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You may eat right, take your vitamins and do water aerobics to keep in shape. But one thing you probably just can’t seem to do is meditate. Despite the obvious benefits that meditation offers for health and managing stress easily, most of us have trouble settling into the serene quiet that meditation offers.
The benefits of meditation are indeed numerous, ranging from the physical to the spiritual. On the physical side, it can reduce the stimulus that overloads our bodies with stress hormones and elevated blood pressure. On the spiritual side it can provide a place of quiet exploration, said to be basic for the spiritual quest.
Though meditation has grown significantly in numbers over the last several decades, it is still successfully practiced by a very small percentage of the population. Many of us know how it can benefit us. Yet if you are like most, sitting still feels like being put in irons and told to sit in the corner. Let’s face it, there is a reason it’s so hard to take that leap to quiet contemplation.
The answer may come in the biology of the brain. An increasing amount of research says we form our brains around our experiences. In other words, whether we like it or not, we become biologically tuned, possibly even addicted, to the lives we lead. As our lives become faster and faster it becomes harder to make the jump back to something as slow or as or beneficial as sitting quietly.
For high speed westerners meditation has other challenges. First it was created in both foreign and ancient cultures. We don’t have a modern western language for meditation and have to borrow the sights, sounds and rhythms of India and the Far East where the traditions were strongest. Put simply, when we are already trying something new it’s hard to relate to exotic languages, chanting and sounds.
Second is a complete blurring of the dividing line between the world of commerce and the world of hearth and home. In his pivotal book, ‘The Pattern Language’, architect Christopher Alexander, calls for the fundamental, almost primal need for a transition from “street life,” to the quiet security of a home.
Home was once a place where we could cast off the pace of the outside world and feel quite safe and secure. If you envision yourself proceeding to your front door through a small Japanese garden, or through the thick, cool walls of a Mediterranean courtyard and you may get a sense of how wonderful this can feel.
Inside the traditional home, people could act out different roles that centered on relaxation and simple pleasures like eating. Meditation doesn’t seem so far from the pace of this world. On the other hand, in the modern house, the world of commerce holds equal ground inside in the form of TV, radio, internet and cell phones. You never slow down, you never experience retreat and this gives stress no outlet.
There are a few things you can do to calm your household, even with modern and ancient technology. First, consider going on a quest for music that separates you from the day to day world. Experiment with classical music from the 16th and 17th centuries known as baroque. A lot of baroque music has a tempo close to one beat per second, the pace of the human heart. This has been shown to be beneficial to mood, focus and a sense of relaxation.
Other sounds, particularly those from nature, seem to be incredibly calming. After all, humans listened intently to the sounds of nature for signals of safety or threat.
Water fountains can provide a safe, soothing sound that bespeaks safety. Wind chimes have also been used for thousands of years enliven and change the sense of time in homes and temples.
Modern recordings of the sounds of surf, rivers and birds are also very effective calming devices. These are all accessible to anyone with a CD player or IPod. Electronics extends the range of calming sources of sound and can change our entire perception of our environment. We provide an example of how this works on our web site.
A powerful but less known sound that can change our state of mind is drumming. This is not your 15 year old on a new drum set, but the soul-satisfying, rhythmic drumming of ancient, native instruments. These sounds were refined and improved over millennia. Is it any wonder it is hard to keep still when we hear a great African beat or Tahitian drum? In fact, Ayruvedic medicine teaches that certain drum tones break up stagnate energy thereby preventing disease.
Whatever audio selections you choose, play these recordings at low volume most of the time. Music and drumming is actually very stimulating to the nervous system. The lower it is played, the more likely it will be calming, centering and not ultimately fatiguing.
However, any music that calms, relaxes and creates a positive state of mind is worth trying. Specialists in the field say that non verbal, non choral music is best. Vocal music engages the active, critical and logical part of the brain, so it should be avoided as a relaxation tool.
If any of these methods help clear your mind of the day’s events, it has brought you closer to meditative calm. In fact many spiritual practices in both the east and west claim that all of life is a meditation. The essence of meditation is being aware and clear headed.
John D. Simpson, M.A. is the co-creator of Ahmbi. Ahmbi designs and produces modern lifestyle products for relaxation and easy stress management. http://www.managingstresseasily.com/
One-way to relieve stress during large catastrophic hurricanes during the 2006 Atlantic tropical hurricane season is to meditate. If you are new to meditation this will be the perfect time for you to try it out because all the lights will be off for three to four weeks and you'll have only food and water to think about.
