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MEDITATION - The Secret of the Ancients
Ancient Indians have found out that we have four major states of consciousness: the waking state, the dream state, the deep sleep state and the Turiyam state. Actually the Turiyam is not a state, it is the pure consciousness which manifests in all other states. Our ancestors have devised method called meditation to attain this state. This state is also the deepest possible relaxation state or state of rest.
There are many variations of meditations being practiced today. Transcendental meditation (TM ), Vipasana Meditation etc. are some of them. Holistic Integration Technique (HIT) is one of the simplest yet powerful system of meditation.
Be forewarned that meditation is actually a means to the end Turiyam. Meditation per se will not do -- you should reach the Turiyam state, which is the deepest possible total relaxation state. Once you are able to reach such a state, you can reap the benefits of the same.
The effects of meditation on both the physiology and psychology of the meditator have been studied with the aid of sophisticated technology. Results are in line with the claims made by the practitioners. The tests were carried out on meditators who have been practicing meditation for more than two years.
The Benefits of Meditation
Some of the important benefits of meditation are given below. For getting significant benefit from meditation, one should meditate habitually for 15-20 minutes daily at the same time. Meditating two times a day -- morning and evening -- is more better. Any type of meditation is OK.
1. Reduced Heart Rate; Normalization Of High BP
Heart rates have been found to fall during meditation. This is beneficial because the heart has reduced work load only. The effect tend to persist even when not meditating (in those who have been practicing meditation for longer years).
Significant reduction in high BP occur with one month of meditation practice. Normalization of BP occurs after the patient meditates for more than a year.
2. Increased Autonomic Balance
Both the sympathetic and para-sympathetic aspects of the Autonomic Nervous System are found to have increased balance. The results of this are more blood flow to the peripheries eg. forearm, feet etc.
3. Perfect Rest; Physical Rest Maintained In Activity
The state of consciousness attained during meditation, called the Turiyam or the pure consciousness is considered to the deepest possible rest or relaxation in both body and mind.
Experiments have shown that overall average breathing reduction which shows a deeper state of rest has been recorded in meditators during meditation. High coherence of brain waves(EEG) in alpha and theta frequency bands showing restfulness have been established. The meditator is further found to be able to maintain rest even in activities. Greater resistance to disruption of the relaxed state performing the given task has also been noted. In short, it is well established that the meditator has increased physiological stability and adaptability of the nervous system which helps the relaxation to persist even when engaged in activity.
4. Reduced Stress - Lower Levels Of Plasma Cortisol
Stress as we all know is a psychologically agitated state which is the opposite of rest or relaxation. Physiologists have found that increased level of a chemical called corisol is the sign of lessened physiological integrity and lower levels of cortisol means lesser anxiety. Cortisol levels are high when a person is highly anxious or under stress or when he has decreased resistance to certain diseases. It has been found that meditators show lower levels of cortisol during meditation and that this tends to persist in them even when not in meditation.
5 .Coherence Of Brain Waves
EEG recordings of meditators during meditation have shown that coherent and orderly functioning of the brain occur. Ideational fertility, anticipation of consequences, judgement, attention, timing, memory, conceptualization, abstraction etc. have been found to improve significantly.
6. Increased Creativity
Experiments conducted on meditators who have 18 months or more experience in meditation established that creativity increased significantly. The test used was Torrance Test of Creative Thinking which tests the three major aspects of creative thinking -- fluency, flexibility and originality. Meditators scored high in all these aspects.
7. Increased Intelligence Growth Rate
Psychologists have found that the rate of growth of intelligence becomes almost negligible once we pass the age of sixteen. But individuals habitually practicing meditation continue to maintain significant intelligence growth after this age.
8. Increased Academic Performance
Studies on high school students have shown that habitual meditators attained increased academic performance. Decreased stress or anxiety, improved self-esteem, increased clarity of mind, increased energy level and increased creativity may be the reasons for this.
9. Reduced Alcohol And Cigarettes
People use alcohol or cigarettes more when they experience stress. Since meditation provides high level of rest or relaxation, stress do not attack them easily. This tends to reduce the dependence to alcohol and cigarettes.
10. Relief From Insomnia
Deep-rooted stress/anxiety is the reason for chronic insomnia. As habitual meditation dissolves deep seated stresses, the sleeping cycle naturally improves. Even two to three months of habitual meditation can have significant effects on insomnia.
