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1.1.Meditation is a mind and body practice that has a long history of use for increasing calmness and physical relaxation, improving psychological balance, coping with illness, and enhancing overall health and well-being.

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1.1.Meditation is a mind and body practice that has a long history of use for increasing calmness and physical relaxation, improving psychological balance, coping with illness, and enhancing overall health and well-being.

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The subjects trained in meditation also reported that they felt less stress than the non-meditators. “Their objective condition might not have changed, but they’re not as reactive to their situation,” Kerr says. “They’re more able to handle stress.

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-  These days, Meditation has joined yoga as a secular and chic trend. As dedicated meditation studios open in cities like New York and Los Angeles
- Equinox , a fitness company opens a class called Head Strong (to combine high intensity interval training with meditation)

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The specifics of your practice will depend on which type of meditation you choose, but here are some general guidelines to get you started:

Set aside a place to meditate. "You'll build up a special feeling there, making it easier to get into a meditative state more quickly," Lennihan says. Surround your meditation spot with candles, fresh flowers, incense, or any objects you can use to focus your practice (such as a photo, crystal, or religious symbol).

Sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor with your back straight.

Close your eyes, or focus your gaze on the object you've chosen.

Breathe slowly, deeply, and gently.

Keep your mind focused inward or on the object. If it wanders, gently steer it back to the center.

Breathe peace and quiet into your heart and mind. "While you're breathing out, imagine your breath as a river or a tide that's carrying your thoughts away," Lennihan says.

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Meditation is thought to work via its effects on the sympathetic nervous system, which increases heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure during times of stress. Yet meditating has a spiritual purpose, too. "True, it will help you lower your blood pressure, but so much more: it can help your creativity, your intuition, your connection with your inner self," says Burke Lennihan, a registered nurse who teaches meditation at the Harvard University Center for Wellness.

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-Some archaeologists date meditation back to as early as 5,000 BCE and the practice itself has religious ties
-Until the 20th century that meditation began to move beyond the realm of specific religions, especially in the West.

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- B.K. Anand “found that yogis could meditate themselves into trances so deep that they didn’t react when hot test tubes were pressed against their arms.” ( medical benefits)
- Dr. Herbert Benson found that people meditating used 17% less oxygen, lowered heart rates and produced increased brain waves that could help with sleep

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Types of meditation
Meditation comes in many forms, including the following:
Concentration meditation teaches you how to focus your mind. It's the foundation for other forms of meditation.

Heart-centered meditation involves quieting the mind and bringing awareness to the heart, an energy center in the middle of the chest.

Mindfulness meditation encourages you to focus objectively on negative thoughts as they move through your mind, so you can achieve a state of calm.
Tai chi and qigong are moving forms of meditation that combine physical exercise with breathing and focus.
Transcendental Meditation is a well-known technique in which you repeat a mantra—a word, phrase, or sound—to quiet your thoughts and achieve greater awareness.
Walking meditation turns your focus to both body and mind as you breathe in time with your footsteps.

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-In 1996, TIME reported on Deepak Chopra’s book Ageless Body, Timeless Mind, which had sold 137,000 copies in one day right after Chopra was featured on Oprah
-Athletes also began to tout the benefits of meditation and mindfulness: Phil Jackson, Stephen Curry
-the studies continued to roll in confirming meditation’s benefits, to potentially slow or reverse neurodegeneration, reduce pain and help manage stress.

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Rinzler  , of MNDFL, imagines the studies will only help meditation continue its path to the mainstream. “It’s no longer just your spiritual friend saying you should try meditation,” he says. It’s your doctor.”

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-Don't judge your meditation skills, which may only increase your stress. Meditation takes practice.
+ Keep in mind
+Experiment

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8.5 Everyday ways to practice meditation

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8.5 Everyday ways to practice meditation

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-Breathe deeply
-Scan your body
-Repeat a mantra
-Walk and meditate
-Engage in prayer
-Read and reflect
-Focus your love and gratitude

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-Meditation originally was meant to help deepen understanding of the sacred and mystical forces of life
-These days, meditation is commonly used for relaxation and stress reduction.

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Guided meditation
Mantra meditation
Mindfulness meditation.
Qi gong
Tai chi
Transcendental Meditation®
Yoga

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-Focused attention
-Relaxed breathing
-A quiet setting
-A comfortable position
-Open attitude

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As you begin, rather than trying to achieve some out-of-body experience, see what it feels like to just hang out in the present moment, noticing your physical sensations, thoughts and emotions. “The ideal thing is to just be present with what’s going on,” said Ms. Brach. “Put aside all expectation and judgment about what’s going to happen.”