Consider this a crash course in meditation. To make sure you meditate correctly you should go by a book on meditation at your local bookstore or perhaps go to the local Library and check out a book on the subject just before the storm hits. And of course you will not be fined for not returning the library book on time, because the City Library will be closed. Just think you'll be able to memorize that book and learn how to meditate, by the time the powers turned back on.
Meditation can be a very calming event for the mind, soul and body and what better time than during a catastrophic hurricane. Proper meditation can lower your blood pressure and to relieve stress in your daily life and make life more enjoyable for you and the loved ones around you. Just think by the time this is all over you'll have the meditating routine down to a science and you'll become a happier you. Please consider all this in 2006.
Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
Is stress killing you? Trying a weight loss program and can't stick with it? Maybe you're trying to cope with chronic pain? Headaches, back pain that kind of thing?
I bet someone in your life has already suggested meditation. So, you're sitting there all by yourself. Wondering what's supposed to be happening?
3 Keys to Effective Meditation:
Stillness
Stillness is all about relaxing your body. There are a bunch of methods out there for getting relaxed. Find one that you like and work with it.
Relaxing music and breathing exercises are typical, too. They help with physical relaxation and silencing your mind.
Silence
Silence. A mind with nothing in it? A blank slate?
Actually, a silent mind isn't a blank slate at all. It's really more of a state of observation.
Being silent means you watch your thoughts as they pass through your awareness. No judgments or reactions. Just detached observations of inner-self.
Sit in that state of Stillness and Silence. Watch what thoughts pop up. Pay attention to them.
They may be trying to tell you something.
The Buzz
Finally, with a little practice, you start to feel something. It is a physical sensation. Maybe a warm feeling. A slight shiver up your spine. Some tingling.
Once you've tapped into this sensation you've opened the door to a whole new world. It's time to start watching for little changes in your life.
Maybe you start noticing a sense of calm in your life, instead of chaos. Muscles may start relaxing. Headaches may not bother you as much. You aren't sick as often as you used to be. Maybe you find yourself experiencing more good luck.
The buzz is the state energy healers are in when they do their work. Don't worry, you don't have to do anything. Just know that your meditation practice is coming along great!
(C)2006 William Cole, Permission is granted to use this article, as long as it remains unchanged, including the resource box and links.
William Cole is an experienced energy healer. He provides support for people looking for ways to use energy healing techniques in their lives. Creating lasting, positive changes for themselves and others.
For more information and the Our Healing Wisdom Newsletter please visit http://www.ourhealingwisdom.com, today.
The tropical paradise of Fiji is an archipelago of 332 islands flung like rice at a wedding across 230,000 square kilometers of the southwest Pacific. The enchanting and amiable natives of this sun-kissed Eden have two favorite expressions: “Bula”, an all-purpose greeting which encompasses everything from “How are you?” to “Have a nice day”, and "Mataka", which roughly translated means "later". Fijians boast that when “Mataka” is compared with the Mexican "Manana", the latter rings with a note of urgency.
Historically the Fijians were fierce warriors – today they are exceptional rugby players – but their usual demeanor is relaxed, sweet-tempered and very “Mataka”. This is often attributed to their fondness for Kava Kava, a drink made by pounding or chewing the roots of the Kava Kava vine and then soaking the mash in cold water. Heat destroys the active ingredients.
Several years ago I was sitting cross-legged in a jungle clearing in Fiji, in a circle of laughing young Fijians. They were passing around a coconut shell filled with a brownish green liquid that looked like muddy water. I had heard about Kava and its alleged relaxing properties and had always assumed that it was alcoholic. Not so. When the shell was passed to me I took a sip and tasted a slightly bitter, but generally insipid liquid. Urged to drink more, I felt a slight tingling numbness in my lips and within minutes a serene glow was suffusing my body as quickly as butter melting in a hot pan. When the shell reached the last person in the group, he took a large mouthful and spat the contents on the ground. I learned later that this was an offering to the gods for a rich harvest.
Kava has long been considered a libation to the gods in the South Pacific. The spiritual healers of Fiji, known as Dauvaguna, use the herb to help them communicate with Vu, a spirit force, who helps them foretell the future and directs them to apply the correct herbal remedies for their patients. Kava is believed to cure illnesses, remove curses and foster friendship. It has a pivotal role in the ratification of agreements and the settling of disputes. It is drunk to ensure safety prior to long trips, especially sea voyages, and to celebrate marriages, births and even deaths. Mostly it is the South Pacific equivalent of the evening cocktail, being consumed every sundown as a relaxant.
