 |
Meditation Explained
Author: Winsome Coutts  | Posted: 26-11-2007 | Comments: 0 | Views: 14 | Rating: (58)  (?) 
Why Meditate?
Scientists and doctors study meditation and recommend it. Meditation is now proven to be more than just a 'warm and fuzzy' feeling. It works. So there are many reasons why people begin to meditate. Some learn meditation to become more relaxed, for improvement in health, to reduce stress, for clearer thinking, to become more creative, to sleep better and to improve mental strength. There are physical, emotional and spiritual Benefits of Meditation. It's safe, it's simple and it's free.
People who are not familiar with meditation may consider it to be prayer or worship, but this is far from the truth. Meditation can be described as concentrated awareness, so as you overcome distractions and focus your mind on something you are becoming aware; you are meditating when you maintain a continued state of awareness. There are a wide range of disciplines taught for bringing your attention on to some object or thought or awareness. In fact what happens in the process is that meditation moves your brainwaves into an alpha state. This is a relaxed state with a level of consciousness where you are still aware. In the alpha state learning and healing are promoted.
Brainwaves Brainwaves are electrical activity emanating from the brain. There are four categories of brainwaves as shown below: Beta (alert/working): 15 to 40 hertz, Alpha (relaxed/reflecting): 9 to 14 hertz, Theta (drowsy): 5 to 8 hertz, Delta (sleep/dreaming): 3 to 4 hertz, Delta (deep dreamless sleep): 1.5 to 3 hertz *Hertz = cycles per second.
In the alpha state your brainwaves run between 9 to 14 cycles per second or hertz, compared with your normal waking state beta: of 15 to 40 hertz. Deeper states of relaxation move through theta, delta to the deepest delta, which is a highly creative state of relaxation.
In fact you are meditating when you focus on birds singing, to the exclusion of all other thoughts, or staring into the fire, just focusing on that, or concentrating on your breath coming in and out, thinking of nothing else.
Traditionally Eastern cultures have practiced meditation for centuries as part of their spiritual teachings, and until recently, say the last 30 or 40 years, Westerners viewed meditation with a bit of suspicion. Now, the benefits are so well documented and experienced by so many that it has become common practice for many doctors and health practitioners to recommend meditation as part of their healing plan.
There are two basic techniques of meditating and the different practices fall in to either of these two categories, with some variations possible. In mindfulness meditation the meditator sits in a comfortable position and focuses his attention and awareness on an object or activity; such as a candle, breathing, a visualization or a mantra, keeping an open focus and awareness of the present moment as he does so. This method allows for free flowing and observing of his thoughts while using the focus as an 'anchor' he constantly brings his mind back to the focus, when he starts to wander off in to different thoughts.
With concentration meditation which is used by most spiritual and religious traditions, the meditator keeps his attention on a particular object like repetition of a prayer or a mantra to minimize distractions, and continually brings his mind back to the chosen object. Lawrence LeShan defined meditation in 'How to Meditate' as "doing one thing at a time with your whole being".
In some traditions both mindful and concentration meditation are combined.
It is possible to practice meditation even while walking or doing simple repetitive tasks. It is in moments when your mind is clear that you get that 'realization', 'inspiration' or 'BFO' (blinding flash of the obvious). "AHA" you say, as something miraculously pops in to your head.
Learn How to Meditate You can attend sessions somewhere in your city, usually free, to learn how to meditate. There are many books and tapes to help you, most of them excellent aids. It is easy and simple to learn. There are many tools to help you move into a meditative state. The one I absolutely love is the Holosync audio tapes from Centrepointe (centerpointe.com) (I don't lightly recommend products, but this advanced Neuro technology is light years ahead of anything else I have tried and read about. I use it daily).
When you practice meditation regularly you begin to liberate the energy in your mind and the quality of your consciousness will expand. You will become more relaxed and happy, experiencing a sense of control of your life. You tend to approach life in a much more peaceful manner, not stressing in ways you might have done previously. This is not just a generalized statement, but is now being proven by empirical research.
I maintain wholeheartedly that meditation is truly beneficial. Do try it.
Rate this Article:
Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/meditation-explained-267670.html
About the Author:Winsome Coutts is co-owner of Global Secrets International and writes stories and articles for personal development, The Law of Attraction and The Secret Movie.
Visit her website for heaps of info, free downloads & self-help tools.
http://www.the-secret-dvd.net/
|
Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free! |
|
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
Medical discharge
By: Roger | 15-07-2008
When I was at PI under going a medical exam I was told buy the examing officer said I had a heart murmur and I could get a medical discharge. I am trying to file a claim and need your help. Any info you can offer please do
Roger
How can I avoid my migraines?
By: Cannucks | 15-07-2008
How can I avoid my migraines - it usually starts with flickering in my sight, and then comes a massive headache
Got summon from court but the person left to his home country...
By: singaravelan | 15-07-2008
My friend made an accident with my car and got a summon from the court to appear in a weeks time. But he returned back to his home country as his visa got expired. 1) What Should he do now?? 2) Will there be any problem for the car owner (me). Please help me on this regard as the date is nearing..
Whenever i hear someone else having sex i get ...
