17 Benefits of Meditation

Meditation results in holistic health. It gives good health on the physical, mental and emotional levels. Specific health benefits reported by some who meditate are:

1. The stabilization of high or low blood pressure, blood sugar, body heat and
heartbeat.

2. The balancing of mind/body rhythms.

3. Reduction of muscle tension, stronger bones, immunity from disease.

4. Cleansing – quicker elimination of toxins and body waste.

5. Overcoming insomnia and improved quality of sleep.

6. Enhanced energy, increased work capacity.

7. Longer life span – improved body metabolism and body cells with a longer life span.

8. Secretion of healthy body chemicals – increased secretion of natural anti-depressants, enhanced secretion of endorphins, the body’s ‘happy chemicals’.

9. Relationships – Meditation inherently puts you in tune with yourself and others. The direct result of this is deeper, more meaningful interpersonal relationships with family, friends and with everyone you encounter in your daily life.

10. Intelligence – To work efficiently, one needs intelligence. Meditation ignites your innate intelligence making you more aware and sharp. The natural result of this is improved, efficient and effortless performance in whatever you do.

11. Creativity – Each of us holds within us an undiscovered treasure of talent and potential. Meditation reveals and helps you realize your inner talents and latent creativity.

12. Authenticity – Meditation allows you to touch base with the real you, and makes you realize your uniqueness. Self-confidence then becomes a natural by-product.

13. Balance – Most of us live life as a roller-coaster ride, held in the sway of emotions like worry, jealousy, discontentment, fear, anger, guilt, etc. over which we have no control. Meditation enables you to be centered in yourself, have a solid inner balance and thus be the master of your own self.

14. Relaxation, peace, bliss – A natural byproduct of meditation is something we spend almost a lifetime trying to attain: inner relaxation and peace. With meditation, you automatically drop out of the vicious cycle of fear, greed and stress, and enter the virtuous cycle of bliss.

15. Holistic spiritual growth – To measure intellect, we have IQ or Intelligence Quotient, which is measured by many standardized tests. Of late, another measure is gaining importance, especially in the corporate world, namely EQ or Emotional Quotient. However, the most important factor of our lives which is inner satisfaction and fulfillment, is what matters at the end of the day. Meditation enhances this very important factor of life – SQ or Spiritual Quotient – besides also increasing IQ and EQ.

16. Life – As of now, our mental setup is rigid and reflects our personality. Because of this self-image we carry in our minds, we face a lot of troubles in life and are not able to enjoy life completely. Meditation simply reprograms the software of the mind so that we can live life completely.

17. Ultimate potential – You are like an airplane with the potential to fly, but you think you are an ox-cart because you have not actualized your potential. Meditation simply makes you realize and experience who you really are and the enormous capabilities you are born with.

by InnerAwakening.org

~ Meditate ~
• Close your eyes -knowing (telling yourself) this will only take a few minutes of your time.
• Breathe deeply.
• Calm your mind and relax your body: Connect with your surroundings, then gently shift your focus to hear the silence within you. First your body, then your mind. Listen with love.
• Breathe deeply.
• Dismiss distractions by focusing on relaxing your body. Part by part surrender to the weight of your body.
• Let your consciousness expand, with any limits. Let it do what It knows to do, and just flow.
• When thoughts arise, gently filter them away from the forefront of your mind. Allow them to shift to the back of the mind. As if a TV was on in another room, you can hear it, but it does not distract you.
• Keep your heart and mind open to the infinite possibilities the universe constantly sends your way.
• Be willing and accepting, without judgment.

Meditation -like yoga- originated in Vedic Hunduism many centuries ago, and it was much later adopted into a wide variety of practices of religious and non-religious formats which emphasize mental activity or quiesscence.
The English word comes from the Latin meditatio, which originally indicated every type of physical or intellectual exercise, but which later could perhaps be better translated as “contemplation”.
When we meditate we are allowing our brain to function in ways that it does not do so when the conscious mind is awake. It is when we quiet the most active part of our mind and yield to the inspiring world of our subconscious. The goals we wish to achieve when we meditate are various, beginning with spiritual enlightenment, to the transformation of attitudes, to better cardiovascular health and for the union of our energy body with the energy of the Universe. The benefits are endless, including an unlimited source of health and well-being, and overall balance and abundance.

