Customer Reviews

Meditation for Beginners

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've been doing yoga and trying to meditate for the past 10 odd years. I think I'm a particulary difficult student because I over analyze and I can be far too critical. I'm easily put off by instructors -- perhaps a tone that is too self-satisfied or what I perceive as silly "new agey" talk.

So, as you might imagine, I have tried many meditation videos and dvds over the years, and this is by far the best one I have ever used.

The DVD is divided into three main sections:
Mindful Yoga: a 15-minute yoga program that focusses on relaxing the body with lots of seated poses, a little downward dog. Nothing strenuous.

Body Scan: a 20 minute, lying-down body awareness exercise in which you move your attention to various parts of your body.

Seated Meditation: a 20-minute guided meditation in which Maritza talks you through the practice of concentration and teaches you the basic breathing technique for learning how to keep the mind focussed and relaxed while distractions come and go. The breathing technique works quite well especially if paying attention to your breath tends to make you even more anxious. You count(starting at 1 and going to 5) the pause between the completion of the exhale and the next inhale. I found it quite easy to learn and highly effective.

The music is subtle and perfectly suited, the backdrops are lush and beautifully filmed.

All of this makes, for what I think, is a perfect meditation DVD, and yet here is the best part: Martiza's words, her narration, is so superbly written and resonates with such deep humanism and truth that I really am beginning to understand what mediation is, and what I am trying to achieve. Like I said, I'm an ornery student, but she's really that good.

I'm a high-stress guy, which is probably why I received this DVD as an early Christmas present. I took one look at the cover and cringed, but I'll be the first to admit that I could use a lifestyle change. Soo...

I started using the DVD on a daily basis about two weeks ago, and it has begun to have a very real effect on the quality of my life. I spend about 40 minutes in the morning before I start my work-day with the DVD. The first 15 or so minutes are spent loosing up the body with a number of light yoga stretches, and then I use the first of two meditation programs which is called a "body scan". It's a meditation program that really puts you into a state of deep relaxation. It doesn't make you sleepy (though it might if you performed it in the evening), on the contrary, I always feel rejuvenated by the end of the routine.

I haven't moved to the second program yet, but I plan to next week. It's a seated meditation program that is meant to help you refresh and focus your mind. I honestly can't wait to get started!

This DVD took me by surprise. Do yourself a favor and buy it. Even if you don't get anything out of the meditation program itself, the production of the DVD is outstanding. It's like a trip to Hawaii. A very, very, relaxing trip to Hawaii.

Learning to Meditate is not easy! I have a problem keeping my mind from roaming. I think any time we are serious about learning anything new, most of us are looking for the magic bullet-the ONE perfect answer to making it all happen. This DVD is so far the BEST I've tried. After about a week & a half of consist practice at the same time every morning my mind still wanders, but I can feel a change in the depth of my concentration. Maritza knows you will have a wandering mind, & she tells you in softly accented French to leave judgments behind. The only accompaniment to the Meditation section is Tibetan bells & bowls over a low, non-invasive hum-perfect for bringing your mind to deeper conscious levels.

The DVD consists of a 15-minute Yoga session, done mostly on the floor along with Downward-facing Dog & Bridge Pose-quite basic. The next session is a Body Scan for relaxing. I find that doing all three at once takes nearly an hour, so I only do Meditation each day & Yoga & Body Scan on other days. If you have the time, it would probably be beneficial to at least do the Yoga first. I believe in time this DVD will help me learn to meditate effectively. I see it more as a teaching aid, a stepping stone to being able to Meditate on my own with only an audio music of maybe Tibetan bowls in the background. If I have any problems with this DVD, it is that it doesn't give you the option of being able to play just the audio, but there are excellent CDs with these sounds available such as "Singing Bowls". The extras include a very candid interview with Maritza which actually helped me to feel more comfortable with her leading my Meditation. In fact, I've come to enjoy it so much that it actually pulls me out of bed before 6:00 a.m each morning! Oh, did I forget to mention the exquisite Maui Island setting?

I recently purchased this dvd, and another meditation dvd from Yoga Zone. This dvd is superior in every aspect. The instructor, Maritza has a strong accent, but you will find that her instructions are very clear, very focused, and very helpful. The dvd is divided into three parts. The first part is a gentle easy yoga stretch session; the second session is a body scan-meditation segment; and the third is a seated meditation segment. The photography (all done in Hawaii) is gorgeous and very well done. In addition, the dvd has a menu which allows you to pick the different segments you want to try, an introduction, a "personal trainer" option which allows you to switch to a separate segment showing you how to do a particular movement, and an interview.

