Meditation, Contemplation and Teacher Training - a pictorial essay

There is something quite magical that happens when 30 people with altruistic intention come together to learn how to teach meditation to others. Ruth and I have just had this wonderful experience, when along with our colleague Murray Paterson we led a widely varied group through 5 days of Meditation Teacher Training, where this time the specific focus was upon contemplation.

It has been well said that to teach someone else to meditate is one of the greatest gifts you can give. Then when it comes to contemplation, this is a personal practice that offers so much, and yet it is taught so infrequently, and for which there are hardly any books in print.

So our group came together, learnt theory (from our 200+ page manual), practised on each other, meditated and contemplated together; and the atmosphere was buzzing!!!

Not sure I can remember a more upbeat group or training for many long years; it was all such a delight; not the least as the spring was in full bloom at the Yarra Valley Living Centre so lovingly cherished by the BKs.

So it felt that this was a good time to produce another photographic essay – to convey something of the feeling of the training, and to celebrate all these amazing meditation teachers to be…

But first, 

      Thought for the day

Through the wisdom that comes from hearing (listening to teachings), 

You are able to recognize the disturbing emotions.

Then through the wisdom that comes from reflection (contemplation), 

You are able to overcome the disturbing emotions temporarily.

And finally, through the wisdom that comes through meditation 

You conquer completely the enemy of negative emotions,

And obtain the confidence of the inexpressible wisdom 

Of discriminating awareness.

                         Chokyi Drakpa

Contemplation has five main benefits:

1. Clarity – we learn how to use the thinking mind more logically and make good decisions

2. Insight – we learn how to gain deeper understanding of the knowledge we hold

3. Intuition – we learn how to access profound truths; directly and independently of thinking and  emotions 

4. Creativity – we learn how to access deep wells of creativity that can lead to both innovation and artistic creations

5. Embodiment – we learn how to take an idea, an intellectual understanding, into our body, into our heart; to live it and to become more authentic.  

Contemplation is one of the most powerful self-empowering tools there are...

And so, the training…

    Five days, fully residential, 30 people; 

    The altruism to teach:

   The beauty of the Upper Yarra Valley in spring

   

      And some of the wildlife 

   – this happy fellow right outside 

      the Meditation Sanctuary

    

      Meditating together

     Learning together

        Eating together

      Noble conversation together

     

        Laughing and energising each other

     Practising leading meditation 

     and contemplation together

                                                                                 Promises of things to come… 

Teachers of the future… 

A celebration…

NEXT YEAR

Meditation Training and Retreat Plans for 2025 :

May 12 - 15   Meditation Teacher Training - 1: Meditation

June 2 - 8    Meditation Retreat with Contemplation the focus

November 1 - 5   Meditation Teacher Training - 3: Guided Imagery

November 14 - 16   Deep, Natural Peace: Weekend Meditation Retreat

All planned to be held at The Yarra Valley Living Centre

Details will appear on the website soon....

The Gawler Meditation Teacher Training – May and November 2024

Have you ever considered becoming a teacher of meditation? Some make a career out of it; many teach part-time within their communities, workplaces, schools; there are many possibilities…

Having led my first meditation teacher training program way back in 1988, it is a real delight to be able to offer 2 programs in 2024. Ruth and I love teaching teachers and we will be joined by Murray Paterson who has a wealth of experience in adult education and meditation practice and teaching.

These Gawler meditation teacher trainings will be personalised, interactive and fun. They will be informed by ancient wisdom, our collective experiences, and the best of modern research. Maybe it is time to join us?, but first

Thought for the day

Learning to meditate is the greatest gift 

You can give yourself or another in this life.

For it is only through meditation 

That we can undertake the journey

To discover our true nature,

And so find the stability and confidence 

We will need to live, and to die, well.

We are calling these the Gawler meditation teacher trainings. There are two modules. Each stands independently, but ideally you would join both as they do build on and complement each other. Completing both trainings does meet the 80 hour learning requirement that is an essential pre-requisite for joining Meditation Australia. Our courses are accredited by Meditation Australia for this purpose. 

Each module is fully residential. Sure, many people do like to learn things online and often do so successfully, but this is meditation. It is best learnt directly, in person. Also, by being residential there is a huge bonus. You leave your normal life behind for a few days and in doing so, you can concentrate fully on the program, and importantly, you will have some time to yourself…

Have you ever been on a holiday where it was fun, yet you returned and a few days later it was all over; almost forgotten? Sure, the schedules are quite full for the trainings, but we have factored in some free time for self-reflection, walking amongst the beautiful – and inspiring – grounds of the Yarra Valley Living Centre; and there are the dual possibilities of time to talk with like-minded people, and some time for simply being quiet. It will be worth the effort to make the time, to travel and to attend in person. Come back from this and life will be different, and you will have a skill you can use into the future…

Meditation Teacher Training – Module 1: Mindfulness-based Stillness Meditation

11am Monday 6th to 3.30pm Friday 10th May, 2024

The Mindfulness-based Stillness Meditation module will cover all the essentials of how to present a meditation course in-person or online. 

(Yes we do help you with how to present online as we recognise so many people are requesting this for actual meditation programs). 

A comprehensive approach to meditation that covers preparation, relaxation, concentration and mindfulness plus stillness. 

An approach to meditation that goes to the very essence… 

Theory, delivery, session structures, promotion, finances, the special challenges and needs of online courses, and more…

Developed for those new to teaching meditation, and for those wanting to go further.

Meditation Teacher Training – Module 2: Contemplation

11am Saturday 2nd to 3.30pm Wednesday 6th November, 2024 

(inc Melbourne Cup holiday on the 5th for Victorians)

So many people in so many domains recommend the benefits of contemplation. Yet who is teaching how to do it? Very few it seems… This contemplation training will position you to be able to offer your community something of great value – a reliable way to practice contemplation. This training is also manual based and will enable you to deliver a much-needed program.

Of great personal value, this training is suitable for those new to teaching meditation, and for those wanting to go further. 

Highly experiential, it will provide a review of the first module that will have given more attention to the basics of how to develop, manage and deliver a meditation program or course. 

Here we will give some attention to theory, research, delivery, session structures, promotion, finances, the special challenges of online courses, but the emphasis will be on experiencing the key practices of contemplation, and working on how to best present a course focussing upon contemplation.

As a feature, ongoing mentorship can be considered for people completing these trainings.

Additional information and Booking details are available via this link

How to apply for either or both meditation teacher trainings:

1.     The first step is to contact our Retreat Manager, Sandy Clinton and express your interest via sandy@insighthealth.com.au or call 0432 240 427. 

Sandy will reply with more program details and forward our Application Form. 

2.     Once Sandy has received your completed application, she will arrange a short phone conversation to clarify what the trainings offer, discuss your needs, answer any questions and ensure the program is suitable for you. 

3.     Once accepted for the training(s), you pay a deposit or full fee to reserve your place.

4.     Full payment is due 3 weeks prior to the commencement of your training.

ALSO – ADVANCED NOTICE for MEDITATION in the FOREST! June 2024

It is back! After COVID, lock downs, so many ups and downs… 

Join us for the very popular Meditation in the Forest 7 day meditation retreat. 

Open to and suitable for both those newer to meditation, and those more experienced. 

Relaxation, mindfulness, stillness and awareness. 

Ruth and I will be joined by the Melissa Borich who brings all her experience in personal practice and teaching yoga and meditation for many years. 

For your part? 

Simply make the time and come along…

Relax. Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the Yarra Valley with its big trees, fresh air, beautiful grounds, the Little Yarra River, and sublime meditation sanctuary.

You can simply let go, and let be…

TIMES: Saturday 22nd June starting at 11am to 2pm Friday 28th June (after lunch) 2024

VENUE: The Yarra Valley Living Centre, 55 Rayner Crt, Yarra Junction, Victoria, Australia

DETAILS and BOOKINGS: Will be posted on the website soon, and will be featured in the next blog… 

 

Meditation-Teacher-Training-with-Ruth-and-Ian-Gawler

Meditation is the greatest gift you can give to your self or to someone else. Learning to teach meditation accomplishes both things. There is no better way to learn something than to teach it; and to teach meditation you need to understand it well and to practise regularly.

So this week, a call for you to consider training as a meditation teacher, or to pass this information on and encourage a colleague, friend or family member to take it up.