The following are some fundamental definitions of Meditation:
- a state that is experienced when the mind dissolves and is free of all thoughts
- focusing the mind on a single object (such as a religious statue, or one’s breath, a mudra or a mantra)
- a mental “opening up” to the divine, invoking the guidance of a higher power
- reasoned analysis of religious teachings

These practices are found within Eastern religions as well as some secular contexts, such as the martial arts. A man called Edgar Cayce taught that “Through prayer we speak to God. In meditation, God speaks to us”.
From the point of view of psychology, meditation can induce an altered state of consciousness.
It is easy to observe that our minds are continually thinking about the past (memories) and the future (expectations). With intention it is possible to slow down the mind. We are able to observe a mental silence, also called experience of the present moment. This is a subjective sense of being connected with the universality of being. Meditation is the method one may follow to verify this experience. It is an experiential means of separating thoughts from the part of our consciousness which perceives the thoughts, the observer. By disengaging our mind we are able to observe the more subtle details and gain better control over what we give attention to. The experience of thoughts winding down and stopping is also known as timeless awareness.

TYPES OF MEDITATION
According to research, the different types or techniques of meditation can be classified according to their focus. That is, whether they focus on the field or background perception and experience, also called mindfulness, or whether they focus on a preselected specific object, also called “‘concentrative’ meditation.” There are also techniques that shift between the field and the object.
Meditation, to reflect on the translation of “contemplation,” is also a method of essay or contemplative writing in which one does continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep nature.
There is also “outward meditation” (when we open up and send energy out and receive “visions”) and “inward meditation” (when you concentrate on and visualize something that you desire, like recreating the Safe Place.

While meditation focuses on mental or psycho-spiritual activity, this is of course only one of several spheres of human existence; and we are social beings as well as individuals. Most traditions address the integration of mind, body, and spirit (this is a major theme of the Bhagavad-Gita); or that of spiritual practice with family life, work, and so on.

THE ENVIRONMENT & OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS
The immediate meditative environment is often held to be important.
A well equipped Dojo is not necessary, just as long as the space to use is clean and free of any type of clutter.
Quiet is often held to be desirable, and some people use repetitive activities such as deep breathing, humming or chanting to help induce a meditative state. During the time of meditation it is strongly recommended to disconnect or turn off any phones, tv and radio. However, if music is desired during the practice see that it is soft, relaxing music that will inspire tranquility and love, as sound is also another tool many meditators/practitioners like to use.
There exist other details that are shared by more than one religion. One example would be “navel-gazing,” which is apparently attested within Eastern Orthodoxy as well as in Chinese Qigong practice. Another would be the practice of focusing on the breath, which is found in Orthodox Christianity, Sufism and numerous Indic traditions.
Even regular mundane tasks are to invite a moment of meditation, for example when we come in any type of contact with water.
If at all possible, place a nice, green, healthy plant nearby. Water is also a good omen to have around, specially if its running water like a water fountain, a candle and incense are also beneficial. These components represent the elements of Earth, Water, Fire and Air.
Posture is also an important step in the practice of meditation.
Purpose drives us to practice meditation and focusing on the intention is what helps achieve a successful meditation session.

PURPOSES AND EFFECTS OF MEDITATION
The purposes for which people meditate vary almost as widely as practices. Meditation may serve simply as a means of relaxation from a busy daily routine; as a technique for cultivating mental discipline; or as a means of gaining insight into the nature of reality, or of communing with one’s God. It has been reported improved concentration, awareness, self-discipline and equanimity through meditation. Also an increase in patience, compassion, and the understanding of other virtues and morals. Feelings of calm or peace, and/or moments of great joy. Experience of spiritual phenomena such as Kundalini, extra-sensory perception, or visions of deities, saints, etc.
Some people have even experienced “Miraculous” abilities such as levitation (or also called yogic-flying).
Some traditions acknowledge that many types of experiences and effects are possible, but we must keep in mind the spiritual purpose of the meditation, and not be distracted by lesser concerns. For example, Mahayana Buddhists are urged to meditate for the sake of “full and perfect enlightenment for all sentient beings” (the bodhisattva vow).

HEALTH APPLICATIONS AND CLINICAL STUDIES OF MEDITATION
In the recent years there has been a growing interest within the medical community to study the physiological effects of meditation. Many concepts of meditation have been applied to clinical settings in order to measure its effect on somatic motor function as well as cardiovascular and respiratory function. Also the hermeneutic and phenomenological aspects of meditation are areas of growing interest. Meditation has entered the mainstream of health care as a method of stress and pain reduction. For example, in an early study in 1972, transcendental meditation was shown to affect the human metabolism by lowering the biochemical byproducts of stress, such as lactate, decreasing heart rate and blood pressure and inducing favorable brain waves.
As a method of stress reduction, meditation is now often used in hospitals all over the country in cases of chronic or terminal illness to reduce complications associated with increased stress including a depressed immune system. There is a growing consensus in the medical community that mental factors such as stress significantly contribute to a lack of physical health.
According to research – Dr. James Austin, a neurophysiologist at the University of Colorado, reported that Zen meditation rewires the circuitry of the brain. This has been confirmed using sophisticated imaging techniques which examine the electrical activity of the brain.