11. Normalization Of Weight
Most eating disorders are of psychological origin. People who have a lot of stress either tend to eat more or tend to avoid food altogether. Meditation helps to dissolve or release stress and cope up with stress effectively. People feel more empowered due to this and their hating habits tend to normalize gradually. It has been found that meditators who had over weight lose significant amounts of weight where as those who were under weight gained weight.
12. Improved Athletic Performance
A one-and-a-half to two months habitual meditation has found to increase the performance of athletes. This is because meditation promotes holistic body-mind coordination resulting in faster reactions, improved metabolic functioning and integration.
13. Increased Perceptual Ability
Meditation produces a deep relaxation or rest which improves the information processing capabilities of the perceptual system.
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MEDITATION - The Secret of the Ancients
Ancient Indians have found out that we have four major states of consciousness: the waking state, the dream state, the deep sleep state and the Turiyam state. Actually the Turiyam is not a state, it is the pure consciousness which manifests in all other states. Our ancestors have devised method called meditation to attain this state. This state is also the deepest possible relaxation state or state of rest.
There are many variations of meditations being practiced today. Transcendental meditation (TM ), Vipasana Meditation etc. are some of them. Holistic Integration Technique (HIT) is one of the simplest yet powerful system of meditation.
Be forewarned that meditation is actually a means to the end Turiyam. Meditation per se will not do -- you should reach the Turiyam state, which is the deepest possible total relaxation state. Once you are able to reach such a state, you can reap the benefits of the same.
The effects of meditation on both the physiology and psychology of the meditator have been studied with the aid of sophisticated technology. Results are in line with the claims made by the practitioners. The tests were carried out on meditators who have been practicing meditation for more than two years.
The Benefits of Meditation
Some of the important benefits of meditation are given below. For getting significant benefit from meditation, one should meditate habitually for 15-20 minutes daily at the same time. Meditating two times a day -- morning and evening -- is more better. Any type of meditation is OK.
1. Reduced Heart Rate; Normalization Of High BP
Heart rates have been found to fall during meditation. This is beneficial because the heart has reduced work load only. The effect tend to persist even when not meditating (in those who have been practicing meditation for longer years).
Significant reduction in high BP occur with one month of meditation practice. Normalization of BP occurs after the patient meditates for more than a year.
2. Increased Autonomic Balance
Both the sympathetic and para-sympathetic aspects of the Autonomic Nervous System are found to have increased balance. The results of this are more blood flow to the peripheries eg. forearm, feet etc.
3. Perfect Rest; Physical Rest Maintained In Activity
The state of consciousness attained during meditation, called the Turiyam or the pure consciousness is considered to the deepest possible rest or relaxation in both body and mind.
Experiments have shown that overall average breathing reduction which shows a deeper state of rest has been recorded in meditators during meditation. High coherence of brain waves(EEG) in alpha and theta frequency bands showing restfulness have been established. The meditator is further found to be able to maintain rest even in activities. Greater resistance to disruption of the relaxed state performing the given task has also been noted. In short, it is well established that the meditator has increased physiological stability and adaptability of the nervous system which helps the relaxation to persist even when engaged in activity.
4. Reduced Stress - Lower Levels Of Plasma Cortisol
Stress as we all know is a psychologically agitated state which is the opposite of rest or relaxation. Physiologists have found that increased level of a chemical called corisol is the sign of lessened physiological integrity and lower levels of cortisol means lesser anxiety. Cortisol levels are high when a person is highly anxious or under stress or when he has decreased resistance to certain diseases. It has been found that meditators show lower levels of cortisol during meditation and that this tends to persist in them even when not in meditation.
5 .Coherence Of Brain Waves
EEG recordings of meditators during meditation have shown that coherent and orderly functioning of the brain occur. Ideational fertility, anticipation of consequences, judgement, attention, timing, memory, conceptualization, abstraction etc. have been found to improve significantly.
6. Increased Creativity
Experiments conducted on meditators who have 18 months or more experience in meditation established that creativity increased significantly. The test used was Torrance Test of Creative Thinking which tests the three major aspects of creative thinking -- fluency, flexibility and originality. Meditators scored high in all these aspects.
7. Increased Intelligence Growth Rate
Psychologists have found that the rate of growth of intelligence becomes almost negligible once we pass the age of sixteen. But individuals habitually practicing meditation continue to maintain significant intelligence growth after this age.
