Physical, Mental & Spiritual Health Benefits of Chanting OM

Chanting OM gives Physical, Mental & Spiritual Health Benefits

When we are chanting OM, its vibrations benefits us in the following ways:
-       Helps to Improve Concentration
When we are chanting Om, we sort of detach ourselves from the whole world putting aside all our worries and tensions. With regular chanting om, our mind becomes focused on this small Sanskrit word.
As we keep on practicing, we become more attentive in whatever we do and our level of concentration improves.
-       Increases Mental Alertness
Older research has shown that Om chanting can enhance alertness even when we’re already relaxed, noted by a reduction in heart rate. A group of meditators who chanted Om showed a statistically significant reduction in their heart rate compared to a control group that engaged in non-targeted thinking.
-       Reduces Stress and Anxiety
According to a recent medical report, chanting Om has been associated with reducing stress. One of the biggest health benefits of Om chanting is that it brings down stress levels. It provides relief from anxiety and tension. Regular chanting ensures that we feel peaceful from within and are less distracted while doing any form of work. A person practicing Om chanting regularly feels serene and pious from within. It is a form of meditation which helps us to know more about our inner self and add more meaning to everything that you do.
-       Rejuvenates & Pacifies
Tensions are a regular part of life. But too much anxiety and stress produce toxins in the body leading to harmful physical and mental diseases. And Om chanting eliminates the possibilities of toxin production by reducing stress and making us feel rejuvenated whenever we start chanting. Thus, one of the health benefits of Om chanting is that it makes us feel happy, rejuvenated and pacifies our troubled heart.
Regular Om chanting also helps to reduce our mood swings and thus improve our work capacity and performance. So, it indicates that with regular Om chanting practice we can improve your personal as well as professional life .
-       Gives Strength to Spinal Cord
Research suggests that Om or AUM chanting creates a significant impact on the spinal cord of a person. The vibrations created during chanting improve the efficiency of the spinal cord. But for that, we must practice it regularly under proper guidance.
-       Increases Environmental Awareness
Studies that have shown a combination of mental alertness with physiological rest during Om chanting have also revealed increased sensitivity to sensory transmission. In other words, Om chanting and meditating helps us become more present by putting us deeply in touch with our body and our environment via sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.
-       Detoxifies Body
Chanting of Om is a type of meditation. And when we regularly perform this meditation, it contributes to improve the detoxification process of our body. Improvement in blood circulation and oxygen enriched supply to the body cells are the two most important health benefits of Om chanting. When we chant Om, we have to breathe deeply. This deep breathing process helps to get rid of toxins.
-       Improves Functioning of Heart & Digestive System
Chanting of OM regulates the blood flow to different body parts. Thus, it helps in controlling blood pressure and symptoms of hypertension. When we disconnect from the outer world during chanting, our breathing, respiration and heart beat normalizes. Regular practice thus improves the working of our heart. Moreover, it also helps to improve our digestive system functioning.
-       Ensures Sound Sleep
Stress and hectic lifestyle impact our lifestyle badly. Late nights of working and waking up late in the morning disturb our overall body cycle. We can improve our sleep and wake up pattern by practicing Om chanting regularly. It not only ensures that we fall asleep quickly, but also that we get sound and enough sleep.
-       Makes Us Emotionally Stable
Emotional instability is one of the reasons for failure. When we are worried, angry, frustrated or irritated, it directly impacts our career. Our behavior becomes irrational and impractical due to which we may even become disturbed. However, we can benefit immensely by chanting Om regularly as it helps us to gain control over our emotional state.
-       Improves Reasoning Ability, Reduces Negativity
A disturbed mind has a tendency to think negative first whenever some untoward incidence happens. But regular Om chanting ensures that we stay positive even in dire circumstances. Our reasoning ability improves and we are able to take right and better decisions in difficult conditions. We even start distinguishing between right and negative people and thus choose a positive group of friends.

Some Other Benefits of Chanting OM

-       Om chanting gives us better immunity and self-healing power.
-       The Om chanting produces a vibration and sound which is felt through our vocal cords and sinuses. The vibrations open up the sinuses to clear the airways.
-       The Om not only benefits the person who is chanting it but also to the people around them, wherever its vibrations flow.
-       The Om Mantra has cardiovascular benefits – by relaxing our mind and body, our blood pressure will decrease and our heart will beat with regular rhythm.
-       Om chanting actually improves our voice by giving strength to our vocal cords and the muscles around it. This is very helpful during old age.
-       It is said that rubbing our hands together while om chanting and putting those charged hands on different parts of body heals or activates those body parts.
-       Regular chanting of this Mantra will take us on a spiritual journey to greater happiness and positivity, but only if it is done daily for a longer period of time.
-       It has been our experience that Om can even help cleanse our skin. The massive levels of internal positive energy and a cleansed aura that come from chanting the Om Mantra regularly will be reflected externally with a sunny glow on our face and body.

