Meditation Information and Instructions
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Meditation Techniques
“The term meditation refers to a broad variety of practices that includes techniques designed to promote relaxation, build internal energy or life force (qi, ki, prana, etc.) and develop compassion, love, patience, generosity, and forgiveness.”
The above definition from Wikipedia represents the modern Western view of meditation as a self-improvement technique to calm the mind and reduce stress, among other things. Regular meditation can have many physical and psychological benefits, which you will find listed below. However, originally meditation had only one purpose: spiritual awakening, also known as enlightenment or self realization. The emphasis in this class is the practice of meditation and self inquiry for enlightenment. However as a tool for reducing stress and improving physical and psychological health and well being, meditation is one of the best things you can do even if you have no interest in awakening, and this will be discussed as well.
All meditations for enlightenment are just ways to quiet the mind, because a truly quiet mind leads to enlightenment, which happens by itself. The idea is to sit in silence with a focused mind for some period of time. By silence I mean the inner silence of pure awareness with no distracting thoughts or inner “noise”. This can be very difficult to do at first so there are many techniques available to help tame the mind and they all involve focusing the attention. You want to become one-pointed, alert, and present (aware that you are aware). While meditating ignore all thoughts by just rejecting them and not letting them seduce you into daydreams, etc. – play whack-a-mole with them – cut them off immediately and go back to focusing. This isn’t a test – do not criticize yourself. It’s just like weight training – hard at first but as your concentration gets stronger you get better at it. It may be best to start with shorter meditations from 2 to 5 minutes, so that you don’t become bored or lose interest, and gradually extend them to 20 minutes or longer. Sit comfortably, back straight, and be sure to relax. Here are some ways to meditate:
1. Count your breaths (Zen) – for example count a number on each inhale and exhale from 1 to 10 and repeat. When you get distracted and lose count, just start over and continue. Or you can count on each exhale only. In between counting just be quiet, still, and present (alert).
2. Watch the breath (Vipassana) – instead of counting, focus on the sensation of air going into the nose at the base – just watch it the whole time. You may shift to watching feeling or body sensations. Watch then until they pass or you are drawn to another feeling or go back to breath.
3. Self Inquiry also called Atma Vichara – (Zen, Advaita Vedanta) – ask “Who am I” (or what am I? ) but don’t answer, try and see. This stops the mind – the answer is in the silence.
4. Progressive relaxation (Yoga Nidra) – rotating awareness systematically throughout the body letting go of all tension, etc. This has many beneficial effects and does quiet your mind. Relaxation is a part of all these meditations.
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The Benefits of Meditation
(adapted from “The Best Guide to Meditation” by Victor Davich)
Psychological Benefits
☆ Improve mental health – greater emotional stability
☆ Outgoingness – independence
☆ Spontaneity – empathy
☆ Lessened anxiety and depression
☆ Reduced dependence on licit and illicit drugs
☆ Greater sense of and interest in the spiritual
☆ More accurate judgement
☆ Creative thoughts – increased concentration
☆ Improved memory and intelligence
Physical Benefits
☆ Boosts energy – increases stamina
☆ Speeds recovery
☆ Lessens the frequency and severity of asthmatic attacks and other allergic reactions
☆ Lowers blood pressure significantly – may reduce normal body temperature and even slow aging
☆ Materially reduces stress and stress-related illnesses like heart disease, hypertension, and insomnia
☆ Significantly alleviates present-moment and chronic physical pain from arthritis, back injury, and other causes
Spiritual Benefits
☆ Awakening to your true nature – ultimate spiritual freedom
☆ Inner peace
☆ Spiritual experiences
☆ Increases spiritual perceptions and other spiritual abilities
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Dennis Alsop, CHT
Personal Insight Program
Meditation for Enlightenment
(209) 462-2339
Email: pip2010@aol.com
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Don Juan: “A path is only a path, and there is no affront, to oneself or to others, in dropping it if that is what your heart tells you . . . Look at every path closely and deliberately. Try it as many times as you think necessary. Then ask yourself alone, one question: Does this path have a heart? If it does, the path is good; if it doesn’t it is of no use.”
— Carlos Castaneda
For a directory of other Holistic Health and Wellness Practitioners around the country go here:
http://www.BodyMindSpiritDIRECTORY.org