My approach to mediation is that it should be simple, effortless, and deeply practical.
I began meditating at the age of 15 when I was introduced to Zen meditation while living in Japan. I dabbled on and off with the technique until university, where I encountered other forms of meditation from various Buddhist lineages.
In the year 2000, I was drawn into the physical practice of yoga, starting at first in Ashtanga yoga, then moving into Iyengar and eventually Anusara Yoga. Various meditation techniques were offered along with the physical practice, and although I sincerely desired a regular meditation practice, nothing seemed to really take root on a daily basis. At this time as a teacher of yoga, I felt I had very little to offer my students in the path of meditation.
I decided to delve deeper into my yoga philosophy, and my studies turned me towards a well known meditation and philosophy teacher – Professor Paul Muller-Ortega Ph.D. He is recognized internationally as one of the world’s most highly respected and renowned academic scholars in the field of Indian Religion and Hindu Tantra. He is the founder of Blue Throat Yoga, which teaches the elegant Svatantra philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism, along with the practice of Neelakantha Meditation.
In 2011, I began formal studies with Paul shortly after my initiation into Neelakantha Meditation. Since then, I meditate daily with little effort and found that I have moved effortlessly from being someone who meditates to a meditator.
The grounding and organizing forces of my meditation practice have allowed me to ride the often chaotic, wave-like nature of life with more grace and skill than ever before. I attend retreats 2-3 times a year and am part of a regular study group that meets from around the world to discuss the formal literary studies that accompany the practice of meditation and its supporting practices.
I introduce the basics of the theory and practice of meditation into all of my yoga training. I also teach mediation basics in small group workshops. Meditation should not be looked at as solely a spiritual pursuit, but an accessible life skill that can be learned by anyone with the desire to do so. My approach to mediation is that it should be simple, effortless, and deeply practical.