Also read our articles on 

OM : The 1st Sound Emerged in The Universe

Chanting OM : Feel The POWER within You

 

Chanting OM : Feel The POWER within You

The Power of Chanting OM

•       Enhance Overall Well-Being

The practice promotes inner peace, mental clarity, emotional freedom and physical health. Many experience positive shifts which allow them to enjoy more peace, joy and love in their lives.

•       Transform Negativity into Positive Energy

Due to a special blessing, OM Chanting generates a vibrational frequency that releases negativity, transforms it and showers participants with positive energy.

•      Purify the Environment

The vibrational waves created by the circle spread out in a 2-kilometre radius, creating a harmonious, peaceful environment and a unity between humans and nature. The OM continues to resonate in participants’ bodies after the circle, allowing them to share the good vibrations wherever they go.

•       'Om' Mantra Holds a Strong High Vibration, We can Literally Feel It!

Om, pronounced “Aum,” represents the threefold division of time (waking state, dreaming state, and deep sleep). It is the sound of creation, representing all that is in creation Om also represents God, Source, or Universal Consciousness. .When chanted it cultivates strong blissful energy vibrations that flow inside and outside.

•       Chanting Om Helps in Elevating & Healing Holistic Health

Om is not only a word created out of our rich mythological past but it has amazing therapeutic, psychological and spiritual benefits that even science has agreed .

•       Om is Sacred & Resonates High Spiritual Energy

Chanting Om increases levels of internal positive energy and creates a cleaned aura resulting in greater happiness, peace, harmony and positivity. This is because we have better control over our emotions and see things with more clarity and with a rational mind .

•       Om Connects Us to All That is Living

It connects us to all that is living, from beings to nature, to the universe. It generates a feeling of oneness .The Om mantra is referred to in sacred scriptures as being same as supreme consciousness. It’s believed that continuos practice leads to profound enlightenment.

•       Take Away Message of Chanting Om... It is a Life Force Energy

By chanting Om we can tune into ourselves and to the Divine. 'Om' is probably the most ancient word for the 'Divine'. It is a life force energy. It is the mantra of the greatest symbolism and power. It has the power of healing mental, physical and spiritual faculties to create an awakened new you in alignment with the Divine and in peace and harmony with self and the universe.

What makes OM Chanting Unique?

•       Grace of the Masters

Many people are aware of the power of OM, but only a Master knows how to activate its full potential. Paramahamsa Vishwananda is such a Master. Through his blessing and grace, this ancient practice is available to help create positive shifts around the world.

•       A Special Blessing

The practice works because of a unique combination of seating, continuous chanting of OM and the presence of an OM Chanting Organiser who carries the blessing of Paramahamsa Vishwananda. The Master’s blessing is what permits the full transformation of negativity into positive energy.

•       Vibration of OM

OM is the universal sound of creation; it is the highest and purest vibration that exists. Rishis of old perfected OM Chanting and used it for healing. Forgotten over time, this ancient group technique has been reintroduced by Paramahamsa Vishwananda to support Mother Earth and mankind in this time of need.

Also read our article on  the 1st sound that emerged as per Hindu Mythology:

OM : The 1st Sound Emerged in The Universe

OM : The 1st Sound Emerged in The Universe

 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This word is known as "OM".
It is a particularly human trait to be curious about our origins, and the origins of our universe. How could so much – the diversity of our planet, the vastness of our solar system, the unknown reaches of space – come from nothing?
Spiritual traditions from all over the world have grappled with this question, and have recognized the profound role of the Divine Word as the origins, the beginning, of the universe. If at first there was nothing, the very first thing was a sound vibration, and from there everything sprang into existence and the material world was born. And Western science is now coming on board as well: quantum physicists have been studying the role of vibration at the root of matter itself.
And from a yogic perspective, there is a profound connection between speech (the expression of our thoughts) and prana (the life energy carried on the breath). When we speak, we are naming our reality, while using the power of the breath in order to form and express our words. Speech is prana in action. Prana naturally creates sound. Om is believed to be one of the most important sounds in the universe. It is considered as the first sound that emerged from the vibrations of cosmic energies that were behind creating this entire universe.

What is OM?

