Meditation
For the Body, Mind and Soul
By Deborah
Ferris MA, M.Ht.
When you think
of meditation, do you get images of swamis sitting in a lotus position for
hours with their eyes closed? If you do,
then you might wonder how in the world could meditation help me in my life.
In fact, a
number of famous people advocate meditation as a way to combat stress and to
live a healthier and more wholistic life.
Deepak Chopra, Dr. Herbert Benson, Wayne Dyer and Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D, are
just a few well-known writers who speak about the benefits of meditation
whether it’s dealing with the stresses of life or connecting to the inner
spiritual part of ourselves.
How does meditation help?
When you are
meditating, your attention is focused on your breath, a mantra or even an
object such as the flame of a candle. As
you give bare attention to the breath or you focus on a mantra, you also let go
of thoughts, feelings and sensations that may arise and you experience a connection
with the stillness and calmness that lies within. As you connect with this silence, you can
experience feelings of love, joy and peace all rolled into one.
As well, your
heart rate and your pulse slow down and your brain waves go into a more restful
state, called an alpha state.
With continued practice,
you learn to let go of the chattering, busy, thinking mind and you reap the
rewards of connecting with the silence within.
Stressful situations float away as you anchor yourself in the present,
this moment that is here, right now.
As Eckhart Tolle,
a Canadian spiritual teacher and writer, says in his book Practicing The Power Of Now,
the past is past and the future has not yet arrived. There is only the now, this present moment. Through this present-centred awareness, we
experience tranquility, joy and aliveness.
Who has time to meditate?
You may be
thinking well that’s nice that people can sit and meditate at home for a few minutes
each day but I don’t have time. However,
when we think that our lives are too busy, too rushed and we are stressed out
that’s when we definitely need to slow down and take a few minutes to
meditate.
Try it and
you’ll find that you can experience a sense of peace and calmness, well worth a
few minutes each day.
Going Beyond the Meditation Cushion
Meditation is
not just about the time you spend sitting on a cushion or a chair. Experienced
meditators know the practice of meditation is something that you take with you wherever
you go. Consistent, daily practice
spills over into every day life. New
pathways are created in the brain from embracing a meditation practice and
these new pathways help us to make changes in our lives.
Meditation
allows us to become more aware of our mental patterns and our behaviours, and with
this awareness, we begin to change our way of being in the world. We can spontaneously experience life in
positive ways and we can find ourselves responding rather than reacting to
negative situations.
If something
stressful occurs whether it’s an argument with a family member or someone criticizing
your work, then your meditation practice can help you to respond in the moment
with right action and right speech. It’s
as if you can see underneath or beyond the situation to the heart of the matter.
You can cultivate a sense of compassion for the person before you and at the
same time you can do what is right for yourself without creating ill-will for
the other.
Of course,
meditation is a discipline, just as yoga or tai chi is a discipline. To become skilful at meditation, it is best
to first take a course and even join a meditation group where you have the
support of a leader/teacher and the group.
The meditation group is a community of like-minded individuals who are
there to support each other in their spiritual growth.
In addition, you
continue to practice meditation every day on your own. With continued practice and study, you too
can realize the benefits –- calmness, inner peace, joy and more.
Meditation for Spiritual Growth
Meditation can
be part of your spiritual practice and not just a way to de-stress. As you let go of the thinking, analytical
mind and drop into the stillness within, you can experience feelings of oneness
with all beings and you can also develop love and compassion for yourself and
others.
Meditation can
be a part of your religious faith. You
don’t have to give up your particular religious beliefs in order to meditate.
In fact, many meditators find that their meditation practice brings them closer
to the Divine and it strengthens their spirituality.
Meditation helps
us change ourselves and as we change we have a positive impact on others. The October 2006 issue of Psychology Today
says that research into meditation has shown that meditators can develop
emotions like love and compassion as actual skills. As well, meditation can alter mental states
such as anxiety and anger as we learn to go beyond the drama of our thoughts to
the quiet flow underneath the chaos. One
study at the
In a world that
is fraught with constant change, war, poverty, global warming and crime, there
is a great need for more of us to make a difference through positive actions of
love, comfort, kindness and peace.
As we reach out
to others in peace and love whether in our own family, our community or in the bigger
global world, our meditative skillfulness can in fact change others. As we connect with our heart of compassion,
others can relate to us in positive ways.
If life is a
journey, then meditation is like a vehicle that propels us with a new alternative
source of energy that helps us arrive at our destination feeling refreshed and
alive. And to begin a meditation journey,
ponder on the following quote from the famous Taoist Chinese Philosopher Lao
Tzu. “The journey of one thousand miles
begins with a (single) step”.
Your first step
may be to take a meditation class so that you can experience meditation with a
teacher. As you continue the journey, you will learn much about yourself and
what is important to you in your life.
Most of all you will experience the joy that is meditation.
Deborah Ferris has been
teaching Stress Management and Meditation courses and workshops since
1996. She also leads a meditation
group,’The Lotus’ Meditation Circle.
She will be teaching a
4-part series starting