MEDITATI0N

OVERVIEW

A very well-structured and

well-delivered program

that manages to impart

very powerful exercises and practices

in a way that is gentle and not overly prescriptive;

rather it is empowering, nourishing and

offering practical tools from within oneself

to find meaningful new ways to live

- Program Participant, United Kingdom

I offer you four unique 10-week MEDITATION programs that are spaces to cultivate consciousness, connection and creativty.

They invite the potential of experiencing Wonder in daily life moments.

MEDITATION is an exploration and embodying of Being: of Relational Being; Non-human-centered Being.

My programs are founded in over 55 years of research: philosophic, artistic, scientific and therapeutic. They do not follow a specific religious dogma but are informed by Zen and other Buddhist pathways, alongside Yogic meditation

Spanning practice, philosophy and creativity they are offered to:

• individuals as a one-to-one personalized training

• organisations

  • universities and other educational institutions

  • meditation and yoga centers

  • art and dance studios

  • mental health and addiction recovery clinics

  • community and activists contexts

Here these programs - in-person and online - can be adapted to existing curricula and courses.

THE FOUR PROGRAMS

• SUBLIME MEDITATION: exploration of the sublime through diverse meditations, including: some rooted in art/dance as meditation; and meditation in daily life activity such as Sado,  the Japanese Tea Ceremony

• BLUE KIND MEDITATION: exploration of deep ecological being working in water

• MINDFUL SELF-COMPASSION: life development program with 40 exercises and meditative practices

• PINK MEDITATION: exploring self care, connection and belonging, exclusively for those who may identify in some way as LGBTQ+,

Additionally I also teach other mindfulness-based classes/workshops for stress management and wider wellness.

SCROLL DOWN FOR DETAILS OF EACH PROGRAM

CONTENT

Each 10-week meditation program covers practice and theory. They cover history, philosophy and contemporary scientific understanding. They are secular courses not rooted in any specific dogma that encourage personal exploration.

The programs are primarily driven by:

• Zen concepts and practices where daily life activity as well as creative activity; where meditation and daily life becomes art

• Buddhist concepts and practices of

  • Sati: Mindfulness

  • Metta: Befriending/ Loving Kindness

  • Dukkha: that Life is inherently unsatisifying

  • Karuna: self compassion especially in a world of Dukkha and impermanence

  • Pratityasamudpada: the understanding that we are relational beings, always in dynamic interrelationship with all things

• Deep Ecology understanding our non-anthropocentric interconnection with all things, particularly through connection with Water.

• Yogic understanding - contained in The Bhagavad Gita - of living with purpose and authenticity: Dharma

• Guiding you to rigorously find your own Way

HOURS

Each program comprises 75 hours of learning and development: 15 contact hours and 60 hours of guided private practice and exercises.

It involves one 90 minute session per week with a daily practice of one hour involving, formal practice, study and daily life activity. You can start the program right now. The session time is flexible, based on our mutual agreed availability.

EXCHANGE

• $ 1000 10 week individual program

• Organizational rates by negotiation. Contact me to discuss

RESOURCES

• My personal skill and experience and knowledge guiding many people in the way of MEDITATION

• Tailored individual support through the one-to-one sessions.

• Online guided meditations available to use in-between sessions

• Other online resources also available to support your study and practice

• Post-Program support available

ACCESSIBLITY

The programs are open to anyone with reasonably good mental health. For some people with certain mental health conditions, meditation can be counterproductive in some contexts, so please consult a doctor if unsure. For those with physical disability, movement based meditations can be adapted to your body.

CERTIFICATION

• A certificate of completion will be provided on completion including attendance of all sessions. This can be used as evidence of CPD.

• Successful completion of MINDFUL SELF-COMPASSION is a qualification for Teacher Training in this internationally recognized and respected course.

Raphael is a great role model and

a wonderful teacher.

In his mindfulness sessions

he showed me that everything I need

is already within me

and how important it is to live out

the quality of being a child in my adult life.

In his meditations he inspired me to

connect more with nature and to

dance & play more with life.

