Some Dads Meditate. - a practice that lasts a lifetime.

The Gift that can Ripple through Generations

Googling 'men and meditation' opens a door for reasons men should mediate, how to meditate and meditating on the run etc. There does appear to be a lot of info out there. From 'kickass methods' and 'goal-setting-achievable-chunks'. Having shared meditation space, as a teacher, over the years with men and women using, at first, I shared the ingrained methods Dad passed on to us as kids. Then this led to finding connections, experiences and time that forged a simple method I use everyday. Meditation is a gift, not only for yourself to yourself but also a gift that can pass on to the growing generation, that simply improves quality of life for all of life, down the timeline.

Dad was the one who taught me to meditate, he was a farmer of mixed cropping, sheep and poultry. He fixes machinery and, with Mum, designed and built our family six bedroom house using passive solar principles. He could weld, blacksmith, shape materials into usable items, care for stock, brew beer, make wine, read the weather to understand the best times to plant, harvest and plough, study at night after long day in field, to achieve qualifications as a naturopath, herbalist, iridologist and homeopath to name a couple that he achieved qualifications in. Grow his own herbs, make his own herbal preparations, as there were none to buy with which he used to heal Mum when medical science had sent her home. He is self taught in quantum physics and fluid dynamics, he understands how the universe works and what makes stars, he can look at something either a lump of wood or some old metal rubbish and turn it into a sculpture of a bird or person or make any tool, implement or engine needed for a task. My Dad seems to draw inspiration from the very air, always practical, always scalable. And Dad used the moments in between to meditate, and still does.

Dad uses meditation ( because I have asked him) to gather himself to himself, he felt it gave him energy and focus. He used it to restore balance in his body, to allow peace in the moments he needed it. He taught himself on an isolated farm in Western Queensland, yoga and mediation as a young man. He understood the power of breath. He is the one person I have the deepest respect for; integrity, positive outlook, high energy to act on his dreams, an unquenchable curiosity for the possibility things can be better, particularly if he can make something from nothing. He wasn't a celebrated hero of any format, he is just our Dad. He will be 81 this year. It's a miracle he done all this, at all and is still doing it.

He didn't need to be told why he needed to meditate, he just followed 'a thread' in himself. There were no 'fashion pressures' to provide support from his peers. There were no celebrity role models or local role models, for that matter, to inspire him. And it is like that with every man I encounter who mediates, they just do it. Generally, they haven't looked outside themselves for a reason to do it. Most feel a motivation to look within so it let's them look out for a different way. Then appears a nudge of synchronistic happenings; in the form of finding a class, tripping over a book or talking to someone who knows a way. Then it is a choice/decision to act.

The things most people say that stops them meditating -

• Don't have time - to learn something else.

- to practice.

- to get any good at it.

• I've tried it once and I wasn't any good.

• I don't want to tie myself into a pretzel.

• I'd have to become a buddhist or something.

• I need a really good teacher and I don't think I'd find one where I live.

• I'll just fall asleep.

• I can mediate when I sleep.

Using my Dad's story as inspiration for action:

• Don't worry if you are good at it or not, nobody would know.

• Any practice is good practice, you know what you can do next time.

• Most things come with practice and time.

• Trust yourself to let go, you don't need to be anything.

• If you've done it once, it is easy to pick up again.

• Don't wait for the perfect moment, teacher etc. just go with the flow.

• Falling asleep with mediation will change if you treat it as an 'active exercise'; sit up, bright light, daytime.

• Mediation can definitely be a practice to help you sleep, set your body clock and feel the difference. However treat mediation as an 'active exercise' first then practice before and after sleep. It will change.

• Your body has to know your actually serious about it, it will come to the party if you give it time.

Men who mediate are no different to anyone else, its when you get to know them that you find what extra is given to quality of life. My Dad taught me that Dads do meditate, in fact for me it was such an intrinsic part of life, I thought all Dads mediate. My Dad, due to life, could not be with me after I grew and left home, so when life came knocking, it was his gifts I turned to; meditation, natural healing, to name a few. His gift to me as a child, has always got me through, now I am in a place where I can return a little to him.

This Father's Day, my wish is that a bubble of his energy may ripple out to all the Dads and maybe inspire other Dads to pass this amazing gift of mediation to another generation, support their quality of life, restore their focus, energy and give a connection to encourage the possibility to bring balance in the body. Even if you can't be a 'traditional'(whatever that is) Dad, trust that your bubble of energy will ripple into the ocean of things bigger than us and support someone who needs it. I trust that through mediation we may all meet the sense of the 'Universal' in mediation. And find that our thoughts intention all go into a pool that maybe accessed for generations just like we can access the generations before and after us. May our motivations be with kindness to ourselves, others, the planet and all life within and beyond the Earth. What you put in is what you get out and more.

Start today.

Happy Father's Day! Namaste!

Meditation for Relaxation is one way to help start your small practice journey, that can ripple into the big picture. Simple effective techniques for everyday living. New classes beginning October 2021. One hour meditation class, one evening a week in a small group setting.

Due to the current on-off environment we live in, for the first time Meditation will be in a live online format through Zoom. So this allows time for feedback within the group and questions if you so choose. Techniques that are easy to practice at home for any lifestyle.

However practice at home is not necessary to participate in the class, just a choice you are open to make.

Zoom is free to download if you don't have it already there will be links in the booking process to Zoom if you need to install Zoom and of course the all important links to participate in the class.

For more info and Bookings - Click here