Word or a couch. Close your eyes

Word or a couch. Close your eyes

Word Count: 723Webster’s dictionary definesas “to reflect on; ponder, to engage incontemplation,” which it really is, although, many people believe that meditation is ameans of developing a more spiritual or religious life. Meditation does not necessarilyhave to be religious.

Many people just meditate to relax or organize their thoughts. Meditation is a very broad subject since there are many ways in which to performmeditation. Not only are there many ways but, there are also many different religionsassociated with meditation. Not only is meditation good for the soul but, it is also goodfor the mind. I myself have experimented with meditation and have found it to be veryrelaxing and at the same time stimulating.One way to perform meditation is to first find a comfortable place to sit or liedown. Then you must have a precise, intense focus on one object.

Follow and controlyour breath and note all of your body sensations or track the sequence of your thoughts. Second, be allowing to any thoughts that may enter your head. Be spacious and open-hearted. This is excellent for the mind.

Another form that is good for the body is body relaxation. First lie on your backon the floor, a supportive bed or a couch. Close your eyes and rest for a moment. Waitfor a feeling of readiness. When you are ready to begin, tighten all the muscles that youcan, but never tighten them to the point of discomfort. Hold this for thirty seconds.

Nextpay close attention to the sensation you feel and remember it. Then let all your musclesgo and allow them to relax. Compare the feeling that you are feeling to the one that youhad just felt minutes ago. After a few minutes repeat this but, allow your muscles to relax fora longer amount of time.Yoga, another form of meditation, teaches an eightfold path beginning with theacquisition of pure moral attitudes, proceeding through practices of breath control andpostures designed to allow a person to concentrate without having his or her minddistracted by outside forces. By concentrating on progressively more abstract conceptsthe person achieves higher and higher meditative states, culminating in a contentlesstrance that constitutes liberation. Yogis, people that perform yoga, in more advancedstages of this process are said to be gifted with remarkable powers , such as specialcapacities for sight, an ability to levitate and to project their minds into other bodies, andso on.

Religion is a major factor in meditation. Many people meditate to grow more intune with their spiritual life. The religion of Taoism uses meditation as a way to find theway of harmony in life. Zen Buddhism uses meditation to see into your true nature andrealize enlightenment. Buddhism is another form of religion that is based on meditationthat is similar to Zen Buddhism. Buddhists use meditation as a way to release their innerillusion.

Meditation is not used for religious purposes only. It may also be used to relax ordig deep into a persons soul. Meditation brings out the union of opposites.

Due to thisthe yin-yang symbol is associated with meditation. Within the white there is black andwithin the black there is white. Both intervene. Some radical doctors will know prescribe meditation instead of pain kills or drugsto relax a person. They do this because meditation has no harmful side effects and canbe done by anyone. The only thing meditation can do is to help an individual calmthemselves and have clearer thoughts.

Meditation has been found to improve mental health by reducing biochemicalindicators of stress, decreasing anxiety, and enhancing psychological development. InSweden the National Health Board conducted a nationwide epidemiological study thatfound that hospital admissions for psychiatric care for people that meditated was 150-200times less common to people that did not meditate. Increased intelligence is anotherbenefit of meditation.

It has been found that college students that practice meditationover a two year period have a higher nonverbal IQ.All in all meditation is a healthy practice to do. You should be aware of the manytypes of ways to do it and also be aware of the religions associated with meditation. Forit can only help your mind and also your body.

Always remember to be steadfast andaccept imperfection in your practice.