I hope that his messages will reach more people.

It was an honor to learn from him

- Program Participant, United Kingdom

I am an Enabler

This is my skill

BOOK AN INDIVIDUAL MEDITATION PROGRAM OF YOUR CHOOSING

ARRANGE AN ORGANIZATIONAL CONSULTATION FOR BESPOKE PROGRAMS I CAN DESIGN AND TEACH FOR YOU

NEED MORE INFORMATION? SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE PROGRAM DETAILS

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

What is important is

to keep our mind high in the world of true understanding,

and returning to the world of our daily experience

to seek therein the truth of beauty.

No matter what we may be doing at a given moment,

we must not forget that

it is has a bearing upon our everlasting self

which is poetry

- Haiku poet Matsuo Basho

SCROLL DOWN FOR DETAILS OF:

• SUBLIME MEDITATION

• BLUE KIND MEDITATION

• MINDFUL SELF-COMPASSION

• PINK MEDITATION

• MEDITATION FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT AND WIDER MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY

SUBLIME MEDITATION

10-week online and in-person program

Raphael’s brings great integrity and sensitivity

to his mindfulness teachings.

During his course on the beautiful island of Ikaria, Greece,

he has helped me to

remember my deep connection to all other beings

and my personal responsibility to meaningfully serve.

His gentle and insightful guidance

has especially allowed me to

reconnect with the magnificence, beauty

and magic of the sea;

and the heartbreaking damage

that is being done to its marine life every single day.

As a result I have decided

to take action to help address this painful situation.

Thank you Raphael for reminding me that

I am part of it all,

and for re-opening my eyes to this important need.

- Participant, Greece

I share SUBLIME MEDITATION with anyone who is in interested in undertaking a contemplative existential pathway.

SUBLIME MEDITATION takes place in other contexts including typical daily life activity as well as through creative processes such as Dance and Informal Tea Ceremonies, based on Sado, the Way of Tea.

SUBLIME MEDITATION incorporates all the above-mentioned concepts and practices of my MEDITATION programs.

It involves Zen practices where Meditation is art activity and daily life activity. Art and daily life come together in Sado, the way of Tea, known internationally as the Japanese Tea Ceremony. This is an inter-active and immersive experience. It is a multi-sensory, multiple -media installation before these words were conceived.

Better than knowledge is meditation.

But better still is surrender of attachment to results,

because there follows immediate peace

- The Bhagavad Gita

It is a pathway of “not-knowing” and adapts to changing circumstances: surfing the waves of life. Beyond certain death, there is essential no end point, no outcome. It is a way that contains enlightening moments without needing to arrive at enightenment.

I am an artist at living –

my work of art is my life

- Zen Master Daisetz Suzuki

SUBLIME MEDITATION takes place in a range of contexts including

• Body Scan

• Sitting meditation

• Walking meditation

• Savoring practices

• Typical daily life activity

• Creative processes such as

  • Dance

  • Informal Tea Ceremonies, based on Sado, The Japanese Tea Ceremony

  • Creative and therapeutic writing.

  • painting and drawing

• Massage as Meditation, drawing on Indian Head and Facial Massage and Thai Therapeutic Massage. This is taught with Wilaiwan Phimkhalee

  The idea of Zen is to catch life as it flows.

  There is nothing extraordinary or mysterious about Zen.

  I raise my hand;

  I take a book from the other side of the desk;

  I hear the boys playing ball outside my window;

  I see the clouds blown away beyond the neighbouring wood:

  in all these I am practising Zen,

  I am living Zen…

  When the sun rises the whole world dances with joy and

  everybody’s heart is filled with bliss.

  If Zen is at all conceivable,

  it must be taken hold of here

I am an Enabler

This is my skill

BOOK AN INDIVIDUAL MEDITATION PROGRAM OF YOUR CHOOSING

ARRANGE AN ORGANIZATIONAL CONSULTATION FOR BESPOKE PROGRAMS I CAN DESIGN AND TEACH FOR YOU

NEED MORE INFORMATION? SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE PROGRAM DETAILS

BLUE KIND MEDITATION

10-week online and in-person program

Beginning each day on the ocean meditation

dancing and moving,

celebrating the elements and

welcoming in the day

is a practice I will take with me on my journey.