8. Increased Academic Performance
Studies on high school students have shown that habitual meditators attained increased academic performance. Decreased stress or anxiety, improved self-esteem, increased clarity of mind, increased energy level and increased creativity may be the reasons for this.
9. Reduced Alcohol And Cigarettes
People use alcohol or cigarettes more when they experience stress. Since meditation provides high level of rest or relaxation, stress do not attack them easily. This tends to reduce the dependence to alcohol and cigarettes.
10. Relief From Insomnia
Deep-rooted stress/anxiety is the reason for chronic insomnia. As habitual meditation dissolves deep seated stresses, the sleeping cycle naturally improves. Even two to three months of habitual meditation can have significant effects on insomnia.
11. Normalization Of Weight
Most eating disorders are of psychological origin. People who have a lot of stress either tend to eat more or tend to avoid food altogether. Meditation helps to dissolve or release stress and cope up with stress effectively. People feel more empowered due to this and their hating habits tend to normalize gradually. It has been found that meditators who had over weight lose significant amounts of weight where as those who were under weight gained weight.
12. Improved Athletic Performance
A one-and-a-half to two months habitual meditation has found to increase the performance of athletes. This is because meditation promotes holistic body-mind coordination resulting in faster reactions, improved metabolic functioning and integration.
13. Increased Perceptual Ability
Meditation produces a deep relaxation or rest which improves the information processing capabilities of the perceptual system.
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Habit. The Killer & Master Of Our Destiny
Darren Roberts
Copyright © All Rights Reserved
When the word "habit" comes into your mind, it may conjure up images of biting your nails, smoking etc. It's quite funny as almost everyone associates it with forces of negativity. It is as if a habit is a bad thing. Sure, we may have a few bad habits but they aren't the only aspects of our life we sub-consciously carry out.
You have probably heard the expression "People Are Creatures Of Habit". If we adhere to our creed; our list of goals and desires with the dedication and persistence they deserve then you will find that you sub-consciously create a situation to enable its achievement. This is sheer will and is a very powerful ally as you work on improving aspects of your own personal make-up to perform to the level you aspire.
What you are doing here is creating and/or changing your routine i.e. habits. As you develop this change, repetition will intrinsically embed your new ideas into your schedule until it, in fact, becomes habit.
If you set your alarm regularly to wake up at 06:00AM because your new job necessitates an earlier start, then after a while you may find yourself waking just before the alarm sounds or around the time that it has been set without the alarm itself needing to sound off. In essence, you have re-trained yourself from one habit to another. Routine gets you used to doing things differently.
Just like physical habits are mental habits. In fact, mind habits play a huge role in our very existence. A habit of the mind is known to us as an attitude. Our attitude towards our job, family and future has everything to do with our current standing in life.
Creating/changing attitudes sounds difficult but doing the same thing to a "habit of the mind" for some reason sounds substantially less threatening, more intriguing and perhaps even somewhat vague. Everything is relative. Changing attitudes is something we will always have to do to improve our lifestyle. It is a rare case indeed when someone is so totally happy that they would not wish for an improvement.
To change our attitude to serve us better requires a crystal clear view of our goals, dreams and desires accompanied by its deserved persistence. This will lead to you becoming more educated as you expand your horizons. Being more knowledgeable can only work for you. You refine your routine accordingly and will begin to notice the in roads you make in getting to your desired result.
Of course if you develop the wrong habits then they will see you press further and further away from where you want to be. This is very difficult to recognize at first as you may simply read this as teething problems rather than for what it is; a bad habit.
The title of this article is "Habit. The Killer & Master Of Your Destiny". Habit being something you do with intense regularity. It most definitely plays a huge part in your life. So, for your sanity and for your personal growth, review your habits regularly. There is an expression "You Can't Teach An Old Dog New Tricks". This saying is based on the fact that older people have developed habits that are so deep seeded that altering them would prove most difficult.
First of all - keep your mind open to changing habits and secondly, sub-consciously, as you get into your latter years many more aspects of your life will (unbeknownst to you) become "a closed book". So before the door closes down on you ensure that your habits are maintaining the pursuit of your goals.
Give yourself the opportunities and respect you deserve. Make your habits work for you; become their master and control their direction. You will be amply rewarded along the way as you will be able to see what you're doing and where you are going...
