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Demystifying Meditation

teaching Mindfulness Rooted in the buddhist tradition

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Life can be overwhelming and demanding. With career goals to achieve, social commitments to fulfil, and family responsibilities to take care of, life can feel like a constant race, leaving little time for self-care and personal growth. This can lead to stress, anxiety, and a sense of being trapped in a routine. But there is hope – practice of mindfulness and meditation can help you find more peace, joy, and fulfilment in your life.

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Karuna Priya offers a unique perspective on mindfulness that is rooted in Buddhist Philosophy, compassion and wisdom. Karuna’s approach is grounded in real-life experiences and is perfect for people who are looking to find more balance and clarity in their lives. He understands the challenges that come with developing a meditation practice, and he provides unwavering support and guidance every step of the way. He knows that starting a mindfulness journey can be daunting, but he will help you embrace the adventure with confidence.

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1. Enhancing Emotional wellbeing

Experiencing a crisis in your physical health, emotional wellbeing, or relationships can lead to feelings of distress, uncertainty, and disconnection from your beliefs. Buddhist meditation and spirituality can help you by showing you how to accept that life is always changing and uncertain. By practising regularly, you can feel more peaceful and accepting, which will help you deal with any doubts or worries you have during this time. Buddhist teachings also say that empathy and compassion are important. This can help you connect with others who are going through something similar to you. By being kind and understanding to others, you can also feel supported and not alone during a spiritual crisis. Buddhist meditation and spirituality can be really helpful during a spiritual crisis because they give you a sense of grounding, stability, and connection with yourself and others.

2. Managing stress and anxiety

By practising mindfulness and meditation, you can learn to live in the present moment, reduce stress and anxiety, and cultivate deeper relationships with yourself and those around you. It enables you to take a step back and appreciate life’s simple pleasures, live in the present moment, and reconnect with yourself. By cultivating inner peace and finding joy in the little things, you can improve your mental health and gain a new perspective on life. It’s time to prioritise your own well-being and embrace the transformative power of mindfulness.

3. Providing an inclusive and comprehensive approach

Mindfulness and Meditation are two ancient practices that can be traced back to its roots in Buddhist philosophy 2500 years ago. They can help you to stay calm, focused and better manage the pressures of life. Sadly, there are those who present mindfulness as a quick fix for stress and productivity, neglecting its cultural and spiritual value. This approach weakens the power of mindfulness, leaving you feeling like you’re only skimming the surface. Additionally, the industry lacks diversity, inclusivity and cultural appreciation. We believe that everyone deserves the full benefits of mindfulness, regardless of their ethnicity or culture. We’re committed to providing an inclusive and comprehensive approach to mindfulness that helps you navigate through any challenges and find true balance and well-being.

4. Going deeper

As you embark on your mindfulness journey, it’s important to acknowledge the hurdles that may come your way. It’s like trekking through a forest where you need to watch out for unexpected bumps and obstacles along the way. There is a risk of using mindfulness to avoid dealing with deeper emotional or psychological issues. Our team understands that mindfulness is a powerful tool for stress management and overall well-being, but we believe that it should be approached in a comprehensive and integrated way. By taking a holistic approach, we can help you address all aspects of your life and achieve true balance and well-being.

5. Setting up a regular practice

If you’re feeling like you can’t meditate, it’s understandable to feel that way. Many people have misconceptions about what meditation is and what it entails. You might think that meditation requires you to completely clear your mind or that you have to sit cross-legged for hours at a time. The truth is, meditation can take many different forms and there’s no one “right” way to do it. You can meditate while walking, doing yoga, or even just taking a few deep breaths. Another reason you might think you can’t meditate is because you feel like you don’t have the time. It can be hard to make time for yourself in a busy schedule. But even just a few minutes of meditation a day can have significant benefits for your mental and emotional well-being. It’s also possible that you feel like meditation is not for you because you’re not interested in spirituality. However, meditation doesn’t have to be tied to any particular belief system. It can simply be a way to cultivate mindfulness and presence in your everyday life.

“Having been a Buddhist monk in the past, I have come to realise that skills such as meditation and compassion cannot be acquired overnight. Rather, they require consistent effort and dedication over time, much like getting in shape through regular gym workouts. The key is to integrate these practices into your daily routine and find enjoyment in doing them, as that is what truly transforms your life.”

