| We're flooded by information, news, new ideas, | | | | the major centres, also visualisation, Buddhist |
| technology, work, personal demands, relationship | | | | retreat centres, etc. Go on a quest, explore and |
| problems, financial worries, etc. Even during times | | | | search for a practice that fits and soothes your |
| of relaxation, we're aware of pressures and | | | | soul. An old Chinese saying to assist you on your |
| problems. The body has to function in a | | | | journey: 'When the student is ready, the teacher |
| heightened sense of arousal and alertness, in the | | | | will appear'. The 'teacher' being a person, book, |
| fight-or-flight stress response with its associated | | | | group, your own life and relationships! |
| cascade of physiological reactions. The anxiety | | | | Tips for meditation practice: |
| sends constant signals and internal alarms of | | | | - Do it every day, preferably at the same time. |
| survival fear coursing throughout our bodies and | | | | - You can do it early in the morning upon waking |
| minds. | | | | or at sunset, or both. Some people find it |
| All of this makes it nearly impossible to tune into | | | | beneficial to meditate in the middle of the day. |
| our inner selves, our true nature. Meditation | | | | - Keep your eyes open, half open or closed. Just |
| techniques help us clear our minds, manage our | | | | be aware that wide open eyes tend to wander! |
| emotions, get rid of stress, become truly calm | | | | - Do it preferably before, rather than after, a |
| and relaxed. | | | | meal. |
| Whenever we experience stress, our bodies | | | | - Pick a special spot that you use only for |
| automatically react to prepare us for the stress | | | | meditation. Use a comfortable chair, cushion, or |
| reaction of fight or flight/run/avoid. When faced | | | | mat; arrange your own special relics (sea shells, |
| with extreme danger, this reaction can be a life | | | | crystals, feathers, dream catcher) and perform |
| saver. A prolonged state of such arousal, | | | | your own cleansing (a warm bath with your |
| however, can lead to physical damage and | | | | special choice of oils, or a handful of course sea |
| disease in every part of the body and mind. | | | | salt) and focusing rituals (lighting a candle, saying a |
| Meditation has an opposite effect to this stress | | | | prayer, burning aromatherapy oil in a burner, |
| reaction. It helps to restore the body and mind to | | | | lighting incense, etc.). Give your creative |
| a sense of inner calm, assists in cellular repair, | | | | imagination free reign! Let this be the distinctive |
| while preventing the damage from the physical | | | | place where you honour your inner being, looking |
| effects of stress. | | | | forward to the privilege and comfort of its |
| The more we meditate, the more we move | | | | enveloping grace every day. With slight |
| away from the superficial stresses, the worries, | | | | adaptations, you can also create a meditation |
| anxiety and tension that mostly happens in the | | | | sanctuary at work - all you need are a few |
| left brain with high tension beta waves. It allows | | | | likeminded colleagues, a small private room and |
| the right brain with its slower alpha waves to | | | | creative imagination! |
| become more prominent. When relaxed, we have | | | | - Sit with the spine straight, head and chin lifted, |
| whole brain function where left and right brain | | | | arms and hands relaxed in your lap. You can sit |
| work as an integrated whole, making us happier, | | | | cross legged on the floor with a small cushion |
| healthier, more creative and able to solve | | | | behind your buttocks, lifting them, or in a |
| problems and find solutions. Meditation, just like | | | | comfortable chair. Lying down, you'll easily fall |
| any new technique learnt, requires patience and | | | | asleep. This is fine for rest, but you won't be |
| practice, but as you continue to meditate every | | | | meditating. |
| day, your patience will actually increase! | | | | How to meditate |
| Meditation involves concentrating on an object, | | | | All you need: |
| such as a flower, a candle, a sound or word, or | | | | - A quiet place |
| your own breath. Over time, the number of | | | | - A few minutes |
| random thoughts diminish. More importantly, your | | | | - A willing mind |
| attachment to these thoughts, and your | | | | * Sit in a comfortable position to enable you to |
| identification with them, progressively lessen. | | | | relax completely. Use a comfortable chair, or sit |
| Thoughts will still intrude, especially when you start | | | | cross legged on the ground. |
| practicing meditation for the first time, but once | | | | * Close your eyes. |
| you become aware of this, attention is gently | | | | * Focus on your breathing and make it |
| brought back to the object of concentration. | | | | deliberately deep and slow. |
| Meditation can also be objectless, for example | | | | * With each out breath, feel yourself relaxing |
| consisting of just sitting, standing or walking. | | | | more and more. Notice any thoughts and simply |
| Experiences during meditation vary from one | | | | let them float by like clouds in the sky. Try to |
| person to the next. Relaxation, increased | | | | detach from your thoughts. This quieting of the |
| awareness, mental focus and clarity, and a sense | | | | incessant monkey chatter of the left brain, is the |
| of peace are the most common results of | | | | most difficult part of learning to meditate! |
| meditation. Meditation, however, is a complete | | | | * Try to do this for 5 minutes in the morning and |
| practice in and of itself. The experiences and | | | | evening. Gradually increase this to 20 minutes |
