BREATHWORK SESSIONS
OPEN YOUR BREATH, OPEN YOUR LIFE
Breathwork is a powerful approach to self- exploration and personal empowerment that relies on our innate inner wisdom and its capacity to move us toward positive transformation and wholeness. I will show you how to use the breath in various way depending on what stage of healing you are exploring. This process will help facilitate great changes and new understandings about your life.
Breathwork can support all healing processes and is particularly supportive of the following :
Anxiety
Depression
Stress
Lethargy
Pain management
Lack of creativity
Energy levels
Balancing the nervous system
Trauma release
“Being on the spiritual path since my late teens, I’ve experimented with many healing modalities including meditation, EFT, energy psyche therapy, Somatic Experiencing and Hakomi. I appreciate Derek’s extensive background in these modalities and was grateful that he introduced me to breathwork during our session. By skillfully guiding me back to the breath and utilizing hands-on somatic therapy, Derek enabled me to access and release deep layers of unconscious emotion and clear stagnant and blocked energy. This was followed by a refractory period of rest, integration and debriefing. I’m excited to experience another session with him!”
DEDICATING OUR PRACTICE
At the end of each meditation we can offer the fruits of our practice to all beings.
It's important that this offering is a deeply somatic experience, that you allow yourself to feel this goodness radiate and extending outwards from your body.
MEDITATION INSTRUCTION
TRANSFORM YOUR PRACTICE
AS A MEDITATION PRACTITIONER FOR 17 YEARS, I LOVE TEACHING PEOPLE THE TOOLS AND REFINEMENTS THEY NEED TO DEVELOP STABILITY AND RESILIENCE IN THEIR DAILY PRACTICE. I TEACH TECHNIQUES THAT UTILIZE THE SUBTLE BODY AND ALLOW US TO COME SETTLE AND RETURN TO THE CENTER OF OURSELVES IN A DEEPLY SOMATIC WAY.
Before any meditation practice, I encourage clients to ensure their system is not overly agitated and strongly advise they complete some form of practices from the Nurturer. For example, I often recommend clients first engage in a simple “shaking” practice that can help to relieve the excess energy from our system which allows us to come to a natural stillness in the body rather than an imposed one.
I have found it most useful to use certain “Hot Spots” in the body to anchor our attention. “Hot Spots” are places where the energy and felt-sense of the body is naturally strong and therefore easier to focus on. These Hot Spots serve as the foundation for the Somatic Meditation I teach. Using these somatic gateways makes it much easier to stabilize our attention during meditation for periods of time. I generally start by introducing people to two “Hot Spots” in the lower belly. One advantage of this is that when we focus our attention low in the body, our thinking naturally slows down as a by-product of the practice. I find it useful to help clients access the feminine “hot spot” in the front of the belly first, allowing them to somatically experience warmth and soothing as they deepen their focus. Once their focus and attention is established in this place, we move to the masculine hot spot close to the spine at the back of the belly which allows us to feel a somatic stability and strength.
After these points have been established, I help people come into the somatic core of the masculine in their body, their spine. The spine is the very core of our being as a person and when we enter its felt sense, we naturally come into contact with the qualities of the “backbone” and resolve.
“Derek’s attunement was so spot on that he was able to meet me exactly where I was at in my inner world. His guidance and encouragement during the exploration had me looking at the blind-spots that I would have otherwise ignored and so missed the opportunity of insight that was available in that moment. I highly recommend working with Derek, some of my most profound realizations have come through our work together.”
Creating a Meditation Space at Home
We all need a special place that we can escape to and connect with our own higher power. It helps recharge our energy and keeps us balanced.
I have created a beautiful meditation room on the loft balcony of my Sydney Terrace home. Each time I walk past my sacred space it soothes my soul.
I love to do my daily chants, yoga and meditations in my own sacred space.
However you can do whatever you want in your space: you can read, sleep, sing, knit, read angel cards and the list goes on.
You will be taking a courageous step in your spiritual development by creating a beautiful energy-space in your home.
It will be a safe haven to listen to your soul and get the answers to your questions... Sacred spaces can be created anywhere, even if it is just a tiny corner in your bedroom. There are no rules to creating your own meditation room or sacred space. Follow your heart and put in everything that you love. The space should feel like bliss, it should be a place where you can just be alone and relaxed.
Follow your bliss and let’s get started. Here are some ideas to create a beautiful sacred space.
1. Choose a room or space that makes you feel good.
Take into consideration the lighting, the quietness and how many people walk through it. Will it be a place of solace? If you don't have a whole room to dedicate to your sacred space then choose a corner of a room, or somewhere in your garden. You may even like to put up a bamboo screen to create the feeling of a separate space.
2. Keep the room simple and uncluttered.
Choose a few items that find bring you peace and serenity. Some basics would be a meditation pillow, a small table, a mat and maybe a nice throw rug.
3. Add a touch of nature.
Mediation is all about connecting with nature and your surrounds. By adding an element of nature, you space becomes infused with balance and harmony. You can place your favourite plant, a vase of flowers, a jar of shells, a small water feature or whatever else it is that you find beautiful in nature.
4. Soothe your soul with music.
Music is not necessary however if you live in a noisy city, a piece of soothing music or chants will help bring tranquillity and peace. Alternatively, you can add a small fountain in your meditation room. The crisp trickling sound of water will also make the room soothing and serene.
5. Create a beautiful aroma.
It helps you stay focused and fills your space with beautiful and soothing energies. You can put some incense, aromatic oils or candles with meditative scents in the room. If you use candles, it can be very meditative to just watch the flame flicker.
6. Personalize your space.
To make your meditation space more personal and tranquil, you can add anything that soothes your soul. You can add bells and chimes, a statue of Buddha, affirmation stones, crystals, beads or any artwork that provides you with immense peace and serenity. You can also get the room painted in your favourite colors.
How To Meditate
For those of you who have been practicing meditation for some time, there is no meditation teaching on these group meditations and you are free to practice in any way that works for you. One of the most important parts of this group is that it is open to anyone who feels a value in a regular commitment to practice regardless of their beliefs or how they are drawn to practice.