Meditation and You
by Francoise Adan, MD (University Hospitals)
What is meditation?
“And, isn’t it solely a religious practice?”
Meditation is a name given to a wide array of techniques and methods that essentially turn your center of attention inward. It is the practice of bringing your body, mind and spirit to the present moment to achieve better health, inner peace and a higher level of consciousness.
No. The word itself has Latin origins that reflect its use in all aspects of life. It comes from words that mean: to cure (medico), to heal (mederi) and to contemplate (medatari). Furthermore, the practice of meditation dates back to over 5000 years ago, as prehistoric civilizations recorded the use of repetitive and rhythmic techniques for secular, religious and spiritual purposes.
Who really meditates?
“Isn’t it for people of eastern cultures not in the hustle and bustle of America?”
Everyone! Today, meditation is growing is growing in cultures all around the globe and is practiced in many forms world-wide.
No. As a matter of fact, some forms of meditation have been popularized right here in our western culture. You may already have heard about one of these types: mindfulness meditation. Brought into the mainstream by Jon Kabat Zinn – this is a meditation technique very popular right here in America because of our need to be in the moment even in the midst of our busy lives. Mindfulness is focused on learning to be present in yourself and to be present in the here and now. Most excitedly, this form of meditation is gaining wide-spread acclaim and increasing use across the westernized medical community.
Why bother?
“Isn’t it just used to clear your head a bit?”
Our inner resources can be mobilized to support, enhance and assist in our healing and performance processes. Meditation serves many critical and exciting purposes for all who engage in its practices.
No. You can meditate to gain greater personal awareness and to learn much more about yourself. You can meditate to improve your overall well-being and sense of command in the world. Research now tells us that 80-90% of all our visits to PCPs are directly related to conditions caused and/or exacerbated by stress. Bottom line: no one is immune to the impact of stress. You can meditate to combat these harmful and negative effects, as meditation helps you cope in better ways, ‘handling’ life as you navigate through it. Furthermore, meditation is also very useful as a key component of an integrated and holistic approach to your overall health.
What are the benefits?
“Isn’t it just about peace of mind?”
Good news continues to come from research telling us about the powerful and long-lasting benefits of meditation. We keep learning more and the benefits keep growing in numbers.
No. It’s about so much more. You’ll gain emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical benefits. The practice of meditation is proven to impact both your sense of well-being and your performance in life and in work. It is linked to: improvements in mood and depression; reduction of anxiety and anger; increase of concentration and focus; and decrease in compulsive behavior and substance abuse. Very critically, the practice of meditation serves as a gate-way to entering the relaxation response – a necessary physiologic response to gain and sustain healthy living. Amongst the long list of benefits for optimal health, science is proving: reductions in blood pressure; lower heart rates; decreases in stress hormones and increases in calming hormones; restoration of the central nervous system; and improvement in the immune system. And, still, there’s more! The latest and greatest evidence-based research suggests that meditation may alter the expression of our genes involved with the inflammatory process! Stay tuned, as more is sure to come.
What about the Type A personality?
“And, isn’t it impossible to meditate if you’re always on-the-go and your mind is racy?”
Actually, meditation is not only possible for Type As, it’s highly recommended.
No. While popular opinion seems to have it that meditation is about “forcing” your mind to quiet and to clear – the truth is far from that. Meditation isn’t about forcing anything! It is a practice to help you learn to be more present, to focus on your breath, to be less reactive and impulsive, to become more aware, and to make wise and conscious-based choices. Like any other skill you learn, you’ll get better the more you engage in meditation and the more you practice non-judgment.
How and where can I learn?
“Isn’t it too hard and too time consuming?”
Many opportunities exist to learn the practice of meditation. Both reading books and listening to CD’s are excellent ways to increase your understanding, your awareness and your practice. A classroom experience with a seasoned and learned meditation guide is especially effective and impacting. You can ask questions, follow instruction, enjoy the support of others, and immerse yourself in a special experience.
No. “If you have time to breathe” in the words of Ajahn Chah, a Thai Meditation Master, ‘you have time to meditate.”
Isn’t it really for someone else?
“Or is it for me, too?”
Meditation is for anyone who wants to meditate. And, it is recommended now by countless medical practitioners.
Yes. It is for you.Find out more and ask your Doctor about it. Why not? You’ve got everything to gain and nothing to lose.