-        Om is a sacred sound and a spiritual symbol in Indian religions. In Hinduism, it signifies the essence of the ultimate reality, consciousness or Atman. More broadly, it is a syllable that is chanted either independently or before a spiritual recitation in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.
-        In Hinduism, Om is one of the most important spiritual symbols. It refers to Atman (soul, self within) and Brahman (ultimate reality, entirety of the universe, truth, divine, supreme spirit, cosmic principles, knowledge).
-        The syllable Om is referred to as pranava.
-        Om, symbolically embodies the divine energy, or Shakti, and its three main characteristics: creation, preservation, and liberation. The mantra, or vibration, derives from Hinduism and is considered to have high spiritual and creative power.
-        It may just be a two letter word, but in itself, it holds the power of the entire universe. It is believed that when the Big Bang happened, the sound of OM remained constant throughout the universe and can be sensed even today.
-        Om is the source of all religions and religious scriptures. The uttering of the sacred and mystical Om is called Onkar or Omkar. It is the sound of Brahma. It is the predominating force and power.

• Eight of the Upanishads have sections dealing with Om. These are

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad ; Chandogya Upanishad ; Katha Upanishad ; Mandukya Upanishad ; Mundaka Upanishad ; Prashna Upanishad ; Svetasvatara Upanishad ; Taittiriya Upanishad
-       The Upanishads consider Om as the basis of every other mantra. It is the sound of the origination and dissolution of the universe. The past, present, future and all that transcends time are all included in this sound. According to Taitreya Upanishad the origin of language is assigned to Prajapati, from whose meditation originated the divine syllable of OM, which coordinated all speech and represented the totality of the world.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna states:
I am the syllable Om...I am the sacred monosyllable...Among words, I am the monosyllable Om
His statements imply that Om is not a symbol of God, but is God. So there can be nothing greater or a subject more important.
In Bhagavad Gita 8.13, Sri Krishna states
Whoever controls his mind and knowing that the souls resides in the forehead repeats the word Om, knowing it as representing Brahma, and thinking of Me his soul leaves the body, that person shall attain the supreme goal.

The Sound of OM

Shiva's drum produced the sound of Om through it came the notes of the octave (SA, RI, GA, MA, PA, DHA, NI). Om is also the sound form of the Atman.
Musically, it is also held that the term OM or AUM is made up by three base notes ' A ' 'U' 'M' or the basic 'SA' 'PA' of the fundamental scale and again Sa (the base note) of the immediately higher scale. When one pronounces these notes in continuity, all the basic notes from Sa to Ni also sound. Similarly when one pronounces AUM correctly, all the basic sounds also echo. It is believed to be the traditional way of clearing all the impediments in the vocal chord to make one chant the hymns correctly. Their unison makes one not only sound sonorous but also acts as the necessary preparation to chant a Mantra (Incantation) correctly.
OM is also sometimes written and pronounced AUM, a prolonging of the individual sounds contained in OM. Each of the three letters, and sounds, corresponds to a different aspect of the divine. The first sound, A, invokes Brahma, the creative aspect. The U sound invokes Vishnu, the preserver. And the M sound, Shiva, represents the destructive aspect of God. So the three sounds in this one syllable remind us of these three aspects of the Divine, without which nothing exists, everything is sustained, and all things dissolve back into the void.

 Chanting OM

-        When pronounced correctly, Om has four syllables and is pronounced AUM, beginning in the solar plexus and sending vibrations up into the chest.
-        The second syllable – U – moves the sound up into the throat as the sound moves forward along the upper palate.
-        The third syllable – M – is a prolonged syllable and brings the vibration through the upper chakras as the teeth come together to touch gently.
-        The final syllable is the deep silence of the Infinite as the overall vibration rises through the body and into the Universe.
It is used because the sound, and the vibrations it makes, helps to calm the mind and the central nervous system. Stress can easily build up in our busy day to day lives, so sparing some time to chant and ease the mind can be very helpful and beneficial to our health.
According to yoga and other scriptures, the letter OM corresponds to three gunas (values): A: tamas, it signifies darkness and ignorance (waking state) U: rajas, it signifies passion, activity and dynamism (dream state) M: sattva, it signifies purity, truth, and light (state of deep sleep)
Chanting OM connects to all living creatures, to nature and the universe. It has many physical benefits, as it slows down the nervous system and calms the mind. It relaxes the mind and decreases the blood pressure, which results in improvement of a healthy heart.

Things to Remember while Chanting OM

·      First of all choose a quiet place, where there is no obstruction and open air. This can be done on any open ground, terrace, and place.
·      When waking up, try chanting OM, its sound vibrations are enough to catapult your day. And, if for some reason you can not do it in the morning then definitely before sleeping at night.
·      It is believed that these words are symbols of religion, but it is not. This is also a kind of meditation, which by speaking, brings peace to the mind, and also the mind of the person gets relief. That is why there is no need for any god idol, sun-deity, incense etc to chant it.
·      Speak it in loud voice, while sitting n the Padmasana on the ground and close your eyes and try to get the voice out of the stomach. Pull this word as long as possible and stop breathing and repeat this process again. Do this at least 2 minutes.

