| What Is Meditation? | | | | of the water, and allowing room for fresh ideas |
| The word 'meditation' conjures a variety of | | | | or thoughts. In this way, one of the many |
| images in people's minds, depending on their | | | | benefits of meditation is considered to be the |
| experiences, beliefs and prejudices. For some | | | | way in which it helps to open our minds to new |
| people the word stirs deeply spiritual ideas, whilst | | | | ideas, to new levels of creativity. Not surprisingly, |
| for others, images of calm tranquility and deeper | | | | those who are highly creative people in one field |
| self understanding. For those new to the idea of | | | | or another, whether it be science or art, are |
| meditation, it may be associated in their minds | | | | often those who practice meditation. Because |
| with purely religious practice, although this is | | | | there are so many types of meditation, it is not |
| certainly no longer the case. There are many | | | | always obvious that this is what is being done, but |
| benefits of meditation which have well established | | | | Both Einstein and Edison were firm practitioners of |
| backing in the medical world, and there are many | | | | mediation, and no one can argue that their minds |
| types of meditation to suit all individuals, | | | | weren't open to new ideas and positive creative |
| regardless of religious beliefs, or even if they | | | | thoughts! |
| have no religious belief at all. | | | | Aside from the clear psychological benefits, there |
| Much of the practice of meditation can be traced | | | | are many physical ones too, and through |
| through the traditions of yoga, which were | | | | developing an ability to quieten the mind and calm |
| brought to the West from India, and so there are | | | | the body, the breathing slows down, the pulse |
| deep roots within Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and other | | | | slows, blood pressure reduces and the whole |
| Eastern traditions, but in fact the practice of | | | | body relaxes. It has been shown to improve blood |
| meditation predates this introduction from India, | | | | flow, and for those with high blood pressure or |
| and the concept flourished in the world of martial | | | | recovering from heart problems or surgery, this |
| arts, where focus, concentration and the health | | | | has shown to be of huge benefit. |
| benefits were long recognised an essential part of | | | | Meditation has also been proven to reduce the |
| the training. | | | | risk of anxiety attacks, muscle tension and even |
| The idea of using meditation to relax the muscles | | | | improve conditions such as arthritis and certain |
| and calm the mind has long been used in | | | | allergies. During meditation the level of serotonin, a |
| counselling procedures, and with an increase in the | | | | chemical produces naturally by the body, is |
| amount of stress and chaos of our modern daily | | | | increased. Serotonin is directly responsible for the |
| lives, these techniques have been shown to have | | | | way we feel, and so meditation can trigger a |
| a dramatic effect. Those who work in | | | | physical process that results in us feeling happier, |
| psychotherapy see people every day who are | | | | less depressed or anxious, and in turn this can |
| suffering from the stress of work, family, finance | | | | help those who suffer from headaches, insomnia, |
| or other concerns, and consider meditation in one | | | | low esteem or low self confidence and negative |
| form or another to be an integral and essential | | | | behaviour such as anger. Many phobias have been |
| part of not only the healing process, but in | | | | decreased in severity or even cured through |
| providing a way of dealing with the continuing life | | | | repeated meditation. |
| after the counselling is over. | | | | Additionally, meditation has been demonstrated to |
| Meditation has many forms, and the purposes of | | | | have a positive impact on the immune system, |
| meditation and the benefits depend upon the type | | | | by increasing the rate at which the cells in our |
| of meditation performed. The medical world, in | | | | body that combat infections are produced, |
| particular those who work in both psychology and | | | | including bacteria and even cancer. Ultimately it is |
| physiology agree that the practice of meditation | | | | quite clear that almost anyone can benefit from |
| actually has a measureable effect on the | | | | the health advantages that meditation can bring, |
| brainwaves, and that we enter a state of | | | | and improved health and welfare is in turn likely to |
| consciousness which is distinct from our normal | | | | lead to a better quality of life, and a longer one. |
| everyday awareness. It is believed that this | | | | Types Of Meditation |
| changed state of awareness not only has health | | | | There are so many different forms of meditation |
| benefits that are physical, such as cardiovascular | | | | that there is almost certainly one for everyone, |
| health, but can lead to a deeper understanding of | | | | regardless of spiritual, physical or environmental |
| oneself. | | | | conditions or limits. Generally, after looking at the |
| Within this context of both physical and mental | | | | various types of meditation there will be one that |
| well-being, there are two main types of | | | | seems to stand out more than the rest, and |
| meditation, although each may take on different | | | | usually this is the best one to try, at least to |
| forms, and the benefits of meditation may vary | | | | begin with. |
| depending upon the type practiced. One type, | | | | The three main forms are known as insight, |
