Therapies: Meditation Therapy

Meditation is an activity that calms the mind and keeps it focused on the present. In the meditative state, the mind is not cluttered with thoughts or memories of the past, nor is it concerned with future events.

Description:

Meditation, which has been practiced for thousands of years, is an effective means of treating stress and managing pain. There are hundreds of meditation techniques, most of which fall into one of two categories: concentrative and mindfulness. During concentratinve meditation, attention is focused on a single sound, an object or one's breath, to bring about a calm, tranquil mind. During mindfulness meditation, the mind becomes aware of but does not react to the wide variety of sensations, feelings, and images tied in with a current activity. Much research has been done on trasnscendental meditation (TM). TM brings about a state of deep relaxation in which the body is totally at rest, but the mind is highly alert.

Meditation relies on the body's ability to switch to an alpha (resting) or theta (relaxing) brain-wave state, during which the brain's rhythm slows appreciably, and endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, are released. Studies have shown that during meditation, metabolism is lowered, resulting in a slower heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and slower breathing. In the seventies, Dr. Herbert Benson, a cardiologist at the Harvard Medical School, formulated the theory of an inborn "relaxation response" that can be cultivated to counteract stress. Eliciting it, he wrote, "can help counteract the effects of repeated insults of stress on the heart and other organs."

The experience of Transcendental Consciousness develops the individual's latent creative potential while dissolving accumulated stress and fatigue through the deep rest gained during the practice. This experience enliven's creativity, dynamism, orderliness, and organizing power in one's awareness, which results in increasing effectiveness and success in daily life. In the past four decades the Transcendental Meditation program has been learned by over four million people of all cultures, religions, and educational backgrounds worldwide. It has been implemented in universities and schools in many countries, including Maharishi University of Management in the U.S.A. and Maharishi Schools of the Age of Enlightenment.

Method:

Concentrative Meditation

One simple, common technique involves sitting or lying comfortably in a quiet environment, closing your eyes, and focusing attention on your breath as you inhale through your nose for a count of three, then exhale through your mouth for a count of five. This focus on your breathing rhythm-slow, deep, regular breaths-allows your mind to become tranquil and aware.

Mindfulness Meditation

By sitting quietly and allowing the images of your surroundings to pass through your mind without reacting to or becoming involved with them, you can attain a calm state of mind.

Transcendental Meditation

The Transcendental Meditation technique is a simple, natural, effortless procedure practiced for 15-20 minutes in the morning and afternoon while sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. During this technique the individual's awareness settles down and he/she experiences the simplest form of human awareness---Transcendental Consciousness---where consciousness is open to itself. Transcendental Consciousness has been found by physiological research to be a fourth major state of consciousness, a state of restful alertness, distinct from the commonly experienced states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep.

Common cures:

1. NERVOUS SYSTEM

headaches
depression
multiple sclerosis
epilepsy
stroke

2. DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Crohn's disease
irritable bowel syndrome
ulcers
nausea (meditation has reduced chemotherapy associated anticipatory nausea)

8. ADDICTIONS

smoking
alcoholism (Alcoholics who practice Transcendental Meditation show a steady decline in alcohol use as well as a 90 percent sobriety rate after two years)

4. RESPIRATORY

asthma

5. REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

menopause
premenstraul syndrome (PMS)
impotence

6. SKIN

acne

7. IMMUNE SYSTEM

AIDS

8. INTER-BODILY SYSTEM

cancer

In addition:

NOTE: Research studies have been conducted on all of the above clinical benefits of Transcendental Meditation (TM), approximately 508 studies thus far.

1. MIND

Intelligence growth
Increased creativity
Broader Comprehension
Improved perception
Greater Orderliness

2. BODY

Lower blood pressure
Improved health
Reduced anxiety
Reduced need for traditional medical care
Decreased stress
Reversal of aging
Change in breathing
Deep rest

4. BEHAVIORAL

Increased productivity
Relations at work
Decreased drug abuse
Self-actualization
Increased self-concept
Increased relaxation

5. ENVIRONMENT

Improved quality of life
Decreased crime
Decreased violent fatality
Reduced conflict

Studies show that meditation, especially TM, is effective in controlling anxiety, enhancing the immune system, and reducing conditions such as high blood pressure. Meditation has also been used succesfully to treat chronic pain and to control substance abuse. In addition, it can benefit those who have heart disease and/or hypertension. It improves exercise tolerance in CAD patients, reduces stress-related hormones, and also reduces obesity. Meditation increases Basil Skin Resistance, decreases minute ventilation, and increases the regularity and intensity of EEG Alpha Activity (according to the results of the American Journal of Physiology, 1971).

Application:

Gemstones aid in the effectiveness of a peaceful meditation state. Meditation is used in various high-stress professions to ease worker tension and anxiety. It is a good way to relax, reduce or eliminate irrational fears (phobias), and to enter into an altered state of consciousness. Certain individuals experience vivid visual images of past life experiences during deep states of meditation (similar to the hypnotic state and sometimes referred to as past life regressions).

Modern medicine's perspective:

The practice of meditation is slowly beginning to reach all Americans because it can be performed by any individual safely and without virtually any cost to the participant. Moreover, the individual can employ it alone or with others in the privacy of his or her own home. Because people today are so overburdened with high stress jobs and other activities, many have let meditation enter into their lives to help reduce the anxiety and pain they may have, and to rejuvenate their bodies. The effectiveness of meditation in reducing stress and giving the mind enhanced clarity is finally beginning to show; even some western physicians will exclaim that meditation is a viable complement to some conventional surgical and diagnostic procedures.

Links & Resources:

New York Magazine (May 11,1998)

Complete guide to the Transcendental Meditation Program. http://www.tm.org.

Meditation Groups, Inc. P.O. Box 566 Ojai, California 93024 Telephone: (805)-646-5508 FAX: (805)-646-3303 E-Mail: meditation@meditation.com. http://www.meditation.com.

Mahareshi Foundation of New Zealand (Inc.) Phone: (09)-522-1052 FAX: (09)-524-6003 E-mail: mfnz@nlp.org.nz.

Institute of Noetic Sciences P.O. Box 909 Sausalito, California 94966 (415) 331-5650

Institute of Transpersonal Psychology P.O. Box 4437 Stanford, California 94305 (415) 327-2066

Maharishi International University 1000 North 4th Street Fairfield, Iowa 52556 (515) 472-5031

Stress Reduction Clinic University of Massachusetts Medical Center 55 Lake Avenue, North Worcester, Massachusetts 01655 (508) 856-2656

"Awakening Journey," by David A. Piser, from magazine called Massage and Bodywork, Winter 1998.

Permissions: