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About the presenter: Chris Joscelyne is a member of Rotary eClub One and a Past President of the Rotary Club of Sydney, Australia. He trained as a clinical hypnotherapist under the tutorage of Margaret Tomko. He was taught grief counseling by Mal McKissock, and he learned meditation in a course sponsored by the New South Wales Department of Health. He developed his personal awareness knowledge with mentors Barbara and Terry Tebo of Lifespring. 
For ten years Chris was a visiting lecturer at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School where he taught personal development, meditation and stress management skills. Now he shares his knowledge with a wider community as a speaker, trainer and coach, teaching people how to live "Life by choice - not by chance


Why Meditate?

By Chris Joscelyne

 

From the mid 1970’s I was a typical workaholic, aggressively pursuing a successful career in radio broadcasting. Despite escaping my work environment by contributing as a Past-president of my local Rotary Club, spending recreation hours as a glider pilot, racquetball player, theatre and concert goer and wine and food aficionado, I did not have a balanced life. I lacked inner peace.

 

I believed my driven commitment to my career was to provide the essentials of life for my wife and my four children. As my career advanced, so I had resources to provide a comfortable home and expensive private school educations for my children. The problem was that I was not devoting the quality time and energy to them that they deserved. I was so busy being busy I was losing touch with a quality life.

 

Like many type A personality workaholics, eventually I became stressed and dissatisfied with my world. Fortunately, through the unconditional love and nurturing encouragement of my caring wife, I embarked on a journey of personal discovery. This led me to study meditation techniques, stress management skills and personal awareness.

 

Meditation is an effective method by which to clear the mind and focus on what is important in life. It is easy to do, gets easier with practice, and it allows the mind to concentrate on and accept positive affirmations.

 

I meditate for 20 minutes twice a day. For me it is personal prime time that helps me relax, let go of negative stress, refreshes my inner self and expands my creative ability. Because life patterns reflect thought patterns, meditation gives me the opportunity to focus my thoughts and follow a Positive Path.

 

 

Frequently asked questions about Meditation

 

What is meditation?

 

Every day we are subjected to sensory input from a variety of sources and our minds absorb and sort an enormous amount of information. Some of the information is important; some is not. However the mind is kept active as the information flows constantly into our conscious and our unconscious mind.

 

Meditation allows much of this activity to settle down, and often results in the mind becoming more calm, peaceful and focused. Meditation can help us rejuvenate our awareness.

 

Meditation is a technique of relaxed awareness that can reduce stress, boost mental focus and heighten clarity of thinking. It usually involves a concentration technique that could be a word or a sound (mantra), music, an object such as a candle, a flower, a tree, or one’s own breath. By concentrating on a sound or an object the mind has something on which to focus. As the meditation progresses, random thoughts diminish and the mind is more open to positive affirmation.

Meditation helps the body to relax, reducing the effects of stress both mentally and physically. Meditation can achieve this to a potentially much greater degree than passive relaxation.

 

I have been teaching meditation techniques for over twenty years. During this time I have noticed that experiences during meditation can vary significantly from one individual to another. For this reason it is best if one does not have any specific expectations when one begin meditation. Having a sense of expectation of some kind of predetermined experience can create unnecessary stress that inhibits an effective meditation session.

 

Because meditation involves becoming more aware and more sensitive to what is deep within one’s thoughts, it may not always be a pleasant experience. Facing unpleasant parts of oneself may well occur during a meditation session. One should accept that this could be a natural part of the experience and decide, with professional help if necessary, how to deal with and heal any negative thoughts.

 

Is meditation self-hypnosis?

 

Self-hypnosis, like meditation, involves an initial period of concentration on an object. However in meditation one maintains a restful awareness of the here-and-now, staying conscious throughout the process. In self-hypnosis one enters a semi-conscious trance-like state without restful awareness of the here-and-now. Therefore meditation and self-hypnosis are different.

 

Is meditation a religious experience?

 

Meditation helps one look within to enhance inner peace, rejuvenation and positive focus. Some describe this experience as contacting one’s " inner soul" or “inner child" or "higher self".

 

While meditation is not a religion, various forms of meditation are used by some religions to focus the mind. However anyone can benefit from meditation regardless of what they believe.

  

Which is the best meditation for me?

 

There is no single meditation technique that suits everyone. Some techniques work better for certain people while other techniques work better for others. If an individual tries a number of different techniques the technique that works best can be chosen.

  

Are there any hints to aid successful meditation?

 

Yes there are. Here are twelve useful suggestions:

 

  1. Establish a routine. Having a time of the day set aside for meditation helps in maintaining regularity.

 

  1. Most meditators find one or two sessions a day to be beneficial. It is recommended that no more than two half hour sessions a day be practised.

 

  1. Select a quiet location. Turn off electronic pagers, mobile cell phones and any other potential distractions.

 

  1. Sit with your spine straight in a comfortable chair, or lie on the floor keeping your spine straight and with a comfortable pillow beneath your head.

 

  1. Gentle instrumental music, with or without meditation voice prompts, can be helpful.

 

  1. The use of essential oils and a vaporizer can create a positive ambience for meditation.

 

  1. Meditate before a meal, not after. If necessary, empty your bladder before commencing your meditation.

 

  1. Loosen any tight clothing. Remove tight shoes. Remove spectacles.

 

  1. Because meditation can slow down the pulse rate and metabolic rate some meditators experience cold extremities. A light blanket can overcome this discomfort.

 

  1. At the end of a meditation sit quietly for a couple of minutes to avoid light-headedness or a dizzy spell.

 

  1. Never meditate while driving a motor vehicle or when undertaking any task requiring concentration.

 

  1. Meditation is not intended as a replacement for medical care. Any person with a condition requiring medical attention should consult a qualified doctor.

 

 

 If you would like to see more programs on personal growth for Rotarians, use the mail link to send us a message. Include suggested topics of you like.  Thank you.

eClub One Program Director  jminter@oregonfast.net

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