When you are unwell.

 

(c) Harish Davda

(c) Harish Davda

(c) Harish Davda

When you feel unwell with a cold or any other health issues, besides rest, your body is asking for your attention. When you give that attention there is something deeper. Give some time to this part of you. This is probably your 'inner being' or your 'consciousness' Observe within to see what it is saying. It may be asking questions which only you can answer. For example, it may ask:

• Who are you?
• Why are you here?
• Where are you going?
• What do you need to do?

Or, it may ask:

• What are you grateful for?
• What is your life's purpose?
• How will your deal with those issues at work?
• How will you improve your personal relationship with someone close to you?

Such precious moments throw up questions, the answers of which do not come from your mind - the answers come from a much deeper place - your inner being.

Just to clarify, being unwell does not mean physically unwell. The insights can come in other situations such as when being sad, feeling low or even depressed. Or, in your meditation or a prayer. Such triggers are invaluable if we deal with them wisely and skilfully.

Recently I had a bad cold and spent few days in bed: I was really suffering.  Then  after my meditation on day one, a number of questions came up - the answers included identifying what I was grateful for, titles and firm ideas about new workshops and confirming my purpose. 

Reach out to yourself from within. It may change your life and create more joy for you :-) . It may serve you better than your analytical mind.

++++++++

Harish Davda works as an Enneagram and Conscious Business Coach and Trainer. He also leads a weekly online Meditation Group. He can be contacted via email:

harish.davda@gmail.com

Facebook and Instagram: @harishdavdacoach

(C) Harish Davda 2021

 

Space and Meditation

Photo (c) Harish Davda 2021

Photo (c) Harish Davda 2021

This blog is based on questions I'm often asked about meditation.

If I'm asked a question, 'what is meditation? Or, 'why should I meditate?' my answer is very simple:

1. Regular meditation helps us to experience what is outside of our thinking and thoughts. We spend over 95% of our waking hours in our head, mind, our thinking. We identify with the majority of our thoughts.  We gain a vast amount of knowledge through formal and informal learning and by analysing. 

2. Meditation, if properly practiced takes us out of our thinking mind and we are then able to experience a reality different from our inquiring mind. Initially, this could only be for one or two minutes at a time. This is where our true self - our consciousness resides, outside of our mind in space. With experience we can create space even outside of our meditation. For example, when you are looking at a tree or a mountain top, you learn to come out of your judgemental and enquiring mind. You do not ask questions, you simply be and experience your presence and the presence of everything and everyone around you. You become your authentic self instead of a person, a slave to your egoic personality. Gradually, your personality will begin to change, you become in charge of your thoughts even if initially it's for a few minutes a day.

3. So all the above is possible with a few minutes of daily meditation. Initially you mind, your ego will fight with you. It will tell you that

- You don't have time.

- Other things are more important. 

- Don't waste your time. 

- You cannot control your thoughts etc.

You have to decide who is in charge, your mind/thoughts/ego or your authentic self - your consciousness.

I hope you find this blog useful.

If you would like to join my online meditation group and meet a diverse yet like minded meditators, contact me for more information.

Harish Davda works as an Enneagram and Conscious Business Coach and Trainer. He also leads a an online Meditation Group. He can be contacted via email:

harish.davda@gmail.com

Facebook and Instagram: @harishdavdacoach

(C) Harish Davda 2021

Power to change

We all have power to change, some more than others. At least we can shine our corner, with other people in mind. We can learn from nature.

(c) Harish Davda

(c) Harish Davda

(c) Harish Davda

(c) Harish Davda

(c) Harish Davda

(c) Harish Davda

(c) Harish Davda

Nature has amazing power 

Trees find space to grow,
Light finds space to spread, 
Birds find space to fly,
Water finds space to flow.

Joe Biden is now the 46th president of the USA,
The most powerful person in the world.
Will he create space,
and use his power to create long lasting change? 

