the heart-mind
Meditation Workshop
With Cedric Gorinas
« Yogas Citta Vrtti Nirodha – Yoga Sutra Pantajali, Sutra 1.2. » Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.
Already thousands of years ago in India, just as in today’s fast-paced modern world, sages started to notice the mind’s natural tendency to keep busy and move away from the here and now. They developed a technique, what we today call meditation, to bring the attention back to the moment and thereby quiet the intensity of the citta, or mind.
Beyond thoughts, citta is often translated as the “heart-mind” and also includes our emotional and spiritual self. In its pure, calm form, however, the heart-mind describes the true nature of who we are: presence or awareness (“cit”) – i.e. the untouched part of us that remains undisturbed.
This meditation workshop is an invitation for you to reconnect to the pure form of the citta, the “heart-mind”, and move beyond the everyday busy mind. Drawing from classical yoga, nondual tantra, and more modern mindfulness, we will practice various meditation techniques and slowly build up concentration, clarity and, hopefully, an experience of stillness and poise.
Meditation is not easy. Luckily for us, the ancient yoga sages were well aware of the challenges of meditation and discussed them in the yoga texts. We will then explore theoretically and practically how to work with common obstacles to a focused, present mind. You will be able to take the practices and techniques home with you, so you can either integrate them into an already established practice or use them to start one.
Although we will start with some brief, gentle asana to prepare our body for meditation, the primary focus will be sitting meditation. Experience with meditation is recommended but not strictly necessary. Most important is your willingness to turn in- and towards your heart-mind and explore the gifts the practice might have for you.
The meditation sessions will be recorded and each participant will get both the audio files and a written summary after the workshop.
In short, you can expect:
Philosophy-inspired meditation practice and techniques;
Discussion and working with some of the obstacles to meditation;
Experiential exploration of the heart-mind and its underlying quality of pure presence;
Inspiration from ancient wisdom to enrich your practice, daily life, and self-study.
PRACTICALITIES
In addition to comfortable clothes, you will need a journal or notebook, and whatever can make you feel good (snacks, water, extra cushions, etc.).
The event will take place at Yoga Flat (Christianshavn location) on Sunday July 7th (14.00-17.30)
Price: 400 kr. per person. The number of spots is limited.
About Cédric:
I have studied and practiced alignment-based and heart-centered yoga for over 14 years. To me, teaching and practicing yoga is an exploration of discovering what it truly means to be human. I am passionate about the connection between the body, the heart, and the mind, and I always teach yoga and meditation connecting these three together. Allying my physical body with my emotional, mental, and spiritual selves is something I work with every day, both with clients and students and on my own personal growth journey.
Beyond yoga, meditation, and eastern philosophy, I have trained in and personally explored somatic and mindfulness-based psychotherapy along with anatomy, body therapy, and diverse intuitive healing modalities. My intention is to share the world of yoga as a path of inner transformation and empowerment of our work in the world.
Read more about me at heartwiseyoga.com or contact me at cedric@heartwiseyoga.com for more info.