If you are interested in meditation, there are very good literature and websites from which you can learn more. You can try to meditate at home first with instructions in books, podcasts or video’s. However, experience shows that meditation is best learned with a teacher and in a group. There are providers with different backgrounds – religious, spiritual or secular – which you can check. Young SITA Meditation offers introductions during retreats, in which you thoroughly learn and practice the method under the guidance of an experienced facilitator with no religious or spiritual affiliation, but with solid experience.

Through mindfulness we perceive better what happens in us and in our life and environment. This gives us more liveliness and awareness, and ultimately, it can lead to more relaxation and satisfaction. Mindfulness means the ability to be in the here and now with all your senses, and to let the mind rest without letting go.

Meditation is a way to learn and practice mindfulness. Our minds – our attitudes, points of view, rating schemes and reaction patterns – change only through regular training. Meditation is mind training. Meditation and mindfulness are central concepts in the Buddhist tradition, and are also explained in the Young SITA Mediation retreats.

In our time, most people cannot rest their minds mindfully – try it yourself: sit upright and try to stay attentive and present with your breath for 2 minutes.
Our mindfulness is very fragmented because of the constant overstimulation and speed of everyday life – that is also the basis of stress. Mindfulness can be trained through many methods – of which the most important is the formal exercise of meditation. Conclusion: meditation and mindfulness are directly related because meditation is the means of attaining mindfulness.
Meditation and the attentiveness gained through it have a positive influence on the physical and mental well-being and quality of life of the meditator. This is proved by numerous studies about the effects of meditation and mindfulness on and for humans.
Meditation and mindfulness, the doctrine of perception and inner peace and contemplation, exert a great fascination on us. We, who live in a fast-paced, demanding world and are exposed to a multitude of external influences that hardly make us settle down. With meditation we sit and do nothing. Be with ourselves here and now.

Meditation has a central meaning in Buddhism, which is historically proven. The oral and written traditions of different methods of mindfulness meditation in Buddhist traditions date back to 2,500 years. The traditional methods of meditation still form the basis for the education of many people around the world who call themselves Buddhists.
The methods of meditation in Buddhism can certainly be described as non-religious, even if they are part of a religious practice. Meditation in Buddhism refers to exercises that serve as humanistic methods of training and relaxing the mind.
Many scientific studies on the effect of mindfulness meditation have used Buddhist meditators as subjects and have come to very interesting and amazing findings.
Meditation retreats at Young SITA Meditation are based on the methods of mindfulness meditation in Buddhism. They are primarily aimed at showing the participants a way to break away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, to find an inner place of calm and prudence and to gather strength.

Vipassana meditation is a form of mindfulness meditation that originated from the Buddhist schools in Thailand, Burma and Sri Lanka. Vipassana can be translated as insight or mindfulness and is a fundamental part of these traditions. Practically all representatives of Vipassana emphasize the far-reaching independence of Vipassana from cultural or religious forms.
One of the popular modern “applications” of Vipassana is the complementary medical treatment program MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) by the American molecular biologist Jon Kabat-Zinn, which is based primarily on the two largest technical vipassana methods: body sweeping and naming. The aim of the program is the training of mindfulness. This promotes stress reduction and may aid the treatment of psychosomatic conditions.
Vipassana meditation is not affiliated to any religious affiliation and is also practiced and taught by non-Buddhists. Mindfulness meditation, as taught by Young SITA Mediation, is an integral part of the various Vipassana training methods. Vipassana meditation is also known as “Insight Meditation” or “Vipassana Practice”.

