For thousands of years,
meditation has been used to focus and calm the mind for positive
effects on health.
How to
Meditate
by Charles
Hamel
What is
meditation?
Meditation can
be defined as the practice of focusing your mind to help you feel
calm and give you awareness about your life. Eastern religions have
practiced the health benefits of meditation for thousands of years.
Meditation is now widely practiced all over the world, with the
belief that it has positive effects on health.
Proof is in
the pudding
An article
published in the American Heart Association journal recently
reported that meditation can reduce cholesterol buildup and the
associated risk of heart attack and stroke, and another study found
that meditation reduces the death rate among the elderly. The
National Institute of Health reports that regular meditation reduces
chronic pain, anxiety, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and
cortisol (stress hormones) production. A University of
Wisconsin-Madison study discovered meditation boosts part of the
immune system. A recent issue of the American Journal of
Hypertension featured the results of a study showing a significant
lowering of blood pressure in a group of meditators compared to a
control group of people who didn't meditate. The study also reported
a 23% decrease in usage of anti hypertensive drugs between the group
of meditators and the other group. A Harvard study also concluded
that regular meditation can reduce pain, blood pressure, and cut
production of the stress hormone cortisol. The most recent study by
The American Heart Association shows heart and artery health
improved 69% in test groups practicing meditation.
Types of
Meditation It is not my intention to confuse the beginner by giving
them different types of meditation, but just to show that there is
not just one way to meditate, therefore giving the beginner
different options, because one way that is good for me, may not work
for another person very well.
Breath
Watching - Breath watching is just simply paying attention to your
breath for a few minutes. When your mind starts to wander, just
re-focus your mind on the breath.
Mantra
Meditation - Some people find it easier to keep their mind from
wandering by concentrating on a specific thing, or in this case a
word or phrase. Pick a word or phrase that works for you. You can
then repeat the mantra aloud or in your mind as you meditate.
Walking
Meditation - Walking meditation gets the body involved. It can be
done inside or outside. The idea is to pay attention to the movement
of your legs and breathing and body as you walk. When your mind
starts to wander, just bring it back to the legs and breathing.
Other forms of walking meditation can be martial arts, or Tai Chi.
Mindfulness
Meditation - Mindfulness meditation a practice Buddhists call
vipassana which means insight meditation. This is a good meditation
to perform in the forest or next to a bubbling stream. This
meditation is the art of becoming deeply aware of what is here right
now. You focus on what's happening in and around you at this very
moment, and become aware of all the thoughts and feelings that are
taking your energy from moment to moment. The key is to watch
without judging or analyzing.
Empty Mind
Meditation - This is the act of emptying your mind of all thoughts,
it involves just sitting quiet and letting the mind go silent on
it's own accord. This meditation can be difficult for the beginner,
because any effort to remain silent seems to just cause more
business in the mind. Meditating on an Idea - Meditating on an idea
is usually used to receive answers or insight into a certain subject
or theme that you desire. It involves sitting quiet and focusing
your attention on the subject that you have chosen to explore.
There are
other types of meditation also, but beginners seem to have the most
luck trying the "Breath Watching" or the "Walking Meditation". Try
the different types until you find the one that best suits you.
How to Meditate
For the first
step I would like for you to choose a place to meditate. A place
that you designate will put you in the mind frame that you are there
for a certain purpose, you can also choose to use soft music and
incense to set the frame of mind. Next pick a time that you can
commit to, and try and practice your meditation at that same time
everyday. Also don't get caught up in the "I don't have time in my
busy schedule to meditate" If you are truly dedicated to learning
the meditative process, you will find the time, it doesn't have to
be an hour, simply 15 minutes is sufficient and it is much better
than nothing at all. Ideal is to try and do 15 minutes in the
morning and 15 minutes in the evening and work your way up to 30
minutes.
Ok now that we
have our time and place set up lets get down to the nitty gritty,
the actual art of meditating. Sit in a comfortable chair or on the
floor on some comfortable pillows, you never want to meditate lying
down, it causes a lot of us to doze off or sleep, which will negate
all of our preparations. Most of all you want to keep the back,
spine and neck straight, and not be hunched over or slump your
shoulders, place your hands comfortably in your lap. Let your eyes
close comfortably and not squint them, there should be no tension in
your body at all so once your still and you feel a portion of your
body is not comfortable re-position yourself to be relaxed and
comfortable.
Now we want to
focus in on our breathing. Learn to breathe rhythmically and gently.
Breathe normally, feel the breath come in through your nostrils and
out through your mouth. If random thoughts start entering your mind
do not focus on them, just let them come in and flow out and
re-focus your mind back on your breath. As the time comes to a
close, continue to be aware of your breathing but sit quietly.
Becoming aware of where you are, slowly open your eyes and get up
gradually.
So summing up
this article on meditation, I would encourage approaching meditation
with an adventurous spirit and seek out the best ways for you,
individually, to center down and go into the still space.
Blessed Be!
If this
article has helped you. Please consider going to
Charles Hamel.com
for more Free inspirational articles.
About the
author: Charles Hamel is a Husband, a Father, a Chef, a Vegetarian
and a Environmentalist. A spiritual being on a journey of self
discovery and awakening. I am a writer, a computer nerd, a musician,
a meditation practicing, music aficionado. I am a Blogger,
entrepreneur, non-follower, always marching to the beat of my own
drum, intuitive, easy going, technology geek.
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