1. Meditation

2. What is Meditation? A mental exercise that benefits body processes
Has certain physical benefits
Tradition grounded in Eastern cultures- India, Tibet
Popularized by Western cultures

3. What is Meditation? Not a worship or prayer It is Awareness
"Watching your breath" is meditation; listening to the birds is meditation
As long as these activities are free from any other distraction to the mind, it is effective meditation.
Mind is free of scattered thoughts

4. What is Meditation?
A Tibetan Lama was being monitored on a brain scan machine by a scientist wishing to test physiological functions during deep meditation. The scientist said - "Very good Sir. The machine shows that you are able to go very deep in brain relaxation, and that validates your meditation". "No", said the Lama, "This (pointing to his brain) validates the machine!".

5. Meditation… Derived from two Latin words :
Meditari(to think, to dwell upon, to exercise the mind)
Mederi (to heal). Its Sanskrit derivation 'medha' means wisdom.
With regular practice of a balanced series of techniques, the energy of the body and mind can be liberated and the quality of consciousness can be expanded
Not a subjective claim but is now being investigated by the scientists and being shown by an empirical fact

6. History

7. Ancient spiritual practice
History of Mediation
Meditation is BOTH
Ancient spiritual practice
Contemporary mind-body technique

8. History of Mediation Originated from Asia- India, China, Japan
Primary Purpose
Past: Religious Practice
Present: Health benefits appeared around 1970

9. History of Meditation
Dr. Benson demonstrated that the effects of meditation are essentially the opposite of the fight-or-flight response. Meditation Decreases:
Heart Rate
Respiratory Rate
Blood Pressure
Oxygen Consumption
Muscle Tension

10. Transcendental Meditation (TM)
Founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1957
Practiced minutes twice a day
Sit comfortably, eyes closed
Silent, mental repetition of a simple sound or mantra
Allow the repetition to spontaneously become quieter and quieter until it disappears and one is left conscious, but without thoughts

11. Physiological Research
TM technique gives rise to a relaxed state marked by:
Reductions in metabolic activity
Increased cerebral blood flow
Skin resistance changes
Reductions in plasma cortisol

12. Mental Health
TM more effective in reducing anxiety than other techniques
TM has been found to reduce:
depression
hostility
emotional instability
TM is 3x more effective than other techniques in increasing:
self-actualization
emotional maturity
a resilient sense of self
a positive world outlook
TM techniques have also been linked with:
Reductions of major risk factors for disease
Reductions in blood pressure
Reductions in the use of alcohol and drugs
Note: A meta-analysis in 1990 indicated that meditation techniques involving explicit concentration produced the least effect of all techniques studied

13. Types of Meditation

14. 2 Approaches Concentrative- opening up of attention
Mindfulness- focusing of attention

15. Transcendental Meditation
Mahest Prasod Varma
2 years of isolation in a Himalayan cave

16. Chakra Yoga Originates from Samkhya philosophy
The chakra model is a map of the Human Energy System
This system is made up of 7 points along a central channel

17. Rinzai Zen Began in India and spread by a Buddhist monk to Asia
Meditation was practiced in hope to discover one’s true nature while rejecting the academic approaches to Buddhism
Uses koans which are unanswerable,illogical riddles

18. Mudra yoga Hand and finger yoga positions
Enhances health, relieves stress, prevent illness and heals physically and emotionally
Madonna uses it in her performances

19. Sufism
Central concept or focus is love
It is a tradition of Islam

20. Other forms of meditation
Soto Zen focuses on external objects
Tibetan Buddhists use a mandala, nadam and mantra
Zazen focuses on a subjective state of consciousness
Hindu uses pranayama
Zen uses anapanasati

21. Benefits of Meditation

22. Physiological Effects
First discovered in 1946
Found that meditation could affect the heart rates and respiration rates of Indian yogis and Zen masters
More recently, researchers found meditation can decrease muscle tension

23. Physiological Benefits cont’d
Positive effects on blood pressure
Decreases heart rate
Prevents hypertension
Decreases blood lactate levels and carbon dioxide production
Increases peripheral blood flow to arms and legs

24. Physiological Benefits cont’d
Lowers baseline cortisol
Can efficiently treat pain
Reduces alcohol consumption
Decreases oxygen consumption
Decreases alpha brain-wave emissions
Increases skin resistance

25. Cnn.com article
People who have been practicing Buddhist insight meditation have a thicker cortex in some parts of their brain than people who do not meditate
The longer they had practiced for, the thicker their cortex was

26. Cnn.article cont’d Other studies have shown that meditation:
Can decrease stress
Can decrease anxiety and depression
Has beneficial effects for a variety of other illnesses.

27. Relaxation Response
This is the physiological state achieved when one is relaxed and has beneficial effects upon one’s health
Meditation specifically produces this response
Also termed the trophotropic response

28. Psychological Benefits
Can produce a general state of positive mental health
Decrease anxiety
Reduced fears and phobias
Headache relief
Improvements in sleep

29. Psychological Benefits
Shows potential for stress management
Associated with positive subjective experiences
Relates to an internal locus of control, greater self-actualization and more positive feelings after encountering a stressor

30. Behavioral Effects Decreased cigarette smoking Decreased drug abuse
Eating disorders have been found to be positively affected by mediation

31. Other Benefits Decrease in the use of health services among meditators
In effect, that saves companies money on health insurance premiums

32. Yoga Exercise

33. How to Meditate Meditate Regularly
Until you have gained enough experience, meditate at the same time and place every day.
Find a quiet, comfortable, and clean location.
Make sure no one disturbs you.
Sit so comfortably that you forget your body.
Be patient.
Have fun.
Be aware of yourself.
BREATHE, RELAX, AND CONCENTRATE

34. DO NOT MEDITATE: In a dirty place
Where there are dangerous wild animals, potential for fire or flood, or bad people.
If you feel tired, sick, sorrowful, or miserable.

35. Quick Meditation Technique
Remind yourself that you exist HERE and NOW
Be aware of the activities going on in and around you at moment.
From now onwards, start doing everything with AWARENESS.

36. Yoga Exercise Practice poses if your energy or mood is low.
Do different poses for five minutes at a time throughout work or study.
Get in the habit of taking frequent breaks, if only to look out a window or stand up.
Yoga is a great way to relieve physical and mental stress; it improves posture, relieves eye stress and muscle stiffness, sharpens mental focus, and helps to calm and revitalize.

37. Yoga
The following are a few quick and easy yoga techniques to practice at work or in study.
Balancing Breath
Ocean Breath
Breath of Fire
Eye Exercises and Cupping
Face Massage
Warrior Breath
Joints Alive
Lion