Karuna Priya, Chaplain and Buddhist Faith-Adivsor to Imperial College London

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About KARUNA PRIYA

Karuna is a University Chaplain to Imperial College London, Royal College of Arts and Royal College of Music, and a Meditation Teacher and a Yoga Teacher at Akanista Mindfulness. Karuna has a background in Meditation, stemming from his time as a Buddhist monk for 15 years from a young age. He has developed a relaxed teaching style, which helps put others at ease, and his personal experience allows him to help others get to grips with the concepts of Mindfulness and compassion.

Through Karuna’s coaching, you’ll learn to approach life with greater clarity, compassion, and inner peace. And although the journey may have its ups and downs, he will be there to help you navigate through the twists and turns with ease.

Don’t wait to start your life-changing mindfulness adventure. Sign up for private coaching with Karuna Priya today and find more calm, peace, and fulfilment, arriving at your destination content and fulfilled. Remember, meditation is an activity, while mindfulness is a quality and power of mind that is deeply aware of what’s happening without commentary and interference.

Testimonials

Chiara Messineo, Executive Producer and Director for Raw TV, the company that produced Vatican Girl on Netflix, a docuseries nominated for the prestigious BAFTA award.

“Karuna devised a meditation course for a group of people, like me, who had little or no experience in this practice. His teachings were extraordinarily valuable and profoundly affected my daily life. He was inventive with his approach and patient. I thought he was truly talented.”

Suzy Walker, Former Editor in chief at Psychologies Magazine:
“I have been meditating every day since we met.”

Micheal Thomas, English former professional footballer:
“I would encourage anybody who is going through stuff in their lives to come to this course to find peace of mind.”

More testimonials

Victoria Milne, Owner of MCLEANMILNE:

I met Karuna about four years ago attending his mindfulness/meditation courses. These were transformative and life-enhancing. His lessons in acceptance, letting go of judgment, kindness, and openness have helped me maintain better balance, patience, and acceptance. He is gifted and extremely experienced in guidance and insight. I am grateful for our connection and highly recommend him to you.

Bhargav Dave, Senior Performance Marketer at CMC Invest:

I had the privilege and honor to be part of Akanista Mindfulness Meditation course led by Karuna. I’ve known him for nearly eight years and I’m grateful to have met him and learned the techniques of mindfulness meditation from him. Being a former Buddhist monk, Karuna shared his knowledge and wisdom with his students and never hesitated to answer difficult questions. I’ve also been on a meditation retreat run by Karuna and his partner, Nitima, and have learned a lot. I highly recommend their courses to anyone and everyone in search of some calmness in their lives.

Lily Wong Le, Senior Advisor on Commercialisation Policy at the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, United Kingdom:

Karuna was the Buddhist Chaplain while I was at university. He provides an excellent and niche service that is difficult for anyone else to fulfill. He has always made himself available for students and staff, not only by organizing meditation sessions, chaplaincy events, supporting the Buddhist Society, and one-day workshops, but he also prioritizes students’ ongoing well-being. He is the most generous and knowledgeable person on Buddhism that I have met. I would always recommend working with Karuna or with his business Akanista. Everyone I know who has worked with him has only had good things to say.

Lara Cowan, Founder of Botanic Shed, Garden Consultant, Feat on BBC Radio, Marketing & business growth consultant with 20yrs experience:

The day I met Karuna changed the course of my life. I undertook a 6-week meditation course with him and then continued to meditate with his support. Coming from where he does, he not only has the necessary experience to teach but also the ideal personal skills – being a fantastic listener, authentic, kind, and caring facilitator. He is one of the best people I know!

Caroline Milon, designer textile/mode et enseignante agrégée en design:

I highly recommend Karuna’s skills and pedagogy as a mindfulness coach. As an alumnus of the Royal College of Art, I used to participate in Karuna’s mindfulness sessions at the Imperial College Buddhist Chaplaincy. His generous and dynamic personality, along with his commitment to his students, make him a great coach and human being. Please do not hesitate to contact me for further information.

Charlotte Farre, Teacher at BARR’S HILL SCHOOL TRUST:

I absolutely love Akanista Mindfulness. Karuna and Nitima are so welcoming and the class atmosphere is very relaxed. The classes really helped me de-stress and become more focused. I would recommend them to anyone wanting to try mindfulness for the first time or looking to enhance their practice.

