Meditation
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Meditation is a natural mind-body technique whereby purposeful and quiet contemplation produces dramatic physical and psychological benefits. Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years by millions of people particularly in China, India, and Japan. Only in the last thirty years, has the myriad of meditation benefits been recognized by people in the West. The National Institutes of Health have spent over $21 million conducting research about the benefits of meditation.
By using MRIs to determine the areas of the brain activated by meditation, researchers have found a neurochemical and anatomical basis for the positive effects of meditation. In one government-based study, experts found that mediation activates the areas of the brain responsible for positive emotions. Mediation has also been medically proven to improve immune response, reduce stress, produce positive emotional states, promote health, prompt healing, and more.
Doctors estimate that 80 to 90 percent of all health problems are caused or aggravated by stress. The aging process is also sped up by stress. During meditation, the mind relaxes, breathing softens, muscles relax, and blood flow to the brain increases. The chemistry of the blood also changes and stress hormones are remarkably reduced. Meditation, the most well studied alternative therapy, has proven effective in managing stress, preventing illness, and treating people with heart disease, fibromyaglia, psoriasis, chronic pain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, mild depression, insomnia, anxiety, tension headache, irritable bowel syndrome, premenstrual syndrome, substance abuse, and much more.
There are three types of meditation that are popular in the United States. Transcendental meditation uses a simple word or sound to bring the mind and body into a calm state. Breath meditation focuses on inhalation and exhalation to clear the mind. Mindfulness meditation focuses on the present moment to free the mind and produce a relaxed state. Regardless of the method of meditation, the effects on the body and mind are similar.
Meditation is a useful practice that can be done easily at home. Books, audiotapes, videotapes, or experienced meditators (in a private or class setting) can be excellent resources in learning meditation. In all meditation, a person sits or lies down with a straight back, eyes closed, and deep relaxed breathing. There are a variety of meditation techniques that can be used to achieve a state of calm serenity.
For the beginner, it is important to keep in mind that meditation is a cultivated practice and gets easier in time. The meditative process of calming our bodies and minds is not something that many of us are used to doing in our daily lives. With time and practice, our minds become more relaxed and we are better able to develop and maintain a meditative state.
If you have further questions about meditation, you may wish to speak with your health care professional. S/he can discuss your questions and concerns. A health care professional or friend may also be able to refer to you a good meditation teacher.
