Meditation
What Is It?
How Does It Work?
What Happens During Treatment?
What Is It Used For?
Side Effects/Cautions
Recommended Books
Recommended CDs
What Is It?
Practised for thousands of years in India and Asia, meditation is a
way of calming the mind to reduce stress, promote mental and physical
wellbeing, and for personal growth.
The original goal of meditation as practised in the East, was to achieve
enlightenment - a higher state of consciousness which brings about
deep spiritual awareness. As practised today in the West, however,
meditation has no religious overtones (although it can be combined
with spiritual practices) and is used primarily for its benefits to
health.
Meditation became popular in the West during the 1960s, when the Maharishi
Mahesh Yogi introduced transcendental meditation to many western devotees.
Other forms of meditation such as mindfulness meditation and breath
meditation have also become popular, and numerous scientific studies
have shown how meditation can relieve high blood pressure, chronic
pain, and many other ailments. Meditation is an integral part of other
natural therapies such as ayurveda, qigong, tai chi and yoga.
How Does It
Work?
Meditation uses various techniques designed to suspend the constant
stream of thoughts flowing through our minds. This induces a feeling
of tranquility and deep physical relaxation which eases the tension
and stress underlying many physical, mental and emotional problems.
Scientific studies have shown that meditation increases the intensity
of alpha waves in the brain, which are associated with calm, relaxed,
receptive states. Other studies have shown that it reduces the level
of stress hormones in the body, synchronises brain waves between the
left and right hemispheres of the brain, improves circulation, slows
the heart rate and can relieve high blood pressure.
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What Happens During
Treatment?
Meditation techniques can be learned from a trained teacher, or you
can teach yourself with the help of books, videos or tapes. There are
a variety of techniques, all with a few basic requirements for successful
meditation:
- a quiet place where you will not be disturbed
- a comfortable sitting position - in a straight-backed chair or sitting
cross-legged if you can manage it
- something to focus on - the breath, a word or phrase repeated rhythmically
(mantra), or an object such as a candle flame or religious symbol
- a passive attitude - the ability to let go of bodily tension and
the thoughts that enter your mind, and to refocus without effort when
the mind wanders.
It is recommended that beginners start with a short period of meditation,
say 5-10 minutes, and gradually work up to 20 minutes twice a day.
For some people it can take many months, or even years of practice
before the full benefits of meditation are experienced.
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What Is It Used
For?
Meditation is used to relieve anxiety, insomnia, depression, high blood
pressure, asthma, stress, chronic muscle tension and chronic pain.
Many people who have practised meditation for years report a general
increase in wellbeing, fewer visits to the doctor, and improved memory
and mental abilities.
Side Effects/Cautions
People suffering from psychosis, or other severe psychiatric disorders
such as schizophrenia, should avoid meditation as it may trigger
psychotic episodes or induce a disturbing loss of sense of self.
Not everyone is capable of reaching the deeply relaxed state of meditation,
some may even feel more tense, confused and anxious than usual. Meditation
may also bring up unsettling thoughts or disturbing memories from childhood.
If you experience these problems you may benefit from seeing a counsellor
or psychotherapist.
References
Find
a Meditation Instructor
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Recommended Books
Prices are in US Dollars
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Coming to Our Senses : Healing Ourselves
and the World Through Mindfulness
Jon Kabat-Zinn
This follow-up to the widely praised national bestseller Wherever
You Go, There You Are is yet another revolutionary
offering from Jon Kabat-Zinn, showing readers how the power
of mindfulness can bring radical change to their lives.
In the national bestseller Wherever
You Go, There You Are , Jon Kabat-Zinn struck a chord
in contemporary society that continues to reverberate to
this day. It has been embraced by politicians, business leaders,
and celebrities and endures as a classic with readers. In
his groundbreaking new book, Dr. Kabat-Zinn teaches us how
to harness the power of mindfulness to effect profound change
in our personal lives and in the world.
As stress continues to exact a toll on everyday life, people
are increasingly turning to ancient, meditative methods,
which have been tested by science, to relieve the ill effects
and become more focused, healthy, and proactive. Kabat-Zinn
has been for decades at the forefront of this mind/body movement
and the revolution in medicine and health care it has spawned,
demystifying it and bringing it into the mainstream. In Coming
to Our Senses, he shares how every human has the capacity
to mobilize deep, innate resources for continual learning,
growing, healing, and transformation through mindfulness.
Woven into eight parts, Coming to Our Senses uses anecdotes
and stories from Kabat-Zinn's own life experiences and work
in his clinic to illustrate healing possibilities. At its
core, the book offers remarkable insight into how to use
the five senses -- touch, hearing, sight, taste, and smell,
plus awareness itself -- as a path to a healthier, saner,
and more meaningful life.
This is the definitive book for our time on the connection
between mindfulness, health, and our physical and spiritual
well-being.
Learn
more...
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Insight Meditation: A Step-By-Step Course on How
to Meditate (with two CDs included)
Sharon Salzberg
Join Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein -- two of America's
most respected instructors -- for a step-by-step course in
Insight Meditation. Learn at home, at your own pace, with
this complete curriculum. The course includes:
• A 240-page Insight Meditation workbook: This workbook
is designed as a complete self-guided curriculum. Organized
into nine lessons, your workbook features more than 75 step-by-step
mindfulness exercises, question-and-answer sections, glossaries,
and photographs illustrating correct meditation postures.
