“Today we talked to Dr Danny Penman, author of “Mindfulness – A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World,” and our culture correspondent, David Sillito who has been finding out if mind over matter really can help improve pain and depression…”
Britain
Meditation flashmob takes over Trafalgar Square
Flash Mobs are large groups of people who gather “spontaneously” in a public place, perform an unusual act then quickly disperse. On June 2, the Wake Up London sangha organized a flashmob meditation in London’s Tragalgar Square, which attracted several hundred participants. The event was modeled on public meditations such as the one in Austin, Texas, that took place this spring.
The project’s goals included creating an environment for people from all walks of life to come together in meditation, spreading awareness of meditation to the public, and coming together as a community to send positive intentions out into the world.
At 6:32PM a female member of Wake Up London started meditating between the square’s two large fountains. Over the next few minutes she was joined by others for a 20 minute silent meditation, which was followed by an hour of freeform chanting, which the group called a “sound bath.”
More images of the flashmob meditation are available on the group’s Facebook page.
The Buddha of Suburbia: But shaped hedge sparks a religious hate campaign by villagers
It took them 30 years to create a garden of Zen-like calm.
But the peace has been shattered for Raymond and Sacha Hubbard after they had one of their bushes trimmed – into the shape of a Buddha.
An anonymous detractor has written to the couple warning them their enlightened topiary will bring a curse upon their Grade II listed home.
The letter, which arrived by second class post, read: ‘It is with sorrow that we saw you cutting and shaping your bushes into a Buddha. Are you not aware that having such an idol of worship will bring a curse upon you? Keep the thing and you have the spirit that goes with you.’
It goes on to quote Psalm 115 in the Bible, usually interpreted as…
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Mr Hubbard, who attends Church of England services, accused those behind the letter of ‘cowardice’.
He added: ‘Who can visit our nursery and is such a religious fanatic that they are frightened by a box hedge? We’ve got a Greek Temple too – so we’re multicultural. And I thought Buddhism was the most peaceful of all the religions.’
The Hubbards have not contacted the police over the letter, and have no intention of altering the Buddha bush.
“Brainwashed” ex-RAF officer wins back £800,000 house he gave to guru
A former RAF officer who was ‘brainwashed’ into signing over his £800,000 home to a religious guru has won his property back.
Military intelligence specialist Richard Curtis, 53, and his wife joined the controversial Self Realization Meditation Healing Centre after he retired from the services.
Mr Curtis and wife Fiananda, 48, also a former RAF officer, gave their luxury country home to the cult and self-styled guru leader Rena Denton.
But a court heard Mr Curtis left the Somerset-based religious group after discovering his wife was having an affair with another man.
He sued the healing centre to get his house back – claiming he was ‘brainwashed’ into handing over the £800,000 farmhouse in the Welsh countryside.
A judge yesterday ruled Mr Curtis had been ‘unduly influenced’ into giving his home away – and is entitle to his share of the converted farmhouse.
Mr Curtis will now enter a mediation process with the healing centre where his estranged wife is still a member.
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It is expected the property known as Edwinsford near Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, will be sold with the proceeds shared between Mr Curtis and his wife.
Cardiff Civil Courts of Justice heard the couple had been members of the cult for 11 years when they decided to give their countryside converted farmhouse home away.
The religious healing centre, based in Queen Camel, near Yeovil, planned to use the house in Carmarthenshire, as a ‘sister centre’.
Guru Ms Denton – who prefers to be known as Mata Yogananda Mahasaya Dharma – gave the couple a book where she wrote: ‘There’s so much more to give. As you give you receive. Produce, land or money can be given to help or feed others.’
The healing centre spent over £40,000 renovating the farmhouse on the banks of the picturesque River Cothi.
The court heard mother-of-one Mrs Curtis wanted to concentrate on working for the religous group full time at their home.
Judge Milwyn Jarman QC said: ‘Mrs Curtis considered setting up special healing clinics and workshops at Edwinsford.
‘Rena Denton had given her blessing to it becoming a sister centre and everyone was very joyous and emotional about the news.
