Research after research has shown that meditation is good for the body and soul. A recent study done in China found that only after five days of meditation, the experimental group showed better tolerance to stress compared with the control group. The experimental group also showed less anger, anxiety, fatigue and depression.
Many other researches have shown that meditation helps to keep blood pressure normal, decreases the risk of heart disease, increases pain tolerance and aids weight loss. Recently meditation is also being used to aid cancer patients as means of therapy.Meditation also promotes youthful appearance and vitality.
So what is meditation?
The man on the street usually thinks meditation as a form of worship or prayer. It isn t. Meditation is awareness. It involves the overcoming of distractions and dissipated energies into a blissful awareness. Meditation involves becoming more aware and more sensitive to what is within us. The word meditation originates from two Latin words : meditari(to think, to dwell upon, to exercise the mind) and mederi (to heal). Its Sanskrit derivation medha means wisdom.
The three basic concepts of meditation are:
1. Withdrawing from the distractions of the senses and bringing the mind to a place of concentration. Focus is directed onto one element like the repetition of breathing, the repetition of a word, the connection with a bodily sensation, or an image or single thought.
2. Meditation is done without judgment and conclusions are not drawn from irrelevant thoughts. Wandering thoughts are placed in the background without struggle. Meditation does not mean to suppress outside thoughts, but rather to keep these thoughts from taking you away from the present.
3. During meditation, you remain aware of sensations, distractions, surroundings, and irrelevant thoughts, but discovering that they do not agitate or bring on stress. You meditate to develop the ability to exist in the moment with contentment and acceptance.
To start meditation is very easy. Just take 5 or 10 minutes. Go somewhere quiet.Start by focusing on your breathing and let your thoughts drift away, if thoughts come pay no attention to them. Next try to feel yourself going deep within your mind. Then for 10 minutes try to hold this awareness with one pointed concentration. If external noises come do not let them distract you, they will always be there. Just concentrate on your breathing. Even if this first experience is not fruitful keep persevering for with every try you will gradually learn the art of meditation.
Alternatively you can also use brainwave meditation CDs such as The Brain Evolution System or BrainEv. BrainEv employs pioneering technology in the field of brainwave entrainment and offers the benefits of meditation. By listening to the specially created sounds using headphones, our brainwaves are altered, taking it to a lower frequency just like those achieved after years of practice. This process is known as brainwave entrainment and provides a proven easier path enjoy the benefits of meditation without spending years learning how to meditate. Just by listening 30 minutes everyday for 6 times a week, users can experience sharper senses, increased level of energy, better memory, a sense of peace and calmness and a feeling of wholesomeness.