Meditation is an important practice in our teaching methodology. Organic Intelligence® (OI) is a mindfulness-based approach. In OI we call meditation the strategic use of attention. We practice meditation to calm our mind, to relax our nervous system and to hone our skills in being attentive. Mindful participation in living is part of a wholesome lifestyle. OI students are encouraged to participate fully in their local contemplative communities.
Biological Synchrony
And, attention and awareness is just one side of the equation. Letting go of attention, and effort, is equally important. OI teaches that biological synchrony happens naturally when we are supported to allow both the natural rhythms of focused attention and non-focused awareness. Right effort means then, effort and letting go of effort — with the guidance of Organic Intelligence. We need support from meditation to find these moments where true biological self-organization is happening. The OI meditation practices are based on and make use of the knowledge of modern neuroscience to help mindfulness practitioners avoid pitfalls, while cultivating emotional stability.
Learning How to Meditate
Learning how to meditate is straightforward, and the benefits come quickly with practice. The foundation of the OI meditation practice begins and ends with orientation. Our bodies are designed to tell us where we are and what is around us. Our natural consciousness needs consistent reinforcement in this age of constant distraction. As you relax into a natural awareness of your surroundings, the usual compulsive focus on objects can start to soften. The conditioned mind will settle. Ultimately a peaceful silence can arise.
Watch our Meditation Videos
Below you will find examples of our meditation practices, short videos that guide you step by step through each meditation. Each video offers a unique experience, and is useful for the beginner and the advanced meditator. For a more in-depth experience of these and other OI resilience principles, join us in the HEARTraining®.
Being Who We Are
Meditation leads us into the deeper levels of who we are. In our everyday life we tend to live on the surface, enmeshed in our habits, our emotions, and our conditioning. This leaves us with a sense of emptiness, dissatisfaction, and seeking constant distraction. Underneath the surface we may find a much more precious realm, an infinite mystery, and an ever deepening exploration. What lies underneath the surface is just waiting to be discovered and remembered. It is who we really are: unconditioned, pure essence. Meditation helps us calm our mind and just sit with what is there, and lets us be informed by a deeper intelligence.
Becoming Present in the Moment
Mindfulness is in fact a quality of being. It is the experience of being open, alive and aware in the present moment, without reflexive judgment, automatic criticism or mind wandering.
Meditation Techniques
In Organic Intelligence we use specific meditations to help build empowerment and resilience, hence “Human Empowerment And Resiliency Training.” In the HEARTraining we often start the day with meditation. Our faculty will guide you through each of the practices and will help you refine your meditation technique. After each HEARTraining retreat you will be able to review the meditation practices on video, in your OI Virtual Classroom, and repeat them at home. It is important to weave meditation practices into our everyday life in order to get the most out of the teaching. It helps ‘land’ the training, train the mind and heart, and settle our nervous system.
