What is Meditation

Here in this article, you can take a look at how resorting to meditation and yoga can help you. The great thing is that they are not terribly difficult to do nor are they tough to pick up or to follow on a regular basis. Throughout the world, this has been an age old stress relieving and healing modality that has been practiced by almost all of the religions and cultures. You can focus on an object or thought and then turn your thoughts inwards so that you feel the calm flowing through you and helping you feel peaceful inside.

The path to meditation can be through music, through chants or even through silence. The focus of your concentration may be an object like a picture, the posture itself or even the rhythm of your breathing. The main thing here is the fact that you need to be undisturbed so finding a quiet place is necessary.

Choose the place, choose the chant or object you want to focus on and then find a comfortable position - not lying down which could have you falling asleep in that relaxed state. The aim of the exercise is to enter a state of 'mindfulness' in which one is aware of all around and at the same time is in a detached mental state from the immediate surroundings as in a trance. Generally people experience the limited Alpha State. In the two deeper states, however, the mind becomes progressively more tranquil and still.

Most religions including Christian mystical tradition, Judaism, Sufism and Buddhism consider meditation as one of the important aspects of spiritual practice - more so Buddhism of course. When it is used within the actual context of the teachings of Buddhism, it can be an indication of directing or controlling one's mind inward in an actual quest for enlightenment. Even though it can be performed while standing, walking, lying down or sitting, there is normally an emphasis on the sitting position, which is also referred to as zazen.

In relationship to meditating, there are several psychological and physical benefits that have been documented, several of them arising out of a research project that was conducted by Professor Herbert Benson at the Harvard Medical School. Studies have demonstrated that as little as 20 minutes a day aids in the reduction of blood pressure, muscular tension, heart and breathing rates and in lowering metabolism. On attaining a deep state, mental pictures, swirls of color or a voice speaking internally may arise. There have been studies to show that meditation can relieve a whole lot of problems that arise from stress and tension as well as other health and pain problems.

Once you start attaining greater self-awareness, healthy body and happy mind you will start enjoying other benefits such as enhanced mental faculty endowed with greater intuition with access to internal resources buried deep within the unconscious. Traditionally, meditation has been a tool for spiritual improvement - however, it is becoming an effective tool for stress management, achieving internal peace, tranquility and relaxation in a ruthless and exacting fast-paced lifestyle. Overall, the combination of yoga classes and daily meditation is going to bring you a lot closer to a life that is completely free of stress.