Recommendations
Recommendation by Dr Laylah Johl
"I have been interested in the art of meditation for a long time but unfortunately always found something else to occupy my time, that was until I caught sight of a flier in a shop window.
Being a complete novice I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but I must admit I was amazed by the amount of ‘internal space’ that I actually had once I was able to silence the nonsense that goes on inside my head. I was equally surprised by the concept and power behind ‘internal voice dialogues’ something that was sensitively facilitated by Suryacitta.
The testimony of its worth comes from a continued commitment to practice what is taught in these sessions and to be truly aware in every given moment which can be difficult once the outside functioning world reminds you of its own reality.
I think you will only know the validity of this statement if you choose to make that personal commitment in your own self development. There’s no ‘light bulb moment’ but there is a quiet acknowledgement that something has indeed changed. The beauty lays in the realisation that others also benefit by default.I would thoroughly recommend attendance at any number of sessions or workshops facilitated by Suryacitta. The hard works thereafter."Testimonial by Dr Laylah Johl
Enjoyed
the session again last night. Just wanted to pass on that I realised last night
when you were talking that I no longer beat myself up or tell myself I'm crap,
etc. I remember that being something we used to discuss in voice dialogue
sessions. I hadn't noticed that I'd finally beat that until last night. While
sometimes I still doubt myself (as we all do) I tend to detach myself from the
critism and blame any issues on simple anxiety rather than believing what I
hear. Whilst I struggle horribly with what I think of as 'the voice of
what if?', again I don't blame myself for it being there. It makes me very
angry and upset, and it holds me back, and I'm really trying to work on this at
the moment. But I feel like the 'me' part is unified against it rather than
blaming myself.
So I just wanted to say thanks, and that your
help has really stayed with me and helped me move forward.
Dale
Meditation may seem like a weird thing to do. In reality it is very practical and very beneficial. At the very least it’s a great way to wind down from the stresses and strains of modern life. However the effects can be much more profound. You understand yourself better and are more at one with the world around you.
Don’t let the strange name put you off. Mr S (as I like to call him) is an amiable, down to earth northerner. He knows his subject very well and is a great teacher. His approach is simple, practical and participative.
Give it a go. You won’t regret it. You have nothing to lose but a lot of emotional baggage you are better off without.
Testimonial by Patrick Sartoris
Suryacitta offers a variety of small group courses, meditation practice, retreat and one to one teaching in a relaxed and friendly environment at his home. He always has a warm welcome and I have thoroughly enjoyed the courses I have done and will definitely be returning again for others. My curiosity about meditation has now developed into a fascination with learning about different aspects of the Buddhist philosophy.
Helped by Suryacitta’s inspirational wisdom and approachable nature, I have learned much about myself and others, as well as enjoying the company of other like minded people. He provides a safe space in which to learn and reflect and I would recommend him to anyone with a desire to learn more about meditation and Buddhist teaching.Testimonial by Alex Batten (Counsellor)
“Thanks
again for a great retreat this summer at Dhanakosa. If the effectiveness of a retreat can be judged by the
changes one makes as aresult, then this was certainly up there with the
best! Since the retreat I have been keeping to a new,
daily meditation routine and feeling the benefits as a result.”
Martin
Robson
"The mindfulness retreat at Sussex Prairies run by Suryacitta
was a first for me. It was a wonderful weekend of reflection in beautiful
and peaceful surroundings. Suryacitta's calm, relaxed and thoughtful
style was a perfect introduction to meditation and, I suspect, could have
a profound impact on the way I live my life." Alan Mccarthy
"Spa for the Soul"
I booked the retreat with Suryachitta when I was suffering significantly from
stress. I needed some mental breathing space and this was the perfect
solution. Weeks later I am still feeling the benefits and maintaining the
practices he taught me. His approach is guiding. He plants seeds of
thought, enabling you to follow your own path. After the
first day I wanted to learn more, hear more. But the silence enables you
to listen to the most important thing - yourself. It gave me the 'brain
rest' I needed – see you at the next retreat! Alison, East Sussex
I
attended Suryacitta’s mindfulness weekend at the Sussex Prairie near Brighton
last weekend. It was so good to be reminded of the basic simplicity of this
practice. Suryacitta’s gentle warmth and good humour is infectious and helped
create a harmonious group of people, most of whom hadn’t met before, and some
of whom were new to meditation. I particularly appreciated the silent meals
(which were delicious), as it reminded me that behind all meditative and
mindful experience is a gentle silence. I can wholeheartedly recommend
Suryacitta as a teacher of mindfulness practice, both to old hands like myself
as well as newcomers. Graham Patterson
