Contemplation on Meditation

by Gillian Markson | More from this Blogger

The term "meditation" refers to the calming of the mind and body so as to contemplate, or focus on, a particular situation, person, place, or thing. Meditation most commonly refers directly to spiritual exercises in the Buddhist and Hindi practices, as well as many eastern and western religions. Buddhists teach meditation as a way to obtain a higher spiritual understanding, and thusly to come to a richer, more fulfilling understanding of one's present life. Christians teach meditation on the Christ as a way to grow closer to God, and thus achieve a permanent place in heaven during the afterlife. Many individuals practice meditation as a method to obtain more focus in their lives in totality.

The purpose of meditation has traditionally been to achieve enlightenment. Psychologists explain that meditation can produce an altered conscious state, similar to that produced by many narcotic drugs. In more recent decades, studies have shown that meditation can have a profoundly positive effect on cardiovascular health.

Much like yoga and QiGong, meditation focuses on physical posture-though in meditation the posture is generally to remain unchanged during the meditative experience. The Dalai Lama, and leader of the "Free Tibet" movement, Tenzin Gyatso teaches his Buddhist followers that during meditation the legs should be in lotus position (similar to Indian-style, but the legs are crossed on top of each other without tucking either foot under the body). He also teaches that the spine should be kept straight; eyes open with gaze at a medium level, and mouth open with the tongue touching the roof of the mouth. Placement of the hands is often determined by individual preference. Many place their hands on their knees, with arms outstretched. In this posture, the hands are situated with palms up and forefingers touching thumbs. Others hold their hands at chest level, with the palms together, fingers pointing up, and elbows level. Once the proper physical position is achieved, the individual begins the work of clearing the mind. This is achieved by focusing either on the breathing, or solely on the object or subject wished to be meditated on. The idea is to let go of conscious thought processes and allow the mind to become quiet. Once the mind is truly quieted, it is believed that greater insight will be achieved or imparted to the meditating individual. For beginners, this process may take hours and daily practice to achieve, however, clearing the mind is said to become easier once achieved.

Electroencephalographs, or EEG's, have shown that gamma waves increase across the brain during meditation, thus proving that the practiced meditative brain becomes more unified during the exercise-an altogether positive reaction. When over-practiced, Meditation can sometimes be linked to mental psychosis and can cause problems similar to the adverse effects of QiGong. These cases are rare, and meditation is considered a generally safe physical and spiritual practice though-out most of the world.

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