‘In April 2004 the declaration of trust was drawn up and signed by Mr and Mrs Curtis – they had not taken legal advice.’
The court heard the agreement meant the group had financial rights to the house and began using it for meditation groups and workshops.
But in 2008 the couple decided to divorce after Mrs Curtis had an affair with another man, not a member of the cult.
Mr Curtis later left the cult and began proceedings to win back his house claiming he was unduly influenced into signing it over.
Judge Jarman said: ‘Mr and Mrs Curtis were giving away all they had – in my opinion the agreement was manifested to be disadvantageous.
‘When he signed the declaration of trust in 2004, the group was in the position of spiritual adviser to Mr Curtis.
‘Mr Curtis claims there was an undue influence on the behalf of the centre and I accept this but on the evidence I have heard there’s no clear indication of brainwashing.’
Mr Curtis, a specialist in Arabic languages, declined to comment after the hearing.
A doctor who claimed he was brainwashed into handing over £750,000 to the Self Realization Meditation Healing Centre lost a £2m damages claim in the High Court last year.
Dr Yehu Azaz, 50, gave evidence that he was ‘unduly influenced’ by Rena Denton into signing away his entire estate to the healing centre in the early nineties.
He claimed he gave up his medical career to join her band of followers and the gifts were loans which he expected to be repaid when he left.
His Honour Judge Seymour QC dismissed the overwhelming majority of Dr Azaz’s claim on the basis that these claims had been brought many years too late.
The Guardian newspaper’s guide to meditation
Last weekend the British Guardian newspaper published a guide to meditation. Here are extracts, as well as links to the full articles…
1. How to meditate: An introduction
Rates of depression and anxiety are rising in the modern world. Andrew Oswald, a professor at Warwick University who studies wellbeing, recently told me that mental health indicators nearly always point down. “Things are not going completely well in western society,” he said. Proposed remedies are numerous. And one that is garnering growing attention is meditation, and mindfulness meditation in particular.
The aim is simple: to pay attention – be “mindful”. Typically, a teacher will ask you to sit upright, in an alert position. Then, they will encourage you to focus on something straightforward, like the in- and out-flow of breath. The aim is to nurture a curiosity about these sensations – not to explain them, but to know them. There are other techniques as well. Walking meditation is one, when you pay attention to the soles of your feet. That too carries a symbolic resonance: if breath is to do with life, feet are a focus for being grounded in reality.
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It’s a way of concentrating on the here and now, thereby becoming more aware of how the here and now is affecting you. It doesn’t aim directly at the dispersal of stresses and strains. In fact, it is very hard to develop the concentration necessary to follow your breath, even for a few seconds. What you see is your mind racing from this memory to that moment. But that’s the trick: to observe, and to learn to change the way you relate to the inner maelstrom. Therein lies the route to better mental health.
Mindfulness, then, is not about ecstatic states, as if the marks of success are oceanic experiences or yogic flying. It’s mostly pretty humdrum. Moreover, it is not a fast track to blissful happiness. It can, in fact, be quite unsettling, as works with painful experiences, to understand them better and thereby get to the root of problems.
Research into the benefits of mindfulness seems to support its claims. People prone to depression, say, are less likely to have depressive episodes if they practice meditation. Stress goes down. But it’s more like going on a journey than taking a pill. Though meditation techniques can be learned quickly, it’s no instant remedy and requires discipline. That said, many who attend lessons or go on retreats find immediate benefits – which is not so surprising, given that in a world of no stillness, even a little calm goes a long way.
Part of the appeal of mindfulness is that it doesn’t come loaded with theological assumptions. You can do it without being a Buddhist, though Buddhist assumptions do underpin it. The most obvious is the concept of dukkha – which can be translated as suffering, dissatisfaction or discontent. It’s meant in a very broad sense, everything from deep psychological wounding to the faintest perturbations that trouble daily life. The Buddha’s discovery, when he was enlightened, was that life is characterised by such suffering. But there is a path to follow, along which suffering will cease. Meditation is a key part of it. Mindfulness eases the habit of clinging to things, even big things like life itself. When the clinging ceases, the suffering ceases too.
