Open Writing

The practice of meditation has a long history. It is believed to have existed since ancient man discovered the calming effects of sitting and gazing into the flames of a fire or looked, fixed with wonder, at the night sky.

The earliest written record of meditation is found in Hindu scriptures written 5000 years ago. With the advent of Buddha around 500 BC, meditation began to spread across Asia. The wide variety of styles still practised there being the result of individual cultures adapting it into their own spiritual beliefs. Reference to meditative practices, in one form or another, appear in the history of almost all the world’s religions including Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Historians are undecided whether these religions were influenced by eastern cultures or their use of meditation developed independently.

From when it took hold in the East, thousands of years were to pass before it was discovered by Western societies. Even then, it didn’t become widely popular until the 1960s and 70s when scientists began exploring its medical benefits. It was found to be a powerful healing tool and is now a widely accepted form of alternative medicine in most western societies.

Scientific studies have shown that during meditation electrical activity in the brain changes from the fast beta waves associated with a normal busy state of mind, to slower alpha waves that come with a calm state of mind. In addition to creating a sense of serenity and heightened clarity alpha waves promote many physiological changes. The most significant of these is a reduction in stress hormones and as a consequence an improvement in heart, blood pressure and respiratory problems. It raises low levels of serotonin associated with depression, obesity, insomnia and headaches, and decreases muscle tension and resultant pain. Although meditation does not claim to be a cure, it has been found to improve asthma, arthritis, pre-menstrual tension and other chronic conditions. It improves our immune system, can be useful in post operative healing and is a helpful weapon in the fight against addiction. Meditation techniques are also being implemented in the management of life threatening diseases such as cancer.

What is more, research has provided proof meditation reduces the rate at which we age, in that it increases levels of DHEA, a hormone which decreases naturally as we grow older. Amongst other things DHEA helps to protect us from heart disease, depression, inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, osteoporosis and certain cancers and assists in fighting bacteria and viruses. Researchers have found significantly higher levels of DHEA in those who practice meditation than in those who don’t, with particularly marked increases in the levels of elderly meditators.

In one particularly enlightening study, the elderly residents of eight rest homes were given the option of either becoming involved in a meditation programme, an active thinking regime, a relaxation programme or being part of a control group who did nothing. In the short term the physical and mental health of the meditation group showed more improvement than the other groups. After three years, all the members of the meditation group were still living, while survival rates of all three other groups were lower. The survival rate for the control group was only 63 per cent.

There are also significant psychological benefits to be gained from meditation. With regular practise, comes improved self esteem, self confidence, emotional stability and an increased sense of fulfilment. In addition, meditation provides a conduit to a world of inner peace where one’s cup is always half full rather than half empty and it shows us how the key to happiness is to live in the present moment rather than dwelling on the past or the future.

There are many forms of meditation all of which require a strong sense of concentration. The following are instructions for an ideal meditation for beginners.
Time: First thing in the morning, when one’s mind is less cluttered, is best but not essential. Although veteran meditators can continue in a meditative state for hours on end, ten to fifteen minutes is quite enough to begin with and still reap the benefits.

Place: Meditation needs to be done in a quiet place away from distractions and the likelihood of any disturbances. Wear loose comfortable clothing.

Position: Sit cross legged on a cushion on the floor or a chair with your legs crossed between knees and ankle. Rest your hands in your lap with palms up. The spine should be straight, but not artificially so. It is important to feel relaxed. Now tilt the head slightly forward and gently close your eyes.

Method: Place your full concentration on your breathing without trying to control it in any way. Observe the flow of the air as you breathe in and out of your nostrils. The aim is to become so absorbed with your breathing no other thoughts come into your mind. You will find this is no easy task as your mind will try to drift off to think about other things. This is completely natural. Simply regard these thoughts as being of no consequence and return your attention to your breathing.

An Aid to Concentration: To help your concentration you may like to try counting your breath. As you breathe in silently count one, as you breathe out count two. Continue up to ten, and then start again. Alternatively, you may find it easier to restrict your counting to the exhaled breaths only, going as high as four, then starting again.
At the end of the session, allow yourself a few moments to come back to reality, before opening your eyes. That’s all there is to it! It takes practice, but as your technique improves you will find you enter a state of profound calm and peace which you will carry over to other aspects of your life.

With such great rewards to be gained from something so simple, you really should give it a go.