When Axel Schäfers learned Acem Meditation in Germany six years ago, his one-year-older brother Ralf watched from a distance as the technique made Axel change things in his life. At first, Ralf couldn’t imagine himself practicing meditation, but last year he changed his mind and signed up for the World Retreat in the Pyrenees. To his surprise, Axel did not immediately applaud his plan, but just said, “I am not sure you are ready. Anyway, it will either work or not work.” Like a dry sponge Ralf trusted his own judgement. He knew he had seen his brother change, and he thought, “It is only a week in my life, and if it worked for my brother, it might work for me.” He booked his flight to Spain and registered for the beginner’s course at the retreat. “I got a flying start,” he now says. “The World Retreat included so much more than an ordinary beginner’s course. I was ready and open for it, not just curious – more like a dry sponge, receptive to everything from the varied menu of activities and impressions. It did not take me long to grasp the essentials of meditation. It was a fantastic week.” He goes on: “I think my experience with natural meditation from running in nature was an advantage – letting the thoughts flow, just as in meditation. I had also practiced yoga for some time. After a few days at the retreat, I had my first experience with long meditations. It worked well for me, and I have enjoyed it ever since.” Benefits Ralf soon noticed several effects. “I’ve become able to organize my time in a better way, and this has helped me a lot. My friends and colleagues soon noticed that something had changed. I received comments like ‘What has happened to you?’ They said I was much more calm and relaxed, and less irritable.” For Ralf, the most important motivating factor has been the possibility of personal development. “I have become more aware of my personality traits and typical reaction patterns, both good and bad. I can see that I have always tended to react in the same ways, including some I disliked. I was definitely interested in the personal change that meditation could facilitate.” A new experience The brothers live far from one another, Axel in Lübeck in Northern Germany, and Ralf in Augsburg in the South. They don’t meet very often, but every year there’s a Christmas gathering in Axel’s home – until last Christmas, when Ralf invited the whole family to his home for the first time and made a great impression on everyone with his cooking skills. “Everything was so well planned and organized,” says Axel. “Before he started to meditate, I couldn’t have imagined this happening; it gave all of us a quite new experience.” Meditation for the family Daily meditation practice suits both of the brothers well. In addition, they also enjoy the opportunities for long meditations, such as the German Weekend Retreat in January. Axel’s two daughters and his wife have also learned meditation. One daughter accompanied him to the World Retreat and there took part in the “Young Edition”. This year, she will participate in the Training in Interpersonal Communication in Norway. Interviewed by Anne Grete Hersoug Language editor: Ann Kunish

Carla Helland: “Acem Meditation has become a valued part of each day. I have been meditating regularly for a few years now. I notice that my stress and anxiety levels have become more balanced and that I have a much easier time being present in the daily moments of life. Meditation has been a grounding force for me. It has helped me to grow and has helped me focus on what I find important. Time to reflect “At the retreats there is time and space to get to know yourself a bit more. Besides exploring new insights, I also found time to reflect and take note of the work I have already been doing in my daily meditations. Throughout the years, I have noticed layers of stress falling away and the ability to see the present and what my desires are more clearly. Stress and anxiety had been acting as blinders, limiting my vision. I now notice more of the world around me, the people around me and my journey in the midst of it all. Inspiration at retreat “Since the week-long retreat this summer, I have been able to establish a consistent meditation routine and I am noticing the benefits of this. Meeting meditators from all over the world, hearing their stories and getting a chance to share my own has made me value my daily practice even more. It has inspired me to continue to sit down and meditate each day and has given me a network of people to connect with and lean on for motivation. I continue to be grateful for the ways Acem helps me explore personal growth. Carla Helland is a Swedish music teacher

Interview – Page 2 – The Meditation Blog

I found Acem Meditation on the blog

Gøsta2019-07-05T11:47:06+02:00August 25th, 2017|

– interview with Côme Ledésert

“It was important for me to learn how to meditate when I was working on my master’s thesis four years ago, and I wanted to […]

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Meditating brothers

Gøsta2019-07-05T11:47:41+02:00April 17th, 2017|

When Axel Schäfers learned Acem Meditation in Germany six years ago, his one-year-older brother Ralf watched from a distance as the technique made Axel change things in his life.

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Ten years with Acem Meditation

Gøsta2019-07-05T11:47:15+02:00April 17th, 2017|

Miren feels the effects increase with time

Meditation has become a natural part of her daily life. Miren Lugarezaresti, a social worker based in Alicante, Spain, explains why her motivation to continue […]

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Bridging cultural differences: Meditative yoga in Taiwan

Gøsta2019-07-05T11:47:49+02:00April 15th, 2017|

Anne Thomte, a Norwegian high school teacher and head of the Acem School of Yoga, recently visited Taiwan, where she gave two weekend workshops for the general public and a training course for […]

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How can nondirective meditation increase self-knowledge?

Gøsta2019-07-05T11:47:57+02:00April 15th, 2017|

New doctoral thesis on nondirective meditation

From the beginning of the Western philosophical tradition, the quest for self-knowledge has been central. We must know ourselves as human beings and our place […]

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Made me more grounded

Gøsta2019-07-05T11:48:14+02:00January 5th, 2017|

Remy Roche: “Acem Meditation made me more grounded – in a country harassed by terrorists”

Some people think they can learn meditation by picking up a book and read a few instructions. Remy […]

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Meditation helped me cope with the situation

Gøsta2019-07-05T11:49:48+02:00January 5th, 2017|

Captain on a rescue ship in the Mediterranean

“Some people were lost before we could see them on the radar,” says Francesc Oliveras, who was captain on board when the […]

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More present in life

Gøsta2019-07-05T11:50:12+02:00October 30th, 2016|

Carla Helland: “Acem Meditation has become a valued part of each day. I have been meditating regularly for a few years now. I notice that my stress and anxiety levels have become more balanced and […]

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Acem Meditation improved my life

Gøsta2019-07-05T11:50:56+02:00September 10th, 2016|

Mercedes Ozuna: “I sought meditation originally for very practical reasons. I really did not know what to expect or what I was getting myself into. That is why I was […]

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“I was deeply touched”

Gøsta2019-07-05T11:51:22+02:00September 10th, 2016|

In Benjamin Kartal’s job as an air traffic controller, challenging moments are part of his daily work. At the age of 27 he has ten years of meditation experience. When he […]

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