Eight workers from BHP Mt Arthur Coal recently participated in a Vedic meditation course with the aim of increasing workplace safety and wellbeing.

Vedic meditation activates your parasympathetic nervous system, the part of your body that governs relaxation and rejuvenation. Additionally, it helps to reduce stress chemicals that accumulate in your body. From sleeping better, to reducing anxiety and stress, to improved cognitive function and creativity, Vedic meditation can improve many aspects of your physical and mental wellbeing.

Scotty Sisson is a shotfirer at Mt Arthur Coal, but his real passion is teaching other people Vedic meditation.

“What really makes Vedic meditation work is its simplicity. It is such an effortless technique making it achievable for anyone. The course I run teaches people the mechanics so they can take away what they have learnt and keep using it for the rest of their lives,” said Scotty.

This includes in their work lives.

“Every day at work you do a Take5, I look at mediation the same way. Twice a day you stop and meditate for twenty minutes which gives you two windows where the mind transcends two to five times deeper than when you are asleep.

“That gives your nervous system a chance to unwind and for you to totally relax. You become less reactive, you can sit back and let all the information come in and then make a calculated decision because you’re more rested, more alert. This will benefit you not just at work, but in every aspect of your life.”

A few months ago, Scotty reached out to Hannah Farr who is the Health, Safety and Security Manager at BHP Mt Arthur Coal with the idea of introducing meditation to workers on site.

“I got a call from Scotty out of the blue and basically, he said, ‘I’m a qualified Vedic meditation instructor and I’m wondering if meditation would fit in with the mental health and wellbeing program onsite,” said Hannah.

“At the time we were investigating safety events caused by distraction and were getting unsatisfying answers because people just couldn’t seem to remember what had happened to lead to the incident occurring. This makes it hard to implement controls when you don’t know what occurred!

“So I asked Scotty and said, ‘we’re coming up a bit blank around these attention or distraction events and do you think there is any application for this that could help people pay attention?’ When he said that there was, I decided that anything that has the potential to help save lives is worth giving a go.

“There’s also a lot of preconceptions around meditation and so I was curious to learn how it could actually be a powerful tool with a real world application for us.”

Hannah put the word out around site to see if there was interest in people attending a course and received an enthusiastic response. It was completely voluntary, and while the course only ran for sixty minutes over a period of four days all participants were required to commit to meditating twice a day for twenty minutes for the following six weeks after the course finished. Hannah was among the eight participants.

“The fact that I’m still doing the meditation even though the trial period has finished is probably the best testament as to whether I think this was a valuable experience.

“The way I feel after each meditation session is very similar to what I feel like after a power nap. It feels like I’m seeing in Ultra HD, everything looks crisp, clear and vibrant, and it is a pleasant feeling that is quite noticeable. It has definitely helped me tune in more to my body and each time I do it I get more out of it.

“Based on the feedback from the other participants who are all from quite different walks of life, we have all had a really positive experience. In answer to the initial question of do we think that this has appeal or utility for our workforce? Absolutely.

“There’s no question in my mind that there are benefits to including meditation as part of a workplace healthy living policy or wellbeing program.

“There’s an opportunity for more trials and research to test its potential to influence safety in the workplace.

“As mining companies, we’re really good at spending money on the latest and greatest technology that we think is going to keep people safe, yet we’ve still got people having vehicle collisions or not wearing seatbelts properly and that’s because we can’t engineer people’s brains. This trial has shown that perhaps we can help upgrade our brains through meditation.”

Scotty said he was extremely grateful to Hannah for giving him the opportunity to demonstrate that meditation can provide a benefit to workplaces.

“I became a teacher because meditation changed my life for the better and that includes while I am at work. I want other people to be able to experience that too.”

After learning meditating with Scotty, the main thing I have noticed is being calmer and being able to manage thoughts while meditating. This was a great initiative, especially in our working environment, and a very useful technique and experience for anyone to learn! Eileen Cornejo, Geologist   It has been a good eye opener. For someone who was self-taught in this space to be able to be educated by Scotty really gave me more appreciation for how it works and expectations. For a couple of weeks after the sessions I did feel more alert and had more clarity in my thinking, but life does get in the way so while I’ve felt the benefits I need to be more disciplined in practicing. Scotty’s approach is engaging, and he is open and knowledgeable which instils confidence in the process and allows you to just go with it. Todd Carr, Safety Management System Lead   Great initiative to have a group from MAC be involved in a meditation trial. I was surprised at how effective it is although it is sometimes difficult to incorporate into a daily routine when you have a busy schedule. The benefits of stopping and taking a breather to clear your mind has reduced some of my daily stresses and has increased my self-awareness. Great to have the opportunity to learn the technique from Scotty and this is a life skill that will be used for many years. Teresa Trickey, Senior Geologist   I have been doing guided meditation classes in Muswellbrook as I had been going through difficult personal circumstances including a death in the family and meditation has been a way to deal with that emotion, remove it and focus on what is important. When I heard it was being offered at MAC as part of a pilot trial on health, safety and productivity, I was keen to participate as I wanted to learn how to meditate on my own, which Scotty has taught me, and I’m pleased I can do it anywhere, anytime. Meditation has reduced my anxiety and stress levels and made me a calmer and more focused person. It has made me a better parent and less reactive when things go wrong. There can be a perception that meditation is a bit of woo-hoo, but for those that do it you really see the benefit. People are calmer, take things as they come and have a way to release emotion and anxiety. Jacqueline James, Senior Geologist

To book a Vedic meditation course with Scotty or to find out more go to: www.zakodameditation.com.au or send Scotty an email at: zakoda.meditation@outlook.com Or follow Scotty on Facebook: Scotty Sisson or Instagram: @sissonscotty