Choosing a technique for meditation

Why is Buddha smiling? Because it's finally happened: meditation is mainstream.

Of course, the true "spirit of Buddha" is reason to smile inside and is said to be unfazed by such frivolities as space-time cultural trends, but surely the "enlightened" among us, whoever is should encourage meditation practices that are taken in boardrooms of corporate America, taught at the YMCA, introduced to schools throughout the world and even called for within the military.

Care, Zen, Transcendental Meditation technique and many other practices have become household words. Hundreds of peer-reviewed studies of scientific research have demonstrated the efficacy of meditation to improve health, disease prevention, accelerate personal growth and even reversing aging.

But with so many different methods of meditation available, how to choose a suitable technique, meditation effective self or family? Here are some tips to save time meditator lifetime and 35 years as a teacher of meditation will help you assess that meditation might be best for you.

Meditation techniques are not all alike!

The first step is to recognize that not all meditation techniques are the same. Different meditation practices occupy the mind in different ways. Vipassna also frequently (and perhaps in general) is known as mindfulness meditation, emphasizes dispassionate observation and, more philosophical contemplation of impermanence, often focuses on the interconnection between mind and the body. Zen Buddhist practices is likely to use concentration, either directed to the breath or try to understand a Zen koan. The Transcendental Meditation technique uses experience effortless attention to subtle states of thought and "transcend" the use of a special mantra. Christian prayer center uses a word of worship to encourage receptivity to God. And this is just a small sample of the variety of practices commonly grouped as "meditation."

Different techniques have different objectives, using a variety of procedures and, of course, produce different results. To determine which technique is between this range of best practices might suit your purposes, begin by asking what you want out of meditation, and how long you are willing to give. Some programs emphasize the practice of meditation regularly or two times a day with time to obtain the maximum benefit and progress to higher stages of personal growth, while other practices are intended for casual or impulse of inspiration to rest when you're stressed.

Another question to ask yourself: Do you want a meditation practice that comes with a religion, philosophy or way of life? Many of the practices such as Buddhist and Taoist practices, are woven into a conceptual world view is an intrinsic part of practice-whether it is an approach that covers the cosmos and the human mind as inseparable parts of one order, or a worldview that strives to go beyond all dogma and see the world as it really is, is yet another mental world view conceived. Other practices, such as mindfulness meditation now popular in the West, or the Transcendental Meditation technique are secular in nature and can be practiced without taking any philosophy, religion or lifestyle.

Are you trying to get inspiration and ideas on the experience of meditation? Meditations that fall into this category are contemplative techniques. They promise a higher level of understanding on the subject are covered and help to understand the intelligence of different ways of thinking. This type of meditation can be enjoyable and emotionally uplifting, especially if there is no force or mind control involved. Often these practices are carried out with a CD guide, instructor or derived from a book.

A scientific approach:

Looking for a specific health benefit, such as reduced anxiety or low blood pressure? While proponents of the practices of most meditation claim health benefits, these often include benefit claims that scientific research is actually carried out in other forms of meditation, and in practice is promoted. However, research has clearly shown that meditation not all give the same results. [1] If you are choosing a meditation for a specific health benefit, review the research being used and verify that a particular benefit was realized in which the specific technique of meditation and not in another practice. While you are looking for in the research, make sure the study was reviewed and published in a reputable scientific or academic. If a study showing a specific benefit, such as deep relaxation or reduction of anxiety was echoed by several other research studies in the same practice, science is more convincing.

When it comes to reducing stress and anxiety, scientists have found once again that all meditation practices are not equally effective. Concentration hiring practices have been found to actually increase anxiety, and the same meta-study found that most meditation techniques are no more effective than placebo in reducing anxiety [2].

Need meditation to reduce your blood pressure? The Transcendental Meditation technique is the only mind / body practice that has been demonstrated both in independent clinical studies and meta-analysis to significantly reduce high blood pressure in hypertensive patients. [3] In determining whether a particular form of meditation has scientific evidence to support a specific benefit, you can do a search on PubMed or through academic search engine, Google Scholar. There are over a thousand peer-reviewed studies in the various forms of meditation, the technique of Transcendental Meditation and mindfulness meditation practices are the most widely investigated, respectively.

How long do you have?

Another consideration is the amount of time it takes to master a particular meditation technique. Some meditation practices require many years to master and to achieve its purpose, or even claimed to have an idea of ??the goal, while other practices may have only a few months or even a few minutes to produce the expected results. For example, relaxation CD can have an immediate calming effect, it may not be nirvana, but in some cases, relaxation is all you promised. If you do not have the patience to persist in a practice that takes many years to succeed, it makes sense to choose a technique that requires less effort or not.

In this sense, is the practice of meditation is considering requiring the ability to concentrate? If you have trouble concentrating for long periods, or suffer from ADHD, you may find it frustrating to try a type of concentration meditation. Remember, the findings indicate that in reality the concentration techniques, although it can improve concentration, in some cases, can actually increase stress and anxiety [4].

Meditation and the Brain:

Want to meditate to improve brain function? There are several types of meditation CDs sold in the Internet as "scientific technology" to improve your brain. If you look past the marketing slogans ("Think deeply as a Zen monk at once!") To see if there are peer-reviewed scientific research to verify such claims, do not be surprised if it finds any. This does not mean that the CD will not improve your brain, maybe they will, but I dare recommend these unproven methods, especially if they pretend to be scientists when they are not.

