| Meditation is a safe and simple way to balance a | | | | helps us practice non-judgment. The meditator |
| person's physical, emotional, and mental states. It | | | | sits quietly and simply witness whatever goes |
| is easy to learn and can be useful both for | | | | through the mind, not reacting or becoming |
| treating stress and in pain management. | | | | involved with thoughts, memories, worries, or |
| Meditation, in the broadest sense, is any activity | | | | images. This helps the person gain a more calm, |
| that keeps the attention focused in the present. | | | | clear, and non-reactive state of mind. |
| When the mind is calm and focused in the | | | | Transcendental Meditation (TM), a popular form of |
| present, it is neither reacting to past events or | | | | concentration meditation, is the most |
| preoccupied with future plans, two major sources | | | | well-documented regarding the physiological |
| of chronic stress. There are many forms of | | | | effects of meditation, with more than 500 clinical |
| meditation, but they can be categorized into two | | | | studies conducted to date. Research shows that, |
| main approaches, concentration meditation and | | | | during TM practice, the body gains a deeper state |
| mindfulness meditation. | | | | of relaxation than during ordinary rest or sleep. |
| Concentration meditation focuses the "lens of the | | | | Brain wave changes indicate a state of enhanced |
| mind" on one object, sound (mantra), the breath, | | | | awareness and coherence and TM has been |
| an image, or thought, to still the mind and allow | | | | found to increase intelligence, creativity, and |
| greater awareness or clarity to emerge. The | | | | perceptual ability and reduce blood pressure and |
| breath is one of the most popular objects of | | | | rates of illness by 50%. TM also causes |
| focus in this type of meditation. As the person | | | | decreased blood levels of cortisol, a hormone |
| focuses on the ebb and flow of their breath, the | | | | responsible for many of the deleterious |
| mind is absorbed in the rhythm and becomes | | | | physiological changes seen with stress. By |
| more placid, tranquil, and still. Mindfulness-based | | | | reducing cortisol levels, the adrenal glands are |
| meditation entails bringing the mind to a still point, | | | | allowed to heal, which positively influences allergic |
| tuning out the world and bringing the mind to a | | | | inflammation. |
| halt as much as possible. Mindfulness meditation | | | | |