A Methods of Masters Practice Class

 “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” -- Leo Tolstoy

This Class is Designed For:

• Those who are new to mediation.
• Those who abandoned the technique but want to start again,
• Those want to use it as a tool for skill building.

Learn The Knowledge

This is designed as an introductory class, presenting a fundamental understanding of why it is important to learn how to relax and meditate to prevent adverse psychological and physiological problems associated with stress.  

Develop The Skill

Inside the class there are a number of audios and videos providing samples of how one should practice. And there are exercises to go through and assignments to complete. The class also contains discussion forums and methods to get feedback from the instructor and class participants.

One Will Learn:

• How stress affects the mind and body,
• Why meditation positively impacts the mind and body.
• To use the breath as a means of relaxing,
• To relax the voluntary muscles using the mind,
• To choose an object for meditation and concentrate on this.

    

Module 1: How Stress Affects the Mind-Body

Image by: Uoaei1 Das Kreuz am Blassenstein bei Scheibbs (Niederösterreich), darunter dichter Nebel im Erlauf- und Donautal.

Description

Many people with rotten stress management techniques end up needing professional help. In some cases, this cry for help comes for the ravages of acute stress; in other cases, the health professional is seeing the impact of chronic stress.

Chronic stress is a contributing factor to conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), ulcers, and atherosclerosis (closing of the arteries, typically around the heart.) While acute stress generates anxiety, worry and is associated nasty emotions such as anger.

The module helps you understand the distress associated with stress.

Learning Objectives

• Discover the impact of acute and chronic stress on the body.
• Know how stress impacts the normal functioning of the mind.
• Know the relationship between stress, illness and immune suppression.
• Understand how increasing stress levels impact work performance.

Application Assignment

• Produce a personal profile documenting your intellectual, emotional, behavioral, contextual and physiological stress symptoms.

Module 2: Using the Breath To Relax

Image Source; National Cancer Institute. Anatomy of the respiratory system, showing the trachea and both lungs, diaphram, and their lobes and airways.

Description:

For many, there is a vague understanding that when anxious, one breathes faster and shallower. At extreme levels of stress, some start breathing “like a dog” and will even hyperventilate.

However, the reverse is also true, breathing slowly and deeply relaxes the mind and the body. However, few people understand how to use the breath to relax.

This module will show you how to use the deep breath technique to quickly relax.

Learning Objectives:

• Discover the relationship between the breath and feeling anxious or feeling relaxed.
• Experiment with slow breathing to control and reduce stress.
• Practice using the deep breath technique to reduce anxiety.

Application Assignment

• Practice using the different variations of the Deep Breath Technique to reduce the impact of stressors in our life.

Module 3: Mastering the Fine Art of Progressive Relaxation

Source: Welcome Trust. Muscles Man’, Pseudo-Galen, Anathomia

Description:

Stress is associated with a physiological mechanism known as the “fight or flight” response; meditation is associated with the exact opposite mechanism, the relaxation response. So while stress results in anxiety and worry, meditation generates peace and serenity.

Meditation has been used for thousands of years in the East, but it is relatively new to the West. Since it is relatively new, most people don’t understand its benefits. This module explains the primary benefits for learning meditation. Benefits that include but are not limited to reduction of stress and anxiety.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the physical and psychological benefits associated with the regular practice of meditation.
• Discover the positive aspect of meditation on the mind and body.
• Learn the access steps necessary to enter a meditative state.

Application Assignments

• Practice accessing the meditative state. While meditating, choose between several different types of meditation objects. Explore how to better this special state of mind.

Module 4: Learning How to Mediate

A Mandala made available as a post on Google+ by the Dalai Lama

Description:

Stress is associated with a physiological mechanism known as the “fight or flight” response; meditation is associated with the exact opposite mechanism, the relaxation response. So while stress results in anxiety and worry, meditation generates peace and serenity.

Meditation has been used for thousands of years in the East, but it is relatively new to the West. Since it is relatively new, most people don’t understand its benefits. This module explains the primary benefits for learning meditation. Benefits that include but are not limited to reduction of stress and anxiety.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the physical and psychological benefits associated with the regular practice of meditation.
• Discover the positive aspect of meditation on the mind and body.
• Learn the access steps necessary to enter a meditative state.

Application Assignments

• Practice accessing the meditative state. While meditating, choose between several different types of meditation objects. Explore how to better this special state of mind.