Meditation

MEDITATION

Lesson 1 – Introduction to Meditation

The purpose of this course

The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the meaning and practise of
meditation. In particular, the course will be setting meditation in a „holistic
framework’ so that the value of meditation, in healing, becomes apparent.

On completion of this course you should have an understanding of:

• the overall nature of meditation
• the different ideas and schools of meditation
• how to meditate
• how to teach meditation to others
One cannot study meditation in the abstract. During the course you will be
expected to carry out prescribed meditation exercises, in order to gain
experience and understanding.

What is meditation?
The word meditation is derived from two Latin words: meditari (meaning “to
think” or “to dwell upon”, or “to exercise the mind”) and mederi (“to heal”).
The Sanskrit derivation “medha” means wisdom.

The ancient tradition of yoga and meditation began in Indian prehistory as a

system of mental, physical, and spiritual exercises. In approximately 500BC the
physician and sage, Patanjali formalized this tradition into a science, with four
major, and four lesser branches involving ethical restraint, self-discipline,
mental focus, physical exercise and meditation. The entire system was used in
an integrated fashion and directed at the attainment of a unique state of
spontaneous, psychological integration. Modern psychologists have described
this state as “individuation” (Van der Post, 1975) or “self-actualization”
(Maslow, 1964) and it has been traditionally termed “self-realization”.

There may be some people who consider meditation as a form of worship or

prayer. Although there can be a religious connotation, and application of
meditation, generally speaking, means awareness. For example; focusing on your
breathing is an awareness state, and is meditation.

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Sitting and listening to the birds in your garden is meditation. It is meditation

for as long as these activities are absolutely free from any other distraction to
the mind.

Meditation is not a technique, a mechanically learned and practiced skill, like

switching a light on and off. On the contrary meditation can be a way of life. To
meditate means to create a state in which all thought processes cease. The
meditative state is a state of consciousness, in which the mind is free of
extraneous thoughts and patterns. In meditation all the activity of the mind is
reduced to the one state of absolute calm.

The majority of people have a completely uninformed view of meditation, and

associate it with visions of monks in far off lands sitting together in silence,
when they think about meditation. Meditation is actually becoming a practice
that is quite popular in the Western world, among people from all walks of life –
it is of particular value in various practices of psychotherapy. Essentially
meditation is an approach, which anyone can use, to help them cope with
medical problems, stress, and anxiety by way of thought, contemplation, and
reflection.

One needs to be aware that meditation encompasses a wide variety of practices

while holding to the basic common principles of consideration, and quiet
thought, to bring about a state of rumination. Various types of meditation that
are recognized include Transcendental Meditation™, prayer, Zen meditation,
Taoist meditation, Mindfulness meditation, and Buddhist meditation.

Some methods of meditation may require the body being absolutely still, or to
be moved with controlled deliberation (Tai Chi), while other types allow for
free movement of the body. Although the methods are different, the end goal of
all types of meditation is to lead to a mind that is quieted, and free from stress.

Is there a religious context to meditation?

Throughout this course we will be addressing the subject, and practice of

meditation in a secular manner. This is not to say that there is no religious
dimension to meditation. Many religions encourage the use of meditation – for
example; the spiritual exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit
movement in the Church of Rome, are just one Christian example. We will
discuss meditation, in the context of other religions, later in the course.

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What are the medical benefits of meditation?

There are a variety of benefits that have been linked with the regular practice of
meditation. Meditation can bring about healing of both the body, and the mind,
by using deliberation of thought and consideration.

There are various physical benefits that can be experienced, when meditation is
made to be a part of daily life. Some physical benefits of meditation include a
decrease in blood pressure, and an improvement in breathing, due to the
increase of the airflow into the lungs. Meditation used regularly can lower the
resting heart rate, which takes some of the stress off the heart.

Chemicals in the body, that are associated with stress, can be reduced by
meditation, and this can lead to a reduction in anxiety levels. Meditation can
also promote healthy and youthful skin and thus a youthful appearance.

Meditation is a practice that brings about not only physical benefits, but
psychological benefits as well. The meditative state has quite amazing effects
on a person’s psyche. Relaxation, and a decrease in stress are rather obvious
benefits, but many people do not realize that meditation can also improve
moods and memory. It can decrease moodiness and depression. Summing up we
can say that the practice of meditation is the practice of connecting with your
inner self, in an effort to release your mind from specific stress factors, anxieties
or fears.

With the use of meditation one can develop the ability to release negative
energy within your body and mind, physically and mentally. The goal of
meditation is to transform those negative energies into positive energies. These
can be used to act as healing agencies, for such psychological conditions such as
the aforementioned stress and anxiety. Meditation can lead to mental clarity and
peace of mind – the necessary conditions for the resolution of many
psychological disorders.

