Meditation: practice

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

The word "meditation" comes from the Latin "meditor", which means "pondering, pondering." However, the Latin "meditatio" has analogs in other languages as well: Russian "thinking", Sanskrit "dyakhna", Greek "medomai". Nowadays, the western equivalent - "trance" is firmly entrenched in popular science literature. In addition, such a close concept as "contemplation" or "self-contemplation" can be understood as a synonym.

In a broad sense, since ancient times, meditation has been considered as a means of self-expression of a person, allowing him, at the same time, to realize the hidden possibilities of the human "I". The main effects of meditation are illumination and ecstasy. Other fruits of meditation are stereotyping or healing.

Its beneficial effect

1. Increase of intellectual abilities, depth of perception of reality and individual phenomena, development of analytical capabilities.

2. Development of a sense of deep calmness, restoration of a disturbed psyche, acquisition of self-control skills, treatment of mental illness.

3. Improvement of memory, disappearance of insomnia.

4. General improvement of the body, increased endurance and resistance to various diseases.

5. Development of a sense of harmony, beauty.

6. Development of extrasensory abilities, "supernatural" human capabilities.

When to meditate

Meditation as a medicine is prescribed for those who often and unreasonably experience feelings of anxiety, phobias, who strive for self-actualization and mental health. Meditation has proven to be effective in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction (as an adjuvant). Nevertheless, those people who consider themselves absolutely healthy and devoid of any psychological clamps can meditate for their own benefit. True, such individuals usually do not find anything interesting for themselves in meditation - they have enough impressions “in the external world”.

How to do it

Psychologist Benson, in his book The Relaxation Response, describes four components that contribute to successful meditations:

1. Calm environment;

2. A device that facilitates concentration;

3. Passive attitude;

4. Comfortable posture.

A calm environment is the absence of external stimuli that could interfere with the meditation process. Such a place is not easy to find. Put on instrumental music or "sounds of nature", listen to the steady hum of a fan or air conditioner. If it is impossible to "disguise" yourself from external stimuli, plug your ears with earplugs. Reduce or turn off the lights.

Relax your muscles. A comfortable posture is very important. The meditator should be in a position where most of his body weight is supported. Straighten your back so that the head and neck experience slight muscle tension. It is necessary, otherwise you can fall asleep quickly. Choose a carnation on a doorknob or a rosette on the wall as your focus, and keep your eyes on it.

Finally, the passive attitude - it is also called "passive will" or "passive attention." This means: stop asking yourself the questions "Am I doing it right?", "How long will it take?" - and relax. The meditative process will go on by itself if you drive out all resistance from the body, both bodily and mental.

It is helpful to take a hot bath before meditation - it will relax the muscles and set the brain for calm contemplation. Some people get good results by meditating in the bathtub.

Meditation process

Ancient Hindu scriptures indicate that in meditation, the result - the attainment of "nirvana" - is not as important as the process of attainment itself. By analogy with medicine: the patient, spending time in meditation, thereby makes a conscious effort to recover. So, the first is the body's attitude to meditation.

The next stage on the path to superconsciousness is the state of relaxation. The body reaches a state close to sleep in its recovery potential, or surpasses it.

The third milestone is distant observation. The meditator, observing his environment, remains a “spectator at rest in himself”, “coexists” with the environment, and does not oppose it. This condition is often experienced by drivers on monotonous expressways. At some point they notice that they are at junction 5, and the next moment - at junction 15, although they do not remember at all about 10 intermediate intersections. At the same time, the driver does not stop driving the car, that is, this is not a dream.

The last stage of the meditative experience is the "state of superconsciousness." Psychologist Davidson characterizes its nature as follows:

- good mood, peace, tranquility;

- a sense of unity with the environment: what the ancients called the union of the microcosm (man) with the macrocosm (the Universe);

- inexpressibility of sensations;

- heightened perception of reality and the meaning of the environment;

- paradoxicality, i.e. acceptance of things that seem paradoxical to everyday consciousness.

The meaning of meditation

Meditation is a way to calm the mind. This is not a physiological condition. It is also not a special psychological condition. This is not a religion either. Meditation is, rather, a specific technique. It is so basic that it is found at all times, in all cultures, races, religions and ideologies. Physiological, psychological, philosophical goals of meditation cannot be achieved without training, and you can master the techniques of meditation only through constant exercise. In short, be patient.

Process meditations usually takes 10-15 minutes (you cannot interrupt), once or twice a day.