Dr. Herbert Benson of the Mind-Body Medical Institute, which is affiliated with Harvard and several Boston hospitals, reports that meditation induces a host of biochemical and physical changes in the body collectively referred to as the “relaxation response” (Lazar et.al, 2003). The relaxation response includes changes in metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and brain chemistry. Benson and his team have also done clinical studies at Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayan Mountains.
Among other well-known studies within this particular field of interest we find the research of Jon Kabat-Zinn and his colleagues at the University of Massachusetts who have done extensive research on the effects of mindfulness meditation on stress (Kabat-Zinn et.al, 1985; Davidson et.al, 2003)

MEDITATION AND THE BRAIN
Mindfulness meditation and related techniques are intended to train attention for the sake of provoking insight. Think of it as the opposite of attention deficit disorder ADD. A wider, more flexible attention span makes it easier to be aware of a situation, easier to be objective in emotionally or morally difficult situations, and easier to achieve a state of responsive, creative awareness or “flow”.
One theory, presented by Daniel Goleman & Tara Bennett-Goleman (2001), suggests that meditation works because of the relationship between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. In very simple terms, the amygdala is the part of the brain that decides if we should get angry or anxious (among other things), and the pre-frontal cortex is the part that makes us stop and think about things (it is also known as the inhibitory centre).
So, the prefrontal cortex is very good at analyzing and planning, but it takes a long time to make decisions. The amygdala, on the other hand, is simpler (and older in evolutionary terms). It makes rapid judgements about a situation and has a powerful effect on our emotions and behaviour, linked to survival needs. For example, if a human sees a lion leaping out at them, the amygdala will trigger a fight or flight response long before the prefrontal cortex knows what’s happening.
But in making snap judgment, our amygdalas are prone to error, seeing danger where there is none. This is particularly true in contemporary society where social conflicts are far more common than encounters with predators, and a basically harmless but emotionally charged situation can trigger uncontrollable fear or anger — leading to conflict, anxiety, and stress.
Because there is roughly a quarter of a second gap between the time an event occurs, and the time it takes the amygdala to react, a skilled meditator may be able to intervene before a fight or flight response takes over, and perhaps even redirect it into more constructive or positive feelings.
Some studies of meditation have linked the practice to increased activity in the left prefrontal cortex, which is associated with concentration, planning, meta-cognition (thinking about thinking), and with positive affect (good feelings). There are similar studies linking depression and anxiety with decreased activity in the same region, and/or with dominant activity in the right prefrontal cortex. Meditation increases activity in the left prefrontal cortex, and the changes are stable over time — even if you stop meditating for a while, the effect lingers.

Meditation and the EEG
Meditation also effects brain wave production as measured by an EEG machine. While the brain at a waking state is primarily in the Beta range of frequencies (14 – 21 cycles per second), while under meditation the brain tends to slow down the Alpha range (7 – 14 cycles per second). One of the first Americans to study the effects of meditation on brainwave production was Jose Silva who founded the Silva Method. Silva theorized that meditation, in addition to stress relief could also be used for enhancing creativity and developing intuition.
Electroencephalographs (EEG) recordings of skilled meditators showed gamma wave activity that gradually expanded across the brain during meditation. Gamma waves indicate synchrony between sections of the brain. These meditators had 10 to 40 years of training in Buddhist-based mental training. EEGs done on meditators who had received recent training turned up considerably less synchrony.
The experienced meditators also showed increased gamma activity while at rest and not meditating. The results of the study do not make clear whether meditation training creates this activity or if individuals with high gamma activity are attracted to meditation. (Antoine Lutz & Richard J. Davidson, 2004)

Indulge in the discipline of Meditation and allow yourself to receive the extraordinary rewards the practice leaves you with.

Metta (Pali) or maitra (Sanskrit) has been translated as “loving-kindness”, friendliness, benevolence, amity, friendship, good will, sympathy, “active interest in others.” The cultivation of “metta” is a popular form of meditation in Buddhism.

