Testimonials 2

"I was seeing the big brother programme after the recent controversy. I was thinking that we should introduce just a minute into the big brother house and see what would happen. It would be quite interesting wouldn't it!"
- Anon.

"The practice of stopping for a few minutes in and out of the day continues to be the most useful habit I have ever adopted. It means many things to me: a breathing space; a chance to rest physically and mentally; a way of positively detaching myself from the noise and activity around me and most of all a chance to slow down my over busy mind and step into a silence which both refreshes and renews. I don't always succeed in switching off but it's definitely a practice worth pursuing."
– Christine

"Understanding the concept of just-a-minute was a real life changer for me. It is a very powerful concept. Now at work, when people are limbering up for a meeting, I can just take a minute. By the time they are ready, I am ready as well. If I am going to make a phone call that’s going to be difficult to take just-a-minute before hand; and if we had a particularly difficult situation I’ll take it after.

To push my energy; to find a quite time; to make myself feel okay; to slow my breathing down; whatever I need to carry on that day which is so energising and so liberating - it helps me in making decisions properly and gives me the ability to make my day fruitful and increases my feeling of being in control. Mainly, I'm less worried about the consequences of the decisions I make because I feel I am ready and calm after making decisions properly.

When we had a storm last week, we lost the power for 11 hours. Even the back up generator had gone off. So we didn’t have lighting, heating, water and nothing in the kitchen and my shift ended up to 24 hrs. Generally we have to wait for things to develop. So even I had 2 minutes to sort myself out. When I left the prison it was 6.30 the next morning, having started 7.30 the previous morning. By recharging my battery now and then, for a few minutes, it had given the power for the tasks I needed to do.

So just a minute looks like a tiny thing to do, it is a tiny thing to do. That minute saves me to great extent. So there is no need to prepare anything - I can just grab the opportunity when it arises and take it. So for me its life changing and liberating without costing anything."
- Malcolm - Prison Governor

"My name is Sameerah Frost from Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
This weekend I participated in a SML (Self Managing Leadership) course and we had lots of j-a-m minutes. It was so refreshing and it took me to a calmness I forgot I could bring about myself. I thank the two presenters Meryl and Nicolette once more for helping me realize that I needed j-a-m, everybody needs j-a-m.

I am a teacher and on the Monday morning when I arrived in a brand new class of grade 5 Learners (10-11 years old), the first thing that I tried was j-a-m. They liked it and as soon as the noise becomes too much we j-a-m. It is absolutely great. My collegue next door wanted me to do the same for her class and I did!

I now plan to introduce j-a-m to the other staff and my two kids who are almost 4 and 7 years old, which I should have done first.
As a mother you need j-a-m especially as they can drive you nutty at times. So thanks again for the great opportunity."
- Sameerah Frost – Teacher

"My aim as a meditator is to regularly return to a state of peace and stillness within my own self. It may be for just a few minutes each hour, but the power and strength received from this practice gives me clarity, focus and the courage to live a successful and meaningful life. In business we call it ‘personal effectiveness’ or the ability to perform to an optimum level.

I have noticed how if I use this practice of retreating into silence for a few minutes throughout the day, somehow I feel more connected and am able to complete my work in half the time. I believe this practice to be the ultimate performance management tool. Organisations have taught us to think rapidly and be ten steps ahead, but the result of that is reactive behaviour and stress.

What’s needed now is the recognition of spiritual intelligence within organisations and the practice of ‘just-a-minute’ is a simple self-management tool that has the potential to transform the workplace."
- Rowena Rolt - Learning Consultant

"When I take a minute to go inside myself with silence my mind becomes calm. I often experience being in a space which is like a clean page – a white sheet. For that minute the racing and many-stranded thoughts in my mind take backstage or even disappear. I feel unburdened. Sometimes the experience is as if I am flying above my current situation and looking down on it as a map and seeing the connections and inter-connections between things.

At the end of the minute, when I “return”, my mind is clearer, sometimes new solutions come immediately into my mind. Other times, I simply feel less stressed and can often see my situation and those in it with me in a new light.

On the days when I remember to take a minute of silence every hour, when I look back at the end of the day, it is always that the day seems to have been a good one. It seems that the more I am able to make this practice a regular part of my day, the better my days seem to become. I have no doubt that the use of silence in this way have brought me greater clarity of mind and has helped me to increase my creativity in my work."
- Juliette Brown - Managing Consultant

"The way i use j-a-m In a traffic jam, trapped by congestion, i turn on a tape and connect on the inside, see myself as light and peace and use the moment to recharge, relax and focus for just-a-minute.

In the staff room, the conversation does not require my input, i use the moment to relax and listen, giving my full attention on the gathering, silently spreading vibrations of peace and love for just-a-minute.

The pupils are noisy, i stand in silence in front of them, visualising golden light flowing from above, purifying the atmosphere. i feel myself fill with light, and experience myself as peace for just-a-minute. This usually gets their attention rapidly because they are not used to people standing in silence and waiting for them!
When i feel tired and overwhelmed by demands and situations which are out of control, i tell myself that i will face them more effectively if i play some calming music and go into silence for just-a-minute.

I let go of the day and before sleeping by sitting in silence and filling myself wiith light for just-a-minute. I find I sleep less and more deeply."
- Lygia – Teacher