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.

Also read our articles related to meditation:

Relaxation Benefits of MEDITATION for Us

Mind & Spiritual Benefits of Meditation