| Many people have wondered from time to time | | | | may take longer to perform, but the results are |
| what exactly meditation is. There are many | | | | more long-lasting and come with none of the side |
| different answers to that question. At its core, | | | | effects of medication. |
| though, meditation is the act of clearing the mind | | | | There is also a growing body of evidence being |
| of distractions to achieve an internal goal. The | | | | put forth that states the mind actually has the |
| process is incredibly personal and will change for | | | | ability to heal physical ailments. The theory of |
| each person based on their personal notions of | | | | mind-body healing proponents is that as the brain |
| meditation. A simple explanation of meditation | | | | enters into different states of awareness |
| could be the act of focusing ones energies | | | | (measured by frequency length of brains electrical |
| inwardly, to promote growth. | | | | activity); it releases hormones that promote cell |
| It may be helpful for those just starting out with | | | | repair. There is still a long way to go, before this |
| meditation to consider the origins of the word. | | | | becomes fully accepted by the medical |
| Meditation comes to us from the Latin words | | | | community, but is interesting. |
| meditari - to think, to dwell upon, to exercise the | | | | Meditation does not need to be a formal activity. |
| mind - and mederi - to heal. The original Sanskrit | | | | It has common to refer to hobbies that are |
| word for meditation was medha - wisdom. | | | | found to be calming as meditation. For some |
| Combining these definitions, you can reach the | | | | people this means that their "meditation" may be |
| conclusion that meditation means to use one's | | | | listening to music or baking. While not as all |
| mind to heal (mind and/or body) and gain wisdom. | | | | encompassing as the traditional concept of |
| The practice of meditating is not new. It has been | | | | meditation, this still has the benefit of reducing |
| a common element in most of the world's | | | | stress. Stress has been shown to aggravate |
| religions in various forms since the birth of religion. | | | | many physical medical conditions. Thus even |
| As such, much of its history has been devoted to | | | | immersing oneself into a hobby can achieve the |
| the realm of the spiritual. Buddhists in particular, | | | | benefits of meditation. |
| have embraced meditation as a way of gaining | | | | As you can see meditation has many forms. |
| enlightenment. | | | | There is the traditional Yogi or Buddhist |
| But there are other uses for meditation that are | | | | interpretation of what meditation is, as well as the |
| being employed in modern life. Meditation has been | | | | more loosely defined calming hobby activities. The |
| proven to be an effective alternative for drugs in | | | | one thing that all forms of meditation share in |
| dealing with stress. By clearing one's mind of all | | | | common is that they involve cutting out |
| distractions, the practitioner can achieve a sense | | | | distractions and focusing one's mind to achieve a |
| of calm that is lacking in our busy lives. Meditation | | | | goal (enlightenment, wisdom, healing, calming). |