The meditator tries to extend this same kindness to all beings, like a shining sun that illuminates without distinction everything in its path.
Matthieu Ricard
While it seems that the science of compassion is a newly evolving field of research and understanding, the premises are as ancient as the practices we now see being promoted to bring kindness back to life in our society. Indeed, the practices of mindfulness, meditation, and yoga are those which throughout the generations before evidence could objectively demonstrate their benefits to the physicality of the mind-body, proved their benefits through subjective accounts of equanimity, joy, resilience, and longevity.
With this in mind however, it cannot be negated that the practices we bring to the mat here at BIYOME are cultivated not only from the ancient texts, but importantly from the extensive research and understanding being undertaken in the field’s of Interpersonal Neurobiology, Compassion Focused Therapy, and indeed within the bounds of the research evolved from Peter Levine, Stephen Porges, Pat Ogden, Ron Siegel, Richard Davidson, Matthieu Ricard, and the like.
What this means in a most practical sense, is that we know the practices we offer facilitate benefits such as:
- Good vagal tone – heightened communicative links between the body and the brain via the vagus nerve;
- Higher heart-rate variability – the adaptability of the fluctuations in timing between heartbeats;
- A reduction in the size of the amygdala – enabling heightened cognitive and emotive control;
- A greater diversity of microbiome – leading to overall well-being through the promotion of serotonin and other gut created neurotransmitters; and
- Greater control of sensation, perception, and interpretation – leading to heightened feelings of self-worth and the ability to manage difficult physical sensation.
It brings us much joy to be able to facilitate a space for these benefits to begin to enrich our society. And so, we have included here a range of yoga and meditation practices for you to try, alongside an interview with the founder of Compassion Focused Therapy, Paul Gilbert.
Compassion Focused Yoga Therapy and Meditation Teacher Training
Food-Mood Yoga and Meditation Therapy
Mindfulness for a Meaningful Life
If you would like to contact Celia to learn more about the meditation teacher training journey, please do visit our Meditation Teacher Training Page or find us on Facebook or Instagram or contact Celia directly.