with Anna
Prayer of Sri Rudram
with Anna
STARTING SOON...
Jnana Yoga
"Thoughts and feelings come and go, what is it that remains?"
—Sri Ramana Maharashi
Jnana yoga is ancient wisdom. With meditation at its heart, it enables you to realize a constant presence of peace that underlies all thoughts and feelings. This presence is your resting place and your true self. It is eternal, stable, secure and is unaffected by the movements of the mind.
Originating from a 5000 year old tradition, Jnana Yoga is the core teaching of the yoga texts, the Upanishads. It was refreshed and promoted by Ramana Maharashi in the early 20th Century and is as relevant now as it was thousands of years ago. It enables you to be at ease with states of mind, recognising that they are passing and do not define you and allows you to recognise and abide in the natural simplicity of being and peace.
A flavour of the meditation practice of Jnana Yoga (known as Atma Vichara) with Anna can be listened to below along with her schedule of Jnana Yoga meditation classes around Swansea as well as other events. One-to-one meditation sessions are also available.
About Anna
Anna has been exploring the nature of the spirit/self since childhood and studying and practicing meditation for 20 years. In 2006, alongside raising a family and working as accredited Journey therapist, she found herself drawn to the specific teachings of Jnana Yoga, also known as Advaita Vedanta. She was moved by its meditation practice of Atma Vichara and drew great inspiration from Ramana Maharashi, who made the ancient teachings accessible to the world.
In the last 8 years, she has had the opportunity to study and practice these teachings in depth with the practical and profound guidance of Derek Thorne, director of YogaLiving. Having a teacher living an engaged life amidst the responsibilities of work and family, as she is, has been so valuable in learning how to integrate this wisdom and meditation practice into everyday life.
Jnana Yoga gives Anna a wealth of understanding, compassion and joy which she loves to share with others. She offers group classes and satsang with the
grounding meditation practice and wisdom of Jnana Yoga. She shares the power of healing chants and uses them alongside the meditation to help the mind settle, let go, deepen in love and compassion for ourselves and humanity and to find peace. Her approach can be considered to be a blend of Jnana and Bhakti Yoga. Her classes are infused with clarity, compassion and tenderness and are held across Swansea.
She offers one-to-one meditation sessions in the home and at Swansea Wellbeing Centre.
Anna's album, 'Heart Song', gives a flavour of her classes and the meditation practice. You can listen to samples and order the CD by clicking here.
Classes & One-to-One Sessions
Meditation classes
Anna reads some beautiful extracts from the Upanishads (ancient yoga text) on the nature of the mind and spirit and guides the meditation. Alongside this she sings Sanskrit chants which people can simply listen to and /or join in. In its most simple way chanting helps quieten and soothe the mind and open the heart. Listening to the sounds alone, as well as joining in (optional), is said to be like a medicine. There are chairs and also mats / cushions / blankets if you prefer the floor. Classes are held in various locations around Swansea.
One to one meditation
These meditation sessions are an opportunity for people wanting to learn, as well as for those already attending the classes or with some background to meditation. They offer support in how to integrate practice in everyday life, strengthen and deepen in the practice itself and to overcome doubts. One to one sessions include time for talking and sharing anything that's on your mind. Sessions happen in the home or in the Swansea Wellbeing Centre.
Singing the Sacred - Chanting for healing and peace
This is a time where we can come together and sing ancient Sanskrit chants. We can relax, let go, pray, heal and connect to the natural simplicity of being and peace that underlies all the movements of the mind. There are chairs and also mats / cushions / blankets for the floor. It is open to all, no experience needed.
The prayer of Sri Rudram - Sanskrit chanting for peace
Performed daily in temples across India, Sri Rudram is a profound 3500-year-old hymn from the sacred Vedas. Hearing it invokes peace, protection, well-being and the removal of obstacles. Chanted for people, communities, places and the world. It is a time where you can come and receive this ancient Sanskrit prayer, be bathed in its sounds and hold closely any prayer or intention for yourself and / or for anyone or situation that needs healing.
Resources
Heart Song: Healing chants and meditation by Anna Flanagan
The album gives a flavour of Anna's classes. Listen to samples of the chants below. A guided meditation can be downloaded for free. The full album is only currently available on CD and can be ordered following the link below.
£10 + postage
Supportive Reading
Sphurana: The yoga practice of Atma Vichara. Its context and method by Derek Thorne
The essence of the Upanishads and The Upanishads by Eknath Easwaran
Be as you are: The teachings of Sri Ramana Maharashi by David Godman
I am that by Sri Nisargadatta
The Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran
“The eternal self is ever-present... the best definition is 'I am.'
It is not attaining something new or reaching some goal which is far away, but simply being that which you always are and which you always have been.”
— Sri Ramana Maharashi
