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Meditation

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What is MeditationAn ordinary person may consider meditation as a worship or prayer. But it is not so. Meditation means awareness. Whatever you do with awareness is meditation. "Watching your breath" is meditation; listening to the birds is meditation; awareness of what how you eating; awareness of how you respond to situations is meditation. As long as these activities are free from any other distraction to the mind, it is effective meditation.

Meditation is not a technique but a way of life. Meditation means 'a cessation of the thought process'

Meditation is about having a relationship with yourself with no external distractions.

Meditation is a way of life. It is to be lived. We have a vast reservoir of energy in us, lying unused, untapped. Once we get in touch with this energy, our life changes from just being an ordinary to a divine one. Meditation is being in tune with our inner energy source. Life throws up many challenges and if we do not have the right tools to face these, then we end up failing miserably. The tools are patience and tolerance.

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Why Meditation "Your mind is at work all day, every day. Every decision you make, every challenge that you face, every moment you go through in life, your mind is your constant companion...and it can be your best friend or your worst enemy."

When you practice meditation, your heart rate and your breathing gradually slow down. Your blood pressure normalizes and the function of your immune system improves. Meditation also causes your adrenal glands to produce less cortisol, one of the main hormones responsible for ageing.

As you meditate, your mind becomes clearer and clearer. You feel less burdened by mental chatter, and troubling emotions gradually melt away. Feelings of stress and anxiety are greatly reduced. The inner calm that meditation provides also leads to a more positive outlook, increased intelligence and enhanced creativity. Meditation helps to eliminate stress and anxiety, and it helps you to sleep more deeply. With consistent practice, these positive effects compound and become permanently established.

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This meditation technique delivers a unique level of brain state coherence, allowing you to become more aware, present and mindful. Scientific research has also found that meditation develops the ‘hippocampus’ - resulting in enhanced memory and learning. On an emotional level, meditation has been repeatedly shown to lower anxiety, depression and anger.

Meditation can provide effective ways for you to substantially reduce pain and increase healing, without medication. Research into the effects of meditation have consistently found lower blood pressure, strokes and heart disease among participants who meditated, as well as dramatically reduced reliance upon health care services.

All branches of the nervous system are brought into balance by meditation. We become relaxed, calm, and full of vitality. You sleep better and have more energy, physically and emotionally. Meditators are also famously less stressed. After only 5 days of meditating (20 mins/day), new meditators demonstrate a significant decrease in their levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

How does meditation help?

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How can you use relaxation's healing powers? Scientific researchers found that yoga, meditation and even repetitive prayer and mantras all induced the relaxation effect. 'The more regularly these techniques are practised, the more deeply rooted the benefits will be. Try one or more of these techniques for 15 minutes once or twice a day.

Body Scan: Starting with your head and working down to your arms and feet, notice how you feel in your body. Taking in your head and neck, simply notice if you feel tense, relaxed, calm or anxious. See how much you can spread any sensations of softness and relaxation to areas of your body that feel tense. Once your reach your feet, work back up your body.

Breath Focus: Sit comfortably. Tune into your breath, follow the sensation of inhaling from your nose to abdomen and out again. Let tension go with each exhalation. When you notice your mind wandering, return to your breath.

Mantra Repetition: The relaxation response can be evoked by sitting quietly with eyes closed for 15 minutes twice a day, and mentally repeating a simple word or sound such as ''Om''.

Guided Imagery: Imagine a wonderfully relaxing light or a soothing waterfall washing away tension from your body and mind. Make your image vivid, imagining texture, colour and any fragrance as the image washes over you.

How to Begin?

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Importance of Prana (5 Vayus)

PranaPrana, literally the “forward moving air,” moves inward and governs reception of all types from the eating of food, drinking of water, and inhalation of air, to the reception of sensory impressions and mental experiences. It is propulsive in nature, setting things in motion and guiding them. It provides the basic energy that drives us in life.ApanaApana, literally the “air that moves away,” moves downward and outward and governs all forms of elimination and reproduction (which also has a downward movement). It governs the elimination of the stool and the urine, the expelling of semen, menstrual fluid and the fetus, and the elimination of carbon dioxide through the breath. On a deeper level it rules the elimination of negative sensory, emotional and mental experiences. It is the basis of our immune function on all levels.UdanaUdana, literally the “upward moving air,” moves upward and qualitative or transformative movements of the life-energy. It governs growth of the body, the ability to stand, speech, effort, enthusiasm and will. It is our main positive energy in life through which we can develop our different bodies and evolve in consciousness.SamanaSamana, literally the “balancing air,” moves from the periphery to the center, through a churning and discerning action. It aids in digestion on all levels. It works in the gastrointestinal tract to digest food, in the lungs to digest air or absorb oxygen, and in the mind to homogenize and digest experiences, whether sensory, emotional or mental.VyanaVyana, literally the “outward moving air,” moves from the center to the periphery. It governs circulation on all levels. It moves the food, water and oxygen throughout the body, and keeps our emotions and thoughts circulating in the mind, imparting movement and providing strength. In doing so it assists all the other Pranas in their work.

The Five PranasPranamaya kosha is composed of the five Pranas. The one primary Prana divides into five types according to its movement and direction. This is an important subject in Ayurvedic medicine as well as Yogic thought.

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A Eight - Limb Yoga

Limbs Description

Yamas Limb one of the 8 limbs of yoga, the five yamas, refers to one's own ethical standards and integrity, focusing on behavior and how we conduct our lives, without projecting judgement towards others.

Branches of the YamasAhimsa Nonviolence or doing no harm, living and acting in harmony with our body and

extended body for the growth of all.Satya Truthfulness or integrity of thoughts, words, and actions.

Asteya Non stealing or ability to live honestly.Brahmacharya Continence or using our life energy wisely.

Aparigraha Non covetousness or abundant with generosity.

Niyamas Limb two of the 8 limbs of yoga, the five niyamas, have to do with self-discipline authenticity and spirituality.

Branches of the NiyamasSaucha Cleanliness, purity and nourishing our mind, body and spirit.

Samtosa Contentment within the present moment, independant of the external.

Tapas Austerity or devotion to the difficult goal of enlightenment.

Svadhyaya Self awareness and self value and security from within.

Isvara Pranidhana

Liberation or surrendering to the enlightenment of faith.

Asana The "Postures" or "Poses" of yoga, help us to develop a harmonious body and connection to the incarnate self.

Pranayama Breath observation, control and awareness of the connection between the breath and the mind.

Pratyahara Withdrawal of the senses, to remove worldly distractions in order to better observe the subtle self.

Dharana The practice of concentration that allows us to focus on one single mental object, though, image or intention.

Dhyana A heightened state of awareness of the mind and no mind, or self and oneness.

Samadhi Acceptance of moving beyond the self, and finding unity with universeal oneness.

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