Are you looking to add to your existing skill set? Are you a practitioner who is interested in adding a group activity to what you already offer at your practice? Have you considered learning how to run group meditation sessions? ntpages caught up with Lisa Forde - Holistic Living Counsellor, Trainer and Director of the Australian Centre for Holistic Studies – to share her wisdom on this ancient discipline!
Tell us a bit about your background and how you came to be involved with meditation?
"I studied Psychology at Melbourne University and have a Diploma in Holistic Living Counselling , Advanced Certificate in Counselling Children Holistically and a Cert IV in Workplace training and assessment.
Meditation has been a part of my life since I was 16 and in my final year of high school (and experienced my first stressful experience of exams). I then returned to it later in life to help me separate myself from my problems in very tough times. When I was struggling, meditation allowed me to experience myself as a more expanded, spiritual and wise person. Removing myself from the limitations of my current thinking, allowed new solutions to present and helped to relieve the stress I was going through.
No matter how difficult life was, meditation was always there for me. Even when well-meaning friends and family did their best to help, they couldn’t possibly know how I felt. Instead through meditation, I connected to a source of inner comfort that was with me no matter what I was experiencing.
I had attended many meditation groups and explored guided meditation in my holistic living counselling studies and in many other courses. Over 10 years ago I started facilitating guided visualization and meditation groups in a nearby shop and absolutely loved sharing this inspirational healing tool with others. Our meditation experiences were wonderful and as the group grew a core group of us stayed together. The longer we meditated together, the more synchronicities occurred in our lives and meditations. Each week was an exciting new adventure as we explored our inner worlds together. Over time I developed a unique meditation technique that worked well in my group.
Members of the group accelerated their personal growth quickly and long running members of the group asked me to teach them my technique so that they could start teaching. This was the beginning of this course, which has since been developed and expanded."
Which form of meditation do you use and why?
"Whether attending or guiding groups, my favourite technique is Guided Visualization.
Guided Visualization gives the mind some stimulating bones to chew on while the body, spirit and emotions become engaged in a relaxing, enchanting and inspiring journey. As we become engaged in the journey, we barely realise that we are taking gentle steps into the sphere of meditation. We have our hand held through every step, and gradually we relax more and more. Eventually we find ourselves suspended in bliss and all we had to do was listen and trust the journey. I can’t think of a better and more enjoyable way to be led into meditation than this!
Meditation occurs when we arrive at a place of surrender during the visualization. The visualization is the technique, and once we get there, the technique is lifted and the participant is left to enjoy the floating feelings of meditation.
Eventually, when this floating feeling becomes more familiar, less technique (visualization in this case) is required and participant can move more independently into deeper states.
In my personal meditation practise music is very important to me and helps me relax quickly."
I have always viewed meditation as a solitary, personal activity…
"It can be both a solitary activity and something to share with others. One helps the other. Beginners or those who seek meditation as a stress management tool may find group meditation more effective as they may need more support in order to relax."
What are the benefits of a group approach?
"By meditating in a group as well as at home, you can develop your meditation technique much faster. Meditating in a group creates a powerful energy and you can harness this energy to accelerate your development, especially as a beginner. As you become familiar with the feeling of advanced stages of meditation, and how to get there, you will find your meditation at home will become much easier.
With a good facilitator you can also be exposed to new techniques that you might not otherwise know if working in isolation. Meditation takes time and patience to develop; so meditating in a group helps keep you motivated and committed.
In my courses I teach facilitators to create their guided meditations according to the energy and needs of the group. When a facilitator does this, meditations can be extremely relevant and helpful in assisting participants through life’s trials and their own personal development, a very healing and joyful experience. Each week participants get to experience a new visualization rather than listening to the same one every day at home.
As a culture, technology, distance, hectic lifestyles and the decline of religions as a source of community coherence has resulted in people living more isolated lives. Depression and anxiety is on the rise for many reasons, but isolation is a major cause. Meditation groups are an accessible and friendly way for people to enjoy a group activity in a gentle, supportive and non-threatening atmosphere.
For natural health practitioners, meditation groups are a great way to open up to a wider client base and to build exposure, trust and rapport with potential clients. I found this was the case for my holistic counselling practise. I could refer people both ways. For counsellors, meditation groups provide a safe and supportive forum for group therapy and for people to begin the process of seeking help."
What setting could group meditation be used in?
"The settings for group meditations are limitless. My students and graduates use group meditations in schools with children and teachers, community groups, corporate stress management and team building, in fitness and health, for people affected by disabilities, in counselling and relaxation therapy, social workers can use guided meditation to support specific issues, to support post natal depression in hospitals and maternal child health centres, spiritual or religious groups, before or during massage, general stress management and relaxation, to bring comfort to those experiencing loss or trauma, to support anxiety, for wellbeing retreats and much more."
What makes for an effective group meditation leader?
"An effective group leader is willing to be vulnerable. The more comfortable we are with ourselves, the more powerful and effective the healing experiences we can offer others. As we open to our vulnerability we can go deeper into meditation and access new experiences to share with our group. The journey to developing this trust is often a healing journey in itself and many graduates say that this is what they enjoy most about the course. The training is designed to gradually help practitioners develop more trust and confidence in their intuition and creativity.
An effective leader is sensitive to the needs of the group and has the courage to challenge the group when necessary. They are supportive, compassionate and engaged, but most importantly they love what they do!"
Tell us about your online training course in group meditation?
"The Certificate in Facilitating Guided Visualization and Meditation trains and qualifies you to run meditation groups. You will learn the technique and develop the trust and confidence required to create and deliver original meditations in any environment. You will also develop your communication and group leadership skills.
Upon successful completion of the course you will be eligible for IICT Membership and Professional Insurance with OAMS insurance brokers."
Who is this course suitable for?
"Natural health practitioners, massage therapists, psychologists, social workers, counsellors, teachers, group facilitators, support group facilitators, and anyone who wants to run a meditation group in their local community. Some experience in meditation is necessary."
What is the structure and length of the course?
"The course is fully home based and we have students from all over Australia and overseas.
You can complete the course at your own pace- take from 3 to 12 months depending on your schedule. Students report that they love the meditations they listen to and create in the course, and that it barely feels like study as it is so nurturing and creative and gives you a real lift!
Close contact is maintained with myself, the course facilitator, and your personal coach, who provides written feedback on all your sessions and talks you through the feedback on a personalized call after each session. I conduct monthly online classes for the group and there is a 2 day home based meditation retreat which we also conduct in small groups."
Visit the Australian Centre for Holistic Studies for more information on this subject.
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