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Meditation and emotional well-being

Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations

Building skills to manage your stress

Increasing self-awareness

Focusing on the present

Reducing negative emotions

Increasing imagination and creativity

Increasing patience and tolerance

Meditation and illness : meditation may help people manage symptoms of conditions

Anxiety

Asthma

Cancer

Chronic pain

Depression

Heart disease

High blood pressure

Irritable bowel syndrome

Sleep problems

Tension headaches

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Pain: You may feel pain when you begin to practice meditation for longer durations. It could be just a sharp, fleeting pang in your legs, or it could be dull cramps or aches in your back. Whatever it is, try to simply notice it and accept it at first. Acknowledge that it’s a feeling, just like any other feeling, and that it will eventually pass. If it persists, try directing your attention to another part of the body. And if the pain gets intolerable, adjust your posture as needed.5.

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Restlessness: We’re so used to keeping busy, that meditation can seem boring at first. If that’s the case, try focusing on very specific sensations, like the outbreath. You can even try to control your breathing, taking shorter inbreaths and longer outbreaths. Most importantly, try not to be too hard on yourself.

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Sleepiness: Many people get sleepy when they try to meditate. This may be because our minds are simply overstimulated, or it may be because our bodies are tired and need some rest. Either way, there are skillful ways to wake ourselves up so we can engage in meditation. Straighten your posture. Open your eyes. Try walking meditation. Instead of using your breath as the anchor of your attention, try listening to sounds. Or, develop a pattern of sensations to focus on: for example, first the feeling of breath passing in and out of your nostrils, then the diaphragm rising and falling, and then the gentle breeze of air just above your lips.

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Self-Criticism: When we begin meditating, it’s all too common to beat up on ourselves. I’m doing it wrong! I’m not a good meditator! I’ll never be able to follow my breath! Most everyone who has tried to meditate has experienced some version of this self-doubt. Though it’s natural impulse, it’s not helpful. Remember, the purpose of meditation isn’t to enter a bliss state or eradicate all thinking. It’s simply to be present with what’s going on right now, whatever that is. Try to let go of any judgments you have about good meditation or bad meditation, and whether or not you’ve achieved anything. We all have the capacity for clarity, for calm and for mindfulness.

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Discovering the present moment.
Put most simply, meditation is a way to train the mind. Most of the time, our minds are wandering — we’re thinking about the future, dwelling on the past, worrying, fantasizing, fretting or daydreaming. Meditation brings us back to the present moment, and gives us the tools we need to be less stressed, calmer and kinder to ourselves and others.
“Meditation is a training of our attention,” Ms. Brach said. “It allows us to step out of distracted thought, and helps us arrive in the present moment in a balanced and clear way.”

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5.11 Mindfulness Meditation Practices : Body Scan (2)

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5.11 Mindfulness Meditation Practices : Body Scan (2)

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Whatever the sensation is, just note it. If you need to move to relieve real pain, do so. But try not to react — labeling the experience good or bad — even if it’s unpleasant. Instead, just acknowledge what it is you’re feeling, and continue with the body scan. And of course, if you realize your mind has wandered, simply note the thought, and return your attention to the body.

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As Ms. Brach puts it: “Mindfulness is your awareness of what’s going on in the present moment without any judgment. Meditation is the training of attention which cultivates that mindfulness.”

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Meditation only looks simple. It can be surprisingly difficult — and that doesn’t mean you’re failing.
Remember, the purpose of meditation isn’t to achieve perfect control over your mind or stop thinking altogether. The intention should be to bring a more compassionate, calm and accepting approach to whatever happens.

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Mindfulness meditation is the practice of actually being present in the moment, which in turn trains us to become more mindful throughout the day, particularly during difficult situations.

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It’s a deceptively simple exercise — just be right here, right now, without daydreaming. But with practice it can yield profound results, giving us greater control of our actions, and making room for more kindness and equanimity, even in difficult situations. With time, mindfulness meditation can even help us better understand what causes us stress, and what we can do to relieve it.
Though mindfulness meditation was inspired by Buddhist practices, today it is available as a wholly secular practice that emphasizes stress reduction, the cultivation of focus and the development of tranquility.

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5.10 Mindfulness Meditation Practices : Body Scan (1)

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5.10 Mindfulness Meditation Practices : Body Scan (1)

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Instead of training your attention on the breath, as is the case in basic mindfulness meditation, the body scan involves systematically focusing on different sensations and areas, from the head to the toes.
At first, it might seem as if you don’t feel anything at all. But as you progress, you might begin to notice a whole world of new sensations. Some of the feelings might be pleasant, a gentle warmth, a comfortable weight. Some feelings might be neutral — tingling or itching. And some might be unpleasant. Your feet might feel soreness somewhere.

