Meditation FAQs

I teach Vedic Meditation, which is a 4-day, in-person or online, comprehensive meditation course for beginners and experienced meditators alike. I teach mainly in Lisbon and London.

‘Vedic’ is an English version of the Sanskrit word ‘Veda’ which means ‘to know’. This technique and its teachings draw from the cognitive sciences and the 5000+ year-old body of wisdom derived from India known as the Veda — knowledge governing the unity of the laws of nature and human consciousness from which meditation, yoga and Ayurveda are derived.

In Vedic meditation thoughts are a part of the process, so there is no need to still the mind or focus on any one thing. During the 4-session course you’ll learn just like everyone else that you actually can meditate effortlessly and you'll gain a greater understanding of what meditation is. You’ll also find your attention span is likely to increase as you dissolve stress and settle the over-activity of your nervous system. This means more calmness and clarity with the ability to focus on tasks in daily life.

I work with both beginner and experienced meditators who are interested in learning how to meditate with ease (without having to rely on apps, guidance, or drop-in studios).

Yes you will! The 4-session course is designed to take people from no meditation experience (or some experience) all the way through to mastering the Vedic meditation technique. The practice itself is simple and natural, and you will experience the benefits of the technique from your very first session. Absolutely anyone can learn, kids through to adults, and there is continual support after the course to help you make meditation a daily practice.

The word mantra comes from the ancient Sanskrit language and translates as; manas = mind and tra = vehicle. In Vedic meditation, we use the mantra as a vehicle to draw the mind inwards into deeper more restful states. The mantra you receive is a simple sound with no intended meaning and this ‘mind vehicle’ will be selected for you to create the most effortless meditation experience. There are thousands of different mantras or 'mind vehicles' that are used in different techniques, each with their own function and outcome. Receiving a personal mantra and correct instruction for Vedic meditation gives you a deeper experience and allows you to advance your practice over the years.

No, just the opposite. Meditators find that they are even sharper, more driven and more focused.

You don’t turn into a spaced-out bliss bunny. You actually get better at dealing with the things that matter in your life. You also get clearer about what those priorities are.

You can start by either booking a course straight away or attending my complementary Intro to Meditation talk, where you meet me in person, and learn how Vedic Meditation works and how it's taught. You will get all of your questions answered and then decide whether you want to move forward with the training.

The training will usually take place a few days after an Intro talk and continues over four days for 90 minutes each day. In order to complete the training, you will be asked to attend one 90-minute session a day on each of the four days. The sessions are usually scheduled before or after standard work and school hours.

My class sizes are usually between 5-10 people. I purposely cap the number to insure that I can provide a generous amount of personal attention to each person.

Not at all. When you learn in the course, it will be sitting comfortably on a lounge. When you practice this technique at home, all that’s required is that you sit upright with the back-supported.

When you compare what you're getting to other available offerings, this course is actually the least expensive way to properly learn how to meditate. You get personal instruction from an expert teacher, you get a minimum of two years free support from that teacher (with no monthly subscription fees), as well as the ability to audit any Vedic Meditation teacher's future courses for free, plus free access to the larger meditation community. After conducting deeper research on other meditation offerings, you'll see that the value of learning Vedic Meditation far exceeds the cost (make sure to ask the other offerings you're considering what their ongoing support options look like).

Since there's no way for any meditation training to show you what your life will be like after a week or a year of meditation, without you first going through the process, the best way to see how it might help you is to read our reviews.

We ask people yo leave reviews with their honest assessment of their experience, good or bad

We all have 24 hours in a day to work with. Where you invest your time depends on what you learn, experience and receive. The ancient wisdom traditions have always said that spending a small amount of time meditating has a profound impact on your eyes open experience of life.

2 x 20 minute sessions of Vedic meditation, morning and afternoon, takes up about 3% of your day. And the affect that has on the other 97% is supremely life changing. Considering the average person invests about 8% of their day on Facebook alone, taking 3% of your time to meditate seems a pretty worthwhile investment. Especially if you're wanting more balance, less stress and greater creativity.

The training is designed for skeptics and people with busy minds. By the end of the training, everyone gets it. Usually, people who think they are going to be tough cases are pleasantly surprised by how easy meditation feels when they learn and practice the counterintuitive mechanics for moving beyond their busy mind. It's much easier than you think. However, it's up to you to stick with it. And if you fall off the wagon, it's reassuring to know that you can come back at any time for a free reboot, either with me or with any of my colleagues—even years later.

No, it’s just one payment that you make at the very beginning, and that covers you for life. After your initial training, you are encouraged to stay in contact as often as you can, and get as much support as you need in order to maintain self-sufficiency. As you'll quickly see, the most essential component for success with becoming an enthusiastic daily meditator is learning properly the first time, and having access to the same teacher who taught you months and even years down the line whenever you have questions.

Lifetime support is a necessary component for your success. Anyone who thinks they won't ever need ongoing support has unrealistic expectations about what it truly takes to succeed at meditation. In mine and my colleagues experience of teaching, just about everyone requires at least a minimal level of support and/or inspiration after their initial course ends.

I make sure I do a very thorough job at the beginning, and provide a lot of resources throughout your first two years of meditating. You may also repeat the training, which helps to refine your understanding of the technique and commitment to practicing it.

Step-by-step, you will learn all of the relevant aspects of meditation directly with me. I will walk you through the key principles for meditating in the easiest, most effortless way. You will see that there is nothing arbitrary about meditation; from the way you sit, to the time of day you practice, to the manner in which you treat your thoughts. You will also have plenty of home practice, group practice, and Q&A with me.

By the end of your training, you will be an expert meditator, able to meditate successfully almost anywhere, even with a busy mind. At the conclusion of the course, you will also remain in contact with me in case you have future meditation related questions. Plus you will have an open invitation to return and retake the course whenever it takes place again. None of those options exist with meditation apps.

To be mindful is to be in the present moment. Mindfulness is not a practice, it is an outcome of meditation.

Practicing mindfulness involves effort. You’re thinking about and concentrating on being in the present moment. Thinking and concentrating use effort, and are exhausting. You’re trying hard to be present.

Vedic Meditation is easy. You close your eyes and repeat a mantra. Your mind settles down and your body rests deeply. You automatically release stress and tiredness.

When you come out of meditation, you are spontaneously aware and in the present.

My fellow colleagues and I are independent teachers of Vedic Meditation, which means we're not affiliated with the Transcendental Meditation organization, or any organization for that matter. However, some people who've learned TM have remarked that the Vedic Meditation teaching format is similar to what Transcendental Meditation offers, in that you receive a personalized mantra along with 3 days of follow-up and a lifetime of ongoing support.

Meditation apps are generally devoid of personalized instruction, which is a pre-requisite for mastery, and drop-in studios are the most expensive way to meditate where you're essentially paying by the hour to meditate, with no free support. Most apps and meditation classes offer guided meditation, which is a starter technique. What we teach you is how to meditate successfully on your own (without needing guidance).