In this dynamic world we live in, where so much is changing, where there is so much uncertainty and fear; there has never been a more urgent time for more people to take up meditation. One suspects that if a significant percentage of the population meditated regularly, the world would be a far more liveable, sane, happy and meaningful place.

What then happens during our meditation teacher training programs? This week, we get to find out, but first




             Thought for the day

A hundred times every day 
I remind myself that my inner and outer life 
Depend on the labors of other men, 
Living and dead, 
And that I must exert myself 
In order to give in the same measure 
As I have received. 

                            Albert Einstein





Ruth and I love teaching others to teach meditation.

People who aspire to teach meditation are such a fine bunch. They may be health professionals – doctors, psychologists, counselors, natural therapists etc; they may be teachers or leaders in their corporate workplaces, they may be meditators who have felt the benefits of their own practice and are inspired to pass on those benefits.

When they come together to learn, these people create an incredible atmosphere.

We really enjoy their passion. In our view, meditation is the best of all self-help techniques, because as we know, the mind decides how we think, how we react, what we do. Meditation helps us to get to know our own mind – how it does work, what it is capable of. And our aspiring teachers are committed to helping others receive the benefits of a calm and clear mind.


Our training then, consists of a 5 day residential program. 

It is conducted amidst the natural beauty and comfort of the Yarra Valley Living Centre, and is presented as part of a complete training package.

The Gawler Foundation has been teaching meditation teachers since I first started doing this in 1988.

These days The Foundation presents two 5 day modules.

One is presented by our colleagues and friends Paul and Maia Bedson (Remember Paul is the co-author of Meditation – An In-depth Guide). The Bedson’s module focuses on preparing to teach an 8 week Mindfulness Based Stillness Meditation course.

The module Ruth and I present prepares the teachers to teach two 4 week courses; one on Contemplation, the other Guided Imagery. This includes theoretical and research aspects of how the mind functions and how this knowledge leads into understanding and utilizing the benefits of affirmations and imagery.

The program itself is highly experiential. While there is a good theoretical background that we study, during the training there are also many sessions where we break into small groups for supervised practice in leading meditation sessions.

There is also good time devoted for questions, answers and discussion.

There are very thorough manuals all participants receive that give explicit detail on how to present the material.


It may be worthwhile to point out that as yet, not so much is taught these days on Contemplation or Guided Imagery, despite both being profoundly helpful. Many people report how these techniques have transformed their lives for the better, and my sense is that with more and more people taking up and benefiting from basic mindfulness practices, there will soon be a big wave of people having the sense there is more on offer and enquiring as to what comes next.

Also, perhaps not surprisingly, most people who attend these trainings report how beneficial they are for their own practice. There is a deepening of their understanding and of their experience.

Membership 
Completing both modules will meet the training requirements for Provisional membership of the peak professional body for meditation teachers, The Meditation Association of Australia (MAA) - see their website for current details. Other Meditation Retreats facilitated at the Yarra Valley Living Centre could contribute to these registration requirements.

So, is this something for you? 
A new vocation perhaps? Something extra you can add to what you are already doing???

Is there someone you know how may be interested? If so, please do share your enthusiasm. Speaking personally, it is wonderful to teach anyone to meditate, but when we help another person to take up being a teacher, we know there will be a big flow on effect.

What better time than now?

For details, click here

or phone the Gawler Foundation directly on +61 3 5967 1730.

NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT

April 7 – 13th     Meditation in the Forest - MEDITATION and CONTEMPLATION

This is our annual Pre-Easter 7 day retreat at the Yarra Valley Living Centre. Each year we learn a little more about relaxation, mindfulness and meditation, and we practice together. Then each year there is a specific theme; this year it is contemplation. There is not so much written on contemplation, and very few retreats on this specific topic, yet in my experience it is one of the most useful and profound elements to add to our practice. 

NEXT CANCER RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM

April 24 – 28th Cancer and Beyond

For many people these days, living with cancer is an ongoing reality. So how to do that? How to live fully and well in the potential shadow of a major illness? It seems to me to be virtually essential to regularly take time out, to stand back, to re-assess, to keep on track, to get back on track when necessary, to clarify the confusion that is so easy to get into with all that is in the Press and on the net, and to perhaps most importantly, to be re-inspired and re- enthused for the journey ahead.