Kava is a perennial shrub belonging to the pepper family, Piperaceae. It was given its botanical name, Piper methysticum, or intoxicating pepper, in 1777 by the explorer and botanist, Johann Georg Forster.
Research shows that the main active ingredients in the root of Kava are a group of resinous compounds called kava lactones. These have a depressant effect on the central nervous system and are sedative and antispasmodic. Kava is a very effective muscle relaxant. Kava lactones also have an antiseptic and anesthetic effect on the urinary tract and bladder and kava has been used successfully to treat urinary tract infections. The herb is a strong diuretic and this cleansing effect along with its analgesic properties make it a useful herb in combating arthritic and rheumatic problems including gout.
But it is Kava’s ability to deliver a delicious combination of calmness and alertness that has put it on the list of top selling herbs to combat the major disease of industrialized society: anxiety. German clinical studies published in 1990 revealed that kawain, one of the kava lactones, is as effective in relieving anxiety as benzodiazepene. In large doses Kava produces a type of euphoria and for this reason it is still touted as an aphrodisiac in the South Pacific.
Until recently, Kava was illegal in Canada. The Health Protection Branch of Health Canada had some concerns about the intoxicating properties of the herb. However, bowing to pressure from herbalists and the public, Kava is now available on the shelves of Costco.
Kava has proven itself to be a very effective herb to combat stress and anxiety without the addictive qualities and negative side effects of drugs such as Valium. However, some cautions should be noted. People taking anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medications should never use kava. It should not be combined with alcohol or other recreational drugs. Pregnant or nursing women should not use it. Although Kava has minimal side effects, long-term use may result in dry, scaly skin with a yellow pigment. Should this occur users should discontinue taking the herb immediately. Also, a single, large dose of Kava can cause intoxication and drowsiness so it is advisable not to drive a car or operate heavy machinery after taking the herb. The drowsiness that follows Kava’s initial rush of calm alertness can be a great sleep inducer and some people find the herb a more effective sleep aid than valerian and certainly a better option than sleeping pills.
Bruce Burnett is an award-winning writer, a chartered herbalist and author of HerbWise: growing cooking wellbeing. Bruce and his wife Delaine own Olivia’s Fashion, Furnishings & Gifts (http://www.olivias.ca/) in Ladysmith, BC Canada. Read more published articles by Bruce Burnett on his websites: http://www.bruceburnett.ca/ and http://www.herbalcuisine.com/
Instructions on how to meditate abound. Most schools teach one (or a combination) of three main meditation techniques, namely mindfulness meditation, concentrative meditation, or analytical meditation.
Mindfulness meditation involves paying attention to the processes of the mind in order to become aware of the continuous flow of sensations and feelings, images, thoughts, sounds, smells, and other mental activity. The trick here is to be aware of the mental processes as they occur without becoming involved in them. The meditator sits quietly and simply witnesses whatever thoughts come up. She does not react to or identify with any thoughts, memories, worries, or images that arise in her mind. This practise is used to cultivate a peaceful, clear, and non-reactive state of mind. Mindfulness meditation can be likened to a wide-angle lens. The meditator is focused in the present and aware of all mental activity as it takes place without becoming involved in it.
Concentrative meditation may be likened to the zoom lens of a camera. Here, the meditator purposefully narrows down her field of attention and a single object becomes the focus of awareness. The chosen object of meditation may be the breath, an image, or a sound (mantra). Single-minded concentration on the object of meditation to the exclusion of all other thoughts stills the mind, and allows greater awareness and clarity to emerge. The simplest form of concentrative meditation is to sit quietly, focusing the attention on the breath. Yogic philosophy teaches that there is a direct correlation between our breath and our state of the mind. When we are anxious, scared, upset, or distracted, our breath follows suit by becoming shallow, agitated, and irregular. When we are calm, focused, and composed on the other hand, we find that our breath is equally relaxed - slow, deep, and regular. The ongoing continuous rhythm of inhalation and exhalation provides a natural object of meditation. By focusing the awareness on the breath, the mind eventually becomes absorbed in the rhythm of inhalation and exhalation. As a result, the breath becomes slow and deep, and the mind more tranquil and receptive.
Breathing meditation is usually taught as a preliminary stage of meditation. Nevertheless, it is a very worthwhile practise with quite powerful effects. Breathing meditation is easy to do and it shows us that it is possible to experience inner peace and contentment by controlling the mind, without having to depend upon external conditions for our happiness. Once the turbulence of distracting thoughts subsides and our mind becomes still, a deep happiness and contentment naturally arise from within. This feeling of contentment coupled with an enhanced sense of well-being help us to cope with the busy frenzy and the difficulties of daily life. Many of the daily problems we encounter, including bad health, are caused or aggravated by mental stress. By simply practising breathing meditation for ten or fifteen minutes each day, we are able to reduce this stress. As we learn to create a calm, spacious feeling in the mind, many of our usual problems fall away and difficult situations become easier to deal with.
