| HISTORY
Meditative
techniques are practiced in all the world's major religions, including
Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. In the West, meditation
has traditionally taken the form of prayer and contemplation. Medieval
Christian mystics, such as Hildegard of Bingen and Meister Eckhart, spoke of withdrawing
to a level beyond ordinary consciousness. The Eastern Orthodox Church uses the
repetitive "Jesus Prayer" as a mantra (a chant to focus the mind,
formed from a single word or phrase).
In
the East, meditation has long been a way of both achieving bliss and exploring
consciousness itself. Indian yoga practices were taken to England by the
Theosophists in the late 19th century.
This was followed by the introduction of Buddhist practices, especially those
of Zen Buddhism, to the US. Both were well established in Europe and the US by
the 1960s, when the Indian yogi Maharishi Mahesh introduced Transcendental
Meditation (TM) to the West. A form of mantra meditation based on Hindu
philosophy, it attracted immense publicity, and scientific research into the
therapeutic value of meditation began in the US. Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard
University
defined the "relaxation response" after studying the physiological
effects of TM meditation on practitioners, and his work encouraged the
development of a nonreligious style of meditation. With the exodus of monks
from Tibet, yet another form of meditation has reached the West, but TM is
still one of the most popular forms of meditation.
KEY PRINCIPLES
The
state of meditation can be interpreted in various ways. It may describe a
condition in which the mind focuses on a thought or image, a nonjudgmental
receptiveness to whatever enters the mind, a state of "relaxed
awareness," or one in which the
mind
is "empty." All involve withdrawing from external reality and
achieving deep relaxation and increased mental clarity.
Meditation
has been shown to reverse the effects of stress. When under threat, the brain
tells the adrenal glands to produce certain hormones in preparation for the
"fight-or-flight" response. This causes blood pressure and muscle
tension to increase, the heart to pound, and breathing to become fast and
shallow. Some people find that this response is provoked not only at times of
real danger, but when they are faced with what they perceive as stressful
situations. In meditation, the brain waves change to a distinctive alpha
pattern linked with deep relaxation and mental alertness. Regular meditators
can shift into this mode at will, which allows them to deal with stress
efficiently and counter conditions such as high blood pressure and muscle pain.
Various schools of meditation favor particular
techniques. All, however, stress the initial need for a focus of attention to
which the mind can return if distracted. This may be the rhythm of the
breathing, a mantra, a physical object, such as a religious icon, or a
repetitive movement, such as T'ai Chi.
EVIDENCE & RESEARCH
Hundreds
of academic papers have been written on TM alone. The American journal Psychosomatic
Medicine published a study in 1987 comparing 2,000 meditators practicing TM
with non-meditators. The TM group made fewer than half the number of doctor
visits and spent 50% less time in the hospital, though skeptics point out that
social factors may have had more to do with this result than meditation.
In
the late 1960s, Dr. Keith Wallace of the University of California in Los
Angeles found that the brain became more alert and the body more relaxed during
TM. Dr. Benson's research into the relaxation response is widely documented,
and his studies suggest that practitioners of advanced meditation have extraordinary
physiological control.
Other
systems of meditation have also been studied and while each approach has a
distinctly different impact on the body and mind, patients generally report
greater clarity of thought, calmness, and efficiency in managing time and
energy. In the US, Dr. Dean Ornish showed in 1992 that heart disease could be
reversed with a lifestyle program that included meditation. Results of many
other clinical studies include more orderly brain functioning, seen in a
synchronization of brain waves between the left and right hemispheres, improved
circulation in the fingers and toes, increased cerebral blood flow, and lower
levels of stress hormones. Research has also shown reductions in anxiety, mild
depression, insomnia, tension headaches, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome,
and premenstrual syndrome.
A
study reported in 1992 in the American Journal of Psychiatry showed that
a Buddhist practice of meditation known as Vipassana could reduce
anxiety, panic, and agoraphobia.
MEDICAL OPINION
A
growing number of doctors believe that just as physical exercise and a healthy
diet are now acknowledged to be important factors in the prevention and
treatment of disease, so conventional medicine will place more emphasis on relaxation
and meditation in the future. Some doctors already recommend meditation to
their patients as an effective relaxation technique that can help combat
stress-related illnesses.
CONSULTING
A PRACTITIONER
It
is possible to teach yourself to meditate from books, tapes, or videos, but you
will probably find it easier to consult a teacher who will show you how to
achieve a meditative state, as well as supervise your progress. Sessions may
take place on a one-to-one basis or in groups. Practitioners use a variety of
techniques; if you do not feel comfortable with one method, try another.
Whichever
approach you choose, there are a few basic requirements for practicing
meditation successfully: a quiet environment where you can meditate without
being disturbed, a comfortable position - usually sitting so as to prevent you
from becoming drowsy or falling asleep, and a focus for the mind to help it
withdraw from external reality. The object of meditation is a state of
"passive awareness," in which the mind is gently directed back to the
focus of attention whenever it wanders, which it naturally does. Slow breathing
and an awareness of the breath entering and leaving the body also help to
promote deep relaxation.
Your
practitioner may use language and ideas from a certain faith, such as Buddhism;
it is not necessary for you to belong to this or any other faith, and
techniques can be adapted to suit the individual. Many practitioners, including
teachers of TM, will ask you to repeat a mantra in your head while you
meditate. As the session progresses, you may start to feel sleepy, but as you
continue to meditate, this will pass and you will become more alert.
You
will be advised to meditate on a daily basis for around 15-20 minutes,
preferably at the same time of day. First thing in the morning is an ideal
time.
PRECAUTIONS
• Check with your
doctor before starting meditation if you have a history of psychiatric
problems.
|
Evidence
Compatibility
