We had a chat with Will Williams, the London based meditation teacher and founder of Beeja Meditation.
What do you do?
I’m a meditation teacher who is trying to help the world.
How did you get into meditation?
I was out partying one night in Shoreditch and I met a friend of a friend who assured me this meditation would sort my insomnia out, and sure enough, within two weeks it was gone!
What effect does it have on you?
It keeps me in a good state of mind, even when all around me, people are losing theirs. It gives me a hit of energy that sustains me through the day. It helps me stay connected to my fundamental humanity and allows me to be more poised, more graceful, and ultimately to feel like I’m growing as a person. Week after week, month after month, this allows me to wake up each day feeling good about myself, and life.
How long was it before meditation became a part of your daily routine?
Straight off the bat. The Beeja method is SO ridiculously easy, that it’s actually a pleasure to do, so there weren’t any real issues plugging it in. It’s also an amazing hangover cure, so even after a hard night on the sauce, it sorts you out!
What kinds of meditation are your favourite?
I’ve been travelling the world for a decade learning with masters and I teach Beeja meditation because it feels like the easiest and most effective tool out there. After that, I would say Sufism and Qi Gung and the ones that I have most reverence for.
Any favourite stories from your travels studying Beeja meditation?
There are so many! One of the ones I most cherish was the first time I saw the matrix whilst standing on the banks of the Ganges. Another personal favourite was this swami who took himself way too seriously and was giving all the big ritualistic ‘I am on the Ganges’, projecting this air of deep enlightenment… and then his phone fell in the Ganges. He started panicking and screaming like a little child as his phone sank into the depths of the river. I couldn’t help but chuckle!
One other goodie was climbing barefoot up India’s most sacred mountain to light a huge fire at the summit that could be seen 50 miles away. The yogis who lived in the cave at the top took us in for the night and we did rituals all night long, whilst dodging the park rangers (whose job it was to make sure that only a handful of authorised yogis were staying up there).
What do you think makes a good meditation teacher?
Having a really deep knowledge of all related disciplines is incredibly helpful because you encounter people from all walks of life with all manner of different lifestyles and life situations that benefit from more than simple meditation expertise.
Being patient, and empathetic is also super important. Finding the balance between being really human and understanding whilst not indulging people’s desire to blame when the going gets tough. Often you are called upon to help people break through their ingrained patterns of self sabotage, and you need to have the confidence to coach them through it.
What are the best parts of your work?
Seeing people grow and develop way beyond anything they could have hoped for.
What are your plans for Beeja?
To make meditation feel accessible and relevant for millions of people around the world.
Have you used any herbs to help with your meditation?
Yes, there’s a properly brilliant powder you can get in India which helps stimulate bliss chemistry, and it makes the meditation really lush. I had a couple of years of using it most days, but after a while my brain programmed itself to stimulate all the bliss chemistry so there’s not really any need for it now.
Any advice for people first trying meditation?
Learn with a teacher if you can. They’ll help save you so much time and effort. If you haven’t got access to a good teacher, then the Beeja Meditation app will soon feature a twelve step ‘Learn To Meditate Workshop’ which I’m confident will prove to be the most effective online meditation class available.
Favourite times and places to meditate?
I don’t feel tired very much any more, but when I do, all I need to do is take a 20 minute meditation break and boom! I’m back in the game. In terms of places, anywhere in nature is lovely. There is a cave in the Himalayas where the energy is so powerful it’s always thoroughly divine to meditate in there – I’ve taken a few students over the years and every time they have mind blowing experiences there.
What are your top tips?
Try to find a meditation practice that doesn’t involve focus or concentration. It’s so much easier and oftentimes much more powerful. Once you have that in your locker, always start by grounding in to the body, using body scanning techniques, or breath. After that, my biggest tip is to prioritise yourself, because when you’re in good form, everything flows, and the world smiles with you 
To learn more about Beeja Meditation visit:
https://www.beejameditation.com/ @beejameditation
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Beyond Alcohol – Rethinking lifestyle.
Tune in, let go, bliss out.
Get curious about what’s possible.
Today and tomorrow.