Analytical meditation differs from mindfulness meditation and concentrative meditation in that it involves rational thinking. This technique teaches the meditator to engage in an intentional process of investigation, or thought, about an object, analyzing its various aspects and examining it from various points of view. Using her imagination, memory and powers of reasoning the meditator attempts to induce a specific thought or feeling. Analytical meditation is used to change the meditator’s old destructive thought patterns and replace them by a more positive, inspired and integrated outlook on life. Hence, objects of meditation include loving kindness, the preciousness of human life, universal compassion, and the ultimate (non-dualistic) nature of reality. Once the meditator has come to grasps with the object of meditation on an intellectual level, she uses concentrative meditation to focus on the object single-pointedly, avoiding all distracting thoughts. When the object of meditation begins to fade, she resumes her analytical meditation to render the object clear or definite again. Eastern meditation masters liken analytical meditation with the bellows needed to light a fire: There comes a time when the fire is strong enough for us to put down the bellows and let it blaze. Likewise, they teach, there comes a time when we cease the practise of analytical meditation and let concentrative meditation take over. Over time, in the same way as a fire gradually loses its intensity so that we have to apply the bellows again, the object of our concentrative meditation will gradually fade and we will have to apply analytical meditation once more.
Analytical meditation is used to gain a clear and definite understanding of the object of meditation. Once this is established, concentrative meditation is used to render the mind more and more closely acquainted with the object. Eventually the mind and its object mix and become inseparable. For example, analytical meditation on the sufferings experienced by others naturally arouses a feeling of compassion. When this happens, concentrative meditation is used to continuously familiarize the mind with compassion. Eventually, the theory goes, the meditator’s mind will mix inseparably with compassion. This is called a ‘realisation’ of compassion. It is said that once compassion has been ‘realised’, in all that we think and all that we do, our mind is never without compassion.
What is the goal of meditation? Meditation is used as an aid to relaxation, to make the mind more peaceful and to ‘recharge our batteries’. It allows us to gain a different outlook on life, by allowing us to reflect on the nature of our own mind. In meditation, we have a direct experience of being. By sitting quietly and paying attention to our mind, we are given the chance to discover those parts of ourselves that are usually buried in the subconscious. By integrating these parts of our being we achieve greater inner peace and a sense of purpose and fulfilment that inspires us to live life to the fullest. The masters put it this way: When the sea is rough, sediment is churned up and the water becomes murky, but when the wind dies down the mud gradually settles and the water becomes clear. In a similar way, when the customarily incessant flow of our distracting thoughts is calmed through meditation, our mind becomes unusually lucid and clear and peace pervades our entire being.
Katharina Bishop is a freelance writer. She is the owner of Wondrous Gems, a business specializing in crystals and designer jewelry. http://www.wondrousgems.com
Treating influenza - For those who are concerned about avoiding or treating influenza, there may be an herbal and homeopathic alternative.
Meditation Supply Items - If you are not comfortable in the traditional crossed legged or Lotus positions, you might benefit from one of the following meditation supply items.
Deep Breathing Exercises - Beneficial to athletes, people in body pain or someone with a health challenge, dieters and overall for body awareness.
Past Life Regression - This exercise should help you to feel rejuvenated and refreshed as you’re drawing energy from an infinite pool.
Three Deep Breaths - The individual and the society gain the most using this methodology. Why have we not considered this wise advice in our culture?
Open Focus Meditation - Once you feel centered, look around and see that everything you need is here – perfect peace, vibrant health, constant love, endless supply for all your needs.
My Meditation Practice - I have been influenced by Zen meditation, yoga relaxation and breathing practices, visualization techniques, mantra repetition and even dancing techniques to name a few.
Preksha Meditation - Kayotsarga has two implications--complete relaxation of the body and self-awareness.
Meditation Therapy Part - Plants, including their leaves, flowers, fruits, and roots, produce strong and concentrated liquid substances called essential oils that emit a pleasant aroma. These aromatic substances are named as such for they are believed to contain the very essence of the plants from which they are taken.
Transcendental Meditation Technique - I spent many a holiday in the emergency room because one of my relatives always had a cat or because just the excitement of the day would cause me to have problems breathing and there we would be most of the night with me holding onto the breathing tube.
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