Meet MA member Benita Miciulis ~ (you are going to love Ginger!)
I found meditation, mindfulness and embodied movement during a time of personal struggle and they have since become my greatest allies. These practices have guided my own healing and empower me to live with presence and intention. They have taught me how to navigate life’s inevitable challenges with greater ease and clarity, and have helped me to find delight, meaning and joy in even the most mundane of moments.
I have been teaching meditation and mindfulness practices since June 2024. My first ever classes were actually on my birthday, which was a nice synchronicity! My approach to meditation is embodied. I invite participants to anchor in bodily sensations, and weave each theme in and through the body. My classes invite participants to truly get to know and embrace themselves and to cultivate an inner sanctuary of trust and possibility. There’s nothing to get right or to achieve in the classes I share. I see everything as an exploration and an opportunity to marvel at the wonder and complexity of this one precious life.
I’m currently teaching meditation at Mirosuna in South Melbourne. I also teach a mindful stretch class, Yin yoga and a breathwork class at the studio, each with mindfulness teachings woven throughout the classes. I love to be creative with theming, and am inspired by the magic of natural world and poetry (John O’Donohue and Mary Oliver are two of my favourites).
I am teaching a variety of people, including corporate professionals, new parents, NDIS participants, and will soon be teaching mindfulness to a community in a narcotics rehabilitation program. The people I have had the privilege of meeting and teaching so far have brought me so much joy. My heart is so happy and at home.
As a very new practitioner, I am learning all of the time. But a couple of key takeaways that have helped me so far are:
To be myself, to embrace my unique way of teaching and to share what resonates with me
Prioritising my own personal practice – seeing that as the pillar that supports my ability to teach from a place of groundedness and attune to the people I am holding space for
Trusting myself to try new things so that I can keep learning and growing, knowing that each class doesn’t need to be perfect (I have to remind myself of this last point A LOT)
What’s the story behind your first meditation experience?
In 2017, I worked at a law firm who encouraged us to attend a monthly meditation class at lunchtime in our boardroom. I remember going along because no one else did and I felt bad for the teacher! I don’t remember what meditation technique was shared. I do remember just wanting the classes to end so that I could return to my desk to tackle the mountain of work I had waiting for me.
I remember trying out the Headspace App, perhaps around the same time, and obsessively listening to meditations for a week or two. Of course, I was deflated that all of life’s problems hadn’t disappeared in this time! Life spiralled downhill rapidly for me from 2018 onwards. I didn’t return to any meditation until 2021, initially through yoga asana practice. I had a yoga teacher with a soothing voice who shared her Insight Timer meditations with me. I was experiencing frequent panic attacks in the evenings, and the soothing voice of someone familiar and kind was incredibly helpful.
I loved the Insight Timer App. I found the interface really easy to use, and I started to listen to lots and lots of different meditations, mainly with themes of self-compassion, self-love and self-acceptance. I had never been taught to meditate cross legged on a cushion, so in these earlier days, all of my meditations were done in some kind of relaxed, reclined position. I loved being able to discard a recording if the style or voice wasn’t a good fit. A previous version of myself would have endured listening to a meditation from start to finish, even if I wasn’t enjoying a thing about it. Sounds small, but this was transformative in cultivating an attitude of deep listening to my own needs, wants and desires, and acting on them.
What or who inspires you?
John Donohue’s writing inspires me daily. His books “Anam Cara” and “To Bless The Space Between Us” are books to read forever.
Cushion time: How long did you meditate for today?
22 Minutes. Silent meditation with a bell to signal the beginning and the end. Sitting in my favourite velvet armchair in the living room under a blanket. I always meditate in even numbers!
Meditation Apps, yes or no?
Yes! Insight Timer for me. While I mainly use the timer for my own personal practice, I do have a few favourite teachers on there and listen to their guided meditations as I fall asleep.
You’re the voice: Do you sing in the shower?
Of course! I love to do a few lion’s breaths in the shower too!
The getting of wisdom: What’s the best, or most important thing, you’ve learned as a meditation teacher?
Just as each meditation I practice is different (even if I sit for the same length of time, in the same spot, at the same time), so too will each meditation class that I teach. Learning to embrace the differences in each class, taking jewels from each class to shape the next.
What makes your heart sing and what you have come to value most?
We have the two most magical lemon scented gum trees in our front yard. They make my heart sing! I feel so content amongst nature, and it is a constant source of inspiration for me. I am never not noticing the moon, the sunrise, the sunset, the quality of the light or the amazement of colour, the abundance of animal life. Even in the bustle and busyness of city life, there is beauty to notice. I value the beauty of presence, of paying attention, of being, of being taught that our true value is intrinsic. I value knowing and trusting that things work out just as they are meant to.
The best thing today: What’s the most inspiring or loveliest thing you’ve seen or experienced today?
I’ve just returned home after a 10 day holiday to the Perhentian Islands. Going through GoPro footage of our snorkelling adventures and reliving our experiences with the sea turtles has been pretty magical. Seeing our dog, Ginger, snoozing and snoring in her bed has to be a close second!
Benita Miciulis
As One Embodied Yoga & Meditation
www.asoneyoga.com.au