| benefits are only an added bonus, and not the | | | | twice a day. |
| main purpose at all! Never meditate with any goal | | | | * Remember the 3 P's: practice, patience, |
| in mind, like 'am I doing this right?', 'is this | | | | perseverance! Learn to just sit there, doing |
| working?', 'will I heal, work harder, earn more | | | | nothing, simply being! |
| money?', or mindless monkey chatter: 'this is | | | | |
| nonsense, I'm wasting my time!', 'people will think | | | | Health benefits of regular meditation practice |
| I'm a fool!'. Your mind will be captured by your | | | | - Complete relaxation with a decrease in stress |
| thoughts again, going off on a tangent, completely | | | | hormones and other stress chemicals, with muscle |
| forgetting that you're actually meditating. This will | | | | relaxation, improved oxygen and nutrient supply |
| spoil your practice and the benefits of meditation. | | | | to all cells and systems, also improved clearing of |
| The best attitude is not to have any expectations | | | | toxins, debris and cellular waste. |
| at all. The ego self and inner self will soon form a | | | | - Reduced metabolic rate |
| relaxed relationship of integrated wholeness, living | | | | - Increased blood flow with oxygen and nutrients |
| together in peace, learning from and growing | | | | to the brain |
| from strength to strength. | | | | - Reduced cortisol and other stress hormone |
| Since meditation involves becoming more aware | | | | levels (as opposed to an increase during long term |
| and more sensitive to your inner self, you might | | | | stress) |
| find unpleasant parts of yourself also rise to | | | | - Reduced muscle tone (as opposed to muscle |
| consciousness, by way of deeply buried strong | | | | spasm associated with stress) |
| negative emotions. That's okay. Make peace with | | | | - Integration of left and right sides of the brain |
| all you are and let go any attachment to painful | | | | with whole brain functioning. creation of new |
| emotions and thoughts. Become aware of them, | | | | communication pathways between the logical right |
| discuss them with a mental health practitioner or | | | | and creative left sides of your brain, balancing |
| friend, if necessary. Work with and through them, | | | | your brain and giving you a whole being |
| learning more and more about yourself and life in | | | | experience. Areas in the brain associated with |
| the process. Then trust, surrender and let it go. | | | | positive emotions like happiness, peace and joy |
| Failure to experience silence, peace of mind, | | | | are activated. All of this leads to increased |
| mental clarity, bliss, or any other promoted | | | | orderliness of brain function, access to |
| benefit of meditation, is not in itself a sign of | | | | unconscious resources and abilities, allowing |
| incorrect practice or that one can't concentrate | | | | creative imagery, problem solving skills, clarity, |
| properly or long enough to be good at meditation. | | | | productivity. There is also an increased ability to |
| Remember, meditation is not a goal oriented | | | | make good decisions based on values, improved |
| practice. It's not the usual striving for perfection, | | | | mental alertness with more energy, vitality and a |
| improvement and achievement of your everyday | | | | relaxed, focused mental alertness, leading to |
| life! Whether you experience peace or bliss is not | | | | learning in an effortless manner |
| important. Being disciplined enough to practice | | | | - Dramatically improve your learning ability, |
| regularly, preferably at the same time every day, | | | | memory, intuition, creativity, perception and ability |
| in the same spot, always trying gently to return | | | | to focus, concentrate and think more clearly! |
| your thoughts to your chosen focus of | | | | - Lowering of blood pressure and breathing rate |
| meditation, is important. It is very difficult for the | | | | - Improved immune system function with higher |
| Western mind bathed in left brain consciousness, | | | | levels of antibodies |
| to become still. It really takes some practice for | | | | - Increased self awareness and management of |
| you to let go of thoughts, ideas, expectations, | | | | thoughts and emotions |
| fears and worries, even for 10-20 minutes a day! | | | | - Improved production of vital, pleasurable brain |
| Don't be concerned: you remain consciously | | | | chemicals (e.g. endorphins and serotonin) related to |
| awake, aware and in control! Nobody or nothing | | | | longevity, wellbeing, vitality, happiness and quality |
| will 'steal' your mind, put thoughts in your head or | | | | of life |
| hypnotise you! | | | | More benefits of meditation |
| There is no right or wrong technique - choose | | | | - Reduction in health care costs, need for |
| one that's right for you! You can practice | | | | medicines, visits to hospitals, doctors and other |
| meditation without belonging to any specific | | | | primary care health professionals |
| religious order. Meditation has, however, always | | | | - Reduction in major risk factors for disease: high |
| been a part of all religions, Eastern and Western, | | | | blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, cigarette |
| Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Sufi, Hindu, | | | | smoking, alcohol consumption, drug abuse, obesity, |
| Muslim, etc. If you find it very difficult to practice | | | | cardiovascular reactivity to stress, anxiety, |
| on your own, or with tapes or CD's, it might be | | | | depression, hostility |
| well worth your while to join a meditation group. | | | | - Enhanced appreciation of health protecting |
| There are Transcendental Meditation groups in all | | | | factors, e.g. |