To heal the wounds in a divided country,
To provide health service for all,
To eradicate poverty and inequality?
To ease tension between the races,
To make all lives matter
and more...?
To reflect the spirit of the  US Declaration

of independence, 1776.

(c) Harish Davda, November 2020

Harish Davda works as an Enneagram and Conscious Business Coach and Trainer. He also leads an online Meditation Group.

Harish can be contacted via email: harish.davda@gmail.com

Facebook and Instagram: @harishdavdacoach

Thoughts and consciousness

Isle of Skye is a photographer's paradise. As an amateur photographer, I'm spoilt for choice every time I go out. These photos were taken yesterday near Portree while walking with a walkers' group. 

(c) Harish Davda

(c) Harish Davda

(c) Harish Davda

(c) Harish Davda

(c) Harish Davda

So, thoughts are powerful,
Like a magnet, they can attract what we want.
By observing our mind, we can learn about our thoughts,

and have an ability to choose what we want to manifest,

 
Who observes our mind?
Our consciousness. A moral compass.
How do we get into our consciousness?
Well, by being with nature, by meditation and contemplation.

- Harish Davda

November 2020.

Harish Davda works online as an Enneagram and Conscious Business Coach and Trainer. He also leads an online Meditation Group.

Harish can be contacted via email: harish.davda@gmail.com

Uncertainty and Fear

Uncertainty is not fear and fear is not uncertainty.

Fear is created by the thinking mind or thoughts. This is the work of the ego..

Uncertainty is experienced when we go with the flow with the help of presence. Presence is experienced when we are in the now. This is when we observe without judgement. If you are new to this, try this: Sit in a comfortable position, on a chair or a thick cushion, with your back straight. Close your eyes. Concentrate on your breathing. Become aware of breathing in and breathing out. Concentrate for few minutes. Now, identify the gap between breathing in and breathing out. It may only last for few seconds. What you experience is your presence. If you do this exercise often, your presence will last longer.

When we breathe consciously, with awareness, we are not thinking, our mind is not involved. The ego has no power over us. Try this out when you find yourself in a stressful or unpleasant situation: Before you become the victim of your reaction (initiated and executed by the ego), breathe deeply few times (nobody will notice!) Then respond and or take appropriate action. The chances are, you will have responded via your presence (or consciousness) instead of it being an egoic reaction.

Fear, on the other hand is either coming from the past, from the patterns created or from anticipation of  future events not turning out according to our expectations The ego might say, 'it hasn't worked in the past, you messed it up' or 'you will fail again, you have to work harder'. Listening to the 'noise' created by the ego (mind) causes stress, often felt negatively by the body with negative reactions. It can even make us ill. This is when the presence, with the help of breathing can come to the rescue. The mind begins to switch off. The presence takes over. You are in the 'now'. You are now uncertain but not controlled by the ego. You now will know what action to take, and go a little further, and will enjoy the journey to wherever you are going.

Finally...

"Presence is not some exotic state that we need to search for or manufacture. In the simplistic terms, it is felt sense of wakefulness, openness and tenderness that arises when we are fully here and now with our experience"

- Tara Brach

"That's life, starting over, one breath at a time"

- Sharon Salzberg

(c) Harish Davda 2020 

Harish Davda works online as an Enneagram and Conscious Business Coach and Trainer. He also leads an online Meditation Group.

Harish can be contacted via email: harish.davda@gmail.com

Isle of Skye, The Misty Isle - A personal Diary

If you live on Isle of Skye, and you like photography, you'll be spoilt for choice. The following are my favourite places I visited recently. Enjoy the images!

The Misty Isle

The image and atmosphere of the Misty Isle is noticed and felt in many places. One of my favourite places is Quiraing in Trotternish, an icon of Scotland. It is an amazing paradise of mindfulness. You just observe and sense the presence of the area!

A ruin near Kilwaxter, Uig, on the way to Camus More beach

I did some research but couldn’t find any information. I stopped by this amazing ruin recently and took some shots. The history of Skye grabbed me and I started to wonder what the life was like on Skye, a long time ago, and who lived there.

