Opening the Heart
An invitation to open yourself to universal love and deep inner peace. A gentle, soothing experience that brings light into your everyday life.
ELM MEDITATION · BIARRITZ
Love Mantra Initiation in Biarritz
The Art of Deep Rest and Awakening the Heart
A simple, natural meditation accessible to everyone.
No need to have meditated before, control your thoughts, or make any effort to concentrate.
Through a mantra personally transmitted to you, you learn to meditate naturally, at your own pace.
Once you have learned the technique, you can meditate independently, without a guide, audio recording, or app.
A practice that stays with you wherever you go, throughout your life.
Opening the Heart
Rest for Body and Mind
Accessible from Day One
Unlocking Your Potential
THE HEART OF ELM MEDITATION
What Is
the Love Mantra?
The Love Mantra (the Mantra of Love) lies at the heart and foundation of ELM Meditation, rooted in a centuries-old Vedic tradition.
From the very first day of your initiation, the mantra and the Yantra (a sacred geometric symbol) naturally guide you, without effort, towards the “Primordial Void” (a space of silence and pure consciousness)—a dimension of infinite stillness, peace and renewal.
Immerse yourself in a space of inner calm and universal love.
Who Is This Meditation For?
This meditation may be right for you if:
- You lead a busy life and are looking for a way to calm your mind throughout the day.
- You would like to improve the quality of your sleep and allow your body to rest and recover deeply.
- You are interested in meditation but find it difficult to concentrate or quiet the flow of thoughts.
- You wish to open your heart and fully unlock your natural potential.
WHY BEGIN WITH THE LOVE MANTRA?
The Four Pillars of the Practice
Rest for Body and Mind
ELM Meditation may invite the body and mind into a state of deep rest that complements sleep.
Accessible from Day One
No previous experience or complicated posture is required. A natural immersion in sacred vibration, without effort or concentration.
Unlocking Your Potential
By helping to release deeply held tension and accumulated stress, the practice invites you to rediscover the natural resources within you.
According to Bob Fickes, 30 minutes of ELM Meditation may provide deep rest comparable to approximately four hours of sleep.
ELM Meditation: Another Form of Rest(Learn more)
Meditation does not replace sleep, but it offers another form of rest.
During sleep, we are no longer fully conscious, allowing the body and brain to recover. During meditation, by contrast, we remain awake while allowing the body to slow down deeply: breathing becomes calmer, tension eases, and the nervous system may shift towards a more restful state.
Rather than simply trying to sleep more, it may be beneficial to incorporate meditation naturally into our daily rhythm.
In Bob Fickes’ teachings, meditation is described as a fourth major state of consciousness, alongside wakefulness, dreaming and sleep.
The aim is not to replace one state with another, but to find a natural balance among them.
Origins & Tradition
ELM Meditation was founded by Bob Fickes, a direct disciple of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (founder of Transcendental Meditation). The approach offers an authentic, fluid form of teaching that can be applied to modern life.
YOUR FACILITATOR
About Me
Naoko Hoshino
My journey towards meditation began long before I gave it that name.
Since 2002, I have explored the body and touch through massage, Kobido® and various body-awareness practices. During these treatments, I experienced a particular kind of presence: without needing to speak, I could be fully present with another person.
Words faded away. My hands listened, the body felt, and something settled into a profound sense of calm.
Looking back, I realise that these moments had already given me a glimpse of what meditation would later teach me: simply being there, feeling, with nothing to accomplish.
In 2025, I deepened my practice during an intensive eight-week meditation retreat in Chiang Mai. In 2026, I completed a ten-week ELM Meditation Teacher Training programme there and obtained my teaching certification.
I discovered ELM Meditation in 2015. But it was from 2023 onwards, when I began regularly joining ELM Meditation groups, that my practice became a daily one.
Before that, I was often caught up in doing, always focused on the next step. Simply staying in the present moment was difficult for me. My mind was constantly busy, and whenever I felt I was not moving forward, I could quickly feel that I was not doing enough.
Little by little, daily practice transformed my relationship with time, action and myself.
I discovered the richness of doing nothing. Simply being there. Feeling. Being present.
Today, I share meditation and the mantra as simple yet profound practices that can accompany us in everyday life.
My intention is to offer a space to slow down, reconnect with yourself and discover that sometimes there is nothing to achieve.
IN EVERYDAY LIFE
A Simple, Independent Daily Practice
Once you have received your mantra during your initiation, you have a precious personal tool to carry with you throughout your life.
FREQUENCY
Twice a day (morning and afternoon) for 30 minutes.
POSTURE
Sit comfortably, with your back straight but relaxed.
METHOD
Simply allow your mantra to resonate.
YOUR INITIATION
How You Learn ELM Meditation
The Love Mantra is transmitted during an individual, personalised, face-to-face initiation session led by a certified facilitator.
This is more than a simple lesson: it is a complete programme of support to help you gradually integrate the practice into your daily life.
- Individual Initiation Session
- Two Personalised Follow-Up Sessions
- Daily Online Group Meditation — Planned
Love Mantra Initiation Programme
COMPLETE SUPPORT
Individual Initiation Session — In Biarritz
Approximately 2 hours
The traditional transmission ceremony (Puja), learning the method and your first guided meditation practice.
Two Personalised Follow-Up Sessions
Approximately 1 hour each
The first follow-up takes place the day after your initiation; the second takes place the following day. Both sessions can be attended at NaoZen in Biarritz or via Zoom, including if you are travelling.
Daily Online Group Meditation — Planned
Approximately 40 minutes per session
One group meditation session per day via Zoom is planned, at a set time convenient for participants in France. Once the sessions begin, participation will be free for two months after initiation. You may join from abroad if the scheduled time suits you.
Booking — €440
Initiation & Personalised Follow-Up — An Investment in a Lifelong Practice.
What to Bring on Your Initiation Day
Offerings for the Puja ceremony:
- 6 fresh flowers without thorns
- 3 sweet, non-acidic fresh fruits (apples, pears)
Once you have mastered the Love Mantra through regular practice, further stages of learning and other advanced mantras may be offered to support you on your journey.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Before You Begin
I have never meditated before. Is that a problem?
Not at all. The method is designed to be simple and natural. From your very first initiation session, you will be able to practise independently.
Is there any follow-up after the mantra transmission?
Yes. Two personalised follow-up sessions are included: one the day after your initiation and another the following day. You can attend either in person at NaoZen or via Zoom. Daily group meditation sessions via Zoom are also planned, once a day at a fixed time suitable for participants in France, with two months of free participation after initiation. Participants abroad are welcome to join at the scheduled time.