THE REAL MEANING OF MEDITATION
Thinking…
Contemplating…
Daydreaming…
Fantasizing…
In the present generation, doing these things is already called Meditation. Here is the truth: YOU ARE WRONG!
As quoted by Swami Rama from his article entitled The Real Meaning of Meditation, “Meditation is a precise technique for resting the mind and attaining a state of consciousness that is totally different from the normal waking state. It is the means for fathoming all the levels of ourselves and finally experiencing the center of consciousness within. Meditation is not a part of any religion; it is a science, which means that the process of meditation follows a particular order, has definite principles, and produces results that can be verified.”
Furthermore, “In meditation, the mind is clear, relaxed, and inwardly focused. When you meditate, you are fully awake and alert, but your mind is not focused on the external world or on the events taking place around you. Meditation requires an inner state that is still and onepointed so that the mind becomes silent. When the mind is silent and no longer distracts you, meditation deepens.” This statement gives us a clear meaning about meditation and what it really is. This is a direct falsification of our assumptions about such.
Why is meditation important? Matthew Thorpe, MD, PhD from his article entitled 12 Science-Based Benefits of Meditation stated some very significant science-based input about the good things meditation does. The benefits mentioned addressed some very significant issues in our society today that is usually left undertreated; these benefits include, control over anxiety, emotional health, selfawareness, lengthening of the attention span, possible reduction of age-related memory loss, kindness, fights addiction, improves sleep, controls pain, and decreases blood pressure. These benefits are not only backed by science, it is also backed by numerous numbers of people who does meditation. Out of all the reasons for trying meditation, the reason that ranked number one is STRESS. We all know that stress can be formed due to various kinds of stimulants internally or externally.
A study in the National Center for Biotechnology Information mentioned in one of their articles that out of 3515 participants, 3,500 adults showed that it lives up to its reputation for stress reduction. Stress, though unhealthy and harmful, has been with us and especially more with the way we live now. Normally, mental and physical stress cause increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This produces many of the harmful effects of stress, such as the release of inflammation-promoting chemicals called cytokines. These effects can disrupt sleep, promote depression and anxiety, increase blood pressure and contribute to fatigue and cloudy thinking. A study from Science Direct entitled A comparison of mindfulness-based stress reduction and an active control in modulation of neurogenic inflammation noted, based on an eight-week study, that a meditation style called “mindfulness meditation” reduced the inflammation response caused by stress. However, mindfulness meditation is not always the right kind of meditation for everyone.
There are nine famous types of meditation, namely, mindfulness meditation, spiritual meditation, focused meditation, movement meditation, mantra meditation, transcendental meditation, progressive relaxation, loving-kindness meditation, and visualization meditation. Each type of meditation is said to have their own purpose for different types of problems. Daniel Bubnis from his article in Healthlin.com mentioned that these types of meditation are not for everyone. These practices require different skills and mindsets. To know the right meditation style takes practice. You need to see what meditation style you are comfortable with and that makes you feel encouraged. It is almost unbelievable that a thing that anyone can do anytime, anywhere, and for free can have these kinds of benefits.