The medical benefits of meditation can result in healing for the three main areas
of health:

1. Physical.
2. Mental.
3. Spiritual.

Throughout this course the word “spiritual” is not used in a religious sense, but
in the sense of communicating with ones innermost being – sometimes referred
to as one’s “higher self”.

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The range of mental disorders that can benefit through meditation is very large.
For example, some of the conditions in which meditation can help are:

• Relaxation
• Stress
• Depression
• Panic attacks
• Anxiety
• Irritability and moodiness
• Insomnia
• Memory impairment
• Self esteem and Self confidence
• Relationship issues.

Meditation can also assist with general therapies in the relief for the following
physical illnesses:

• Pain
• Cancer
• Heart disease
• Angina pains
• Asthma
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• High blood pressure

The medical professions are generally in agreement, that meditation can have a
direct impact on the way the brain processes, and acts on patterns of behavior.
In recent years there has been a dramatic rise into research, and testing of the
effects of meditation and the exact effects meditation, can have on the brain and
the heart.

Types of meditation

Before we examine the types of meditation it is important to understand that

there are three underlying principles:

1. In order to concentrate, it is necessary to focus on only one object at a time.

2. As soon as one’s thoughts begin to wander, then they must be slowly brought
back to the object of one’s focus.

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3. During the act of meditation, it is essential to try to ignore all sorts of

distractions, such as the intrusion of irrelevant thoughts, and the sudden
awareness of the sensations that the body feels.

These three points are true no matter which system of meditation is used.

Let us look at six types of meditation:

1. Breath watching
2. Empty mind
3. Walking
4. Mindfulness
5. Simple mantra
6. Concept

Breath watching

Meditating can be as simple as paying attention to your breath for a few

minutes. Relax in whatever position feels best, you can sit in an easy chair if
you wish. Close your eyes and start to pay close attention to your breathing.
When you breathe through your nose, the diaphragm becomes involved and the
oxygen in the inhaled air goes all the way to the bottom of your lungs.
Whenever you find your mind beginning to wander, just re-focus your attention
on the air going in and out of your nose. When you commence using this type of
breathing exercise, you should do it for no more than five minutes; until you
have acquired sufficient practice in re-focusing your attention when it drifts.
You can then extend the meditation session to fifteen minutes.

Empty mind

Meditating can create a kind of "awareness without a direct object," in other

words although you have emptied your mind completely (or until you have a lot
of experience, as empty as you can get it) the empty mind somehow becomes
the object itself. The techniques for doing this involve sitting very still, often in
a "full lotus" or cross-legged position, and quietly allowing the conscious mind
go silent on its own. This can be very difficult, because in the early days of
practicing this type of meditation, any effort of emptying the mind just seems to
cause more mental activity rather than less.

Walking

This type of meditation involves the whole body. It can be done outside or
simply indoors by a back and forth pacing of a room.

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The focus of attention here is directed to the movement of your legs, your
breathing, your body, and to the feeling of your feet contacting the ground as
you walk. When your mind wanders, you have to bring your focus back to the
process of walking, and breathing. Meditating outside in this way can be very
difficult, because of the many distractions. When doing this outside try and find
a clear, quiet, open space, with level ground out in the countryside, preferably
with no people or other distractions.

Mindfulness

This is the Buddhist practice called vipassana or insight meditation.

Mindfulness is the art of becoming deeply aware of the present moment – of
what is here right now. You focus on what is happening in, and around you, at
this very moment, and thus become aware of all the thoughts, and feelings that
are taking your energy from moment to moment. To carry out this meditation
you can start by focusing on your breathing, and then move your attention
focus to the thoughts going through your mind, the feelings in your body, and
even the sounds, and sights around you. The key is to watch without judging, or
analyzing – merely to observe without comment.

Simple Mantra

Many people find it easier to keep their mind from wandering if they
concentrate on something specific, such as the recitation of a mantra. A mantra
is a word or phrase you repeat as you sit in meditation, and, in some traditions,
it is chosen for you by an experienced master. When working on this alone, you
can use any word or phrase that has meaning for you, and you can choose to
either repeat it aloud, or in your head as you meditate.

Concept

Some meditative practices involve contemplation of an idea or scenario. A

classic example is the "meditation on impermanence," in which you focus on
the impermanent nature of all things, starting with your thoughts and feelings as
they come and go. In the Buddhist "meditation on the corpse," you think about
a body in the ground, as it slowly rots away and is fed on by worms. The
technique is used to guide you to an understanding that your rationalizing mind
might not bring you to.

On a more cheerful note one can use this form of meditation to focus on health
issues, with the aim of improving one’s health, and aiding in the cure or
alleviation of some illness. One might note here, that such a technique has a lot
in common with hypnotherapy.

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How does Meditation Work?