Other traditions take a subtly different view. Christianity, for example, teaches that the fundamental characteristic of life is not suffering, but the quest for love. It’s what Saint Augustine had in mind when he diagnosed that to be human is to have a “restless heart”. He argued that the restlessness propels you to discover the source of life, which lies outside of yourself, in God.
A secular take on suffering might see things differently again – as a kind of alert system, telling you that something is wrong with the world. The way to respond is not to detach yourself, but to address the causes. It’s this notion of easing suffering that inspires everyone from doctors to political reformers.
Buddhism has strands that engage in social action too. As for seeking God, there are many non-Buddhist theists who practice mindfulness as a useful technique. This supports the case that you don’t have to be a Buddhist to engage in mindfulness, particularly when it is offered as a practice aimed at caring for yourself. Then, it’s about knowing yourself better, something recognised as a crucial part of living well across a wide range of traditions. It’s striking that today we often don’t take the time to do so. Hence, perhaps, many of the ills of the western world.
But mindfulness says: make the time to step back, and here’s a way to do it. It encourages you to be more aware of life, and promises that mindfulness is a source of insight and hope.
Mark Vernon is the author of The Good Life (Hodder); markvernon.com
2. How to meditate: Overcoming potential obstacles
Everyone who learns to meditate encounters obstacles. Here are some of the most common ones and a few tips on how to deal with them
Feeling bored
Everyone gets bored meditating at some time or another – hardly surprising given our busy, adrenaline-filled lives. The main thing is to see boredom for what it is. If you get too caught up in it, it’s easy to lose interest in meditating. But if you use the meditation to explore the boredom and find out what’s really going on, things will start to get interesting again.
Feeling sleepy
We’re all a bit tired on some level – no wonder it’s so easy to drift off when you meditate. That’s fine, but make sure you’ve got your timer set to wake you up! If it happens a lot, try a different time of day, or sit up a little straighter.
Feeling scared
The mind can be a dark and scary place sometimes. Sitting down with difficult thoughts and feelings can sometimes feel too much to cope with. But as long as all that stuff remains unacknowledged, it just sits there in the background. Allowing it to come to the surface is the first part of letting go of it and moving on.
Read the rest of this article…
Feeling unsure
“Is this technique working? Am I doing it right? Maybe I should just …” Doubt inevitably creeps in sometimes. What often happens though is that we buy into the doubt. We forget that no matter what the thoughts are, they are just thoughts. The point is to realise when you’ve been distracted – no matter what the content of the thoughts – and to gently return your attention to the object of meditation.
Feeling restless
You’ll be relieved to know pretty much everyone feels restless at first. Usually this is because there’s a bit too much effort going into trying to be still. If you need to adjust your posture or have a scratch, feel free, but try not to move around too much, as it’s hard for the mind to settle.
Feeling sad
The idea of meditation is to settle into a deep, fundamental sense of “okayness”. But you’re not doing something wrong if you’re not jumping out of your skin with glee. Sadness is a natural human emotion and it is not uncommon to shed a tear while meditating. In fact there is almost something pleasant about it – perhaps a feeling of letting go of something.
Feeling lonely
This constant distraction of “stuff to do” often stops us seeing how we really feel. When you stop and meditate – even for just a short while – it can come to the surface. A feeling of loneliness is one of the most common, even when we’re not alone. Just give it the space it needs and observe it: where do you feel it, what is the sensation?
Feeling angry
Call it impatience, frustration, irritation or even rage, it’s all the same thing really – just at different intensities. Anger isn’t a very positive emotion, so it tends to get suppressed – but the more firmly we push it down, the more insistently it springs back up. So, as much as possible, allow anger to be present. Give it the space and time it needs to unravel and dissipate.
Feeling desire
Much like anger, desire comes in many different forms. It can be anything from that quiet nagging voice in the back of your mind, to a screaming “I must have it now” mentality, for anything, or, for that matter, anyone. Remember that desire is the mind attempting to flee the here and now. But as long as we are on the run from that, we’ll never have any peace. So, just let desire have its moment in the sun, but without acting on it.
