Master Esrar conducts a meditation session to conclude training. His instructions by way introduction to new members is as follows. “During meditation relax and close your eyes then reflect on what you have learnt today. Bring to mind everything you have experienced today and visualise yourself performing each exercise perfectly in turn. We’ll be doing this for 1 minute whereupon I’ll be calling on you to open your eyes”. The idea being that by calling to mind all you have experienced you will be able to increase the amount you learn – a rapid review of the training essentially. Two hours of training re-experienced in 1 minute!This is a tall ask for anyone, most of all to an individual who is not versed in the art of meditation. The key is to be able to relax. How do you relax after a rigorous two-hour training session? Is it really possible to instantly switch off your mind by just making the intention to do so? If it was then how do you formulate the intention and how do you know when your mind is sufficiently relaxed?
Despite knowing a thing or two about meditation I struggle to maintain focus during this period at the end of class. The key to controlling the mind is meditation but to meditate effectively it is important to relax. A case of “which comes first the chicken or the egg” scenario! If you can’t relax you can’t meditate effectively.
I found that the best way to enter a meditative state is to progressively relax the mind and body first. The training is high intensity, being both physically and mentally demanding. Progressive relaxation allows for a break from the stress caused by the constant demands placed on the mind and body by the training. Warm up exercises, stretching exercises, kicking techniques and punching techniques all need to be learnt. Throughout the session the mind is occupied attempting to execute and perfect each technique presented to it. This causes stress and stress is not conducive to learning!
A thirty-second progressive mind/body relaxation is sufficient to let go of the stress and pull together all the information presented to it during the meditation which follows. The meditation process can be enhanced further if the trainer can provide a reminder of what has been practiced on the day and in the sequence it had been practiced.
I remember reading a book once where the author likened a meditation practice to lifting weights. Real meditation is challenging. I like it as it can recharge my creative batteries and develop my awareness.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you are saying regarding the meditation. It is something that can not be done following intensive exercise. What i feel should be essential is for the last part of the class to be a cooling down period where students perform static stretches which are more appropriate as they help muscles to relax, realign muscle fibres and re-establish their normal range of movement. It also reduces adrenalin levels, heart rate and blood pressure - a more relaxed body.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that the meditation section is being used as an opportunity as a reflective period which is both important and essential to further ones training. but students need to understand the principles of reflective practice. I have always found and used Gibbs reflective cycle when required and found it to be a use full tool in all aspects of life