BENEFITS OF MEDITATION
I am often asked why would I meditate? What benefits can I expect to see from Meditation? Life has many wonderful moments but there are also moments that can be challenging and overwhelming. Meditation can help us deal with the demands and stresses of a busy lifestyle and cope with difficult situations.
Regardless of the type of practice, there are many benefits to be gained from Meditation. Decades of scientific research has shown that regular Meditation practice can enhance attention and concentration, improve memory and awareness and reduce emotional reactivity. It is now widely accepted by the medical mainstream that it can help to lower blood pressure and heart rate, enhance the immune system, improve sleep quality and minimise physical pain as well decreasing anxiety and stress levels.
Meditation helps to keep us focused on the present moment and increases self awareness, creativity and imagination. A 2007 study showed that it may also prevent age related decline in cognitive function which is great news for an ageing population.
An even more recent study showed that these beneficial effects of meditation can be felt in as little as 56 days!
“When meditation is mastered, the mind is unwavering like the flame of a candle in a windless place”
—Bhagavad Gita
WHAT IS MEDITATION?
So what is Meditation? What is this thing called Meditation? Meditation is a mind/body technique that is very effective for our well-being and healing. It is recommended to learn and practise Mindfulness Meditation under the guidance and experience of an appropriately trained and qualified meditation teacher.
There are many different forms of meditation but according to psychotherapist and meditation teacher, Jack Kornfield, Meditation “is the training, or the directing, or the focus of attention in a deliberate way”. So, simply put, it is a way of focusing our attention. It is a practice of inward contemplation where a technique is used to train our attention to achieve emotional calm and mental clarity. This ancient practice that dates back thousands of years is, at its most basic, a training in non-judgemental awareness. It helps us to become more aware and present to each moment.
Meditation is an age-old tradition practised by many different cultures across the World. The word “Meditation” is said to come from Latin and means “to think, to contemplate, to ponder”. It is a process that takes us out of activity and into the stillness of the still mind (as opposed to the active mind) … A place of deep natural balance where healing emerges (Ian Gawler).
A few of the different types of Meditation are Movement or Walking Meditation such as Labyrinth walking, Tai chi or Qi Gong. There are devotional practices that involve prayer or worship that help to connect us to something bigger than ourselves. Concentrative meditations involve focusing on an image, a word, the breath, a candle or some other focus. Attentive meditations notice sounds or sensations, emotions or feelings or whatever arises. Mindfulness is a form of attentive meditation.
It has been said that “the gift of learning to meditate is the greatest gift you can give yourself in this Lifetime”.