Isadora Fitzgerald, FrontEnd and Full Stack Developer:

I first attended a mixed meditation class with Karuna Priya in February 2012 at the Gatehouse Complementary Health Center in Lewisham, London. This was really my first guided meditation by a person who I felt finally was qualified to guide me in this practice given Karuna’s background as an ex Buddhist monk. Karuna introduced us to different styles of mediation at the time and gave us life long skills in choosing what we felt suited us best. We were able to relax in a non-judgmental environment and he instilled a complete sense of calm. He followed up his meditation practice with audio links we could use at home, which I still listen to every now and then, and any extra information he thought we might find useful. He is very generous, approachable for questions at any time, and always gave insightful answers and guidance. I signed up for a second and third term at the same venue and this set in me the groundwork for exploration into meditation and the art of just being present. After a gap of a year or two, I found myself attending a meditation course again with Karuna and this time Nitima, in central London in 2014. Anyone who has worked with them both knows they are completely open and instil a true sense of warmth and calm, and both together have a wonderful bounce and relationship which can be quite fun and led to lots of laughter and humour in the class. I have since moved back to Ireland, I still practise perhaps not as much as I would like to, I live a very different lifestyle with a lot less stress at present but I still try to practise daily. I do know I will have a hard job to find teachers like them here! Namaste and thank you Karuna & Nitima.”

Nick Mason, Head of CX Consulting at KPS (formerly Envoy Digital):

I highly recommend Karuna and Nitima’s meditation classes. I’ve been attending their classes for the past few months, and have already noticed a big difference in my stress levels and overall mental health. They are both very knowledgeable and create a calm and welcoming atmosphere in their classes.

Mario Lemmer, Product Engineer in the Semiconductor Industry:

During the last two years of my PhD, I regularly joined Karuna’s lunchtime meditation classes. Karuna is a remarkable teacher and an inspirational character. I profited immensely from the meditation practice. I can highly recommend joining his sessions or one of his retreats! An hour meditation with Karuna is like a holiday for the mind!

 

Sarah Thomas, Share Plan Specialist at Ocado Group:

I couldn’t recommend Karuna and Akanista more highly for the quality of mindfulness courses and guided meditations. Karuna’s background as a Buddhism monk brings a lot more depth to his mindfulness teaching, and his extensive experience really comes through. The course structures are designed perfectly and have a personal touch to a standard 6-week mindfulness course. Karuna and Akanista have a high degree of professionalism, but equally, the personal warmth, kindness, genuineness, and that he clearly truly believes in what he does is what makes it. Akanista are some of my favorite people!

Esther Anaya-Boig, Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Policy Research (Imperial College London):
Karuna is always open and available to listen, with a smile. I admire Karuna’s creativity in dealing with the needs of the people of the College, for example, the PhD sessions have been very useful and tailored to the needs of that community. He is very motivated and dedicated to his role. I am very grateful to Karuna and to the Imperial College Chaplaincy for having him.

Laura Simpson, Accredited Executive Coach | Career Coach | Leadership and Team Development Facilitator | DEI&B | Emotions as Data | MHFA & Board Trustee at Mind:
Karuna has been a great supporter of my work, and I have had the pleasure of receiving a meditation session from him. He is an excellent listener, and his knowledge of mindfulness is inspiring. He is warm and empathic and creates an atmosphere of trust, which is so important in coaching. I highly recommend his work.

Natalie Nolte, Freelance Graphic/web design and film producer:

Karuna is a wonderful meditation teacher. I practiced meditation for some time before joining his classes, but found myself going in circles. With his guidance, I have made positive developments in mindfulness which have extended beyond my meditation and into my everyday life. My outlook on life is changing resulting in a more centered and focused existence. Karuna has a wonderful nature, he is calm, focused, joyful and centered. He lives with truth, love and compassion, and has a glowing effect on those around him.

Claire Kremer, Service Manager – Here For Each Other Health & Wellbeing Service at Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust. Health and Wellbeing Consultant:
Karuna is a truly inspiring educator in Mindfulness and Meditation. His knowledge, manner and approach to teaching is exceptional. I attended a week retreat in yoga and mindfulness and gained so much from the time that I was able to dedicate to learning the practices and principles of mindfulness and meditation. Something that everyone could benefit from, for work, home, relationships, etc. I would not hesitate in recommending him for working with individuals, groups or companies.

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