As my meditation and discussion group starts on 24 February 2014 in Kambah, ACT, I thought an article on WHAT IS MEDITATION may help you decide if meditation is for you (a little long but worth the read). Research indicates that meditating brings about dramatic effects in as little as a 10-minute session. Studies have demonstrated that subjects who meditate for a short time showed increased alpha waves these are the relaxed brain waves and these decrease anxiety and depression. Meditation activates the sections of the brain in charge of the autonomic nervous system, which governs the functions in our bodies that we cant control, such as digestion and blood pressure. These are also the functions that are often compromised by stress. It makes sense, then, that changing or modifying these functions would help to lessen stress-related conditions such as heart disease, digestive problems and infertility. The physical act of meditation generally consists of simply: sitting quietly, or focusing on ones breath, or a word, or a phrase, or music or guided. It may be any 1, 2 or all these There are many traditions and countless ways to practice meditation, the way in which I meditate and teach others to meditate is just one way. Seeking methods for quieting that internal chatter and reducing stress are what initially attracts many people to meditation. It is a very effective stress-reducer, which is a way into the practice for many people. If someone is struggling with feelings of anxiety, he or she may benefit from its calming aspects bringing about a higher level of self-acceptance and insight about oneself. I have had many successes with clients experiencing anxiety, reducing stress, depression etc through my meditations. Certainly anything that helps us fight stress is a welcome tool. But what else might meditation be doing for us? Meditation has not only a mental but a profound physiological effect on the body. Studies have shown that, among other benefits, meditation can help reduce heart disease, it can reduce pain and enhance the bodys immune system, enabling it to better fight disease. Meditation has an all encompassing effect on stress. So why arent more people taking up the practice? Because it puts us in the middle of ourselves, which is not always where we want to be. Some may say, they have tried meditation before but it doesn’t work for them. Additionally, many of us feel as though we cant afford the time and energy to meditate, when in fact we cant afford not to. We make so many excuses. Be honest with yourself. One way to know if you are meditating properly is, If youre feeling better at the end of a meditation, you are probably doing it right. One Definition of meditation is: “a particular mood or state of consciousness that your body mind enters at certain times throughout your life. This mood, or feeling state, usually occurs when you are totally and selflessly involved in an activity to the point that there is little or no separation between you and what you are doing. At this moment, you are so absorbed in simply being, that your consciousness becomes tightly focused on the activity at hand, most of your usual mental chatter ceases, physical distraction and stress diminish, and the passage of time seems to be irrelevant.” Some of the Meditation Cycles are: Thought: Thoughts that come into the mind during meditation should be observed & allowed to float away.. ah interesting. Feeling: Often feelings that arise are those that are usually suppressed such as anger, irritation, sadness, grief, even joy. Don’t be dissuaded, better out than in. There have been correlations made between emotional suppression & disease. Body: Sometimes the body feels wriggly; this is a form of resistance to relaxation, and to the inevitable life changes that becoming calm and centered bring to you. If this occurs, make sure you do some exercise before and after your meditation so that the body realizes that meditation comes with treats at both ends, and your body will also start to look forward to meditation. Deep Peace: This sometimes takes time to achieve, but eventually does happen. The Void: This can be experienced even by beginners. Like sleep, when you return you have no memory of where youve been- but there is a deep sense of relaxation & instant re-energising. Some feel that they go to sleep but this is not so. Experiences. Sometimes when we meditate we have some truly spectacular experiences. We may see really bright lights, angelic beings, great Masters or our own spiritual teachers, etc. We may experience intense bliss, and this is really something to look forward to. So, Why do we meditate? Some of the reasons we meditation for are: • Relaxation • Well-being • Stress Management • Health • Focus • Inner Stillness – peace training • Spiritual enlightenment And the Benefits of meditation are rapid relaxation, better immune function, faster healing from illness less stress, clearer thought patterns etc for your mental health Your Sleep improves.: they say less sleep is actually required when practicing meditation On the Emotional plane: inner peace, self confidence, improved relationships are just some of the rewards and benefits of meditation. Being aware of Breath in meditation brings forward a • Point of focus • It Encourages relaxation • And Lowers heart rate and blood pressure and • Teaches the mind stillness Be aware that your mind and body will take a little time to adjust to this new concept of trying to still it. Again, at times you will feel very fidgety and wriggly and with mind chatter going on and you think to yourself “This is not working”, “I can’t do this”. Realise this is normal. Have patience with yourself and if you can try and stay with it, it will become easier each time you meditate. If you tell yourself you can’t do it – then you won’t but if you tell yourself “I can do this”, then you will. Know that the outcome will bring a certain amount of stillness, calmness and peace to your life. You won’t stress as much. Things that used to irritate you, won’t as much. During meditation, your breath slows down and your mind quietens and with this process you create more oxygen in your body – in your blood and you become more balanced. Be patient with the process and know that you are worth it. Only you can change you and change takes time. If you are on a spiritual path, meditation is one of the quickest ways for spiritual growth. If you are not, meditation can bring a calmness and peace you may not have felt before. Remember, learning anything new takes a little time but the end result is so worth it because you are the end result and you are so worth it. On a personal note, meditation has been, and continues to be, of great benefit to me in my life. It has brought a calmness and tranquility to my life and I definitely don’t stress over the small stuff anymore. Some examples of how I use meditation are: To connect to Divinity To connect to Self To get clarity on questions and listen to the answers To help heal illness within myself Release stress To clean dirty energy in my home and put good energy in To clean dirty energy in a hospital and then put good energy in For separation For divorce For children For love and protection For Health Just To experience To journey to different places Re-experience good things To send good, loving and positive energy to the Earth, to our Planet, to all the living things up it, especially the human race The list goes on. The mind is an almighty “tool” for your own betterment, so use it. There are so many ways to use meditation and I like to explore all I can through this modality. Meditation is a oneness with yourself. Change is the only consistency we have in life and the only person we can actually change is ourselves, if we choose to and meditation is one way of accomplishing this. Meditating once a week is very helpful. Meditating 2-3 times a week can bring great changes of peace, calmness and less stress in your life. If you can allow meditation to be a daily part of your life, you have given yourself the greatest gift. It all takes time and patience and remember a 5 minute meditation of breath and point of focus can be very effective and when you have more time allow yourself a longer meditation. It is all in the way you approach it. I trust you have enjoyed the information on what meditation is all about and I welcome you to my meditation and discussion group – a world of “self”. By Gaye Piper
Posted on: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 11:09:03 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015