3. How to meditate: The three parts of meditation
There are three traditional aspects to meditation: approach, practice and integration. Andy Puddicombe of Headspace breaks it down…
Approach
Approach is about how you view both the contents of your mind and the technique. Get this right and your meditation will fly; get it wrong and it could seem like an endless struggle.
It’s difficult not to expect the perfect result first time around – that’s just how we seem to be programmed these days. But the reality is that meditation takes a little practice – like learning any new skill.
First, accept that your mind isn’t going to stop whirring just because you want it to – and that’s not the point, anyway. The point is to develop a new relationship with your thoughts and feelings that allows positive feelings to simply unfold.
It’s easy to be sceptical too – “of course it won’t work for me”. When it’s done in the right way, meditation works for everyone. If you’re cynical, fine – but do try it anyway. Wouldn’t it be nice to be wrong about this?
Read the rest of this article…
Aside from unrealistic expectations, the biggest obstacle for most people is trying too hard. This is one place in your life where you truly don’t have to strive. In fact, applying loads of effort is counterproductive. You’re free to just see what happens – isn’t that a relief?
Practice
Practice is the bit you probably already think of as meditation, the part where you sit down and concentrate on a technique. You will find our practical, proven technique on the following pages.
Integration
Integration is where you incorporate the calm and clarity you develop during your meditation with the rest of your life. So, what does it mean to be present and in the moment? If you can do it sitting on a chair, then why not when eating your food, or drinking a cup of tea, or even walking down the street?
It doesn’t mean walking down the street with your eyes closed. It simply means bringing the same feeling of being present, focused and aware of the act of walking down the road.
So, rather than daydreaming about the holiday you’d love or the new health regime you’re about to start, be present and aware, noticing the physical sensations, the sounds, the smells and the sights around you.
When you have a moment during your day, stop to check in with how you’re feeling, physically, emotionally, and mentally. It’s like drawing a dot-to-dot picture. By filling your day with these small points of awareness, you effortlessly create a joined-up (in this case, calmer, more peaceful, and more focused) bigger picture.
4. Meditation centres around the UK
Amaravati Buddhist Monastery
A fully functioning Thai-style monastic community in Cheshire. A good choice if you want an authentic Buddhist experience with a genuine temple.
Be Mindful
A campaign run by the Mental Health Foundation to allow people to experience the health benefits of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Courses nationwide. Completely secular and science-based.
Dhamma Dipa Vipassana Meditation Centre
Rigorous 10-day meditation courses in Hereford, based on Burmese Buddhism. Courses are run on a donation-only basis.
01989 730234; dipa.dhamma.org
Dhanakosa Centre
This converted farm in the Scottish Highlands offers a range of activities including meditation, yoga, hill walking, alternative health and arts. Buddhist but open to all.
01877 384213; dhanakosa.com
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Gaia House A range of courses and long–term retreats in Newton Abbot, Devon. Simple, Buddhist but not religious.
gaiahouse.co.uk
Headspace Runs one-day introductory events on meditation worldwide, with extensive online support.
020-7744 5232; getsomeheadspace.com
London Insight Meditation
Mini retreats held at various locations in London for people with busy lives.
londoninsight.org
London Meditation
Teaches mindfulness-based cognitive behavioural therapy (MCBT) which combines CBT with meditation. Courses held in Camden Town.
020-7424 9027; london-meditation.co.uk
Maenllwyld Retreat Centre
Silent retreats at this Chinese Zen centre in rural Wales. Facilities are basic, but tasty, organic, vegetarian food is provided.
westernchanfellowship.org
Meditation Foundation
Evidence-based, secular system endorsed by the Department of Health. Main centre in Wales, with courses nationwide.
meditationfoundation.org
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
This clinically tested, completely secular system was founded by a psychiatrist. Courses in Covent Garden, London.
mbsr.co.uk
Samye Ling
A magnificent “Little Tibet” in rural Scotland. All are welcome for a range of classes. Expect chanting and robes.
01387 373232; samyeling.org
Sharpham Trust
A Devon-based centre devoted to Buddhist meditation, the arts and natural living.