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There are lots of different types of meditation. Most religions have contemplative traditions, and there are plenty of secular ways to meditate, too. But in recent years, mindfulness meditation has become increasingly popular.
Basic mindfulness meditation is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with an accepting, nonjudgmental disposition. The goal isn’t to stop thinking, or to empty the mind. Rather, the point is to pay close attention to your physical sensations, thoughts and emotions in order to see them more clearly, without making so many assumptions, or making up stories.

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After a few breaths, invariably, the mind will wander again. Don’t beat yourself up about this. It’s natural. What’s important is how we respond when it happens. Simply acknowledge whatever it is you were thinking of — without ascribing too much judgment to it, without letting it carry you away — and take a moment to come back to the present, and resume your meditation.
“Where we build our skill is in the practice of coming back,” said Ms. Brach. “Coming back again and again. Notice it — thinking — and then pause, and then come back to the present moment.”

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It’s inevitable: During meditation, your mind will roam. You may notice other sensations in the body, things happening around you, or just get lost in thought, daydreaming about the past or present, possibly judging yourself or others.
There’s nothing wrong with this — thinking is just as natural as breathing. “It’s the natural conditioning of the mind to wander,” said Ms. Brach.

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Mindfulness meditation isn’t about letting your thoughts wander. But it isn’t about trying to empty your mind, either. Instead, the practice involves paying close attention to the present moment — especially our own thoughts, emotions and sensations — whatever it is that’s happening.

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Meditation is a simple practice available to all, which can reduce stress, increase calmness and clarity and promote happiness. Learning how to meditate is straightforward, and the benefits can come quickly.

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Meditation can be performed with the eyes open or closed.As a beginner, it is often best to try meditating with closed eyes in order to avoid visual distractions.

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Find a posture that allows you to sit with a balanced, tall, and straight posture.

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Do some stretches before you start to prevent stiffness.A couple of minutes of light stretching can help prepare both your body and mind for meditation. It will also prevent you from focusing on any sore spots instead of relaxing.

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Before you begin, you should decide how long you are going to meditate. While many seasoned meditators recommend 20-minute sessions twice a day, beginners can start by doing as little as 5 minutes once a day.

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One of the major goals of meditation is to calm the mind and block out external distractions. It can be difficult if you feel physically uncomfortable due to tight or restrictive clothing. Try to wear loose clothing during meditation practice and make sure to remove your shoes.

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Meditation should be practiced in a peaceful location.A tranquil environment will enable you to focus exclusively on the task at hand and avoid external stimuli and distractions.

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With practice, you’ll be able to achieve a sense of tranquility and peace no matter what's going on around you.

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Meditation is an ancient practice.

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Meditation is a practice derived from Hinduism and Buddhism. The goal of meditation is to focus and understand your mind—eventually reaching a higher level of awareness and inner calm.

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According to a small, six-week pilot study by the University of Utah in 2016, a six-week practice was found to increase perceived social support, and decrease social negativity in its participants.

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After using LKM, Strock says, his clients are better able to identify with their feelings, apologize more easily and ask each other for forgiveness.

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Brittany Johnson, a licensed mental health says some of her clients reported a decrease in symptoms related to depression, anxiety and overall stress after just a week of LKM.

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3.4 How Loving Kindness Meditation(LKM) works(4)

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3.4 How Loving Kindness Meditation(LKM) works(4)

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Marianne Williamson, a 2020 residential candidate, author of “A Return to Love” explain that loving kindness meditation(LKM) not only diminishes fear but increases our sense of overall well-being.

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3.3 How Loving Kindness Meditation(LKM) works (3)

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3.3 How Loving Kindness Meditation(LKM) works (3)

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The practice help develop a kind feeling and thought toward yourself when you’re having the fear of death.

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3.2 How Loving Kindness Meditation(LKM) works(2)

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3.2 How Loving Kindness Meditation(LKM) works(2)

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LKM can also help us manage our darker concern around covid-19, such as dying or exposing someone else.

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3.1How Loving Kindness Meditation(LKM) works

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3.1How Loving Kindness Meditation(LKM) works

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Donald Altman , a psychotherapist, former monk says that LKM helps us recognize we are all fragile. For that reason we could all benefit from love’s warm and comforting blessing.

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6.4  Mira Dessy - a nutritionist and a meditation author

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6.4  Mira Dessy - a nutritionist and a meditation author

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“Meditation isn’t meant to be a forced thing,” Dessy says. “If we’re forcing it, then it becomes a chore. Gentle, regular practice eventually becomes sustaining, supportive, and enjoyable.

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Mindfulness meditation originates from Buddhist teachings and is the most popular meditation technique in the West.
In mindfulness meditation, you pay attention to your thoughts as they pass through your mind. You don’t judge the thoughts or become involved with them. You simply observe and take note of any patterns.
This type of meditation is good for people who don’t have a teacher to guide them, as it can be easily practiced alone.