I’m feeling connected to my heart

in a soft gentle and open way,

i can feel my inner child smiling with me,

I’m feeling inspired creatively and also

how I hold space and ‘teach’ others on their journey.

Most of all I feel this new capacity inside of me

to truly savor each delicious moment

as it arises and passes away.

Thank you Raphael,

you’ve truly opened me up to

the delicious delight that is living. 🙏🏼

- Tim, Australia

I share BLUE KIND MEDITATION with anyone who is in interested in meditation primarily in water.

We know from the research of marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols, that being in water can produce mildly meditative effects which he calls blue mindfulness or Blue Mind. Blue because of the water and the color of the sky and sea; as well as the fact that the color blue, in diverse cultures around the world, is the color most associated with peacefulness.

My Meditation develops this further through both Mindfulness and Loving-Kindness practices in and around water. This is why I call it Blue Kindfulness or BLUE KIND.

We work in shallow water and no ability to swim is required. It is open to beginners as well as long-standing meditators.

We as humans are also a “Blue Kind”: we originated in water; our bodies are largely water; and without water there is no life.

My personal daily practice and ritual:

• Begins with BLUE KIND MEDITATION in the Ocean from sunrise

• Continues with SUBLIME MEDITATION through the day in both mundane activity and creative activity such as art, writing and dance

• Returns to the ocean at sunset with further BLUE KIND MEDITATION. .

There is here a sense of ritual and daily communion with the natural world, Pratityasamudpada and Deep Ecology

Through my meditation guidance I support you to find your own Way.; your own Way of Relational Being; your own way enjoying THE DELICIOUS DELIGHT OF LIVING.

Empty your Mind

Be Formless

Shapeless

Like Water

Be Water My Friend

- Martial Artist and Film Actor Bruce Lee

I am an Enabler

This is my skill

BOOK AN INDIVIDUAL MEDITATION PROGRAM OF YOUR CHOOSING

ARRANGE AN ORGANIZATIONAL CONSULTATION FOR BESPOKE PROGRAMS I CAN DESIGN AND TEACH FOR YOU

NEED MORE INFORMATION? SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE PROGRAM DETAILS

MINDFUL SELF-COMPASSION

10-week online and in-person program

Mindful Self-Compassion

has made a big difference to my daily life:

I am not hard on myself anymore during working days…

I trust myself and have more confidence in myself…

in figuring out what I experience at the moment…

I use the MSC practices during meetings

or difficult conversations at work more and more:

to keep myself grounded and not too reactive.

I received compliments from my colleagues about

how engaging and calm I was

when I chaired or presented in the meetings.

- Prae, program participant

MSC Mindful Self-Compassion is a holistic scientifically evidenced program for effective life development and transformation.

I am certified Teacher of MSC from the Medical School of UCSD University of California San Diego

I am highly experienced in teaching this pioneer program for effective life development, personal growth and existential understanding. This includes being part of the teaching team for the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion (USA).

I teach this course throughout the world, through individual one-to-one sessions, or for groups, either in-person or online.

MSC Mindful Self-Compassion:

• Is an internationally recognized, scientifically evidenced program

• Helps train us to better surf the waves of life: learning to develop skills that help us to “succeed” and support us when we “fail”   

• Supports Greater Personal and Professional Fulfillment

• Helps you clarifying your personal core values, and cultivating resources to live in tune with them

• Can reduce stress and anxiety, as well as better manage depression

• Teaches practical tools to build resilience, and cultivate sustainable self-care in everyday life

• Can assist you in living more in Harmony with the World and Environment around you

I am an Enabler

This is my skill

BOOK AN INDIVIDUAL MEDITATION PROGRAM OF YOUR CHOOSING

ARRANGE AN ORGANIZATIONAL CONSULTATION FOR BESPOKE PROGRAMS I CAN DESIGN AND TEACH FOR YOU

NEED MORE INFORMATION? SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE PROGRAM DETAILS

PINK MEDITATION

10-week online and in-person program for LGBTQ+

PINK MEDITATION is a place for meaningful connection, inner growth, and shared exploration.