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SILENCE AND SOLITUDE
Silence is Golden
Physical (i.e., verbal) silence is OK. But mental silence does more good than physical silence. In fact, total silence means both physical and mental silence. Verbal silence can be easily achieved by keeping yourself quiet. But even at that time, your mind is not silent -- it may be asking questions and finding answers; it may be answering the queries someone else asked sometime ago. Actually, when you try to keep your mouth shut for a long time, to compensate your verbal speech, you have more 'mental speeches'.
Silence is golden because it is from the depth of silence, words themselves spring up. Deep silence is the very base of all words. Words derive their meaning because of silence. Words are perceived to be words because of the silence (or space) in between them. At many times silence has more meaning than words themselves.
Solitude
Solitude - Your Own Personal Time Completely for Yourself
What is Solitude?
Solitude means total privacy and isolation from others. This privacy and isolation are but almost automatic and not forced by external circumstances or people. To be in solitude means to be alone and in silence. You may split the word solitude into sole(=alone) and attitude. Of course there is a matter of attitude in solitude. You are physically alone and in isolation; psychologically in total privacy, detached and totally silent and absorbed. You may be passively pondering or even working silently. But the thing is that, in the natural moments of solitude, you are totally absorbed, self-content and full. You may be left alone in your own thoughts or activities. There is no sense of urgency or any felt threat in this state. You are not bothered about anything in this state.
Generally you are passively sitting or lying on a coach or on the ground away from the noisy world. Generally it is a doing nothing state. But of course you can do some sort of activity in your solitude. The usual activities may be painting, singing, or any kind of creative activity or any activity you like doing.
All of us have the natural ability to be in a state of solitude. But how many of us go to this state at least once in a month? How may of us have actually experienced this state?
Solitude and Its Importance and Uses / Solitude and Creativity
Being tension free, the deeper strata of the unconscious are able to communicate to the conscious mind effectively. This improves creativity. Creative activities such as painting, literary work etc. can be effortless when in solitude. New ideas, solutions, themes arise to your mind at this stage which can change your life totally. Creative solutions naturally occur to you when in solitude. Solutions to even complex problems occur to you almost effortlessly at this time.
Solitude And Personal Energy Re-Energizing
In your solitude, you can re-energize yourself. Many people have told us that they made resolutions that are very important when they were in solitude. Solitude helps you get insight into your problems and gives you new solutions. Old resolutions can be re-energized when in solitude. Your mind becomes more transparent in solitude and so you can find the real reasons for past failures and make new resolutions accordingly. This helps you to re-direct your personal energy and time.
Solitude As A Way To Know Your Needs
When you are in solitude, if you simply think of your needs, you will be surprised to understand how meager your actual needs are. You could find out your natural motives or goals in times of solitude. Many persons have admitted that some of their great ideas occurred to them at one or other time of solitude. New ideas, new resolutions, new perspectives etc. are easy when you are in deep solitude.
Solitude As A Test For Your Relationships -- Do You Long To Be With Your Loved Ones.
When you are in solitude, sometimes you think about your near and dear. You think about the great times you have spend with them. You realize how they have influenced in your life and all that. This will help you to reevaluate your relationship with them. You resolve to improve your relationships with them. You naturally want to give them back the concern they have shown earlier. Many people have told us that in their solitude they evaluate their relationships and have often found how they loved their dear and near.
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SLEEP
"The value of rest and sleep … is very under appreciated these days" - Eve Van Cauter, Sleep Researcher.
Understanding Sleep
Sleep is usually classified into two: orthodox sleep and paradoxical sleep. Orthodox sleep is also called non REM or NREM (Non Rapid Eye Movement) sleep and paradoxical sleep is often called the REM sleep. NREM sleep has four different stages: in the first stage, blood supply to the brain is reduced and the temperature in the brain falls slightly. Heart beat and breathing are accelerated. The muscles are slightly tensed. Thoughts cris-cross the mind. In the next stage, unconnected thoughts dominate the mind. Slowly the sleeper moves to the third stage in which the heart rate and breathing become slow. The muscles of the body becomes relaxed. The brain starts to emit delta waves. In the next stage, we have the deep sleep which is full delta wave sleep. The orthodox sleep is broken up by about five periods of REM sleeps each of which is longer duration than the previous one.
