Spring Cleaning Your Mind

By Ben Turshen. 

It's that time of year. Spring cleaning. Time to donate that third and fourth pair of gray New Balance sneakers. Time to dispose of all the expired medications taking up room in the cabinet above your bathroom sink. Time to go through your closet, your dresser, the bins underneath your bed and get rid of all the "stuff" that is now irrelevant and redundant.

What if you could declutter your mind like you declutter your home? When you practice Vedic Meditation that is exactly what happens.

Without focus or concentration, your awareness settles down to experience a unique state of restful alertness, an inner wakefulness beyond thought. The state of going beyond thought, or transcendence, that is provided by the Vedic Meditation technique allows a direct experience of your most essential self, of the “you” that lies beyond all your thoughts and stress and struggles.

The result of having this experience is more clarity and less "stuff" pulling you away from what is happening, right here, right now. 

Finding the Time

By Ben Turshen. 

When it comes to Vedic Meditation, the meditation technique itself is easy and enjoyable. The mind and body settle down automatically and spontaneously without any effort, focus, or concentration. 

The hard work for most people is finding the time to meditate. Vedic Meditation is a daily practice and the general strategy is to meditate for 20 minutes in the morning and another 20 minutes in the afternoon/evening. For new meditators, this is may be challenging. It was for me.

As a meditation teacher, my role is to teach you how to be a self sufficient meditator. I get you to a place where you can practice this technique correctly and regularly. I work with each student to determine the best way to integrate the practice into their busy lives. Like the gym, you actually have to show up to receive the benefits, but ask anyone who's been practicing consistently and they'll tell you it feels like they've been doing it for years even if they only learned a few weeks ago.

Starting Your New Year with a Clean Slate?

By Ben Turshen. 

Hello Friends, 

I want to help you start 2015 with a clean slate, but the unfortunate truth is that on January 1st, you don't get a clean slate. Your slate is a day more marred and scarred than it was on December 31st. 

Everyday we are being programed by experience. Our past leaves its legacy and that cannot be erased by a change of the calendar date. Despite our intellect telling us that there might be a better way of thinking and acting, our default mode of operating is based on all our yesterdays. It is the equivalent of trying to create a beautiful mural on a wall covered by decades of graffiti and filth.

The new paint does not stick, at least not in the way we intend. If we want to make a change, we need to do some cleaning first. That's what Vedic Meditation does, it clears away the decades of accumulated stress, deletes outdated programing, scrapes off the old paint. It gives us a clean slate, a fresh canvas. From there, we can build and create and evolve into our best selves. 

So if you plan to quit smoking, join a gym or start a new diet, or otherwise try to get your act together, learn Vedic Meditation first. It will give you the foundation for successful positive change. 

Wishing you the best in 2015. 

With Love and Gratitude, 

Ben 

Practicing Gratitude

By Ben Turshen. 

Practicing gratitude is a very simple thing. It doesn't require any special knowledge or ability. That doesn't make it insignificant--quite to the contrary, if the expression is genuine, it is very powerful. It establishes equilibrium.

Gratitude doesn't require a special day, but during the holidays, we're reminded to give thanks for all the good we have in our lives. 

The technique of Vedic Meditation completely transformed me. I would never imagine my life without it. There is nothing I can think of that would even come close to replacing what this simple meditation practice has given me--happiness, fulfillment, peace, presence, poise, improved relationships, better sleep, better health, more creativity and increased productivity. That's where the list begins... 

This year, I want to say THANK YOU to my teachers who have bestowed the great gift of their knowledge. THANK YOU to my students who have given me the unique honor and privilege of allowing me to serve them. THANK YOU to my family and friends for their unwavering love and support. 

My Wish for You This Year

By Ben Turshen. 

Many of us view the new year as a clean slate, a time to re-prioritize our choices and dedicate ourselves to improving our lives and our relationships with our best intentions at hand. 

The challenge is not in the choosing itself--for the most part, we know what we should be doing. Spending time with family and friends, exercising regularly, eating healthy nutritious food, finding time to relax, being patient, kind and compassionate to others. The list goes on. The problem we face is that regardless of our intention, we are destined behave and act according to the baseline level of stress that we've accumulated in our minds and bodies. One of the greatest and most profound benefits of practicing Vedic Meditation is the efficient removal of this stress from our physiology. The result is that we are then able to function in accordance with our intention and the significance of that cannot be overstated. This is my wish for you this year.

My Path to Vedic Meditation

By Ben Turshen. 

I want to share a personal story with you about my path of finding Vedic Meditation.

I had been battling anxiety, depression, and insomnia for most of my life. When I started my career as a corporate attorney at a large New York law firm, the burden became unbearable. That's when I found Vedic Meditation and it made the most immediate and profoundly positive impact on my physical, mental, and emotional health. 

A few years later, I decided to do something that could help the people in my life -- and that’s why I became a teacher of Vedic Meditation. 

Vedic Meditation is one of the oldest, most effortless, natural forms of meditation.  Hundreds of independent scientific studies have shown meditation to create powerful, measurable changes in the physiology. Vedic Meditation is the most effective way to rest the body and release deep-rooted stress and tiredness. This leaves one feeling more alert, calmer, and happier. Energy levels increase and health improves. 
 
Vedic Meditation is universal in its nature, practiced by and benefiting people all over the world, regardless of their profession, age, income, religion, society, or belief system.  It is easy to learn and easy to practice.