More and more doctors are prescribing
meditation as a way to lower blood
pressure, improve exercise performance
in people with angina, help asthmatics
breathe easier, relieve insomnia and
generally ease the everyday stresses of
life. Medication is a safe and simple
way to balance a person's physical,
emotional and mental states. The concept
of meditation works on the principle
that when the mind is calm and focused
on the present. Neither is it reacting
to memories from the past nor being
preoccupied with plans for the future:
two major sources of chronic stress
known to impact health.
There are several
techniques of meditation but they all have one thing in common -- focus on
questioning the busy mind. The concept is not to remove stimulation but rather
to direct concentration to one healing element: one sound, one word, one image,
or one's breath.
All forms of meditation can be
broadly classified into concentrative meditation and mindful meditation.
Concentrative
meditation focuses attention on a breath, an image, or a sound
(mantra), in order to still the mind and allow greater awareness and clarity to
emerge. The simplest form of concentrative meditation is to sit quietly and
focus attention on the breath. Yoga and meditation practitioners believe that
there is a direct correlation between one's breath one's state of the mind. For
example, when a person is anxious, frightened, agitated or distracted, the
breath will tend to be shallow, rapid and uneven. On the other hand, when the
mind is calm focused and composed the breath will tend to be slow, deep and
regular.
As one focuses one's
awareness on the breath, the mind becomes absorbed in the rhythm of inhalation
and exhalation. As a result, breathing will become slower and deeper, and the
mind will become more tranquil and aware.
Mindful
meditation involves becoming
aware of the continuously passing parade of sensations and feeling, images,
thoughts, sounds, smells, and so forth without becoming involved in thinking
about them. The person sits quietly and simply witnesses whatever goes through
the mind, not reacting or becoming involved with thoughts, memories, worries or
images. This helps to gain a more calm, clear and non-reactive state of mind.
Studies show that after meditation, reactions are faster, creativity greater and
comprehension broader. In addition, by silencing the mind, meditation can also
put one in touch with the self, allowing the body's own inner wisdom to be
heard.
To learn more
about the theoretical aspect of
meditation,
click here.
For information on how to begin to practice meditation,
Click here