Also read our articles on

Chanting OM : Feel The POWER within You 

Physical, Mental & Spiritual Health Benefits of Chanting OM

 

Mind & Spiritual Benefits of Meditation

Meditation Changes BRAIN in GOOD WAYS

  -   Meditation practiced by Monks who had evidence of significantly greater brain activity, called gamma wave activity, in areas associated with learning and happiness compared with those who didn't practice meditation, according to a recent study.
  -    Gamma waves involve mental processes including attention, memory, learning, and conscious perception. The monks also showed higher activity in areas associated with positive emotions, like happiness.
  -    "There's no doubt from the standpoint of research and my own clinical experience that meditation can reduce both the experience of pain and help people manage stress resulting from having pain," Chapman tells. It is a therapy offered in all comprehensive pain centers, he says.
  -    How do we know if meditation is "working" - if our body is actually getting that relaxation response? If we get feelings of warmth, heaviness, and calm when we meditate, it mean that we've gone deep enough, says Chapman. It we just can't reach that level, enroll in a class, he suggests.
  -    "Sometimes it helps to have someone guide us, to help us know when we're making progress." If meditation just doesn't seem to work, move on to another relaxation method, Benson advises.
  -    "Any practice that can evoke the relaxation response is of benefit, be it meditation, yoga, breathing, or repetitive prayer. There is no reason to believe that one is better than the other. The key is repetition, but the repetition can be a word, sound, mantra, prayer, breathing, or movement."
  >    Increases Gray Matter
Meditation may just be exercise for the brain. In fact, a 2009 study from UCLA researchers showed that MRI scans of long-time meditators revealed that certain parts of their brains were larger than those of a control group, particularly in regions known for emotion regulation. Another small study published in 2011 in the journal Psychiatry Research: Neuro-imaging showed that an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program resulted in increases in gray matter in the hippocampus and areas of the brain tied to compassion and self-awareness, U.S. News reported at the time.
  >    Cultivates Willpower
Stanford health psychologist Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D. told Stanford Medicine's SCOPE blog in 2011 that both physical exercise and meditation can help train the brain for willpower.
Meditation training improves a wide range of willpower skills, including attention, focus, stress management, impulse control and self-awareness. It changes both the function and structure of the brain to support self-control. For example, regular meditators have more gray matter in the prefrontal cortex. And it doesn’t take a lifetime of practice -- brain changes have been observed after eight weeks of brief daily meditation training.
  >    Enhances Self-Awareness
Some forms of meditation may help us develop a stronger understanding of ourselves, helping us grow into our best self. For example, self-inquiry meditation explicitly aims to help us develop a greater understanding of ourselves and how we relate to those around us. Other forms teach us to recognize thoughts that may be harmful or self-defeating. The idea is that as we gain greater awareness of our thought habits, we can steer them toward more constructive patterns.
A study of 21 women fighting breast cancer found that when they took part in a tai chi program, their self-esteem improved more than it did than in those who received social support sessions. In another study, 40 senior men and women who took a mindfulness meditation program experienced reduced feelings of loneliness, compared to a control group that had been placed on a wait list for the program. Also, experience in meditation may cultivate more creative problem solving.
  >    Lengthens Attention Span
Focused-attention meditation is like weight lifting for our attention span. It helps increase the strength and endurance of our attention. For example, a study looked at the effects of an eight-week mindfulness meditation course and found it improved participants' ability to reorient and maintain their attention.
A similar study showed that human resource workers who regularly practiced mindfulness meditation stayed focused on a task for longer. These workers also remembered details of their tasks better than their peers who did not practice meditation. Moreover, one review concluded that meditation may even reverse patterns in the brain that contribute to mind-wandering, worrying and poor attention. Even meditating for a short period may benefit you. One study found that four days of practicing meditation may be enough to increase attention span.
  >    Builds Focus and Concentration
A 2010 study published in Psychological Science showed that Buddhist meditation improved focus and attention on a task that was designed to be both boring and demanding. "People may think meditation is something that makes us feel good and going on a meditation retreat is like going on vacation, and we get to be at peace with ourselves," study author Katherine MacLean, who worked on the research as a graduate student at the University of California Davis, said in a statement. "That's what people think until they try it. Then we realize how challenging it is to just sit and observe something without being distracted."
  >    Physically Changes the Brain
University of Oregon Research released in 2012 suggested that one type of Chinese mindfulness meditation could be associated with physical changes in the brain -- ones that might help stave off mental illness.
  >    Boosts Cognitive Function
Another Psychological Science study identified a link between mindfulness training and increased standardized test scores, as well as improvements in working memory. What's more, Dr. Sara Lazar, a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital who studies mindfulness meditation, previously told that regular meditation may stave off the thinning of the brain's prefrontal cortex, and in turn declines in cognitive function, later in life.

