Talking Time Out With Buck Palmer

By MELIA RAYNER
18th December 2014

In all the hustle and bustle of taking care of others over the festive season, we often forgot our own TLC. Sure, the holidays are a time for reflection, connection and celebration but they can also be a tiring and stressful time if we let ourselves get too caught up.

Lucky for us, we have some expert advice at the ready. Recent guest of The Olsen and Meditation guru Buck Palmer was kind enough to share some of his learnings as a Vedic Meditation teacher.  Hear about Buck’s own experiences in calming the mind and body and learn from his advice for restoring balance whilst travelling. 

Meditation helps throw off the stresses that are no longer relevant and gives our mind and body the deep rest that is required to manage the increasing demands of modern-day-life.

You recently spent several months in India studying Meditation, tell us about what you did and the type of mediation you studied?

Buck Palmer:  Yes I did! It may seem a little crazy to some, yet after 8yrs of meditation and seeing how it revolutionized my life, I didn't really have a choice but to start sharing it...  India was a journey that will never be forgotten that's for sure, I spent almost 5 months living in the foothills of the Himalayas, completing my training as a Vedic Meditation teacher.

I experienced so much in those months; it felt like a lifetime - and somewhat of a dream now looking back.  We meditated for hours on end and at the peak of the course we were meditating for 14hrs a day.

Learning was achieved by an oral tradition so we had to memorize everything to keep and teach it in its purity; there was no time for Internet, phones, or any luxuries, and sometimes we would go weeks without contacting the outside world. As you can imagine it was extremely challenging at times, especially leaving the comforts of home and missing my fiancé, (model and health advocate Ashley Hart) but in the end it was so worth it.  

Vedic Meditation is a practice that is designed for busy people who are pursuing goals and aim to have success in all areas, but who also desire to be living at their full potential both mentally and physically. It is a simple technique to learn and easy to integrate into busy lifestyles, yet profoundly powerful. 

I'm very grateful to be teaching a practice that everyone can learn and that is being so well received. There is no surprise it is so popular as I feel this practice is mandatory in today’s day-and-age; too many people are getting sick and stressed out because right now we are all like iPhones - too many apps running! But in all seriousness, we are over stimulated and have too much to do with not enough time to do it. Meditation helps throw off the stresses that are no longer relevant and gives our mind and body the deep rest that is required to manage the increasing demands of modern-day-life with ease and success. 

What have you learnt about that power of meditation from your studies and how do you apply it when travelling?

Buck Palmer: That it works! And It's not rocket science either, we are using this amazing tool of meditation to de-excite and allow the body do what it does best when it rests deeply: it throws off stress, heals itself, rejuvenates, regenerates and balance itself. As for the mind, meditation activates different parts of the brain and coordinates the left and right hemispheres so there is greater mental coherence. By allowing us to think in a more orderly fashion we can enjoy greater mental clarity and cognitive potential, which leads ultimately to better decisions (and actions).

Meditation is part of my daily life whether travelling or not. I practice my technique morning and evening for approximately 20minutes. It's easy to fit in and it's extremely portable - you can take it anywhere and use it anytime – and it’s one of the best things for travelling! When you meditate while travelling/on planes you are re-setting your circadian rhythms which minimize jet-lag hugely.  When you meditate you are also resting up to 5x's deeper than when sleeping, so a 20min meditation is roughly equivalent to 100mins of sleep!

When you meditate you are also resting up to 5x's deeper than when sleeping, so a 20min meditation is roughly equivalent to 100mins of sleep!

What advice do you have for people who ‘don’t have time’ to meditate daily?

Buck Palmer:  I have found in the Vedic Meditation technique the results speak for themselves, you really don't need a practice to maintain meditating when you start to see, feel and experience the shifts/benefits it creates in your life. Once you experience this you wonder how you lived without this little gem! I understand that meditation has a reputation for being "difficult" and I have tried many forms that are not so easy for the "monkey-mind" yet when it IS easy, enjoyable and simple to incorporate into even the busiest of travellers and lifestyles, it really is a no brainier! 

 To those who feel that they don't have the time to meditate, or feel their minds are too noisy to shut off and succeed in meditation I highly recommend you get in touch with a Vedic Meditation teacher, who will uncover the myths of meditation and get you started on a whole new chapter of health and happiness.

Follow Buck on Instagram here, or get in touch with him directly here.