Hello and welcome,
My name is Mark Rowland and I'm truly really grateful that you're here.
I'd just like to take these few moments in this short talk to really just introduce myself,
Not just to share who I am but to explain why I do what I do I guess and how deeply I care about helping others find peace,
Calm and connection through mindfulness and meditation.
Throughout my life I've navigated the challenges of mental health,
Like many others I've faced the moments of anxiety,
Overwhelm and deep searching,
Seeking some port,
Something steady I guess,
So I may miss the storm.
Time and again I've discovered that returning to the breath,
To the stillness and the presence could gently bring me back home to myself,
To remember who I am.
My personal journey has led me to meditation through,
I think it was in 2017 I found a mindfulness and meditation local group to me,
It's in a town called Marlow in the UK,
With a lovely person facilitating who really opened up my mind to the potential of going within myself and really it resonated with me and ever since that eight,
Nine years ago I've become very passionate about meditating and doing a lot of shadow work and just being aware of myself and it's made such a positive difference to me.
So now I'm passionate about sharing the the power of meditation,
The power of being present within yourself,
That's not saying I have all the answers,
Far from it,
But comes from a genuine need within,
Within myself really to a need for healing and grounding and I can feel the power of that and I'd love to share it with everybody who wants to receive.
As well as my meditation practice I've dedicated years of working in animal rescue,
Caring for those beings who cannot speak for themselves and learnt a lot from their quiet wisdom and unconditional presence,
Whether it be a fox,
A hedgehog,
A badger,
A buzzard,
They all have their unique individuality and presence.
As a vegan compassion for all living beings is a guiding principle in my life,
I see this same gentle compassion is central really to mindfulness,
Approaching ourselves and others with kindness,
Patience and understanding.
Now I share the guided meditations and sound journeys here on Insight Timer and hopefully in the future to include Gong Baths which is a powerful form of sound healing.
I'm just trying to figure out a way that they can sound good on the microphone as the Gong can help the body and mind deeply relax,
Opening,
You know,
Doorways to stillness,
A space where healing can truly begin.
By offering Gong Baths I've witnessed how the power of the sound helps release tension which is really often unnoticed,
Which is why I'm passionate about offering it.
Everything I share,
Whether it's calming bedtime kid stories or short breathing practices or a deep profound sound journey,
I try to offer it from the heart,
It's my way of trying to give back because I've been in dark places in my life and I know this practice works and I know what it can bring.
Too often I think meditation,
Guidance and you know the path to inner peace are very very often hidden behind paywalls making them very inaccessible to many.
I believe that everyone regardless of their financial situation should have access to these practices,
To these resources,
They shouldn't really be be hidden unless you have the money to unlock them.
I try to offer the majority of my meditations freely for those who can afford to donate a few cents,
Pence,
Dollar or a pound.
They kind of pay for the for the ones who maybe cannot so I'm trying to build a model with my meditations and offerings based on kindness and mutual support.
I always want my meditations to be free for those who need them and for those who want to donate.
I'm very very appreciated for that,
It helps me be able to set aside the time to to create more.
So if you do find value in my offerings and have the means your support is always deeply appreciated.
Your contributions not only sustain my work but also ensure that others who might not be able to afford it can always access these meditations.
Together we can create a community where everyone has the opportunity to find peace and mindfulness.
Whether you're here to fall asleep or to heal,
To center yourself for the day ahead or simply feel less alone.
You are most most welcome,
You're in the right place and I'm honored to be on this path with you.
If you feel called to I'll warmly invite you to follow me here.
I'll be uploading new meditations regularly hopefully a few times a week and if you have any requests or suggestions,
Themes of meditations,
Just give me a message and I'll try to incorporate that in the future.
Thanks for listening to this short introduction,
Hopefully I can upload more in the future and tell you all a little bit more about myself.
But so far my journey on Insight Timer has been a pleasure and I'm really grateful for the support I've received and your feedback for my meditations.
I'm really really so grateful for it and I hope to continue on here for a long time to come.
Thanks so much for listening to this short introduction like I say and just to end this little talk,
Let's just take a breath together now if you'd like.
A soft inhale and a long gentle exhale.
Thank you all so much for listening,
May you be well,
May you be peaceful and may you feel held just as you are.
Namaste
