One of our newest members gives us some insights into how he got here.
How long have you been teaching, what type of meditation do you teach and where?
I’ve been teaching meditation officially for almost a year. I teach the “1 Giant Mind” being technique as well as guided mindfulness sessions. Sadly due to covid I really only teach online via Zoom and Instagram Live but living in Bondi, Sydney I hope to teach in person once restrictions ease.
What is the story behind your first meditation experience?
I came to meditation 6 years. I had just broken off an 11 year relationship, and at the time was dealing with quite a lot of performance anxiety. I was also suffering from panic attacks and although I was high functioning, the level of stress I experienced daily was unsustainable. I learned the “1 Giant Mind” being technique. It began as a great way to simply find greater calm and un-stress but, like so many people, meditation has become a journey of self awareness, self expansion and self love. I feel like meditation has enabled me to connect to the people around me with so much more depth, and I feel closer to nature and to a spiritual place, both internally and externally, than ever before.
On top of that, theatre and the stage, a place I love so much yet feared greatly, has truly become a second home to me. I savour my moments onstage, and am so much more grateful for the opportunities I have to express art. Over the past few years I’ve felt quite a calling to teach, so during the 2020 lockdown, living in the UK, it felt like the time to start my teacher training in “1 Giant Mind”, a technique that’s served me so well, and enable other people, who may be experiencing similar struggles to mine, to find away through them.
How long did you meditate for today?
I practice a seated meditation twice a day. Normally for 15-20mins each time, sometimes a little longer sometimes a little shorter.
Do you use a mediation app?
I don’t use an app, but occasionally I allow the wonderful tones and heart of Mooji to guide me.
What or who inspires you?
I love reading The Daily Stoic, by Ryan Holiday each morning. It’s simple daily teachings always offer something to bring into the day
What’s a golden key you have learned about teaching or facilitating mediation?
Discernment. The ability to zoom out and to discern situations. To see the whole picture and multiple sides of any story or situation. It’s therefore made me less righteous, more willing to have open discussions, more compassionate and understanding of others and more connected to nature and the universe. As a result of this I suffer less from anxiety as I have less identification with those thoughts which don’t serve me.
What fills your heart gratitude?
Nature, my family, my friends, my relationship, my health, my voice, my freedoms … I could keep going.
What was the last thing that made you smile or laugh
😊 My partner Lotte, everyday! She cracks me up!
Josh Piterman was the most recent Phantom in the brilliant original West End Production of The Phantom of the Opera in London prior to the COVID shutdown. He is an established musical theatre performer and classical crossover artist who has been working consistently on Australian and UK stages over the past 15 years. His past credits include being a part of international pop opera group The Ten Tenors, Tony in the 2010 Australian production of West Side Story, Bustopher Jones/Gus/Growltiger in the 2015/16 Australian season of Cats (a role that won him the Green Room Award for best supporting actor in a Musical), Corny Collins in the UK tour of Hairspray and Gerry Goffin in the 2017/18 Australian tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. His impressive West End debut came as he took on the most coveted role as The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera in 2019. And now meditation teacher!