Do you have a compulsion? Well I do, and it may be helpful to explain it. You may well understand this one...
I am at an age now when I could easily retire into my own study and practice. However, back in my twenties, I was dealing with an almost impossibly difficult, widespread cancer that hardly anyone thought I would survive.
Yet here I am! Meditation was at the heart of my recovery and has remained as a daily practice since. After recovering, I went back to my veterinary work for a while, but then this compulsion took hold. I felt compelled to do what I could to share what I had learnt and found to be so valuable, but first
Thought for the day
Winter is the quiet teacher.
It arrives not with urgency, but with a gentle call
—to slow down, to soften, to turn inward
As nature retreats beneath the surface,
We too are invited to rest, to release,
And to reconnect with what lies within.
In a world that often values doing over being,
Winter offers a sacred counterbalance.
The bare trees, the hushed mornings, the longer nights
—they all whisper the same wisdom:
Now is the time to pause.
This is not a season of absence, but of presence.
It is in the stillness that we can hear ourselves again.
It is in the darkness that seeds of clarity and renewal are planted.
It is in the rest that we remember
Who we are beneath the busyness.
Can we be with ourselves as we are?
Can we tend to our inner flame,
Even as the world grows quiet?
Let this be a season of gentle restoration.
Of sacred solitude.
Of slow, deliberate return to self.
And when the time comes, we will emerge
— rested, rooted, and ready to bloom again.
Author unknown
Way back in the early ‘80s, fuelled by this compulsion, I began teaching meditation to many affected by significant illness and trauma as well as gold medal winning athletes, senior business people, artists and many ordinary folk.
What I have observed, and what continues to inspire me is the transformation that occurs in the lives of so many people, from such diverse backgrounds and in such diverse situations when they meditate regularly.
There are so many benefits. There are all the ones modern research tells us about – the changes in brain structure, the changes in brain function, and all the positive behaviours and consequences that flow from this.
But even more... Meditation puts us in touch with who we really are. It helps to clarify the meaning and purpose we find in our lives. For many, meditation really is transformative; almost miraculous.
There is just one problem. To gain these benefits, we actually need to do it. We need to meditate. Regularly.
As well as a good teacher and a good meditation technique, we need the support of a like-minded community that encourages, reinforces, strengthens and supports our good intentions; our intention to practice regularly.
The Meditation Community is a vibrant, new, online support system for meditators of all levels, where learning, practising, and connecting happen in one supportive space.
Established with my new colleague Daniel Traini, The Meditation Community is a place where you can be supported, and you can support others to deepen and maintain their meditation practice.
What is developing is a community where experienced teachers and curious beginners come together to learn, to grow, and to simply be still for a while.
Whether you are brand new or returning to meditation after a break, you will find guidance, encouragement, and like-minded people ready to walk alongside you.
Here is what is waiting for you inside The Meditation Community:
• Community Chat & Interaction: Ask. Share. Reflect. This is where questions turn into insights, and strangers become companions on the path.
• Recordings: Practices That Meet You Where You Are. Guided sessions with Ian and Ruth Gawler—Relaxation, Mindfulness, Stillness, and more. Each practice comes with an introduction and script to help you settle in with ease.
• Live Weekly Sessions – We Call Them “Circles” Why “Circles”? Because everyone is welcome, and everyone contributes. Choose from:
i) Teaching Circles – Learn. Reflect. Practice.
ii) Discussion Circles – Speak your truth. Listen deeply.
iii) Practice Circles – No talk, just a solid, nourishing practice.
• Evidence That Grounds the Practice : Access a curated library of research showing how meditation supports your body, mind, and spirit.
• Recordings of Talks & Workshops : Did you miss a live session? Revisit powerful teachings from Ian and others anytime you need a boost.
• Self-Paced Contemplation & Meditation Course : Explore Ian Gawler’s 8-part online program in your own time (additional cost).
• Plus, regular themed workshops, new content, and ongoing support Because meditation is more than just a practice—it is a way of life.
Ready to join us?
I do hope so... the role of a community in establishing anything worthwhile is so powerful...
Simply click the link below to join us:
👉 Join The Meditation Community
COMING EVENTS
You can register for any of the residential programs through our website
OUR NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT
DEEP NATURAL PEACE Long weekend mini retreat 14 - 16 November 2025
Towards the end of the year, an ideal opportunity for some time out, some gentle introspection and reflection, letting go of the busyness and finishing the year on a meditative high.
With Ruth and Ian Gawler
For your part? Simply make the time and come along…Relax. Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the Yarra Valley with its big trees, fresh air, beautiful grounds, the Little Yarra River, and sublime meditation sanctuary.
You can simply let go, and let be…
TIMES: Friday 14th November starting at 11am to 3.30pm Sunday 16th November 2025
VENUE: The Yarra Valley Living Centre, 55 Rayner Crt, Yarra Junction, Victoria, Australia
DETAILS and BOOKINGS: Visit our website: Click Here
You can register for any of the residential programs through our website
Meditation Teacher Training – Module 3: Imagery
11am Saturday 1st to 3.30pm Wednesday 5th November, 2025 (inc Melbourne Cup holiday on the 4th for Victorians)
So many people in so many domains recommend the benefits of guided imagery. This training will position you to be able to offer your community something of great value – a reliable way to help your participants to better understand how their thinking minds and emotions work, and how they can mange them so much better – for their own good and the good of others. This training is also manual based and will enable you to deliver a much-needed program.
Of great personal value, this training is suitable for those new to teaching meditation, and for those wanting to go further. Highly experiential, it will provide a review of the first module that will have given more attention to the basics of how to develop, manage and deliver a meditation program or course. Here we will give some attention to theory, research, delivery, session structures, promotion, finances, the special challenges of online courses, but the emphasis will be on experiencing the key practices of imagery, and working on how to best present a course focusing upon guided imagery.
As a feature, ongoing mentorship and peer support is available through a specific group led by Ian, Ruth and Melissa for people who have completed one or more of our trainings.
Additional information is available via this link
How to apply for THIS Meditation Teacher Training:
1. The first step is to visit our website, download the Meditation Teacher Training application form and return it to our Retreat Manager, Mel Crow.
2. Mel will then arrange a short phone conversation to clarify what the training offerS, discuss your needs, answer any questions and ensure the program is suitable for you.
3. Once accepted for the training, you pay a deposit or full fee to reserve your place.
4. Full payment is due 3 weeks prior to the commencement of your training.
You can register for any of the residential programs through our website
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