Ask YogaToday with Mona Godfrey: My Meditation Practice Share

Ask YogaToday with Mona Godfrey: My Meditation Practice

 

• Brit Hastings
• 10/13/15

We have all read the headlines and watched the TED Talks, not to mention experienced the benefits ourselves (yoga and meditation go hand-and-hand after all), so we decided to catch up with Mona Godfreyto discuss the personal and practical side of meditation. Mona sheds some light on this "gray matter" and offers her heartfelt advice to those considering the journey. If you are looking for yet another incentive to begin meditating, Mona credits her move from Indonesia to London to her practice. Pretty profound, right? Read on to learn more about Mona's mindful adventure. 

What have you learned from your personal meditation practice?

“It cannot be understood intellectually, but only through progressive spiritual awakening, for true spiritual understanding always dawns in a way which is paradoxical and irrational to the faculty of the intellect.”

This is one of my favorite quotes from the Kundalini Tantra text – a valuable resource that has helped me a great deal in my own meditation practice. Most of us live in our heads (most of the time) and I was no different. In my late teens, I was as disconnected from my heart as the next guy. It has taken almost a decade of yoga to broaden this limited outlook and to connect to my truth. To drop the intellect and place my trust in the intelligence of my being is an ongoing process.

I am probably just scratching the surface, but meditation reminds me to value my intuition (even when considering something seemingly black and white) – to not reject magic. I tell myself that it is okay if I don’t understand certain feelings or energies; it’s not always for the mind to grasp.

What is your advice for people who would like to start a practice?

There is no right way. My best piece of advice is to just start (already!) because it is worth it and starting any new habit is always difficult. But start. And stay with it. And when you've stopped, start again. The mind will come up with a million reasons not to start. And then, once you have started, it will come up with a million more (seemingly logical and valid) reasons as to why you can’t actually fit in in that day or even this year. You have time when you decide to make space for the practice.

Whether it’s deciding to do the dishes mindfully every day, being fully present when hugging a loved one, or practicing yoga with intention – just start.

Every day we get to begin anew so commit to that ‘start,’ each morning. Something will shift; something is bound to happen with that type of dedication.

Eager to follow Mona's meditation lead? We recommend Amanda Botur's NEW class or this traditional seated meditation with Sarah Kline.

10 Minutes with Mona Godfrey // The Power Yoga Company Share

10 minutes with Mona Godfrey

AUGUST 10, 2015

tags: Meditation, Mona Godfrey, poweryoga, yoga

Humbling the yoga world with her beautiful goldilocks, mindful yoga classes and loving nature, we introduce to you one of our teachers, Mona Godfrey. Born in Latvia and raised between Stockholm and California, this now London based teacher brings a unique energy to her Power Yoga classes that is powerful yet feminine. Often spotted running from her home to The Power Yoga Co.studio in Fulham, Mona Godfrey arrives to class full of vivacity and wisdom that she shares generously to anyone who attends her class. With a strong focus on mind, body and soul connection, Mona’s classes will leave even the least experienced yogi in a complete meditative and blissful state. Here we share in 10 short questions a small insight into the interesting life of Mona Godfrey.

1.) Describe your life in 2 words?

Indescribable adventure

2.) What inspired you to become a yoga teacher?

When I did my first teacher training in California, I didn’t think I wanted to teach. Afterwards, I enrolled in a Post-Graduate Mentorship Program. It was during this program that it began to feel I couldn’t possibly NOT teach. My wonderful mentor, Shanti Walling, gave me the tools and the inspiration I needed to move into teaching with a healthy balance of confidence and humility for the ancient practice. 

3.) What are your current 3 favourite yoga poses?

Sukhasana (Easy pose or seated pose) , Shavasana (corpse pose) , and Adho Mukha Vrksasana (handstand pose) – all three challenge me immensely, all in very very different ways.

4.) Whats your favourite jam to play during a power yoga practise?

Music is my first love, but for my own personal practice, I prefer silence. When teaching, I try to stick with music that doesn’t take away from the breath. Right now I love playing Jirí Mazánek’s “Meditace s údem”. 

5.) If you could choose one food to live on for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Could or have to? If I have to — Is this going affect my health? Without over thinking it I am gonna say sushi as a starter, ice cream as a main. Oh, and I can’t forget cashew butter, maybe as dessert? ha ha If you’re giving me the choice, I’d rather not make the commitment and stick to variety. 

6.) Can you tell us a secret that people may not know about you?

I’m a bit of a computer geek. 

7.) Can you tell us a joke? 

Not at the top of my head, but I can tell you to go follow @thefatjewish on IG, and when you’re laughing and snorting on the tube, remember who showed you the light. 

8.) You have an upcoming workshop on the importance of mediation, can you tell us a little bit about this?

I remember the first teacher that invited me to her weekly meditation circle on the beach. I’d never meditated before, but she gave me the first tool. She planted a seed, opened a door. It took a few years to cultivate a truly regular practice, but that day was powerful. I think people like the idea of meditating and want to, but don’t know where to start, how to, or how to find time for it. I will share my experience and share the tools that have been passed down to me. For more experienced meditators, it will be a nice space in which to deepen and immerse in the communal energy. 

9.) For someone who’s new to meditating, what’s the best way to start?

There is no right way or best way, just start, and stay hungry. But start. And when you’ve stopped, start again. Doing the dishes, hugging a loved one, or a few minutes after asana or in the morning. If unsure, ask a teacher for a technique. If doing seated meditations, a timer can help. But there’s really no right or best way, you just have to start. The mind will come up with a million reasons not to start. But just start. 

10.) Through your experience, what are your top 3 tips for aspiring yogis on their yoga journey?

Aspiring implies that there’s some sort of goal or final destination or place of perfection. 1) If you’re practicing yoga, and you are doing your work, and showing up, you’re doing it right. It doesn’t matter if you started yesterday or you feel broken. Just keep doing it. 2) Commit to making it a lifetime practice and dedicate yourself to it daily. 3) There’s no aspiring, you’ve arrived. 

Mona’s Flow and Meditation workshop is on Saturday 24^th October, 1:30-3:30pm at The Power Yoga Company. To sign up, or find out more click here.  

Looking for even more meditation goodness? Escape to the countryside with Pete Cherry for a weekend filled with yoga and meditation. To find out more click here. 

For more information on the workshops or classes please phone 0207 736 4429, or click here to view the updated class schedule.