Zen Meditation originated in Zen Buddhism and goes back to a Buddhist meditation school in the 6th century AD.
The goal of Zen Meditation is the presence of light-heartedness at the moment. It is about the art of objective, concentrated perception – completely without evaluation and interpretation. In other words, Zen meditation leads to a state of continued, complete and conscious awareness of the present moment. The Zen meditator attains full mindfulness without his own judgmental involvement, which he or she keeps not only during the Zen meditation practice, the Zazen, but at every possible moment of his life. Shunryu Suzuki once said: “Zen is not something exciting, but focus on your everyday activities”
Mindfulness Meditation as part of the Young SITA Meditation is inspired by the practices and goals of Buddhist Zen meditation. Mindfulness has a central place in Buddhism and means to be in the present moment, in the here and now. Mindfulness meditation teaches us to be fully aware of our feelings, thoughts and actions at every moment.
Our introductions and teachings in mindfulness meditation include many elements of traditional Zen meditation, focusing on how we can integrate these exercises and mindfulness into our daily lives, so that what we learn becomes an integral part of our lives. Thus, our mindfulness meditation seminars combine the tradition of Zen with the demands of our lives in a modern, complicated and overburdened Western world.

Tibetan Buddhism is one of the most widespread forms of Buddhism in the Western world. The traditions in Tibet include many forms of mindfulness meditation and the most popular mindfulness exercises in Tibetan meditation include both “Shine” and “Lhakthong” – lingering in peace and seeing clearly. The methods of Tibetan meditation are very similar to the Vipassana traditions, but they are distinguished by a more extensive theoretical underpinning.
The basis for the Buddhist practice is the “step way to enlightenment” (Tibetan: Lamrim), as it has been handed down since the 11th century. Lamrin is a Tibetan meditation system designed to familiarize students with basic Buddhist teachings.
The Dalai Lama is one of the best known representatives of Tibetan meditation, which has found many followers in the Western world. In the Young SITA Meditation, methods of mindfulness based on the Tibetan meditation are integrated and adapted for the modern everyday life in the West.

The past ten years there have been numerous studies that explored the effects of meditation on health. Almost all come to the conclusion that meditation has a clear and surprisingly positive influence on health. The number of studies or publications on the subject of meditation has increased rapidly in recent years (more at: http: // www. mindfulness-research.net). The effect of meditation have found positive effects in many areas, such as improving the quality of life, strengthening physical health, strengthening mental health, minimizing sleep disturbances and reducing behavioral problems.

Meditation in everyday life is a central principle of our retreats: everything learned in our meditation retreats should be easy to integrate into everyday life and thus lead to improved perception in the inside and outside, appreciation and clarity. You should be able to apply and implement the learned exercises everywhere – at work, at home or while traveling.
With a little practice, mindfulness can be easily integrated into everyday life.
During Young Sita Meditation seminars we focus on the topic of how to integrate these meditation and mindfulness exercises into our daily lives. The following aspects and assistance play an important role in the implementation of meditation in everyday life:
• It is better to undertake a short, regular practice of about 10 minutes, than to plan longer practice sessions for meditation, which can then be difficult to implement in everyday life.
• We look at our daily routine to see where and when it makes the most sense to integrate a formal meditation practice into our everyday lives.
• Mindfulness can be integrated in all facets of everyday life. At work, doing housework, cooking and driving. Once we understand the principle of mindfulness, this is not so difficult.
• Mindful sport and exercise is a helpful way to integrate the principles of mindfulness into everyday life.
These and other points form the basis for concluding discussion in the meditation seminars on the subject of meditation in everyday life.

In general, a Young SITA Meditation retreat starts in the afternoon or early evening with a welcome, getting to know each other and a brief introduction by the seminar leader.
A full seminar day starts with breakfast between 8 and 9 o’clock. At 9 o’clock we meet in the seminar room and the seminar leader leads through the morning (introduction mindfulness meditation, lectures, exchange). At 12.30 we have lunch and have a break for a personal or group time out, going for a walk, reading and resting. Depending on the retreat, a seminar unit will take place in the afternoon. In the evening we eat together after which the programme of the day ends. After dinner participants have more time to spend freely and gather around as they wish.

All seminars are suitable for beginner and experienced meditators. There are no restrictions or need for previous knowledge. Bring curiosity and openness. Choose a seminar that appeals to you personally and fits you in time and place. If you would like a personal consultation, feel free to contact us.