Scientists and doctors study meditation and recommendit. Meditation is now proven to be more than just a ‘warm and fuzzy’ feeling.It works. So there are many reasons why people begin to meditate. Some learnmeditation to become more relaxed, for improvement in health, to reduce stress,for clearer thinking, to become more creative, to sleep better and to improvemental strength. There are physical, emotional and spiritual Benefits ofMeditation. It’s safe, it’s simple and it’s free.

People who are not familiar with meditation mayconsider it to be prayer or worship, but this is far from the truth. Meditationcan be described as concentrated awareness – so as you overcome distractionsand focus your mind on something you are becoming aware; you are meditatingwhen you maintain a continued state ofawareness. There are a wide range of disciplines taught for bringing yourattention on to some object or thought or awareness. In fact what happens inthe process is that meditation moves your brainwaves into an alpha state. Thisis a relaxed state with a level of consciousness where you are still aware. Inthe alpha state learning and healing are promoted.

Brainwaves

Brainwaves are electrical activity emanating from thebrain. There are four categories of brainwaves as shown below:

Beta (alert/working): 15 to 40 hertz

Alpha (relaxed/reflecting): 9 to 14 hertz

Theta (drowsy): 5 to 8 hertz

Delta (sleep/dreaming): 3 to 4 hertz

Delta (deep dreamless sleep): 1.5 to 3 hertz

*Hertz = cycles per second

In the alpha state your brainwaves run between 9 to 14cycles per second or hertz, compared with your normal waking state beta: of 15 to40 hertz. Deeper states of relaxation move through theta, delta to the deepestdelta, which is a highly creative state of relaxation.

In fact you are meditating when you focus on birds singing, to theexclusion of all other thoughts, or staring into the fire, just focusing onthat, or concentrating on your breath coming in and out, thinking of nothing else.

Traditionally Eastern cultures have practisedmeditation for centuries as part of their spiritual teachings, and untilrecently, say the last 30 or 40 years , Westerners viewed meditation with a bitof suspicion. Now, the benefits are so well documented and experienced by somany that it has become common practice for many doctors and healthpractitioners to recommend meditation as part of their healing plan.

There are two basic techniques of meditating and thedifferent practices fall in to either of these two categories, with somevariations possible. In mindfulnessmeditation the meditator sits in a comfortable position and focuses hisattention and awareness on an object or activity – such as a candle, breathing,a visualisation or a mantra, keeping an open focus and awareness of the presentmoment as he does so. This method allows for free flowing and observing of histhoughts while using the focus as an ‘anchor’ he constantly brings his mindback to the focus, when he starts to wander off in to different thoughts.

With concentrationmeditation which is used by most spiritual and religious traditions, themeditator keeps his attention on a particular object like repetition of aprayer or a mantra to minimize distractions, and continually brings his mindback to the chosen object. Lawrence LeShan defined meditation in ‘How toMeditate’ as “doing one thing at a time with your whole being".

In some traditions both mindful andconcentration meditation are combined.

It is possible to practice meditation even whilewalking or doing simple repetitive tasks. It is in moments when your mind isclear that you get that ‘realisation’, ‘inspiration’ or ‘BFO’ (blinding flashof the obvious). “AHA" you say, as something miraculously pops in to your head.

Learn How to Meditate

You can attend sessions somewhere in your city,usually free, to learn how to meditate. There are many books and tapes to helpyou, most of them excellent aids. It is easy and simple to learn. There aremany tools to help you move into a meditative state. The one I absolutely loveis the Holosync audio tapes from Centrepointe (centerpointe.com) (I don’t lightlyrecommend products, but this advanced Neuro technology is light years ahead ofanything else I have tried and read about. I use it daily).

When you practice meditation regularly you begin toliberate the energy in your mind and the quality of your consciousness willexpand. You will become more relaxed and happy, experiencing a sense of controlof your life. You tend to approach life in a much more peaceful manner, notstressing in ways you might have done previously. This is not just ageneralised statement, but is now being proven by empirical research.

I maintain wholeheartedly that meditation is trulybeneficial. Do try it.