SPIRITURAL BENEFITS of Meditation

  >    Generate Kindness
Some types of meditation may particularly increase positive feelings and actions toward ourselves and others. Metta, a type of meditation also known as loving-kindness meditation, begins with developing kind thoughts and feelings toward ourselves. Through practice, people learn to extend this kindness and forgiveness externally, first to friends, then acquaintances and ultimately enemies.
Twenty-two studies of this form of meditation have demonstrated its ability to increase peoples' compassion toward themselves and others. One study of 100 adults randomly assigned to a program that included loving-kindness meditation found that these benefits were dose-dependent. In other words, the more effort people put into Metta meditation, the more positive feelings they experienced. Another group of studies showed the positive feelings people develop through Metta meditation can improve social anxiety, reduce marriage conflict and help anger management. These benefits also appear to accumulate over time with the practice of loving-kindness meditation.
  >    Promotes Emotional Health
Some forms of meditation can also lead to an improved self-image and more positive outlook on life. Two studies of mindfulness meditation found decreased depression in over 4,600 adults. One study followed 18 volunteers as they practiced meditation over three years. The study found that participants experienced long-term decreases in depression. Inflammatory chemicals called cytokines, which are released in response to stress, can affect mood, leading to depression. A review of several studies suggests meditation may reduce depression by decreasing these inflammatory chemicals.
Another controlled study compared electrical activity between the brains of people who practiced mindfulness meditation and the brains of others who did not. Those who meditated showed measurable changes in activity in areas related to positive thinking and optimism.
  >    Builds Self - Knowledge
According to a 2013 article published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, mindfulness (defined as "paying attention to one's current experience in a non-judgmental way") can help people to understand their own personalities. "For example, one who overestimates the positivity of his or her personality or status is often disliked by others, whereas having insight into how others perceive the self and acknowledging one's flaws seems to attenuate the negativity of others' impressions," the researchers wrote in the study.
  >    Helps Relationship Satisfaction
As the American Psychological Association reports: Several studies find that a person's ability to be mindful can help predict relationship satisfaction — the ability to respond well to relationship stress and the skill in communicating one's emotions to a partner. Empirical evidence suggests that mindfulness protects against the emotionally stressful effects of relationship conflict, is positively associated with the ability to express oneself in various social situations and predicts relationship satisfaction.
  >    Improves Empathy
A small study from Emory University showed that a compassion-based meditation program, called Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT), might help people to read others' facial expressions. "These findings raise the intriguing possibility that CBCT may have enhanced empathic abilities by increasing activity in parts of the brain that are of central importance for our ability to recognize the emotional states of others," senior author Charles Raison said in a statement.
  >    Reduces Loneliness
At least among older people. A 2012 Brain, Behavior and Immunity study of 40 adults between the ages of 55 and 85 showed that a two-month mindfulness meditation program was linked with reduced loneliness. "While this was a small sample, the results were very encouraging," Dr. Michael Irwin, a professor of psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA and director of the Cousins Center, said in a statement when the findings were released. "It adds to a growing body of research that is showing the positive benefits of a variety of meditative techniques, including tai chi and yoga."
  >    Cuts Emotional Reactivity
The American Psychological Association reports: Research also supports the notion that mindfulness meditation decreases emotional reactivity. In a study of people who had anywhere from one month to 29 years of mindfulness meditation practice, researchers found that mindfulness meditation practice helped people disengage from emotionally upsetting pictures and enabled them to focus better on a cognitive task as compared with people who saw the pictures but did not meditate. Like pain, researchers have suggested that mindfulness meditation helps the brain to have better control over sensations, including negative emotions.
 >    May Reduce Age-Related Memory Loss
Improvements in attention and clarity of thinking may help keep your mind young. Kirtan Kriya is a method of meditation that combines a mantra or chant with repetitive motion of the fingers to focus thoughts. It improved participants' ability to perform memory tasks in multiple studies of age-related memory loss. Furthermore, a review of 12 studies found that multiple meditation styles increased attention, memory and mental quickness in older volunteers. In addition to fighting normal age-related memory loss, meditation can at least partially improve memory in patients with dementia. It can also help control stress and improve coping in those caring for family members with dementia.

