A Look at Meditation Essay - 986 Words

A Look at Meditation In this modern day and age, the negative effects of stress are unavoidable. People have tried various methods to help cope with stress, everything from exercise and diet to alternative methods like biofeedback. However, the most effective method to deal with stress is not one of these modern methods but rather a 5,000 year-old idea: Meditation. Meditation not only helps reduce the negative effects of stress, but also leads to a better sense of well-being by uniting mind and body. The basic principles and practices of meditation are rooted in Hinduism, an Asian religion whose followers believe that the soul is eternal and maintains an eternal relationship with God. Hindus believe that because†¦show more content†¦Meditation allows us to step outside the situation, seeing ourselves as the observer rather than the victim, and opens us up to other points of view. By broadening our perspective, we are better able to deal with those responses that are destructive. By doing so, we can learn to recognize emotional pain and not be oppressed by it. This concept is similar to the cancer patient who takes morphine to control physical pain; The drug helps control the pain but the patient is still aware of it. Meditation has been proven to be both physically and emotionally beneficial, but why hasnt this union of body and mind become so popular until recently? As the baby boomers get older, their unorthodox methods of youth have evolved into acceptance as mainstream culture. New developments in science have also forced psychiatrists to re-examine the effectiveness of medicines and have come to the conclusion that there is a limit to what they can do. A conscious effort must be made on the part of the patient as medicine can not cure everything. Individuals are assuming responsibility for their own well-being. Meditation appeals to educated people and has been very popular and successful in helping the upper classes of American society deals with stress. More recently, as meditation moves into mainstream medicine the lower income classes are also beginning to explore meditation. Andrea La Fave of the Maharishi Vedic UniversityShow MoreRelatedWhy Mindfulness Meditation Gaining So Much Popularity Essay900 Words   |  4 PagesWhy Is Mindfulness Meditation Gaining So Much Popularity in the West? By Charles A Francis | Submitted On March 26, 2012 Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article Share this article on Facebook Share this article on Twitter Share this article on Google+ Share this article on Linkedin Share this article on StumbleUpon Share this article on Delicious Share this article on Digg Share this article on Reddit Share this article on Pinterest Expert Author Charles A Francis If you re newRead MoreMajor Misunderstandings About Meditation By Ray Baskerville985 Words   |  4 Pages8 Major Misunderstandings About Meditation By Ray Baskerville | Submitted On July 24, 2009 Recommend Article Article Comments Print Article Share this article on Facebook Share this article on Twitter Share this article on Google+ Share this article on Linkedin Share this article on StumbleUpon Share this article on Delicious Share this article on Digg Share this article on Reddit Share this article on Pinterest Expert Author Ray Baskerville Meditation is growing increasingly in popularityRead MoreEssay on Buddhist Meditation906 Words   |  4 PagesMeditation is very difficult to describe and can only truly be explained once experienced. It is the practice of mental concentration leading ultimately through a sequence of stages to the final goal of spiritual freedom, nirvana. The purpose of Buddhist meditation is to free ourselves from the delusion and thereby put an end to both ignorance and craving. The Buddhists describe the culminating trance-like state as transient; final Nirvana requires the insight of wisdom. The exercises that are meantRead MoreBuddhist Meditation Practice And Buddhism1072 Words   |  5 Pages Over this past year I have been involved in a buddhist meditation practice, I have been through stages of resisting, doubting, and now more accepting this practice. The buddhist meditation practice I participated in is a controversial religion in Taiwan. Even though the religion has almost a hundred thou sand followers including celebrities and business leaders, the religion itself is still being judged by others due to its beliefs. The leader himself, Miao Chan, used to be a stuntman and establishedRead MoreShould I Chew Your Food Before I Swallow It?767 Words   |  4 Pagesbefore you swallowed it?, you ll look at me like Captain Obvious and think to yourself, This guy shouldn t be preaching or writing blogs!As difficult as it is for us to digest a steak after chewing it well (here is more info on that), just imagine the type of indigestion and heartburn you would experience if you swallowed it whole, piece-by–piece. You might be thinking, Why is this guy talking to me about steak? I thought this was about biblical meditation. That is exactly why I gave you thisRead MoreMeditation On The Spiritual Awakening Essay724 Words   |  3 Pages12-08-2015 Meditation Everyone is aware of some parts of what is meditation even though they are not aware of or have no excitement to understand. However, a high percentage of the world population now has a new interest in meditation because they need to end their depression and stress pressed upon them by their heavy daily duties at work or school. In fact the most effective method to deal with stress is not one of these modern methods but it’s a thousands year-old idea; Meditation. Meditation not onlyRead MoreFive Simple Mindfulness Skills That Work Essay1008 Words   |  5 Pagesthis article on Digg Share this article on Reddit Share this article on Pinterest Expert Author Debra Burdick Mindfulness meditation consists of skills and methods to unplug from the busy world around you and from the busy monkey brain so often experienced in today s life and particularly in ADHD, anxiety and depression. According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness meditation trains and reinforces the ability to pay attention to the present moment, on purpose which helps to increase concentrationRead MoreIsabella Vigil . Mr.Short . College Composition . 19 March848 Words   |  4 PagesComposition 19 March 2017 A Spiritual Gain but a Financial Lose Meditation has always been seen as a way to keep the mind and soul healthy. Mediation dates back to 1500 BCE originating in Ancient India. The practice soon started to expand and adapt to other cultures around the world. Some of the earliest references to meditation are found in the Hindu scriptures and it was around the 6th to 5th centuries that other forms of meditation developed into Confucian, Taoist China, and Buddhist India (Taham)Read MoreBuddhist Meditation Essay965 Words   |  4 Pages Meditation is very difficult to describe and can only truly be explained once experienced. It is the practice of mental concentration leading ultimately through a sequence of stages to the final goal of spiritual freedom, nirvana. The purpose of Buddhist meditation is to free ourselves from the delusion and thereby put an end to both ignorance and craving. The Buddhists describe the culminating trance-like state as transient; final Nirvana requires the insight of wisdom. The exercises that are meantRead MoreYoga Sutras And Early Buddhist Meditation1118 Words   |  5 Pages Both the Yoga sutras and early Buddhist meditation studies the eightfold or eight limbs practices and principles. The eightfold of the early Buddhist meditation practices includes the right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. The eight limbs of Yoga sutra meditation similarly practices five restraints, five observances, postures, breath control, control of the senses, concentration, contemplation, and meditative