“And, isn’t it solely a religious practice?”
Meditation is a name given to a wide array of techniques and methods that essentially turn your center of attention inward. It is the practice of bringing your body, mind and spirit to the present moment to achieve better health, inner peace and a higher level of consciousness.
No. The word itself has Latin origins that reflect its use in all aspects of life. It comes from words that mean: to cure (medico), to heal (mederi) and to contemplate (medatari). Furthermore, the practice of meditation dates back to over 5000 years ago, as prehistoric civilizations recorded the use of repetitive and rhythmic techniques for secular, religious and spiritual purposes.
Who really meditates?
“Isn’t it for people of eastern cultures not in the hustle and bustle of America?”
Everyone! Today, meditation is growing is growing in cultures all around the globe and is practiced in many forms world-wide.
No. As a matter of fact, some forms of meditation have been popularized right here in our western culture. You may already have heard about one of these types: mindfulness meditation. Brought into the mainstream by Jon Kabat Zinn – this is a meditation technique very popular right here in America because of our need to be in the moment even in the midst of our busy lives. Mindfulness is focused on learning to be present in yourself and to be present in the here and now. Most excitedly, this form of meditation is gaining wide-spread acclaim and increasing use across the westernized medical community.
Why bother?
“Isn’t it just used to clear your head a bit?”
Our inner resources can be mobilized to support, enhance and assist in our healing and performance processes. Meditation serves many critical and exciting purposes for all who engage in its practices.
No. You can meditate to gain greater personal awareness and to learn much more about yourself. You can meditate to improve your overall well-being and sense of command in the world. Research now tells us that 80-90% of all our visits to PCPs are directly related to conditions caused and/or exacerbated by stress. Bottom line: no one is immune to the impact of stress. You can meditate to combat these harmful and negative effects, as meditation helps you cope in better ways, ‘handling’ life as you navigate through it. Furthermore, meditation is also very useful as a key component of an integrated and holistic approach to your overall health.
What are the benefits?
“Isn’t it just about peace of mind?”
Good news continues to come from research telling us about the powerful and long-lasting benefits of meditation. We keep learning more and the benefits keep growing in numbers.
No. It’s about so much more. You’ll gain emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical benefits. The practice of meditation is proven to impact both your sense of well-being and your performance in life and in work. It is linked to: improvements in mood and depression; reduction of anxiety and anger; increase of concentration and focus; and decrease in compulsive behavior and substance abuse. Very critically, the practice of meditation serves as a gate-way to entering the relaxation response – a necessary physiologic response to gain and sustain healthy living. Amongst the long list of benefits for optimal health, science is proving: reductions in blood pressure; lower heart rates; decreases in stress hormones and increases in calming hormones; restoration of the central nervous system; and improvement in the immune system. And, still, there’s more! The latest and greatest evidence-based research suggests that meditation may alter the expression of our genes involved with the inflammatory process! Stay tuned, as more is sure to come.
What about the Type A personality?
“And, isn’t it impossible to meditate if you’re always on-the-go and your mind is racy?”
Actually, meditation is not only possible for Type As, it’s highly recommended.
No. While popular opinion seems to have it that meditation is about “forcing” your mind to quiet and to clear – the truth is far from that. Meditation isn’t about forcing anything! It is a practice to help you learn to be more present, to focus on your breath, to be less reactive and impulsive, to become more aware, and to make wise and conscious-based choices. Like any other skill you learn, you’ll get better the more you engage in meditation and the more you practice non-judgment.
How and where can I learn?
“Isn’t it too hard and too time consuming?”
Many opportunities exist to learn the practice of meditation. Both reading books and listening to CD’s are excellent ways to increase your understanding, your awareness and your practice. A classroom experience with a seasoned and learned meditation guide is especially effective and impacting. You can ask questions, follow instruction, enjoy the support of others, and immerse yourself in a special experience.
No. “If you have time to breathe” in the words of Ajahn Chah, a Thai Meditation Master, ‘you have time to meditate.”
Isn’t it really for someone else?
“Or is it for me, too?”
Meditation is for anyone who wants to meditate. And, it is recommended now by countless medical practitioners.
Yes. It is for you.Find out more and ask your Doctor about it. Why not? You’ve got everything to gain and nothing to lose.