In the REM sleep, the sleeper breaths irregularly. The blood supply to the brain is increased and so is the temperature in the brain. Most of the muscles are relaxed in this stage. Jerky movements of body and face are characteristic of this stage of sleep. An average person spends about 25% of his sleep in REM sleep. New born children have REM sleep: about half of their sleep is REM sleep.
During stages 3 and 4, growth hormones are secreted into the blood stream. Body's manufacture of proteins, sexual arousal, orgasm etc. are also significantly influenced by REM sleep. Earlier, sleep researchers believed that REM sleep is essential for our mental health. But this is not accepted now.
Effects of Sleep
"Sleep … knits up the ravel'd sleeve of care." - Shakesphere.
From a Psychology of Consciousness point of view, sleep includes two states of consciousness -- dream (svapnam) and deep sleep (sushupti). Wakefulness, Dream Sleep, Deep Sleep and Turiyam are the four states of consciousness. Deep sleep being the third can influence both dream and wakefulness. If you get more deep sleep, you will be very energetic in your wakefulness. Duration of dreaming is also regulated because of deep sleep.
For the sleep to be satisfactory to the sleeper, it should be continuous. Fragmented sleep does not have restorative or refreshing value.
Learning and Sleep
Many researchers argue that REM sleep is important for the transfer of learned material during wakefulness from Short Term Memory(STM) to Long Term Memory(LTM).
Dream and Problem Solving
Many people including scientists, artists men of letters and even laymen have reported that they got new ideas from their dreams and even solutions to complex problems have been received through dreams. The famous chemist Kekule, who discovered the benzene ring, has said that he got the idea from his dream. The inventor of sewing machine also reported that he got the idea for designing the needle of the machine from his dream.
Sleep and Sex
Men experience erection (Nocturnal Penile Tumescence - NPT) during REM sleep. Both men and women have reported wet dreams (ejaculation) in the dream sleep. Most of men say that after orgasm they slip into sleep. On the contrary, women say that they experience alertness rather than relaxation after orgasm.
Sleep and Food
It is a well known fact that the food and drinks we consume have significant effect on our sleep. Sleep researchers have found a list of such foods and drinks. Caffeine containing substances like tea, coffee, chocolate, soft drinks etc. are found to disturb sleep. Alcohol and smoking are also found to disturb your sleep. While alcohol may make you drowsy or even push you to sleep, such sleeps are never refreshing -- they are often low level sleep.
Malted milk products, on the other hand, have been found to have sleep-promoting effects.
How Much Should One Sleep
This truly depends on the person. Some people do need more sleep than others. Some others can become refreshed and wake effective with very little sleep. In general, we need sleep from 5 hours to 9 hours. The personal need for sleep varies with the level of stress also. The quality of sleep also is affected by the level of stress. Fears and anxieties, guilt, self-deception etc. disturbs one's sleeping rhythm.
The more deep sleep you get, the less need you have to stay asleep. On the other hand, even if you stay asleep for long hours, if your sleep is either filled with a lot of dreams or if you have only light sleep( stages 1 and 2 sleep), you tend to sleep longer. It is not the duration of sleep that counts but quality of sleep.
Sleep and Immunity
It is now fairly proved that sleep has direct effect on the immune system. Our defenses against both bacterial and viral infection are found to be increased during sleep. On the other hand, sleep deprivation reduces our immunity against these diseases. The immune system also becomes overactive with sleep deprivation spending a lot of energy. This makes our body very tired and fatigued.
Sleep and Beauty
Good sleep with enough deep sleep is found to be very effective to maintaining one's beauty. The skin gets refreshed with new cells during sleep. Both physical and psychological rejuvenation occurs at sleep.
All of us have experienced that if we did not get a restorative and refreshing sleep, we feel week like the old. Continuous insomnia, insufficient sleep or light sleep accelerates the aging process whereas effective deep sleep restores and rejuvenates us and aids in maintaining our physical beauty.
Ayurveda on Sleep Problems
Ayurveda says that sleeplessness results in laziness, tiredness, inertia, dizziness, feeling of heaviness, body ache etc. Head ache, high temperature, cough are the results of continued untimely sleep. Ayurveda also says that over sleep can cause diabetes.
People having depression, schizophrenia, and similar psychological disorders have been found to improve their condition if they get enough deep sleep.
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