More and more doctors are prescribing meditation as a way to
lower blood pressure, improve exercise performance in people
with angina, help asthmatics breathe easier, relieve insomnia
and generally ease the everyday stresses of life. Medication
is a safe and simple way to balance a person's physical, emotional
and mental states. The concept of meditation works on the principle
that when the mind is calm and focussed on the present. Neither
is it reacting to memories from the past nor being preoccupied
with plans for the future: two major sources of chronic stress
known to impact health.
There are several techniques of meditation but they all have
one thing in common -- focus on quietening the busy mind.
The concept is not to remove stimulation but rather to direct
concentration to one healing element: one sound, one word,
one image, or one's breath.
All forms of meditation can be broadly classified into
concentrative meditation and mindful meditation.
Concentrative meditation focuses attention on a breath, an
image, or a sound (mantra), in order to still the mind and
allow greater awareness and clarity to emerge. The simplest
form of concentrative meditation is to sit quietly and focus
attention on the breath. Yoga and meditation practitioners
believe that there is a direct correlation between one's breath
one's state of the mind. For example, when a person is anxious,
frightened, agitated or distracted, the breath will tend to
be shallow, rapid and uneven. On the other hand, when the
mind is calm focussed and composed the breath will tend to
be slow, deep and regular.
As one focuses one's awareness on the breath, the mind becomes
absorbed in the rhythm of inhalation and exhalation. As a
result, breathing will become slower and deeper, and the mind
will become more tranquil and aware.
Mindful meditation, involves becoming aware of the continuously
passing parade of sensations and feeling, images, thoughts,
sounds, smells, and so forth without becoming involved in thinking
about them. The person sits quietly and simply witnesses whatever
goes through the mind, not reacting or becoming involved with
thoughts, memories, worries or images. This helps to gain a
more calm, clear and non-reactive state of mind. Studies show
that after meditation, reactions are faster, creativity greater
and comprehension broader. In addition, by silencing the mind,
meditation can also put one in touch with the self, allowing
the body's own inner wisdom to be heard.
Vipassana :
Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are,
is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation. It
was rediscovered by Goutam Buddha more than 2500 years ago
and was taught by him as a universal remedy for universal
ills.
This non-sectarian technique aims for the total eradication
of mental impurities and the resultant highest happiness of
full liberation. Healing, not merely the curing of diseases,
but the essential healing of human suffering, is its purpose.
Vipassana is a way of self-transformation through self-observation.
It focuses on the deep interconnection between mind and body,
which can be experienced directly by disciplined attention
to the physical sensations that form the life of the body,
and that continuously interconnect and condition the life
of the mind. It is this observation-based, self-exploratory
journey to the common root of mind and body that dissolves
mental impurity, resulting in a balanced mind full of love
and compassion.
The scientific laws that operate one's thoughts, feelings,
judgments and sensations become clear. Through direct experience,
the nature of how one grows or regresses, how one produces
suffering or frees oneself from suffering is understood. Life
becomes characterized by increased awareness, non-delusion,
self-control and peace.
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