The object of metta meditation is to experience loving kindness in its pure form (love without attachment). Traditionally, the practice begins with the meditator cultivating loving kindness towards themselves, then their loved ones, friends, teachers, strangers, enemies, and finally towards all sentient beings.

Followers of Buddhism believe that those who cultivate metta will be at ease because they see no need to harbour ill will or hostility. It is also known that Buddhist teachers may even recommend metta meditation as an antidote to insomnia and nightmares. It is generally felt that those around a “metta-full” person will feel more comfortable and happy too. Radiating metta is thought to contribute to a world of love, peace and happiness.

Wikipedia.org

What does all this mean? It means that when we allow our innate energy of Goodwill and Kindliness to emerge and consciously feel it, embrace it and be taken by it we merge with the Creative Field. Words are limited to describe the feeling this experience introduces. Have you tried it yet? Tap into your own benevolence within and swim in this blanket of energy feeling blissful while bringing restoration to the being on every level.

Meditation Meetup Group
For schedule of classes and workshops visit the LoveDriven Calendar

To practice a mudra: make sure you set a time where there won’t be any distractions. Find a comfortable place to sit, however your body feels comfortable, and take a few deep breaths. Relax the body and mind.

Cross the fingers of both hands and make the inside thumb very erect. This mudra is useful to cure coughs.

Oppose the little finder with the thumb, keeping the others straight. This mudra is useful to increase body strength and remove weakness and fatigue from the body.

Bend your middle finger and touch the thumb as shown in the diagram -touch the skin above the nail of the middle finder with the pad of the thumb, keeping the other 3 fingers straight. This mudra is very useful for ear ailments.

Bend your ring finger and touch the thumb, as in the diagram -touch the skin above the nail of the ring finger with the pad of the thumb, keeping the other 3 fingers straight. This mudra is useful fto remove unwanted fat from the body.

This is one of, if not the most popular mudra.
Oppose the index finger with the thumb, keeping the other fingers straight. This is a very powerful mudra, useful for treating mental disorders, sleeping disorders (excessive and lack of), weak memory, and hot-tempered individuals.

Oppose the little and ring fingers with the thumb, keeping the other fingers straight. This mudra is useful to decrease the necessity of wearing glasses after a period of time, and for other eye problems.

Oppose the middle finger with the thumb, keeping the other fingers straight. This mudra is useful in disorders such as anemia and skin disease.

Bend your index finger and touch the thumb as shown in the diagram -touching the skin above the nail of the index finger with the pad of the thumb, keeping the other 3 fingers straight. This mudra is useful in treating disorders of the joints and stroke (paralysis).

Why do we need to purify? We always want to be free from suffering – even in our dreams we try to be free from problems, fear and danger – but unless we purify, this wish can never be fulfilled. Buddha taught that all the problems we have experienced in the past, are experiencing now, and will experience in the future come from our own negative intentions and actions. It does not matter what we do externally to try to avoid suffering – if the cause of suffering remains in our mind, suffering is what we will experience. Therefore we can see that there is nothing more important than to purify our mind as quickly as we can.

Fortunately, Vajrasattva practice, taught by Buddha, is one of the most powerful purification practices that exists. Through this practice you will feel rejuvenated, re-energized and cleansed.

Blessing Empowerment of Buddha Vajrasattva and Teachings with Kadam Nick and Kadam Lucy at Ellenton, Florida

The blissful meditation practice of Buddha Vajrasattva is an extremely powerful, quick method for cleansing our impure mind and actions, making us light and happy. During this special empowerment weekend we will draw close to Vajrasattva and receive powerful wisdom blessings, as well as receive clear and inspiring instructions on purification practice.

Friday, March 28th – Sunday, March 30th 2008
Visit the Vajrasattva Empowerment Weekend site for more information.

I received this email this morning:

“Neil,

Journey to Ixtlan is the best thing Castandeda ever did.

I think the rest of his books suck.
Think be became a guru figure and it went to his head. He started saying anything…after that book. But Ixtlan is very good stuff.”

My reply:

“..The three books preceding are also good, particularly the 2nd one, but yes, I’ve always thought JTI was the best.

I don’t know if I ever told you, but one morning I got up, went onto my porch, and a peregrine falcon, like the bird illustrated on that book’s cover, was perched on the railing outside my front door.

Here is the REALLY really weird part.

When I saw it, I thought, “What is a WHITE SNEAKER doing sitting on my railing?”

I walked over to it, and it flew away.

I could not SEE the falcon with my brain at that moment, because such an event existed outside the realm of my daily experience. It was incomprehensible.