• Two 70-minute compact discs: Six meditations teach
you these cornerstone practices in the Insight tradition.
• Twelve Insight study cards: Reinforce your practice
with these daily reminders of the fundamentals of meditation
in a convenient, portable form.
Learn
more...
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How to Meditate Using Chakras, Mantras, and Breath
(with two CDs included)
Dennis K Chernin
This book can be used by both beginning students who want
to learn about the theory and practice of meditation as well
as by individuals who have had experience with meditation
and breathing techniques and would like to refine or deepen
their practice. People with specific physical illnesses or
mental health concerns can also use this book if they are
interested in using meditation and breathing techniques as
part of their treatment plan. There is an overview of the
goals of meditation. We explore the question of why we practice
meditation, and look at what it means to attain expanded
states of consciousness. Misconceptions about meditation
are clarified, and there is a discussion of the differences
between meditation and concentration, contemplation, and
prayer. We explore emotional, psychological, and spiritual
benefits of meditation as well as the similarities between
meditation and psychotherapy.
We explore medical research on the benefits of meditation
in such areas as decreasing levels of hormones related to
the stress response, controlling high blood pressure, and
helping depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The mechanism of the stress response is outlined, followed
by a detailed description of how meditation and breathing
techniques help us better control the autonomic nervous system
and other brain functions. The five components of the mind
that are presented are thoughts, the sensory-integration
component, the sense of self, decision making, and memory.
These aspects of the mind are all strengthened by the practice
of meditation.
Audio CDs that systematically lead the practitioner through
the various phases of the meditation described in this book
are also available. They can be used in conjunction with
and also separately without reference to the book. World
famous drummer Muruga Booker accompanies Dr. Chernin in the
tracks that prepare the student for meditation.
Learn
more...
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More
Meditation Books
How
to Meditate Books
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Recommended CDs
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Guided Meditations: For Developing Calmness,
Awareness, and Love
Bodhipaksa
Ideal for beginners to meditation, this CD will guide you
through the most fundamental Buddhist meditation practices,
and is a straightforward guide to working with your mind
in order to become calmer and happier.
The Mindfulness of Breathing practice will help you to develop
more calmness and peace of mind; the Metta Bhavana will help
you to develop a more positive attitude to yourself and others;
and walking meditation is a powerful method of bringing awareness
into your daily life.
This audio CD contains three guided meditations:
The mindfulness of breathing (27.12)
The Metta Bhavana (development of lovingkindness) (26.50)
Walking meditation (19:48)
Learn
more...
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Yoga Nidra Meditation CD: Extreme Relaxation of
Conscious Deep Sleep
Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati
Yoga Nidra means "Yogic Sleep". It is a deep relaxation
in which you leave the waking state, go past the dreaming
state, and enter into the deep sleep state, while remaining
fully awake and alert. This state of awareness is extremely
beneficial, both for releasing stress, and for experiencing
the joy of subtler spiritual explorations or experiences.
The voice will systematically guide you to explore your physical
body, then move through 61 specific points within the body,
and then practice ascending breath awareness along the body
and spine. Your attention will be brought to the space between
the eyebrows, then to the throat, and finally to the heart
center, where you will go deep into stillness and silence,
beyond the activities of the mind.
Following the custom of the ancient sages, the depth of Yoga
Nidra comes from inner awareness of the levels of your own
self, including your body, breath, and the subtler mind,
rather than diverting attention through music or inner fantasies.
This inner exploring through self-awareness is a more refined
form of meditation that leads you deeper into the stillness
and silence of your own being, while remaining fully awake
and aware. The Yoga Nidra methods bring you to a place of
awareness where you are able to completely let go of any
words, thoughts, images, impressions, or pictures in the
mind. You are guided to allow your mind to "empty, empty,
empty" though you remain fully awake and clear of mind.
The practices on this CD will gently train your ability to
direct your own attention, which is the primary skill in
the art of meditation. You will find that you are gradually
able to use these methods on your own, without the CD, and
the benefits will be with you not only during your practice
time, but also during the activities of daily life.
The Yoga Nidra CD has five tracks. The first track is an
introduction (8:02 minutes), describing the state of Yoga
Nidra and the practices on the CD. The next four tracks move
through four sequential practices that are listened to together,
so as to form a complete practice of 57:24 minutes (CD is
65:36 minutes in total). These four tracks can also be listened
to individually, as complete practices unto themselves, which
allows you to have the benefits of practice when less time
is available.
After some time of practicing Yoga Nidra, you will naturally
find it to be a most enjoyable and spiritually inspiring
part of your life.
Learn
more...
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Meditation for Beginners
Jack Kornfield
Start Meditating Today with This Beginner's Guide. Have
you ever thought about trying meditation, but didn't know
how to get started? On Meditation for Beginners, trusted
teacher Jack Kornfield uses clear language and step-by-step
demonstrations to show you how simple it is to start - and
stick with - a daily meditation practice. In this complete
beginner's course, Jack introduces you to the "Insight" tradition
of meditation. Zen monks draw from this same tradition, yet
anyone can use its principles to cultivate a profound inner
calm, while awakening to the truth of life. Four complete
meditation exercises teach you how to work with breathing,
posture, attention, forgiveness - even difficult emotions
- to create tranquility and clarity in your everyday life.
Now you can begin meditating today - in just the time it
takes to listen to Meditation for Beginners.
Learn
more...
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