You can relax yourself by listening to this video by Sri Sri Ravishankar ji
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRmEOC2czyI 

Also read our other articles related to meditation

MEDITATION : The Training of Mind

 Relaxation Benefits of MEDITATION for Us

Relaxation Benefits of MEDITATION for Us

In the 1970s, Herbert Benson, MD, a researcher at Harvard University Medical School, coined the term “relaxation response" after conducting research on people who practiced transcendental meditation. The relaxation response, in Benson’s words, is “an opposite, involuntary response that causes a reduction in the activity of the sympathetic nervous system.”
Since then, studies on the relaxation response have documented the following short-term benefits to the nervous system:
·      Lower blood pressure
·      Improved blood circulation
·      Lower heart rate
·      Less perspiration
·      Slower respiratory rate
·      Less anxiety
·      Lower blood cortisol levels
·      More feelings of well-being
·      Less stress
·      Deeper relaxation
Contemporary researchers are now exploring whether a consistent relaxation meditational practice yields long-term benefits, and noting positive effects on brain and immune function among meditators. Yet it’s worth repeating that the purpose of meditation is not to achieve benefits. To put it as an Eastern philosopher may say, the goal of meditation is no goal. It’s simply to be present.
In Buddhist philosophy, the ultimate relaxation benefit of meditation is liberation of the mind from attachment to things it cannot control, such as external circumstances or strong internal emotions. The liberated or “enlightened” practitioner no longer needlessly follows desires or clings to experiences, but instead maintains a calm mind and sense of inner harmony.
 

Ways of Relaxation through Meditation

>>    Meditation Reduces Stress
Stress reduction is one of the most common reasons why people try meditation. One study including over 3,500 adults showed that it lives up to its reputation for stress reduction. Normally, mental and physical stress cause increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This produces many of the harmful effects of stress, such as the release of inflammation-promoting chemicals called cytokines. These effects can disrupt sleep, promote depression and anxiety, increase blood pressure and contribute to fatigue and cloudy thinking.
In an eight-week study, a meditation style called "mindfulness meditation" reduced the inflammation response caused by stress. Another study in nearly 1,300 adults demonstrated that relaxation meditation may decrease stress. Notably, this effect was strongest in individuals with the highest levels of stress. Research has shown that meditation may also improve symptoms of stress-related conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder and fibromyalgia.
  >>    Meditation Reduces Pain
Several studies have identified a connection between meditation and pain. One Journal of Neuroscience study, for instance, showed that after four 20-minute meditation sessions over the course of four days, a group of volunteers rated the same burning pain as 57 percent less unpleasant and 40 percent less intense. Plus, a review of 47 studies published in JAMA Internal Medicine earlier this year showed that meditation may be helpful in easing pain (though it was difficult for the researchers to identify exactly what type of pain, according to Reuters). Researchers speculate that those who practice meditation develop the ability to exert greater control over unpleasant feelings, including pain, by turning them down as if using a "volume knob" in the brain.
  >>    Meditation Boosts Immune System
Meditation also helps ward off illness and infections. In one study testing immune function, flu shots were given to volunteers who had meditated for eight weeks and to people who didn't meditate. Blood tests taken later showed the meditation group had higher levels of antibodies produced against the flu virus, according to the study in Psychosomatic Medicine. One small 2003 study showed a link between an eight-week mindfulness meditation program and better immune function, and 2012 UCLA research suggested meditation could improve the immune system in older people.
  >>    Meditation Controls Anxiety
Less stress translates to less anxiety. For example, an eight-week study of mindfulness meditation helped participants reduce their anxiety. It also reduced symptoms of anxiety disorders, such as phobias, social anxiety, paranoid thoughts, obsessive-compulsive behaviors and panic attacks. Another study followed up with 18 volunteers three years after they had completed an eight-week meditation program. Most volunteers had continued practicing regular meditation and maintained lower anxiety levels over the long term.
A larger study in 2,466 participants also showed that a variety of different meditation strategies may reduce anxiety levels. For example, yoga has been shown to help people reduce anxiety. This is likely due to benefits from both meditative practice and physical activity. Meditation may also help control job-related anxiety in high-pressure work environments. One study found that a meditation program reduced anxiety in a group of nurses.
  >>    Meditation Can Decrease Blood Pressure
Meditation can also improve physical health by reducing strain on the heart. Over time, high blood pressure makes the heart work harder to pump blood, which can lead to poor heart function. High blood pressure also contributes to atherosclerosis, or narrowing of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
A study of 996 volunteers found that when they meditated by concentrating on a "silent mantra" — a repeated, non-vocalized word — reduced blood pressure by about five points, on average. This was more effective among older volunteers and those who had higher blood pressure prior to the study. A review concluded that several types of meditation produced similar improvements in blood pressure.
In part, meditation appears to control blood pressure by relaxing the nerve signals that coordinate heart function, tension in blood vessels and the "fight-or-flight" response that increases alertness in stressful situations.
  >>    Meditation Reduces Heart Risk
A 2012 study published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes showed a link between Transcendental Mediation and a reduction in heart attack, stroke and early death from heart disease in a group of African Americans, TIME reported. “The main finding [of our research] is that, added on top of usual medical care, intervention with a mind-body technique -- transcendental meditation -- can have a major effect on cardiovascular events,” lead author Robert Schneider, a professor at the Maharishi University of Management, told the publication. The American Heart Association also says that the stress-busting benefits of different types of meditation can be a boon to heart health.
  >>    Meditation Help Fight Addictions
The mental discipline we can develop through meditation may help us break dependencies by increasing our self-control and awareness of triggers for addictive behaviors. Research has shown that meditation may help people learn to redirect their attention, increase their willpower, control their emotions and impulses and increase their understanding of the causes behind their addictive behaviors. One study that taught 19 recovering alcoholics how to meditate found that participants who received the training got better at controlling their cravings and craving-related stress. Meditation may also help us control food cravings. A review of 14 studies found mindfulness meditation helped participants reduce emotional and binge eating.
  >>    Meditation Improves Depression
The 2014 review of 47 randomized trials, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, showed that mindfulness meditation can be effective in easing depression for some patients, as well as anxiety. The researchers wrote: "Anxiety, depression, and stress/distress are different components of negative affect. When we combined each component of negative affect, we saw a small and consistent signal that any domain of negative affect is improved in mindfulness programs when compared with a nonspecific active control." And depression has been linked with other serious health conditions, including heart disease.
  >>    Meditation Fosters a Healthy Body Image
Australian research published in Clinical Psychologist suggested that being mindful (which can be cultivated through mindfulness meditation) may be linked to having a healthier relationship with food and your body.
  >>    Meditation Improves Sleep
Nearly half the population will struggle with insomnia at some point. One study compared two mindfulness-based meditation programs by randomly assigning participants to one of two groups. One group practiced meditation, while the other didn't. Participants who meditated fell asleep sooner and stayed asleep longer, compared to those who didn't meditate. Becoming skilled in meditation may help us control or redirect the racing or "runaway" thoughts that often lead to insomnia. Additionally, it can help relax our body, releasing tension and placing us in a peaceful state in which we're more likely to fall asleep.
  >>    Meditation Eases Inflammation
In 2013 research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds in the Waisman Center, scientists identified a possible tie between mindfulness meditation and the relief of inflammatory symptoms among people who suffer from chronic inflammatory conditions. “This is not a cure-all, but our study does show that there are specific ways that mindfulness can be beneficial, and that there are specific people who may be more likely to benefit from this approach than other interventions," lead author Melissa Rosenkranz said in a statement.

