Meditation is something anyone can do regardless of religious persuasion. It's a totally personal practice. Though known for centuries by many who teach and practice it, meditation has now been scientifically proven to improve physical health.
Meditation for Health Studies
In 2006, at the Cedars Mt. Sinai hospital of Los Angeles, over 103 people with the average age of 67 and various senior citizen ailments were divided into two groups. One group was taught transcendental meditation (TM), the other group was instructed on lifestyle and dietary changes. By the trial's end there were 83 participants remaining. TM was popular and easy to teach, but it's not the only method of meditating.
Those in the meditation group had significantly lower blood pressure. Their fasting blood glucose and insulin levels were improved, which signify reduced insulin resistance. And their autonomic nervous systems were more stable. The authors of that study noted the impact of stress on health from this study. More precisely, the reaction to stressful triggers was considered to have the greater impact on health.
Recently, a study was completed by the University of Wisconsin Medical School in association with the Mahareshi Institute in Iowa. The study group was comprised of African Americans, who were also divided into two groups similar to the Los Angeles study.
But the University's study was more epidemiological, which involves recording and comparing events rather than physiological examinations. Those events involved heart attacks, strokes, and deaths over a nine-year period. And it was the the meditation group winning out with less of all the above.
Trying Meditation Yourself
The approach to meditation can be gradual. Starting out with 10 minutes a day and getting to a half hour or more as quickly as comfortably possible. The Wisconsin study had participants meditating 20 minutes twice daily. Most meditate once daily. Whatever suits you is fine as long as it's done daily.
TM is not the only technique. There are others. The idea is to get to a point of no longer thinking, yet not resisting thought. One should allow thoughts without controlling them, but observing the thought until one gets into a quiet mind state. If there is a problem sitting in any easy meditation posture, sitting up straight but relaxed in a chair with both feet on the floor will do.
To help with steady the mind, observing the breath without controlling breathing is one aid. Another is putting attention on the outer stomach wall and observing its in- and out-breath rhythm. Again, make no effort at controlling the breath. Whenever the mind wanders refocus on the breathing.
Some who meditate use mantras to focus their attention until a deep meditative state is achieved. Many meditation masters consider Ohm Nama Shivaya (ome numu shivayu) to be the master mantra. It means “I bow to the higher self,” and it's uttered mentally and repeatedly in Sanskrit. Again, this is another tool to keep the mind from wandering.
But a wandering mind should not be rigidly suppressed or harshly reprimanded. It should just gently be brought back to whatever technique you're using to help you get into a quiet, relaxed state. A “witness” state where you are able to observe the mind thinking without any attachment, aversion, or control is good.
One should begin feeling better and more relaxed as one's meditation practice progresses. If you've ever done Hatha Yoga, there is an almost ignored posture that if done well is a perfect prelude to meditation. Properly done, it's virtually meditation itself. It's the last posture, the “corpse pose”.
Sources:
“Meditation Improves Heart Health”, 24 Dec 09 by Huff, E. in Natural News
“Meditation May Improve Cardiac Risk Factors in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease (Press Release)” 3 Aug 06 by Citizen Journalist for Natural News
Paul Louis - Paul Louis has written several articles for a variety of subjects. He has retired from the mortgage - real estate madness in the USA and ...