01803 732542; sharphamtrust.org
Hospital to become a meditation centre
The Whitwell House Day Hospital in Saxon Road, Saxmundham [Suffolk, England], used to look after mental health patients but closed last year.
Planning chiefs at Suffolk Coastal District Council have now given the thumbs up for the building to be used as a silent meditation retreat centre subject to a number of conditions.
It will be run by the Vipassana Trust, a charity which was formed in 1988 and has its headquarters in Hereford.
Most of the the residential courses on offer will be no more than three days long, although some could eventually last for up to 10 days.
Last night Patrick Elder, from Walpole, near Halesworth, who acted as an agent for the application and practices the meditation technique, said: “Vipassana is based on the techniques taught by the Buddha more than 2,500 years ago. It is not in any way religious – it is open to everyone.
“The courses are quiet retreats and the participants will enjoy silence for the majority of their stay.
“It will certainly bring people into the town and we are excited about the project.
“There is a bit of work that we still have to do but we would be disappointed if we were not up and running before the end of the year.”
Some concerns were raised about the lack of car parking, the risk of flooding and the poor access for disabled people but these have been addressed by the applicant.
The charity is run through donations and there are no charges for any of the courses. “People may or may not give a donation,” Mr Elder continued. “It depends if they feel they have benefited from what they are doing. It is entirely up to them.
“It means the courses are available to absolutely anybody from whatever walk of life, religion, creed or nationality.”
Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India’s most ancient forms of meditation.
Original article no longer available

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Buddhist’s battle to meditate
BBC: A Buddhist from Essex was forced to apply for planning permission to meditate in his own patch of woodland.
Edward James, 51, from Westcliff-on-Sea, wanted to use North Wood near Hockley to practice his religion with friends.
As a Buddhist, Mr James hoped to use the site, which overlooks a river, as his path to enlightenment, but found his route was blocked by local planners.
A complaint from a nearby landowner alerted Rochford District Council to his meditation and the planning department stepped in.
Searched for years
Mr James was told his meditation would require the authority’s consent as it was a change of use for the land.
Read the rest of this article…
“I searched for a suitable piece of land for years before finding this one.”
The council has now agreed to the change of use, but the whole episode has left Mr James saddened.
“If I had known how difficult it was going to be, all the paperwork that it involved and the battles that I have had to fight, I would be tempted to say I would not have bothered.
Test of commitment
“But I think in the end I would have moved heaven and high water to reach my goal.
“It has certainly been a test of my commitment.”
Shaun Scrutton, the council’s head of planning, said there was no “mystery” about the situation, just an application of the rules.
“Planning is about the use of land and on this occasion the proposals were for an organised permanent use and that required planning consent from the authority,” he said.
Buddhist monk helps rugby club
BBC: A rugby club is calling on the skills of a Buddhist monk to help improve their game.
Caerphilly Rugby Club have enlisted the help of Gelong Thubten to help the players better their performance on the field.
It is hoped that the ancient art of meditation will help the Welsh premiership squad to improve their final scores for the rest of the season.
So far this year, the club has lost six of its 10 games, but they hope that they will hit a winning streak after a few sessions with Thubten.
Mike Johns, the honorary secretary of the club, who helped arrange the course said it was about “focusing the minds of all those involved”.
“I have spoken to a couple of players individually just to get a bit of feedback on how they feel.
“The ones I have spoken to are taking it with an open mind and are perhaps a little bit excited about what they can learn and what they can take on board.”
Thubten, who became a monk in 1993, was invited to the club after the management heard about his techniques.
“I am going to teach them meditation techniques to allow them to focus and relax,” he said.
“Meditation is simply learning to train the mind, learning to focus the mind, learning to relax the mind.”
But he says he has tailored his relaxation techniques to ensure the rugby players are not too relaxed as they are about to kick-off a match.
“I am going to be teaching them to be aware of the present moment while they are moving,” he said.
“I haven’t worked with sports people before and I am very excited about it.”
And how does he think a traditional burly rugby player is going to react to his meditation training?
“I have worked with some pretty hostile people before but I am sure that the rugby players are going to be fine.”
Thubten starts his training sessions with the club next week with relaxation techniques and ways of improving positive thinking.