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MEDITATION : The Training of Mind

Mind & Spiritual Benefits of Meditation

 

MEDITATION : The Training of Mind

What is MEDITATION (Meditation Meaning)?

  -    Meditation is an approach to training the mind, similar to the way that fitness is an approach to training the body.
  -    It is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. Scholars have found it difficult to define, as practices vary both between traditions and within them.
  -    Meditation has been practiced since antiquity in numerous religious traditions, often as part of the path towards enlightenment and self realization. Some of the earliest written records come from the Hindu traditions of Vedantism. Since the 19th century, Asian meditative techniques have spread to other cultures where they have also found application in non-spiritual contexts, such as business and health.
  -    “In Buddhist tradition, the word ‘meditation’ is equivalent to a word like ‘sports’ in the U.S. It’s a family of activities, not a single thing,” University of Wisconsin Neuroscience Lab director Richard J. Davidson, Ph.D., told The New York Times. And different meditational practices require different mental skills.
  -   It may be used with the aim of reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and pain, and increasing peace, perception, self-concept, and well-being. Meditation is under regular research to define its possible health (psychological, neurological, and cardiovascular) and other effects.
  -    Over the past few years, it has evolved from an of-the-moment fad to a legitimate health craze, as research has linked the practice to everything from improved cardiovascular health to cognitive benefits. Science has even shown that mindfulness meditational practice can affect gene expression.
  -    While the modern-day science behind this age-old practice is still developing, plenty of studies suggest that meditation is about way more than blissing out.

What CAN Meditation DO?