Speaking of deep meditation, a Zen monk, brain researchers have reported the alpha EEG coherence in the frontal area of ??the brain during meditation, Zen and the Transcendental Meditation technique (which shows the consistency of the EEG throughout the brain). Neuroscientists theorize that this is a positive effect, since the prefrontal cortex (PFC) "supervises" the entire brain, and have a more consistent PFC should improve the overall performance of the brain. Therefore there is no evidence from neuroscience that certain practices of meditation can be good for your brain. If the barrage of meditation CDs in the market that claim to improve the functioning of the brain to show the consistency of such prefrontal EEG alpha, which may lend some credibility to its promises to improve brain function. Advances in neuroscience in recent years, an influx of new scientific data on the patterns of the brain during meditation, soon may expose the brain improves claims as true or false based on what is happening in the brain during meditation.

Meditation for relaxation:

If it's relaxation you want, research shows that the response of body relaxation can be induced in many ways, even just sitting with eyes closed and listen to relaxing music. Because of the intimate connection between mind and body, the deeper you go into meditation and the most stable of mind becomes the deeper the sleep state for the body. Practice-a contemplation of the main categories of meditation practices similar techniques to the concentration has its own particular and distinct effect on the mind and body. Because the practice of contemplation and concentration to keep the mind busy performing a particular activity or mental tasks that are more conducive to solving the mind inward, and therefore will not bring deep relaxation and rejuvenation the body. Some methods, such as the relaxation response, Christian centering prayer, or relaxation CD often employ a mixture of both contemplation and concentration, depending on how you approach practice. Caution: there is no evidence that the practices of contemplation or concentration of this type actually decrease high blood pressure or significantly reduce anxiety. Easy Listening meditation CDs that do not require active participation in the part of the mind, especially those who do not use voice instructions that keep the mind busy in the realm of meaning and contemplation may be your best choice if you want a little relaxation and some gentle emotional lift.

I say "slight relaxation" by meta-study of all available research on resting levels during the body-mind practices shows that most meditation practices, including the technique of relaxation response, do not provide deep physiological relaxation than just a break with your eyes closed. [6]

If you want deep relaxation, you need a meditation practice that leads to deeper, more transcendent level of your car.

Secular or not secular:

Certain meditation practices may conflict with their religion or beliefs. The practice of meditation, although in almost all religions, has been predominantly associated with the traditions of the East. Some of these practices require adherence to the beliefs of Eastern philosophy, while others are purely mechanical practices (such as watching the breath) extracted from cultures and applicable to anyone. Of course, the East has much to offer the reverse-and West-and vice most people find it possible to incorporate a practice of Eastern meditation, derived from an ancient tradition, without sacrificing their own personal belief system.

I could never feel that way!

A practical consideration: Is it necessary to sit in a position to recommend to a meditation practice in particular? The popular image of a meditator in tights with crossed legs in full lotus position may have to think, "I could never do that." Do not be discouraged. Even if you are unable to sit like a pretzel or for a prolonged period without back support, there are meditation practices that do not require any particular position and is best practiced in his chair more comfortable. Some forms of Zen and care are still practiced walking!

Selecting a teacher:

Need a meditation instructor or a guru? That may depend on the depth or height to which you aspire. The higher states of meditation are not so easily achieved by teaching techniques learned from a book or a CD. The very act of reading and self-instruction can interfere with their innocence and ability to go beyond the surface active levels of the mind. This requirement of innocence during meditation is very well highlighted in the classic little book, entitled "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" by Shunryu Suzuki. Can be a challenge to be innocent when you are playing simultaneously the roles of expert and diligent student teacher.

And then the question arises: how do I know I am doing well? Without the expert guidance of an experienced teacher howcan you know? In the great traditions of the Enlightenment, such as Buddhism, Taoism and the Vedic tradition, meditation has been learned from the wise is transmitted only to students who preformed penance enough and showed responsiveness and ability to learn. The act of "initiation" was considered sacred and the student showed great respect for education. Reyes would give half his kingdom or more to charity, just to earn the honor of studying with a master teacher of meditation, hoping thereby to gain liberation or enlightenment, full awakening to the true nature of the life. Such was the sense of meditation in ancient times. These days, although many people profess to be teachers of meditation, can not have the experience you are looking for if you are serious about the practice of meditation and undertook to purchase a higher consciousness and enlightenment. Check the credentials of the teacher and the educational level. Does the instructor are a venerable tradition of meditation? He is master of the defense of the purity and efficacy of tried and tested procedures? It is the teacher directly connected with the lineage of a great teacher, illustrator, who came to the correct instructions for the effective practice?

How much should I pay?

Some people claim that because meditation is a spiritual practice, should be delivered free of charge, and in many cases it is. You can pick up a meditation technique as part of many yoga classes, a library book or CD from a friend. However, many meditation courses require a fee of course. Some teachers of meditation burden provides a structured course that includes the monitoring and support staff, so there is no overhead and education. Remember the wise adage: you get what you pay for. If you are looking for regular group meetings in a meditation center and continuous monitoring, you may have to pay for this equipment. There is nothing spiritual to pay for a service that directly benefits their health and wellbeing. In the West, where materialism dominates, this is new to think about paying for something we can not have hands. If you find cost a barrier to learning meditation, look at the profitability of the practice and what will bring in terms of health savings and greater efficiency and quality of life. And look what the organization does with the money, the organization can be a legitimate nonprofit organization that supports humanitarian cause that is in accordance with, the promotion of world peace.

Deliberate and jump in!

The end result: to assess their staffing needs and the strength of the intention to incorporate meditation into your life. Be realistic about your abilities and the demands of practice. Make your task meditation programs have a website. And if you know someone practicing a kind of meditation you are interested, ask for a personal testimony. Evaluate claims and evidence behind these claims, if any. Check the history of the teacher and the organization. Then join the millions who are becoming change themselves and the world.