Required Participant guide , Powerpoint and notebook
Ohm Shanti
Meditation Trainers
Participants Guide
Table of Contents
Introduction to Meditation………………………….. Page 3
History of Meditation………………… ……………… Page 4-5
Learning Objectives……………………………………… Page 6
Training Plan……………………………………….……….. Page 7-8
Task Analysis……………………………………….……… Page 9-11
General Outline
…………………………………………… Page 12
Post Survey………………………………………………….. Page 13
Introduction to Meditation
Have you ever wanted to escape the outside world for just a few minutes? By mastering the art of meditation, you will be able to do that anywhere! Meditation helps with a wide variety of things, from keeping you stress free to helping your bodies immune system. It has the ability to make you AND those around you happier and will also make you feel more connected. Meditation not only helps our mind, but can also reduce aging and improve metabolism, which will help some lose weight. Another proven benefit of meditation is increased memory and attention span.
History of Meditation
Meditation dates back to prehistoric origins confirmed by early religious contexts. We see some of the earliest written records of meditation from Vedantism which comes from Hindu traditions around 1500 BCE. The English word “meditation” stems from meditatum, a Latin term meaning “to ponder.” Although we can’t know when, exactly, people began to meditate, experts agree that the practice probably began many thousands of years ago, before the birth of modern civilization as we know it. If scholars look to establish the origins of meditation, they first have to decipher ancient texts and recorded hieroglyphs to find references to this discipline. Several archaeological findings suggest that hunter-gatherers were participants of some forms of meditation, as were early shamans. Their knowledge was passed down orally from one generation to the next, helping to lay the important foundations of modern meditation. It can be difficult to pin down the origins of meditation because there are so many practices that fall under the “meditation” umbrella. Is it mindfulness? Contemplation? Communion? Chanting? Trance?
Although many forms of meditation can be found in ancient religious traditions around the world, the practice as a component of a spiritual journey is probably most closely associated with Buddhism. The Buddha, who lived and taught in Southeast Asia about 2600 years ago, founded a path that inspired generations of participants to sit in mindful awareness and breathe their way to lasting peace. According to his teachings, meditative concentration is one of three trainings that when practiced together result in awakening, or enlightenment. The other two are proper ethical conduct and the wisdom of seeing things as they really are.
Men and women who gained insight and wisdom by putting the Buddha’s teachings into practice taught others. Seekers would travel to learn from great teachers who often lived in cultures far removed from their own, then bring the teachings back home. At one point, people were practicing some form of Buddhist meditation from the territories of modern-day Afghanistan to Mongolia and from Japan to Indonesia. Buddhism is known to be a spiritual practice that has adapted to the cultures of the regions where it has taken root.
An example of this is Zen meditation. In the 7th century, the Japanese monk Dosho traveled to China where he studied Buddhism under the great master Hsuan Tsang. Upon returning to Japan, he opened a meditation hall and started teaching a form of sitting meditation that became known as zazen. This has given rise to generations of Japanese monks and nuns whose primary practice is sitting meditation.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this training session we hope that you will be able to reduce stress from your everyday life by learning how to properly and efficiently meditate throughout your day. We want to show the benefits that meditation can provide to your mind and body. This session should give participants the crucial skill of being able to block negative thoughts throughout the day.
Training Plan
I. Set Induction
II. Introduction
· Begin by introducing our trainers Ricky and Burnam and they will provide an introduction to meditation as well as a brief history of the origins of Meditation.
III. Objectives
· At the end of this training session we hope that you will be able to reduce stress from your everyday life by learning how to properly and efficiently meditate throughout your day. We want to show the benefits that meditation can provide to your mind and body. This session should give participants the crucial skill of being able to block negative thoughts throughout the day.
IV. Power Point Lecture
· We will discuss the PowerPoint slides which give us many insights to the benefits of practicing meditation as well as the proper meditation techniques that will be used later in our training session.
V. Show and Describe
· We will show you the proper way to meditate with an emphasis on keeping your spine straight and heavy focus on breathing.
VI. Invite and Encourage
· Ask trainees to meditate based on what they have learned from our session. We will ask if there are any questions before we begin.
VII. Correct
· We will walk around to make sure everyone’s back is straight and their hands are in a relaxed position. Participants should also be taking long, deep breaths through their nose.
VIII. Evaluation/Questions
· We will ask if this is something participants will use in their everyday life. Do you think meditation is a good way to manage stress? What are your previous experiences with meditation before this? This will also be time to complete the survey and ask any questions to the trainers that participants may have.