Meditation works on a single principle - that the mind is the key to your overall
health. You can ensure your overall well-being by maintaining your mind in a
state of control.

As we have seen, some forms of meditation involve focusing on a particular

object (i.e. breathing), others involve nothing more than simply relaxing, and
allowing the mind to do whatever it wants to, without the involvement of
conscious effort. Generally speaking meditations require that a particular pattern
of breathing has to be followed, which we refer to as controlled breathing.

People, who are well versed in the practice of meditation, suggest that
meditation is not about finding solutions to a problem, but about changing one’s
attitude towards the problem. As no two people are the same, the effects of
meditation will differ from one individual to another.

During meditative changes in the breathing pattern, the supply of oxygen to the
brain is reduced by 20 percent, thus inducing a state of rest. It is interesting to
note that this resting state is something that we do not attain when we sleep; this
is because our brain continues to work when we sleep. Scientific studies have
also revealed that meditating regularly, can actually alter the way your brain is
“wired”, and these alterations in turn helps the individual to tackle a range of
health problems, including those we have mentioned above – Stress and
Insomnia.

A large number of health problems such as stress, and depression, are caused by
underlying factors associated with our mental state. When we successfully treat
these factors, using specific meditation techniques for stress, and specific
meditation techniques for depression, meditation helps in getting rid of the
symptoms of these ailments.

Regular meditation helps in curing a range of ailments. Some recent studies

even claim that meditation may be able to help in keeping various ailments,
including certain types of cancers, at bay.

The scientific explanation about how meditation works on our mind, and body
has helped to change the popular belief that meditation is only associated with
religion and spirituality. The scientifically backed health benefits of meditation
have even prompted some medical practitioners to advise their patients to
practice various, effective, meditation techniques, in order to maintain their
overall health. Meditation has turned out to be one of the most effective tools of
well-being – one might say that it is a „necessity for people’, in this fast paced
and stressful world.
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Meditation exercise - simple mantra

The first thing that you must understand is that unless you follow through the
meditations in this course, the course becomes no more than a reading book
about meditation.

To gain the full benefit from this course, and to be able to help and teach others,
it is necessary that you carry out the given exercises.

Another point is that you need to meditate regularly. I recommend that you
meditate for 15 minutes twice per day. The first meditation should be in the
morning before breakfast, in order to centre your-self for the day. This morning
session is the most important one. The next session should be in the evening,
either before your evening meal, or about 2 hours after your evening meal. This
is because it is always better to meditate on an empty stomach. This meditation
will help you calm down from the day, and prepare for sleep.

Meditation must become an everyday habit with you. As with most things
worthwhile, it takes time to notice a big improvement. Believe me when I say
that if you meditate regularly, then change will come.

You need to meditate in a quiet and comfortable place. Posture is very

important in all basic meditation exercises. Focus on being relaxed, but also on
sitting up straight on a chair, or a pillow on the floor, or whatever you feel better
with. We will discuss specific posture later in the course. The point to remember
is this - if your posture is not good it inhibits your breathing, and the energy
flow in your body. Furthermore, your mind will wander more, and you will find
it more difficult to focus and maintain a focus.

Now I want you to choose a mantra, that is to say a „phrase or word’ that you
will repeat to yourself during the meditation. The object of this is to focus the
mind. If you have to chant a mantra (aloud or silently in your mind) then your
mind will have a harder time wandering. There is no need to be clever and use
a foreign language or some obscure Tibetan chant. I assume that since you are
taking this course, you are an English speaker, and respond quite well to the
English language. If English is your second language then I suggest you pick a
„word or phrase’ from your mother tongue. The word or phrase must have
meaning to you. A simple phrase such as "I am confident ", is a good start.
The key to your mantra should reference what it is that you wish to change
about yourself. Always commence with the words "I am..." never commence
with "I will". Those of you, who have studied hypnotherapy, will understand the
reasoning behind this.

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 Meditation

Your subconscious believes what you tell it, you say it has already happened
then your mind will believe you, and eventually, act according to that belief.

Now carry out your meditation:

• Sit in your chosen comfortable position.

• Commence to breathe through your nose.

• Focus on your breathing.

• Commence to state your chosen mantra (do this out loud or voice it
internally).

• Allow your attention to focus on the sense of the mantra.

• Continue this for 15 minutes.

• Cease the mantra, and let yourself look around the room, or place where
you are.

• Breathe normally and align yourself to return to, and be present in, the
here and now.

Well done.

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QUESTIONS ON LESSON ONE

Please answer the following questions using no more than 75 words for each.
Incorporate the questions within your answers
(eg. the number of days in the year is 365)

Q1. How would you describe meditation?

Q2. Name five types of meditation.

Q3. Briefly, what are the medical benefits of meditation?

Q4. Name nine mental conditions that can benefit from meditation.

Q5. What do you understand by mantra meditation?

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