Meditation gives us a sense of calm, peace and balance, and is a practice that can benefit both our emotional well-being and our overall health. At Breathe, we offer private meditation lessons in London and online to help you to connect with yourself and be more present in the world around you. After all, our lives happen in the present moment and studies show that living mindfully in the present allows us to experience less stress and more contentment.

Breathe private meditation lessons help you to train your salience network, the part of the brain that chooses where we place our attention. We use a clear intention to stay focused on an object (such as our breathing) and then notice our distractions. The more we can recognise that we are distracted, the more the salience network is activated; the distraction becomes ‘salient’. 

We also strengthen the alerting network in the brain that helps us sustain focus, the orientating network that brings our attention back to the present moment, and the executive control network, which initiates our attention back to the present. Executive function is key to good planning and organisation in our day. 

In short, all of our private meditation lessons can help to improve your capacity for mental calm and ease, but most of the scientific studies have focused on mindfulness meditation. At Breathe, we’ll recommend whichever method of private meditation that will suit you personally.

Meditation

Meditation is an ancient art and science that some historians date back to approximately 5000 BC. It was mainly practised within religions across Asia and it has now spread throughout the world. Prior to the 20th century, the Western world had little knowledge of meditation, but this is no longer the case. Private meditation lessons have become increasingly popular in recent years and we have certainly noticed an increase in the number of people looking for experienced teachers.

Whether you choose to enjoy your private meditation lessons in London or online, you will learn the three key facets: intention, attention and attitude. Intention is a mental process that may simply be that you have chosen a private meditation lesson to help you become less stressed. Attention involves training the mind to concentrate and self-regulate. With regard to attitude, all of our private meditation teachers will relate to you with an attitude of non-judgement and acceptance and encourage you to behave in the same way towards yourself.

Are All Forms Of Meditation The Same?

There are several different forms of meditation, each using a different method.

Mindfulness Meditation

This is an increasingly popular form of meditation that invites you to place your attention on an object or a sound. For many, this is the sound and sensation of breathing. When your attention wanders during this practice, you simply remind yourself to return to the object of focus. Mindfulness teachers also use this technique to encourage presence in daily life. 

Japa, Mantra Meditation Or Transcendental Meditation (TM©)

These well-known methods of meditation are often recommended as a starting point for those with very active minds and require you to find a quiet place for twenty minutes, twice a day, and repeat a mantra. During your private meditation lessons, you can discuss your mantra with your teacher.

Visualisation

Visualisation invites you to focus on a mental image, which can be an object or a person. Or you may prefer to be guided on an inner journey, which can be extremely relaxing. If you find it easy to work with your visual imagination, you will find this type of meditation very rewarding. 

Loving Kindness Or Metta Bhavana Meditation

Metta Bhavana Meditation invites you to direct positive energy to yourself and then to others. Often practised in Buddhism, Metta Bhavana Meditation encourages you to develop feelings of love and compassion first to yourself and then to all sentient beings. 

When discussing your private meditation lessons, whether in London or online, we at Breathe will guide you towards finding the best method for you.

Private Meditation With Breathe

When you choose Breathe for your private meditation lessons, we’ll send a teacher to your home, office or any location of your choice, or if you prefer we can teach you online instead. Whether you want to practise meditation by itself, or prefer to combine it with yoga or Pilates, we can always tailor your classes to suit your needs.

We’re always excited to introduce newcomers to meditation and will answer any questions that you may have. To find out more, please call +44 20 8452 8322 or fill out our online contact form today.