It was like the natives of Hawaii who could look directly at Captain Cook’s ships in the harbor, and still not see them.

My brain completely blocked out this event until eight hours later, when it finally dawned on me that a falcon had been sitting there.

The event was so incongruous with my daily experience, that I was unable to process that fact that a hawk had been sitting on my porch rail, so my brain interpreted as “sneaker on rail”.

That evening, it finally sunk in, and I “remembered” what I saw. but it took eight hours.

It was just like people who are abducted by aliens, and have no memory of the event, or experience missing time, because the even is so far removed from their daily experience that they can’t process the event, and may only recall it in memory regression some time later.

It is further, unfortunately, like many historical events, and you can guess what I am referring to, that simply cannot be acknowledged or seen for what they really are by the vast majority of people who are witnessing such events.

Often, seeing is different from perceiving reality.

Question: How have masses of the population been fooled in the past thirty years? Ten? Five?

*******************************

Later Brain Pereceivers!
Neil
www.neilslade.com

This Full Moon Ritual will help us maintain a sense of our Self while navigating the ups and downs of a relationship.
It will aid us in developing a firm center from which to interact with our partner during the most difficult times – when it feels like a relationship is falling apart, you will be able to know who you are and what you want.

Ask the Universe to help you maintain emotional self-reliance within your relationships.

SIMPLE SOLUTION: Best if performed on the day/night of the full moon, or the day/night before or after; but you can do it any time you need a reminder of your ancient nature (and men can do it, too).

FULL MOON RITUAL
If you like, you can prepare for this ritual by taking a special candlelit bath and dressing in clothing that feel especially beautiful to you. Please have a mirror in front of you.

1. Find a time when you will not be disturbed. Turn out the lights where you are. Notice the light entering the room from the moon, if it is visible. Take a moment to remember a time when the full moon made night travel easier, so people gathered on this night to celebrate community and to honor the great healing Mystery.

2. Look at the mirror. Can you see your self? Can you see your face?
Allow yourself to pause in your busy life as you gaze. Take a moment to listen to the sounds where you are. What do you hear? Now bring your conscious attention down from the place behind your eyes, down through your throat, down into your heart. Let your attention pause there. As you allow yourself to become aware of your heart, keep looking in the mirror. Allow your gaze to soften and become more loving. See yourself with the eyes of love. Ask yourself, “Who am I?”

3. Now bring your attention down from your heart to your solar plexus, your will center. See yourself with the eyes of courage and will. Ask yourself, “Who am I?”

4. Now bring your attention down into your belly, the place of gut-knowing. See yourself with the ancient eyes of the deep self. Ask yourself, “Who am I?”

5. Give some time to imagining the self you might have been in another time, in the mists of time, in the beginnings of time. Imagine the beauty and majesty of the full moon reflected in your eyes. See yourself with the eyes of the glorious, magical Full Moon. Ask yourself, “Who am I?”

6. Now gently bring your awareness back up through your solar plexus, back through your heart, back through your throat, back into the place behind your eyes. See yourself with new eyes. Say to yourself, “I am I”.

Bring yourself gently back into ordinary reality with gratitude for what you have seen and learned.

Get into a comfortable position and relax by taking several slow, deep breaths, and close your eyes.

Now, imagine that you are standing in a country field. There is a road is leading to you – one that brings all your material, emotional, and spiritual supplies. In the distance you can see the road passes through a corral to get to you. This corral has two gates: one facing you, and one facing the road on opposite side.
If you notice both gates open, supplies readily flow to you, and your gifts to the world flow from you.
Whenever we hold unforgiveness toward someone, we imprison theat person in our minds where we mentally flog them with our pronouncements of guilt and blame. The image of the person we resent is “corralled” in our consciousness, and the gates to the corral slam shut, like prison doors. You necessarily go into the corral along the with person you’ve judged in order to monitor their imprisonment. This way, both gates are shut, and your locked corral blocks your flow and supply.
Look inside your corral right now, and see who’s there. See the high price you pay for corralling these people.
If you are ready to forgive, imagine the gates of your corral automatically opening. Visualize whoever is in the corral walking out, free, happy, and forgiven. Wish them well. If this seems difficult, try forgiving the person instead of their deeds. As you forgive, feel the release, the relief, and the renewed energy as your resentment lifts.
Check to make sure that you’re not in the corral alone out of an ego judgment you hold against yourself.

Recheck your corral often, especially when you feel tired, ill, or afraid. You’ll find that these are the times when you have the most people (including yourself) locked into your corral. Once you open the gates and clear the corral, your emotions and energy level will improve.