By: 0georgee00 | 15-07-2008
whenever i hear someone else having sex i get upset/angry and i dont knwo what im going to do. why? how do i stop this ?
Diseases americans can get from visiting russia
By: tesschiro | 14-07-2008
diseases americans can get from visiting russia
What is the history of Oddfellows in Liberty MO?
By: Mary | 14-07-2008
What is the history of Oddfellows in Liberty MO?
Q&A Powered by: 
Latest Self Improvement Articles
Fixing The Problems Of Life
By: Koz Huseyin | 25/07/2008
Sometimes, we all can have those problems which come into our lives; it seems at the wrong time. These problems could be with finances, relationships, health or all at the same time. Suddenly we feel as though the weight of the world is on our shoulders. So, how do we cope, and turn the negatives into positives?
Your Philsophy Affects Your Life
By: Chris Jensen | 25/07/2008
All people have a belief system, also known as a philosophy whether they aware of it or not. This philosophy was learned as a child and you accepted this philosophy as your grew into adulthood without giving it a second thought.
6 Personal Development Steps to Success
By: Michael McGrath | 25/07/2008
This is a practical personal development step by step guide for achieving your goals.
Depressed or Just Sad - Tips for the Recently Divorced
By: Jason Carson | 24/07/2008
This article discusses the difference between depression and sadness and gives tips for the recently divorced including carefully evaluating time and severity of your symptoms. It also provides tips on how to get over sadness including visiting friends, taking a class, and starting a new diet program.
How Does Online Life Coaching Work
By: Koz Huseyin | 24/07/2008
In the last decade, if you wanted to enlist the help of a personal development life coach, you would have had to do it face to face or on the telephone. Trying to find a life coach used to be a difficult task, especially with so few life coaches around. Can online life coaching make finding a life coach easier? Join me as we take a look at online life coaching and the benefits.
The Road To Ahead - The Success Journey
By: Koz Huseyin | 24/07/2008
There is a road which when you follow, will bring you the most greatest of experiences or you may just sit and watch television. The undertaking of this journey is not easy or difficult; all it requires is to keep on keeping on.
Is It Time To Transform Your Life?
By: Koz Huseyin | 23/07/2008
Sometimes life can get a bit monotonous. It is called mediocrity. Getting up, going to work, coming back, next day same process. Sometimes we can look at life in a dull way, but sometimes this is a signal that it is time to transform your life. So, how do you begin?
Parenting Pitfalls - The Two Critical Turning Points of Childhood
By: Brian Walsh | 23/07/2008
In this profile of adolescent development, learn how parents can effectively support the healthy development of their children.
More from Winsome Coutts
Did Charles Darwin Know 'the Secret'?
By: Winsome Coutts | 28/03/2008 | Self Improvement
Here is a topic that will possibly -- profoundly -- change your perception of the famous Darwinian phrase survival of the fittest.
Are you a Success?
By: Winsome Coutts | 08/02/2008 | Self Improvement
If you step back and take a look at your life you actually already have reached success. Your life is in fact a success story even though you may not realise it. Take a look at where you are successful .....
What Children Can Teach Us About Being Happy
By: Winsome Coutts | 01/02/2008 | Self Improvement
Did you know that children laugh on average 300 times a day compared to adults only laughing 15 times a day? Where did we lose the ability to laugh? Did we actually lose that ability? Laughing is a vital part of being happy in our lives, and it is something that is worthwhile making a conscious effort to do more of. Read on to find out how children are teaching us adults how to be happy in life.
How Sleep is Related to Everyday Performance
By: Winsome Coutts | 26/01/2008 | Health
If you don't sleep properly, you won't function properly...simple as that. Each person has there own sleep threshold and needs, but there are some basic limits that we all must follow when it comes to sleeping. Here are some guidelines for making sure that you are getting enough sleep. Read on...
Weight Loss Motivation
By: Winsome Coutts | 15/01/2008 | Health
Ah....losing weight, what an exhaustive topic! There are a million weight loss diets and exercise programs out there to choose from. But not one of them will work without the key ingredient....Motivation. Find out why Motivation and inspiration are the most important issues when it comes to losing weight.
What it Means to 'be Happy'
By: Winsome Coutts | 08/01/2008 | Self Improvement
Being happy is the meaning of life for us humans! This is what many of the great masters believe. We all want to be happy. But what is happiness? Is it the same for everyone? How do we know if we're happy? And can anyone be happy all of the time? How can we find happiness?
Is Goal Planning a Waste of Time?
By: Winsome Coutts | 19/12/2007 | Self Improvement
You hear a lot about Goals and Planning these days - but is it just a waste of time, or does it really work? Won't just making a quick list of things to do be just as effective, and much quicker? Please consider these ideas.
The Secret: Does it Really Work?
By: Winsome Coutts | 09/12/2007 | Self Improvement
What's Missing in The Secret? The 'secret' law of attraction was introduced to many people for the first time in the phenomenal hit movie "The Secret". However, The Secret DVD does not go far enough to explain how the Law of Attraction really works. Let's hope the upcoming sequel to The Secret continues with what's missing in the original movie.
|
|
Self Improvement 
