Psychology and Meditation Essay

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The Road to Meditation Meditation is power. Whatever you do, meditation can help you do it better. Meditation is one of the most successful solutions for physical and mental health; it is the practice and process of paying attention and focusing your awareness (Bodian, foreword). This includes how meditation even came to and its benefits you if you have symptoms such as depression, anxiety and loneliness.

Meditation started within the 20th century. Being a long standing tradition in main Asian countries, like Japan, China and India. Meditation is universal, appearing in cultures all over the world. Meditation is simply the practice of focusing your attention on something simple such as a phrase, an item or simply breathing slowly. It originated from major religions like Christianity and Buddhism. In everyday life your mind is constantly processing a barrage of questions. When you meditate, you narrow your focus and calm your mind in the process and promote good health and boost the immune system. Meditation is the art of opening to each moment with calm awareness; you can read about it forever and still come up scratching your head (Davich, 31-32). Meditation offers the techniques and understanding needed to explore meditation deeply. It is also an invaluable resource from all backgrounds. The reason meditation works so effectively is that it connects you with a spiritual dimension. Since the dawn of man there have been fundamental questions. In effort to rid the curiosity that drives humans to ask questions such as the origins and nature of life, who created life equally, or what is the purpose for life on earth (Stilchford, web).

The process of meditation is simply what we do while we are meditating. Attention regulation can be directed to various objects such as a thought or prayer, visualization, a physical object, or stillness. It can cultivate to various outcomes, including improved concentration, stillness of mind and attitude of acceptance (Gawler & Bedson, 5). The essence of meditation is characterized by deep relaxation accompanied by open awareness. Meditation is less about doing something in particular and more about being. All we need “to do” is to let go and be still. A technique is considered a hindrance that only keeps the mind busy and focused. There is no effort needed. Just sit (42). People sit in a disarmingly simple way and meditate. The direct approach is all that is needed. However, for many people the direct approach in confusing, frustrating, or unworkable. The no-method approach leaves people in a sleeping, dreaming, or imagining state. They may feel relaxed but they are not meditation. No technique makes meditation happen; it may be helpful to regard a meditation technique as being like a series of stepping stones designed to take us from one state of mind to another. While techniques are very useful, they are most useful when we go the extra mile. It is creating the right environment in which the essence of meditation happens by itself (44).

Meditation is used for reducing anxiety. Anxiety is suppressed and or ignored emotions and those with anxiety usually trail towards meditation for treating the symptom. Practicing meditation creates space or opens the mind so the emotions pushed away are able to be surfaced and released (Scott, Everydayhealth.com). There are a variety of meditation practices for instance Metta, mindfulness, and Zen are a couple and it is best to find one suited for you. Metta, or loving kindness, is the traditional form of meditation in Buddhism, it is a healing practice. Loving kindness is the intention to do no harm to others through our thoughts, words or deeds. The intention to do no harm and the wish for happiness and peace extends to us and all beings, the meditation begins by sending thoughts of friendliness and kindness to yourself, then to a friend, then to a neutral person, to someone with whom you experience difficulty and, last, to
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