PINK MEDITATION is a transformative 10 week program dedicated to supporting the mental well-being and inner exploration of LGBTQ+ individuals.

With mental health challenges disproportionately impacting LGBTQ+ people—rates of mental ill health can reach as high as 70% in this community—this retreat offers a healing space to explore identity, self-acceptance, healing and meaningful connection.

PINK MEDITATION creates an inclusive environment where participants can deeply engage with themselves and one another around the intersecting identities of sexuality, gender, and race.

This program emphasizes Mindfulness and Compassion-Focused Practice, aiming to cultivate resilience and foster a sense of belonging within a world that can often feel isolating.

WHY MINDFULNESS AND COMPASSION-BASED MEDITATIONS

Mindfulness, the practice of non-judgmental awareness of our experiences, and Compassion-Focused Practice, which nurtures self-kindness and resilience, are powerful tools for mental health. Research has shown that self-compassion can lead to greater well-being, better relationships, and improved physical health, especially for those in marginalized communities like LGBTQ+ and POC.

PINK MEDITATION is dynamic: offering guided practices, group discussions, and breakout spaces for focused reflection and sharing. Through mindful inquiry and compassionate reflection, participants will explore patterns, confront biases, and deepen their connection with themselves and others.

EXPLORING THE ART OF BELONGING

At its heart, PINK MEDITATION addresses the universal desire for belonging, supporting participants in navigating isolation and embracing connection. Together, we’ll honor our shared histories, celebrate diverse narratives, and deepen our practices of presence, healing, and empowerment.

WHO PINK MEDITATION IS FOR

This program is open to LGBTQ+ individuals with or without experience of meditation. It’s a sanctuary for meaningful connection, inner growth, and shared exploration.

MY EXPERIENCE

I am highly experienced in both PSYCHOTHERAPY  and MEDITATION in working with LGBTQ+, including: for Rainbow Mind in UK; leading mini-retreats for the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion in USA.

I am an Enabler

This is my skill

BOOK AN INDIVIDUAL MEDITATION PROGRAM OF YOUR CHOOSING

ARRANGE AN ORGANIZATIONAL CONSULTATION FOR BESPOKE PROGRAMS I CAN DESIGN AND TEACH FOR YOU

NEED MORE INFORMATION? SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE PROGRAM DETAILS

MEDITATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY AND PERSONAL GROWTH

I deeply appreciated Raphael and co-teacher Siri’s effort:

The Mindful Self-Compassion course materials

are well prepared.

The 2-hour zoom meeting is well structured.  

And most important,

both teachers are knowledgeable yet humble;

and allow lots of space.

The course itself offered me a box of tools for

self-compassion practice afterwards,

which I would love to dive a bit further into and practice more.

- Athena Zhao, China

I am also a qualified and experienced teacher of a number of secular meditation-based programs that are used in mental health recovery and personal growth contexts:-

• MSC: Mindful Self-Compassion, including accreditation toward teacher status.

• MBSR: Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction

• MfH: Mindfulness for Health

• MfS: Mindfulness for Stress

• Radsec: Radical Self-Care. Member of Developmental and Teaching team of this course focused towards LGBTQIA+ communities, BIPOC, as well as healthcare professionals.

• MACM: Mindfulness Art and Creative Movement - I am the co-creator of this program with Jane Belshaw

I have trained also in:

• MBCT: Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy

• MBCL: Mindfulness-based Cognitive Living

• ACT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

I further utilize meditative processes and Buddhist Psychology in my integrated system of Psychotherapy

I teach one-to-one sessions or group meditations. I teach in-person and online.

Through my guidance I support you to find your own Way.

We can’t stop the waves of Life’s challenges

We can learn to surf the waves.

- Pioneering Mindfulness researcher and creator of MBSR, Jon Kabat-Zinn