So, where were your
thoughts? Where are your thoughts? Have you discovered them? How do you
discover them? Do you have control over them? Let’s ponder over this...... One
tried and tested way to control your thoughts and mind is through meditation!
Let’s have a look at the benefits of meditation – holds true for any form of meditation.
Let’s have a look at the benefits of meditation – holds true for any form of meditation.
What is meditation?
Meditation is a three step process
that leads to a state of consciousness that brings serenity, clarity, and bliss.
– Meditation society of America
Meditation is a practice in which an individual trains the mind and/or induces a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit, although it can be argues that meditation is a goal in and of itself. - Wikipedia
Meditation is an
approach that anyone can use to help them cope with medical problems, stress,
and anxiety by way of thought, contemplation, and reflection. - Project Meditation
Meditation helps an
individual overcome these emotions to facilitate a calm peaceful mind and a
healthy and stress free body. Upon daily practice an individual will blossom
into an unshakable personality. With increase in the number of people who are
calm, peaceful and healthy will facilitate a social transformation, enabling a
society that is trusting, happy and content.- Art of living
Does any of the above
definition speak about meditation as closing your eyes, sitting in padmasana, going
to a secluded place. No, certainly not. What you do to achieve peace of mind,
makes you forget the environment around you is meditation for you. Doing
something you are passionate about. For Sachin Tendulkar, playing cricket may
be a form of meditation, for an avid reader, reading might be meditation or for
someone else, sitting in a secluded place and not thinking is meditation. It is
basically a form of training your mind. That’s all!
There are many schools
which talk about meditation for example the art of living, Sahaj marg, shiva
yoga, Sudarshan kriya, American school of meditation etc. Different forms of
practices to train your mind is taught, but again, what is the objective – forgetting yourself
and your surroundings briefly, and training your mind to do only what you are
doing is meditation.
However, I am a
believer of the traditional way of meditation as well which is closing the eyes,
relaxing, let your thoughts pass by and not let it form impressions in your
mind. I have just started practicing Sahaj Marg form of meditation and I can
indeed feel the difference. You may feel share to post about your views on
meditation, is it a hyped word? ,does it actually have the benefits it claims
to have (mentioned below), are there forms of meditations which are radically
different from the ones mentioned etc.
Individual Benefits of Meditation
|
Social Benefits of Meditation
|
Bodily Benefits – Lower Blood Pressure, lowers
the levels of blood lactate, improves the immune system, increases body
vitality, controls insomnia and increases overall health of the body
|
Violence
Free Society – Meditation
develops happiness, contentment and calmness. When increasing number of
people practice meditation, it has a calming effect on the environment. This
is a potent way to achieve a violence free society.
|
Mental
Benefits – Emotional stability,
anxiety decreases, anger reduces, happiness increases, intuition develops,
clarity and peace of mind, induces ability to focus, reduces tension and fear.
|
Value
Based Society – The effects of
meditation include happiness, respect for the environment and others,
appreciation of diversity in nature, a strong sense of social values. These
qualities an individual level, helps develop a value based social system.
|
Spiritual
Growth – Consciousness evolves, meditation
brings harmony in creation, personal transformation, realization of SELF
|
Trusting,
Happy and Content Society –
These are the objectives of any society. Meditation empowers a society to
achieve these qualities.
|
Source: Art of living
The social benefits mentioned can be reflected in your workplace as
well, violence free society can mean having a peaceful work place, trusting
each other at work will only make your work life a lot more relaxed, delegating
/ authorizing work will not give you sleepless nights.
That was just a very very brief overview, not even the tip of the ice
berg on meditation, but basically it was to dwell upon the fact that whatever
gives you inner peace is a form of meditation.
In my next blog, I will
talk about a few articles published, a short video on religion and more.
good one:)
ReplyDeleteThanks komal!
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