Uig Bay and Harbour

This is my favourite place. A gateway to the amazing Outer Hebrides to the islands of Harris, Lewes and Uist. Full of history, for example,

“It was of course just north of Uig that Bonny Prince Charlie landed in the well known “Over the sea to Skye” song. He and Flora MacDonald landed just north of Monkstadt House in Kilmuir. As there were soldiers (Redcoats) at Monkstadt House at the time looking for him, he was led by MacDonald of Kingsburgh from there down through Uig to Kingsburgh House where he spent the night.

Flora MacDonald herself died in her house at Peighinn an Duin, just to the south of Earlish, and is buried at Kilmuir just to the north of Uig. This is the Flora MacDonald memorial.” 

Source: http://www.uigisleofskye.co.uk/history

Kilt Rock

I love waterfalls! Kilt Rock is very special. Every time I go there, my imagination goes wild! This is the area where dinosaurs used to jump about millions of years ago!

Rha Falls

A hidden wonder in Uig. Amazing colours and energy, perhaps because of negative ions from the falling water. I have been there few times and it has always been quiet. Perhaps not many people know about this hidden gem. A great experience in mindfulness!

The Cullins

The first time I came to Skye, I kept seeing the mountains and rainbows. Every time I pass by the Cullins, I remember how special Skye is for me and my family.

Finally...

Scotland is about layering. The weather changes every 10 minutes. - Sam Heughan

Wherever I wander, wherever I rove; the hills of the highland for ever I love.

- Robert Burns

(c) Harish Davda 2020

Some insights into meditation

Photo (c) Harish Davda

Photo (c) Harish Davda

Meditation is not about blocking the mind

or controlling thoughts. You can't.

It is not tied to any religion although in many 

spiritual traditions there has always been something 

like meditation or similar so that those following the

spiritual path can go deep within themselves and 'be 

touch with themselves.'

Meditation is not time consuming. Anything from
5 to 20 minutes, twice a day, everyday, is sufficient. 
Later on, when you begin to get into it, you will know 
how much time to spend. The main thing is that you 
follow the technique properly.

So, what is meditation? It is finding a quiet time
for yourself, preferably in the same place, away 
from any disturbance or distraction such as your 
smart phone.

Sit with a straight back, with not too much tension, 
on a chair or on Zafu (meditation cushion).

Close your eyes, take few deep breaths. Then 
concentrate on your breathing. Then just 'be'. 
If thoughts come, don't dwell on them 
(challenging in the beginning),  gently go back to 
breathing, count from one to five. Carry on for 5 to 
20 minutes. Then open your eyes. Use a gentle 
sound with the help of a timer to remind you when the
time is up. You can download an app. there are many 
to choose from. I use 'Insight timer' app which also 
has various guided meditations of various lengths; 
the basic version is free! What I have just described 
is 'mindful meditation'. It's a good way of starting to 
learn to meditate. There are other types of meditation 
as well. Keep an eye on my future blogs!

So, what are the benefits of meditation? By going 
into your inner world where your mind is least active, 
after meditation, when you come back into the outer 
world, you will gradually begin to notice some of the 
following: 
You will be relaxed and peaceful, you will

probably become deeper and begin to see some of the 
things, for example your behaviour and other people's 
behaviour clearly. You will begin to judge other people 
and events less. This will not happen overnight but 
after some serious, regular practice. You may also 

sleep better.

Sometimes negative emotions may arise during your 
meditation. By accepting these emotions, you will 
learn about its source. You will know how to deal
with them when you come back to your outer world. 
This will help you to grow. More on this in another
blog.

Drop me a line and let me know how you are getting
on with your meditation.

See my video on this topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YojdUKEVuVA


I love this quotation by Thich Nhat Hanh:

Photo credit: Instagram @thichnhathanhquotecollective

(c) Harish Davda - 2020
Enneagram and Conscious Business Coach/Consultant/Trainer
harish.davda@gmail.com
Instagram: @harish.davda