Health & Wellness Blog

Ryan meditating in Hawaii (2008)

The demands of modern life can leave some of use stressed and over-worked. It often feels like there is so much to do with little time to get everything done. Stress, in the form of mental and physical exhaustion make us unhappy, impatient, and frustrated, which has a negative impact on our health. We may feel so busy that we think we do not have the time to stop and relax, or even worse, we may feel guilty or wasteful by taking time to do so.  Meditation is one of the many ancient therapeutic methods that can help us relax, gain clarity, release creativity, and become overall more healthy.

Meditation actually makes our minds calmer and more focused. A simple ten to fifteen minutes of breathing meditation has the potential to help us overcome anxiety and find a degree of inner peace and balance. It can help us to see through the limitations of our own mind.

So what exactly is meditation?  Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize certain benefits. It has been practiced for thousand of years as a way of enhancing awareness, tranquility and spiritual connection. It is a deep practice of stillness, relaxation and attention which has the potential for extraordinary physiological, psychological and spiritual benefits for an individual.

It is generally an inwardly oriented, personal practice, which individuals can do by themselves, but is often practiced in groups to enhance the effect.  Some people use prayer beads or other ritual objects during meditation.  The practice may lead to or cultivate a specific feeling or internal state of deep relaxation combined with unparallelled alertness. Meditation can refer to the state itself, as in meditative state, as well as to practices or techniques employed.

Meditation falls into two main categories which are meditation “with seed,” and meditation “without seed.”  In meditation with seed, the “seed” is something for the individual to focus on, such as the breath, a mantra, a visual, or a sound.  Meditation without seed is the practice of letting go of any distraction including the “seed.”  This practice incorporates having no relationship to anything that arises in the field of one’s consciousness.

A 2007 study by the U.S. government found that nearly 9.4% of U.S. adults (over 20 million) had practiced meditation within the past 12 months, up from 7.6% (more than 15 million people) in 2002.[5] This goes to show that more and more people are becoming aware of the benefits meditation can potentially produce.

In a 2008 study supported by the National Institute of Health, benefits of meditation that were apparent to researchers in the study included, “effective functioning, including academic performance, concentration, perceptual sensitivity, reaction time, memory, self-control, empathy, and self esteem.” (Oman et al, 2008, pg. 570) Moreover, there have been published reports linking to changes in metabolism, blood pressure, brain activation, and other bodily processes, as well as stress and pain reduction (when used in a clinical setting).

The word meditation may carry different meanings in different contexts. There are dozens of specific styles of meditation practice including but not limited to: Advaita Vedanta, Transcendental, Christian Contemplative, Mindfulness, Concentration Technique, Hisbodedus (Kabbalistic), Zen, and Tai Chi Chuan (moving).  Picking a form of meditation, practicing consistently and with strong intention, and working with people who have been meditating for longer periods of time than you have are essential components to building a strong meditation practice.

Happy meditating!