same time each day will help solidify your meditation habit. I do mine every morning on awakening with a cup of tea on my back deck. Some people prefer afternoons or evenings. Some people love to do it in their parked car when they know they can't be interrupted. It's totally up to you.

Your shorter "spot" meditations are building blocks. They add to the foundation and make your practice solid. Of course, you can do them on their own only, without the twelve-minute sit; however, the practice won't be as integrated. Better than none, but not quite as supportive.

What I need from you to complete the course:

• Spend a minimum of 90 minutes each week engaging with the module (this includes practising 12 minutes most days to learn your new skill).

• Read through the content to understand the science behind a meditator's brain compared to someone who doesn't meditate or have a mindfulness practice.

• Listen to the guided meditations (after six weeks, you can practice them on your own). Think of these as the "training wheels" of your new meditation "bike" practice. I'm helping you until you can "ride" for yourself.

• Make meditation a habit by committing to the practice. Just like with exercise for your body, once the benefits reveal themselves to you, and you notice the difference when you "forget", you will be convinced that meditation is a skill and way of life that you simply cannot do without.

What NOT to expect:

• A "perfect" meditation practice. That rarely happens, and that's perfectly okay. Please drop any expectations you have around what meditation "should" look like.

• To remember to meditate every single day. Start with 5 out of 7 days, and you're doing great. Work up to 7 or be happy with 5 or 6.

• To suddenly become calm and peaceful. You will find more calm and more peace (and moments of unexpected joy) the more you commit to practice. The more you put in, the more you will receive.

The first six weeks are about establishing a simple and sustainable habit.

Meditation practice isn't a destination; it's a (rewarding) journey, and the more you practice, the more natural it becomes.

I'm here to guide you every step of the way, and it's an absolute honour to be on this journey with you.