Meditation at Big Moon Cottage, Castletownshend.

Meditation is an ancient practice which can balance physically, emotionally and mentally. It really isn’t just the most religious and spiritual of folk who can benefit from the ancient technique. I visited Susan O’Brien at Big Moon Cottage Meditation Centre in West Cork to find out more…
Big Moon Cottage is a pretty white-washed cottage hidden amongst the unspoilt rugged landscape of our very own West Cork. The hinterland is speckled with winding rivers and country shrubs and just oozes relaxation and simplicity a short walk from the Atlantic Ocean. City smog was a distant memory as I stepped out of my car and breathed in the fresh, crisp air. Upon arrival I received a warm welcome from the vibrant Susan and felt immediately at home in her warmly decorated country home. Like an Aladdin’s cave of treasures Susan’s little cottage was home to musical wind chimes, dinky ornaments, cluttered bookshelves and pine, stone and woven furniture giving it a really homely feel. As I donned my slippers and sipped herbal tea I soaked in the tranquil surroundings and opened my mind to the experience that lay ahead. My fears of intense meditation were immediately relieved as Susan gently outlined what the course would entail and I allowed myself to settle into the comfy couch and be taken back in time…

Throughout history meditation has been a common practise among many religions and cultures. It was used as a tool for enlightenment by many religious sects from India to China and Japan and also by Western monks. Extreme mediators would focus their thoughts and minds on certain objects, words and phrases for up to 14 hours to achieve spiritual awareness and more informed ways of thinking. Sound a bit far out? Fear not as today meditation is geared towards relaxation and stress management as well as spiritual development and mediators need not believe in any religion at all! As Susan says, “If you practise it, it works”.
According to Susan the two twenty minute sessions are like a premium fuel to the body, mind and spirit. I allow my hands to rest on an amazingly soft fluffy cushion as Susan explains how the physical process of meditation has the opposite effect on the body as stress. “When we are stressed our heart rate increases, our breathing becomes faster, sugars and fats are released into the bloodstream in a ‘fight and flight response’, digestion comes to a halt and the body sweats to cool itself,” she tells me, leaning forward enthusiastically, “In meditation the metabolic rate slows down and brings a state of rest that, according to studies, is deeper than deep sleep.”
Other functions in the body are also affected such as a decrease in oxygen consumption, heart rate, cardiac output and changes in blood chemistry. And it’s not only the physical body that gets a vacation during meditation. Scientific studies have also shown that meditation can promote balance between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Thus there is a decrease in anxiety and an increase in stability and adaptability.
Emotionally meditation is like a filter as it strains ‘mud out of murky water’ (the stress and fear within us). “Fear is the thing which stops many of us from wanting to go deeper. There is nothing to fear,” Susan assures me, “We find, in time, that our suffering was the ‘door’ to our deeper self and that the very same suffering opened us up in a way that nothing else could. Beyond that we are truly alive within our own peace.” Thus the art of meditation enables the mind to think clearer and therefore helps the mediator to deal with everyday problems rather than storing them away and harbouring negativity. Over time meditation can help the individual deal with deeper issues and problems. For those attending counselling, this can be a great way to assist you in getting the most from your therapy.
Susan teaches the technique of focusing on a word that has no significance (a mantra, a sound), thus enabling the mind to move away from any streams of thought. Although niggling thoughts kept creeping into my mind it really did work and when the session was over my mind felt refreshed. “The quiet mind at peace brings great clarity and creativity,” Susan tells me.
After the session Susan rustled up a yummy lunch of carrot and leek tart and salad. Sinful chocolate pudding and coffee followed leaving us feeling completely fulfilled!
Residential guests arrive on Friday and for a fee of €295 get two nights B&B, lunch on Saturday and of course, the meditation course! Non-residential guests pay €195, arrive Saturday morning instead of Friday night, the course and a lunch are included. If you can’t drag yourself home on Sunday there’s always a spare room in Big Moon Cottage at a cost of €50. Big Moon Cottage also provides courses for companies providing employers with a vent for employees stress (and a return on Monday harder working then ever!) Once you have done a course at Big Moon Susan recommends dropping back for extra meditation sessions with her to keep you on the straight and narrow and they are quite reasonably priced at €25. Call Susan to see when her next available course is on 028 36926 or e mail her on contact@bigmoon-cottage.com
Check out the website for more information @ www.bigmoon-cottage.com