As a newbie to yoga/meditation I thought buying this DVD would be a great place to begin my journey. Well, I was right.

I purchased this DVD three weeks ago and have been using at least one of it's programs every night since then.

The first program is a beginning yoga session lasting 15-20 minutes. I'm not very flexible but the stretches aren't overly difficult (except for downward dog... argh!). My only issue is that Maritza moves along pretty quickly and doesn't hold the stretches for more than a few seconds.

The second program is a body scan meditation lasting 15-20 minutes. This meditation is very relaxing and you have to focus or you will fall asleep. Martiza's soothing voice can calm a wild beast in a heartbeat. This meditation is very relaxing and can be used before bedtime to great benefit.

The third and final program is a seated meditation lasting 15-20 minutes and is my favorite. Maritza shares her insight from 20 years of meditation with master teachers and instructs the viewer as if it was her first time in class. I'm still trying to quiet my mind for longer than a few seconds but with practice and dedication Maritza's words have put me on the right path.

I'm strongly recommending this DVD to those even remotely interested in yoga or meditation.

This is a wonderful practice! The Yoga practice is fairly short, but I love it for a morning practice. She holds the poses longer than Rodney's Yea's AM Yoga and the scenery and music are lovely. I finish it off with my own short meditation with the DVD player off. It's about a 30-minute practice (with my meditation). My spine feels so alive and I feel so centered and ready to start my day.

You can wrap into the practice (or any other yoga practice) the body scan and then the seated meditation. They are both wonderful. I meditate everyday and I still love this meditation practice. Good for beginners too. Not too much talk, but just enough to get you going. Maritza voice is very soothing.

This is a must have DVD! Check my other reviews for other good ones! Thank You!

I will rate this with 5 stars.. After walking out of work one day because I just couldnt take any more of the office politics, and my partner being pushed to his limits by my always negative attitude I realised that it was time to do something about my stress levels.

I did a bit of a search here and found this DVD - it was brilliant,even after the first run through I found it did so much for me. All of a sudden I was starting to see a little bit of light through the thick mud. A friend of mine had recommended meditation and the scientific magazine that I read had noted that meditation does the equivalent for the brain as going to the gym does for your body - it keeps it fit, but I didnt think it would be this good!

So total thumbs up to the creators and now, after purchasing the Gaiam AM/PM meditations DVD a week or so ago as well and the AM/PM Yoga Meditations CD.. I am set. My days are much nicer and I look forward to them more. Thanks Gaiam for helping me find that happy life again.

Ever done a body scan in a yoga class? In this gentle meditation, you become aware of how you are feeling, part by part. You might spend minutes becoming aware of the tops of your feet, whether warm, cool, tense or relaxed. As you go over your entire body from toe to head, it's hard not to gain a sense of peace and gratitude for living.

Maintaining concentration throughout the exercise is another matter. It's really helpful to have someone guide you through it, periodically calling your attention perhaps back from the brink of sleep to move on to another part of your body. Maritza's body scan is excellent---to me the DVD is worth the price just for that. Her voice is gentle and unintrusive; and her questions insightful. The beach-side setting is appropriately tranquil. The yoga and seated meditation are nice, too. The DVD costs the same as a single yoga class. I've already played it several times and look forward to using it for years to come. An excellent value.

I have looked at several meditation CDs, but this DVD is the best so far -- Maritza has a soothing voice and what she says makes sense. She helps you get deeper into the experience rather than distracting from it, and there is very little of what I'd call the "fluff" that sometimes comes along with meditation guides. My only regret is that this doesn't come as a CD as well, so that I could use it away from the TV. The pictures are lovely, though.

I really liked this DVD. The scenery is beautiful and helps you to get relaxed. The gentle music in the background is soothing. You can tell Maritza has been doing this for years. Her voice is easy to listen to and directs you in your practice with ease. Very professionally done. The warm-up yoga portion is effective. Her two different meditation sessions are worth the time and energy to get you in a state of calmness and peacefulness. Give this DVD a try. This DVD helps you to slow down your thoughts and alleviates stress.