Meditation: The Equilibrium Crash Course
1. The Introduction to the Introduction: History and Benefits
This cartoon made me laugh out loud! Not very long ago, the notion of sitting in a knot, pouring my energy into, well… nothingness, seemed kind of absurd, if not impossible. I thought meditating was for the “woo-woos” (nice folks, but a little out there!) who sought a deep, mystical experience into the unknown, which just didn’t sound like me. But unless you’ve spent the past couple of years living under a rock (or for that matter, in a Buddhist commune) you’re almost definitely already aware of the error of my thinking. The experience of meditation in fact, is about noticing what’s on your mind, not clearing it. And whether or not you meditate already, you’re may be even a little tired of hearing about it. But please, keep reading!
Although in recent years, we’ve seen meditation emerge as a pop culture fad, the practice itself is almost literally prehistoric: the earliest records date back to around 1500 BCE. In the some 3.5 millennia since, meditation has clearly endured and expanded—becoming increasingly recognized in the Western world throughout the 18th to 20th centuries, thanks to the likes of philosopher-intellectuals such as Voltaire and The Beatles. Nowadays, this time-honored tradition is no longer the stuff of hippies and ascetic Buddhist monks; in 2017, meditation has become considered the “new” science of health and happiness, and there’s nothing mystical about that.
It’s true: modern science has substantiated what ancient philosophy evidently already knew. The advantages of meditation are not only verifiable, but profound, and multifaceted. Over the past half-century or so, experiments and trials have shown meditation’s capacity to:
- Improve mood: meditation actually alters neurochemistry, triggering the release of mood-boosting, anxiety-reducing serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins.
- Reduce physical pain: studies suggest that the neurological effects of meditation extend even to the brain’s pain centers – altering the brain’s way of processing painful stimuli, and reducing their intensity.
- Reduce blood pressure: even on a permanent basis, for regular meditators – making a difference of as much as 5 mm Hg, according to one study.
- Improve digestion: in relaxing and revitalizing the parasympathetic nervous system, meditation helps reboot and regulate the digestive system.
And these various and varied benefits are only the beginning. From these physiological improvements come more perks: improved sleep, sharper concentration, more satisfying relationships, pain reduction, increased productivity, greater happiness.
Despite its ancient foundations, meditation seems to be the panacea to our quintessentially modern day problems— providing relief from: the stress of the work week, the notorious overstimulation of technology and media, and the contemporary epidemics of insomnia, depression, and anxiety.
2. The Basic Premise (and a few different approaches)
“Just meditate and all will be right in your world”: big promises and lofty aspirations, right? But establishing a meditation practice isn’t about trying to become something better; it’s about befriending who we already are. As Jon Kabat-Zinn says, meditation is about simply noticing our thoughts and ourselves — and allowing them to simply be. “Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementaly,” says Kabat-Zinn. “It’s about knowing what is on your mind.”
Countless forms, styles, and schools of meditation exist around the world. Some of the more prominent include:
Transcendental: quieting the mind by repeating a mantra or phrase
Visualization and Imagery: focusing on strong visual images — great if you’re a visual learner, or someone with a colorful imagination!
Movement: mindfulness in motion, such as Tai Chi, walking, or — of course — yoga.
Tantric: (ooh, can we talk? But no, really:) Tantric meditation focuses on shielding the energy field and invoking divine presence — reaching towards a deeper connection to God.
MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction): the method popularized by MIT professor Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979, and the reason meditation is so widely practiced and accepted in Western culture today.
3. Getting Started
Ultimately, there’s no strictly right or wrong way to meditate — but here are some widely-acknowledged pointers for setting a good foundation.
Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed.
- Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position, or in a chair with your feet grounded and your spine elongated.
Place your hands, uncrossed, on your lap; settle in.
Begin to notice your breathing. Allow your breath to be your anchor when thoughts arise.
Begin to notice the sensations of your body — such as your temperature, your heartbeat, the feeling of each of your limbs. Experience.
Bring awareness to the sounds and external forces that surround you. Experience.
When you’re ready to come out, return your attention to your breathing; slowly open your eyes.
With meditation, regularity is the key: practice really does make perfect. Ideally, it takes about 20 minutes a day to access meditation’s myriad of benefits.
Work your way up: to establish your practice, start with just 5 minutes a day. As you grow, incrementally add time to your sessions. In no time at all, you’ll begin to establish a routine which can truly be transformative. You may even begin to endearingly call yourself a woo-woo.😊