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Although there isn’t a right or wrong way to meditate, it’s important to find a practice that meets your needs and complements your personality.
- There are nine popular types of meditation practice:
• mindfulness meditation
• spiritual meditation
• focused meditation
• movement meditation
• mantra meditation
• transcendental meditation
• progressive relaxation
• loving-kindness meditation
• visualization meditation
Not all meditation styles are right for everyone. These practices require different skills and mindsets.

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Although the practice has ties to many different religious teachings, meditation is less about faith and more about altering consciousness, finding awareness, and achieving peace.
These days, with the greater need to reduce stress in the midst of our busy schedules and demanding lives, meditation is increasing in popularity.

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1.General wellness is the number one reason people gave for meditating.
2.Meditation can cut the wake time of insomniacs by at least 50%.
3.Back pain sufferers practicing meditation were more likely to experience a 30% improvement in their ability to carry out daily tasks compared to those only taking medication.
4.Research shows that people who meditate can reduce their chance of being hospitalized for coronary heart disease by 87%.
5.Meditation has been shown to reduce depression relapses by 12%.
6.Following a meditation program can lead to a 73% reduction in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms.
7.Meditation can increase telomerase, an enzyme needed to delay the onset of diseases including Alzheimer’s, by 43%.

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2.7.16% of adults aged 45-64 meditate, making them the most dedicated meditators.

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2.7.16% of adults aged 45-64 meditate, making them the most dedicated meditators.

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1.The popularity of the practice is widespread across the age groups, with the 18-44 and 65 and over group not far behind with 13%.
2.The popularity of meditation by age group:

45-64 age group (15.9%)

18-44 age group (13.4%)

65+ age group (13.4%)

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2.6.7% of children in the US now meditate.

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2.6.7% of children in the US now meditate.

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1.The growth is due to many US schools now including mindfulness practices, including meditation, as part of their curriculum.
2.It’s thought that meditation can help to manage the stress and anxiety that many young people face today, and be positive for a number of childhood conditions.

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2.5.Since 2012 the number of people practicing meditation has tripled.

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2.5.Since 2012 the number of people practicing meditation has tripled.

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2.4.Over 14% of US adults have tried meditation at least once.

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2.4.Over 14% of US adults have tried meditation at least once.

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1.8.Meditation is generally considered to be safe for healthy people.

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1.8.Meditation is generally considered to be safe for healthy people.

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Over 14% of US adults have tried meditation.
Since 2012 the number of people practicing meditation has tripled. 7% of children in the US now meditate.
Women are more likely to meditate than men.
The value of the meditation market is set to double by 2022.
The top 10 most popular meditation apps generated $195 million in sales in 2019.  wellness is the number one reason people gave for meditating. It is believed that globally between 200 and 500 million people meditate.

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2.2.Meditation is no longer a practice. It has now become a trendy, mainstream activity.

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2.2.Meditation is no longer a practice. It has now become a trendy, mainstream activity.

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2.1.The number of people turning to meditation is skyrocketing, and with so many reported benefits it’s really no surprise!

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2.1.The number of people turning to meditation is skyrocketing, and with so many reported benefits it’s really no surprise!

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1.1.Meditation is a mind and body practice that has a long history of use for increasing calmness and physical relaxation, improving psychological balance, coping with illness, and enhancing overall health and well-being.

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1.1.Meditation is a mind and body practice that has a long history of use for increasing calmness and physical relaxation, improving psychological balance, coping with illness, and enhancing overall health and well-being.

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1.2.Many studies have been conducted to look at how meditation may be helpful for a variety of conditions, such as high blood pressure, certain psychological disorders, and pain. 

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1.2.Many studies have been conducted to look at how meditation may be helpful for a variety of conditions, such as high blood pressure, certain psychological disorders, and pain. 

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1.4.Meditation may reduce blood pressure. 

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1.4.Meditation may reduce blood pressure. 

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1.6.Meditation improves symptoms of anxiety. 

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1.6.Meditation improves symptoms of anxiety. 

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1.3.People who suffer from cancer symptoms and treatment side effects, mind-body therapies, such as meditation, have been shown to help relieve anxiety, stress, fatigue, and general mood and sleep disturbances, thus improving their quality of life. 

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1.3.People who suffer from cancer symptoms and treatment side effects, mind-body therapies, such as meditation, have been shown to help relieve anxiety, stress, fatigue, and general mood and sleep disturbances, thus improving their quality of life. 

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1.5.Meditation-based programs may be helpful in reducing common menopausal symptoms. 

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1.5.Meditation-based programs may be helpful in reducing common menopausal symptoms. 

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1.7.Not enough evidence to conclude mind-body practices are as effective as other treatments to help people quit smoking. 

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1.7.Not enough evidence to conclude mind-body practices are as effective as other treatments to help people quit smoking. 