Why Meditation?

In this extract we will look at reasons to consider meditation and try to gain a little understanding of what meditation really is. But do bear in mind, meditation is an intensely personal practice and therefore one's interpretation of what meditation is, may vary with others.

There are beneficial physiological results attributed to the effects of meditation. These could be due simply to physical relaxation which is part of meditation or they could be due simply to the belief that meditation works. Let's look at this a little further.

Psychologists who use meditation with patients in actual clinical work, have produced case studies to show that when used with suitable individuals, meditation is helpful in reducing tension, anxiety, stress and self blame. These clinical studies still don't tell us all we would like to know, but within their limitations they do support claims that meditation leads to increased serenity and detachment while supporting claims that it produces a calmer mind and a decrease in the impact of suffering.

There may be a shift not only in one's mental and emotional condition but also, as it were, in one’s sense perception. One becomes more open to the environment, more aware of the beauties and colours of nature, of the joys and sorrows of others. One feels the texture of life in the way that a potter feels the clay on the wheel or the gardener the petals of an opening flower.

Looking inwards helps us to understand what lies outwards. Because everything in the outer world only exists for us when we become aware of it through our senses. As stated above meditation is an intensely personal practice. The use of meditation has revealed benefits such as improvements in pain management, in relaxation, in blood pressure, in breathing habits, in concentration, in anxiety, in patience and in stress management. Because of these benefits, more health programs are beginning to adopt meditation practices. Also interesting is the fact that an increasing number of psychologists and psychotherapists are now using meditation therapeutically.

It is a practice that has been used for more than 2000 years in the world of spirituality, in an attempt to gain deeper psychological insight, concentration and tranquillity.

Overall I would suggest to you that is something worth considering

Namaste.