  -    Any condition that's caused or worsened by stress can be alleviated through it, - says cardiologist Herbert Benson (MD), well known for three decades of research into the health effects of meditation-- is the founder of the Mind/Body Institute at Harvard Medical School's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
  -    "The relaxation response helps decrease metabolism, lowers blood pressure, and improves heart rate, breathing, and brain waves," Benson says. Tension and tightness seep from muscles as the body receives a quiet message to relax.
  -    There's scientific evidence showing how meditation works. In people who are meditating, brain scans called MRI have shown an increase in activity in areas that control metabolism and heart rate. Other studies on Buddhist monks have shown that it produces long-lasting changes in the brain activity in areas involved in attention, working memory, learning, and conscious perception.
  -    The soothing power of repetition is at the heart of meditation. Focusing on the breath, ignoring thoughts, and repeating a word or phrase - a mantra - creates the biological response of relaxation-- Stan Chapman (PhD)-- a psychologist in the Center for Pain Medicine at Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, tells.
  -    "Meditation is not difficult to learn," Chapman tells. "You don't need to see a therapist 40 times to learn it. But like tennis, it's a skill. You need to practice. In time, people develop the ability to produce these meditative, very relaxed states very quickly. When they meditate several times during the day, they become more relaxed during the entire day."
  -    It offers time for relaxation and heightened awareness in a stressful world where our senses are often dulled. Research suggests that it has the potential for more than just temporary stress relief.
  -    We can use it to increase awareness of ourselves and our surroundings. Many people think of it as a way to reduce stress and develop concentration. People also use the practice to develop other beneficial habits and feelings, such as a positive mood and outlook, self-discipline, healthy sleep patterns and even increased pain tolerance.

Get Ready for Meditation -- How to MEDITATE

8 Tips to Get Started with Meditation

Simple ways to meditate in the early stages

This simple suggestion for meditation experience is extremely effective:

·        Select the time and place.

·        Keep the stomach slightly empty and sit comfortably.

·        Start with some warm-up / exercise and deep breaths.

·        Keep smiling more.

Do you know, you can get deep experience of meditation by just spending some time preparing your meditation?

There are some tips to meditate in the early stages, which may help you to meditate at home.

Do you find it difficult to sit silently with eyes closed? Don't worry about it, you are not alone. Below are some simple tips for the person who wants to learn to meditate. As you become regular in this practice, you will definitely go deeper into it.

Begin with these 8 simple tips

·        Choose a convenient time.

·        Choose a quiet place.

·        Sit in a Comfortable Posture

·        Keep the stomach empty.

·        Start With a Few Warm-ups

·        Take a Few Deep Breaths

·        Keep a gentle smile on your face.

·        Slowly and Gently Open Your Eyes

-        Choose a Convenient Time.

Meditation is actually a time of relaxation, so do it according to your convenience. Choose a time when it is lonely and you are in no hurry. The time of sunrise and sunset when nature changes into day and night, this time is ideal for practicing meditation.

-        Choose a Quiet Place.

Choose a convenient location with a convenient time where no one can disturb you. The serene and peaceful atmosphere makes the meditation experience more enjoyable and relaxing.

-        Sit in a Comfortable Posture

It is very important to sit pleasantly and steadily during meditation. While you meditate, sit upright and keep the back bone straight, relax your shoulders and neck and keep the eyes closed during the whole process. While meditating, you can sit comfortably by hitting a quartet (alti-palati), there is no need to sit in Padmasana.

-        Keep the Stomach Empty.

Time before meals is good for meditation. You may feel sleepy after meals.

-        Start With a Few Warm-ups

A little warm-up or subtle yoga before meditation improves your blood circulation, removes inertia and restlessness, and lightens the body. With this you can sit more time with stability.

-        Take a Few Deep Breaths

 It is good to take deep breaths and leave before meditation and to do pulse purification pranayama. This stabilizes the breath and the mind goes into a peaceful meditative state.

-        Keep a Gentle Smile on your Face.

Bringing a gentle smile on your face will make you feel different. A constant gentle smile will make you feel relaxed and at peace and it enhances your meditation experience.

-        Slowly and Gently Open Your Eyes

As you reach the end of meditation, do not rush to open your eyes. When the eyes are opened, the mind starts running towards the outside, so after meditation, slowly open the eyes. Take time to be aware of yourself and the environment.

If you are feeling lack of enthusiasm in life and your emotional problems are affecting your work then you must meditate. Meditation is very important to handle the problems of your daily life.

How LONG Does Meditation TAKE to WORK?

The various meditative disciplines encourage a focus on heightened awareness, slower breathing, and increased acceptance. Meditation is not a results-focused undertaking. Indeed, fixating too much on the results can provoke anxiety that undermines the benefits of meditation. However, most research shows that meditation can work very quickly. Studies of meditation typically follow practitioners for weeks or months, not years. Many meditation practitioners report an immediate improvement following a meditation session. During meditation, it is common to feel less stressed, more accepting, and at greater peace. Over time and with practice, these sensations may continue outside of meditation sessions.

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