| usually referred to as 'mindfulness' has the person | | | | visualisation and mantra, although each of these |
| focussing on keeping an open mind, and not | | | | has many different forms too. The first type, |
| focussing on any one particular thing. Instead, | | | | insight meditation, encourages you to clear your |
| they try to shift focus so that no particular | | | | mind of all thoughts, and to focus on something |
| concentration on a problem, question, object or | | | | such as your breathing. By concentrating entirely |
| concern occurs, but instead the mind is repeatedly | | | | on your breathing, you try to clear your mind of |
| brought back, and encouraged to skim along the | | | | all thoughts, and this can help to create a sense |
| surface. The other type is quite the opposite, and | | | | of oneness, and of peace and clarity. |
| encourages the person to focus very deeply on | | | | The second method of meditation is visualisation, |
| one object or thought, to the absolute exclusion | | | | and in this the person has a clear goal in mind - |
| of anything else. | | | | for example, to have a more peaceful life. During |
| Both of these types of meditation share the | | | | the meditation they would focus entirely on this |
| same general benefits, of taking the mind, or at | | | | goal, and visualise in their minds the goal coming |
| least the conscious mind, away from the | | | | true, creating a clear picture of what their life |
| everyday troubles and concerns, and into a place | | | | would be like if they achieved that goal, how they |
| that is calm. In so doing, the body responds by | | | | would see themselves. Often the best way of |
| relaxing the muscles, and if performed for a | | | | achieving something is to regularly visualise it being |
| reasonable length of time, and regularly, the long | | | | the case, and meditation of this type not only has |
| term health benefits for the body are very | | | | all the benefits of other forms, but helps to |
| established and meditation should be considered as | | | | create a greater chance of the goal being realised. |
| beneficial physically as it is for the mind. | | | | The third type is the mantra, often the one most |
| People often assume that in order to meditate it | | | | commonly imagined when the word meditation is |
| is necessary to sit on the ground, in a form of | | | | used. Most often this involves the person making |
| yoga position, but this is not the case. Certainly | | | | a repeated sound - the most well known being |
| there are forms of meditation based in the yoga | | | | either 'om' or 'ah, alah'. By making these chanting |
| tradition that do encourage this method, but it is | | | | sounds, the mind is cleared of thoughts, and the |
| by no means the only form, and not always the | | | | sound or mantra becomes the only thing that is |
| most practical either. It is perfectly possible to | | | | being focussed on or thought about. Not only this, |
| practice meditation whilst walking, or doing some | | | | but some sounds, such as 'om' create a deep |
| other repetitive task - even knitting! | | | | resonance in the body, and help to stimulate it, |
| The Benefits Of Meditation | | | | generating a number of health benefits. Some |
| The benefits of meditation are twofold - there | | | | mantras, such as the 'ah, alah' have deep spiritual |
| are those for the mind, and there are also those | | | | meanings in some religious faiths too. |
| benefits for the physical body. The two elements | | | | Certainly it is quite clear that meditation helps us |
| of a person are not, of course, separate and | | | | to achieve peace, a more open mind and |
| distinct. The healthier a person's mind, then often | | | | consequently a mind more open to new ideas, |
| the healthier they are physically. Often it is clear | | | | and greater welfare physically, resulting in better |
| that those people who are healthy and live a good | | | | health and a better quality of life. Clearly these |
| long life have a positive attitude, and a healthy | | | | benefits don't occur overnight, and meditation is a |
| mind, whereas it is also very obvious that people | | | | practice that should be followed on a regular basis. |
| can think themselves ill, and become physically | | | | Indeed, it is the regular use of meditation, and its |
| poor in health merely by dwelling on the idea, or | | | | anticipation, that generates a good deal of the |
| on stressful or negative things. | | | | benefits. |
| Our world, and our mind, are busy places, and | | | | Whether practicing alone, in your own home, |
| sometimes it seems as though we have no time | | | | whilst out walking , or as part of a group, you will |
| to stop and think. If we don't have time to stop | | | | be able to find one of the types of meditation |
| and think, then clearly we cannot be doing much | | | | which best suits you and how you feel about it, |
| thinking! Think of it a little like running your bath - | | | | and you may even feel that some of the benefits |
| the tap is on, and the water is rising, and we | | | | of meditation suit your particular needs and that |
| manage very well. But eventually, unless we learn | | | | therefore one particular form is of greater benefit |
| to turn the tap off or pull the plug occasionally, | | | | to you. No matter what your beliefs or |
| the bath will become full, and the water will simply | | | | circumstances, there will certainly be a form of |
| begin flowing over. Meditation has been likened to | | | | meditation to suit you, and to provide greater |
| the idea of turning off the tap, reducing the level | | | | peace, creativity and well being in your own life. |