Task Analysis
Step 1
The first step is committing to a regular, daily practice. Taking 10 minutes out each day shouldn’t be difficult, but it’s easy to get caught up in everything that’s going on. Try to make it a regular part of your schedule. Create a space to sit at the same time each day. Mornings seem to work best for most people, but find a time that works for you. Where you do it doesn’t matter, just as long as you’re unlikely to be interrupted. And lastly, wear whatever you like, although you might want to loosen ties or belts, or slip off high heels.
Step 2 get settled
Find a quiet space where you can relax. Sit comfortably in a chair with your hands resting in your lap or on your knees. Keep your back straight – sitting at the front of the seat might help. Your neck should be relaxed, with your chin slightly tucked in. Whether you’re using a timer or following an MP3, commit to practicing for the full time you’ve set aside, whether you find the session easy or difficult.
Step 3: Breathe deeply
Defocus your eyes, gazing softly into the middle distance. Take five deep, audible breaths, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. On the last exhalation, allow your eyes to close.
Step 4: Check in
Take a few moments to settle into your body. Gently observe your posture, and notice the sensations where your body touches the chair and your feet meet the ground. Feel the weight of your arms and hands resting on your legs. Acknowledge your senses: notice anything you can smell, hear or taste and sensations of heat, cold or wind.
Step 5: Scan your body
Slowly turn your mind inwards. Scan your body from head to toe, observing any tension or discomfort. Don’t try to change what you find, simply take note of it. Scan again, although this time notice which parts of the body feel relaxed. Take about 20 seconds for each scan. Now turn your awareness to your thoughts. Notice any thoughts that arise without attempting to alter them. Gently note your underlying mood, just becoming aware of what’s there without judgment. If there’s nothing obvious, that’s fine, too.
Step 6: Consider the ‘why’
Pause for around 30 seconds and consider why you’re sitting today. Recognize any expectation or desire you’ve brought along, and let it go. Spread the love: take a moment to consider the wider effects of being mindful today. Feeling calmer helps you feel better – which in turn has a positive knock-on effect for people you encounter during the day, from colleagues to partners to your bus driver. Become aware of this ripple effect. Nothing to achieve: before you continue in the session, remind yourself that there’s no “thing” for you to do here – your only job is to sit for the full session, but beyond that there is nothing for you to do in the normal sense of the word. All you have to do is step back and let it all unfold in its own time and own way.
Step 7: Observe the breath
Bring your attention to your breathing. Don’t make any effort to change it, just observe the rising and falling sensation that it creates in your body. Notice where these sensations occur – be it your belly, your chest, your shoulders, or anywhere else. For a few moments, focus on the quality of each breath, noting whether it’s deep or shallow, long or short, fast or slow. Begin silently counting the breaths: 1 as you inhale, 2 as you exhale, 3 on the next inhalation, and so on, up to 10. Then start again at 1. While doing this, it’s completely normal for thoughts to bubble up. You don’t need to “do” anything – just guide your attention back to the breath when you realize the mind has wandered off. If you can remember the number you’d counted up to, start again from there, or simply start from 1 again. Continue until the timer sounds.
Step 8: Allow your mind to be free
Spend 20-30 seconds just sitting. You might find yourself inundated with thoughts and plans, or feel calm and focused. Whatever happens is completely fine. Enjoy the rare chance to let your mind simply be.
Step 9: Prepare to finish
Become aware once more of the physical feelings: of the chair beneath you, where your feet make contact with the floor, your arms and your hands resting in your lap. Notice anything you can hear, smell, taste or feel. When you’re ready, slowly open your eyes.
Step 10: Take it with you
Before standing up, form a clear idea about what you’re going to do next, like brushing your teeth, making a cup of tea or getting your keys to leave the house. It’s so easy to just jump up off the seat and lose the calm and spacious quality you’ve just created. Try to carry this awareness with you to the next activity. Touch base: throughout the day, find small moments to remind yourself what it felt like to have that clarity and focused attention. Maybe when you first sit down at your desk at work, when you drink your morning coffee, or when you’re on the bus. You don’t need to do the whole exercise – just take a couple of deep breaths, notice how you feel, and observe any areas of tension.
General Outline
1. What is meditation?
2. A brief history of the meditation.
3. Why is it important in daily life?
4. Requirement for meditation.
5. How to meditate?