Frequently Asked Questions

What is meditation?

Meditation is a name given to the many modern and ancient techniques and practices that can settle the nervous system and train the brain to be more focused, engaged, and less reactive. Every type of meditation practice requires you to focus your attention on a sensory object (breath, body sensations, sounds, etc.).

Meditation techniques have been practiced for thousands of years. Meditation was originally practiced so that one could deepen their understanding of the sacred and mystical forces of life. And, though meditation may still be spiritual for some, the practice is not necessarily religious in nature. Meditation is now becoming mainstream, probably due to the high degree of stress our modern day lives can create. It is practiced by millions of people around the world.

Many meditation techniques allow you to rediscover an ever-present quietness that is already within. Behind the constant mental monologue, there is silent, pure awareness - a field of quietness which is not disturbed by mind fluctuations. Techniques such as mantra meditation, breath awareness, and body awareness don’t force your mind to be quiet; rather, they allow the mind to settle, transcending thought, so you can rediscover the ever-present quietness that is already there.

Why should I meditate?

Many people meditate to experience inner peace and to find meaning and purpose in their lives. And, for a growing number of people, perfectly healthy people, meditation is used as a means of stress reduction - it is good prevention.

You see the many advertisements for medication for digestion, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and sexual problems; it is no wonder that meditation is needed now more than ever. Each one of these disorders are either caused by or made worse by stress - and more than 60% of all doctors’ visits these days are due to stress-related complaints. Often medication is prescribed. Medications don’t treat the cause, only the symptoms. Meditation treats the cause: stress.

Any meditation, done correctly, allows your body to reach a naturally-occurring rest state; and according to research, this state is different from sleep. The rest is much deeper, and at the same time, you are more alert. It is sometimes called the state of restful alertness.

A daily meditation practice can help you to live more peacefully and with increased awareness, and it encourages you to fully experience the life that you were meant to live. When you set aside time each day, the benefits of meditation will naturally unfold. Even a few minutes meditation here and there can help your day to be more harmonious. Your relationships and your work become more fulfilling. You might find you are getting to know yourself better, feel better, and make better choices.

In order to meditate properly, do I have to make my mind blank?

No, you do not have to make your mind blank or somehow empty your mind. This is a big myth. Yes, meditation will create some moments of inner quiet, but the thought activity can be a major part of meditation. The brain does a lot of sorting and housecleaning during meditation and is often tremendously busy. Thoughts come and go, and you will notice them, or not. Each time you notice that you are not focused on the object of your meditation, you simply refocus without judgment. Again and again. You ride thoughts like surfers ride waves. Soon, even if the mind is noisy, you won’t care very much, because you will be more relaxed. The more your mind wanders during meditation, the more stress is being released. And this leads to the clear mind people talk about after meditation.

Also, since you are relaxed during meditation, you learn to stay relaxed in your waking state while thinking of things that used to make you tense. You learn to be responsive rather than reactive. Your mind will be quieter after meditation. And because your mind is quiet, your intuition, your gut feelings, your strategic overview, and your creativity will emerge with greater clarity.

Is “mindfulness” the same as “meditation”?

“Mindfulness” is not identical to “meditation,” but they are closely related. In the realm of mental health treatment and stress reduction, “mindfulness” is a way of training the mind to develop a different (and less reactive, less distressing) relationship with thoughts, actions, feelings and sensations. Mindfulness meditations include breath awareness, body awareness, and mindful walking, each with a specific focus on sensation. There is also the practice of insight meditation, which includes a welcoming, open awareness to whatever is.

Mindfulness meditations and other meditations in general create the benefit of more mindful living, which means to be engaged with what you are doing while you are doing it, with a nonjudgemental attitude. Practicing mindfulness can be done either formally as in a seated or walking meditation or informally, as in a way of living.

The term “meditation”, however, can refer to other practices such as mantra practice (silently repeating a word or sound), which leads to transcending the senses, as well as compassion and gratitude practices, which bring the practitioner’s focus to something/someone that isn’t in their present environment (as in a memory of an experience, a person who is not present, or an idea). Whatever the type of meditation, almost every meditation begins with mindfulness.

How do meditation and mindfulness address stress?

When mammals are exposed to painful, highly distressing, or frightening circumstances, a cascade of physical/mental events occur known as the fight-or-flight response. Over time, these responses to stress can develop all kinds of problems, over and above the original stressful or traumatic event. Often, due to the recurrence of the stressful circumstances or stressful thoughts and emotions, we are stuck in an overactive stress response. And this does not allow for the hormones to discharge properly. This leads to many stress-related disorders and chronic conditions.

Stress is sometimes called the silent killer. We often don’t notice its effects on the body until we experience some chronic condition. Meditation is the perfect antidote for modern day stress. It has been proven to actually reduce stress in the nervous system and balances the hormones, so you can face your day with a fresh attitude and calm manner.

During meditation, you gain a deeper rest than in sleep, yet at the same time, your awareness expands. Meditation can help you relax not just while you’re meditating, but throughout the rest of the day as well. Most meditators also notice they become less reactionary and are more easily and calmly able to handle situations that previously would have caused them stress or tension.

Stress can also affect your sleeping patterns. If you do not get rejuvenating rest, your performance degrades. Less than half an hour of meditation per day can quickly translate to deeper, more refreshing sleep. Deep meditation that promotes heightened theta and delta activity in the brain can help to compensate for the lost time in the delta state during sleep. Many meditators report sleeping fewer hours yet waking up feeling much more energized.

An increase in centeredness, balance, and self-awareness helps to bring a new sense of calm and well-being. Since most disease is caused by or worsened by stress, meditation is really good for your health. It helps you tune into your body and its messages, so you can make better choices. This also prevents stress. When faced with stressful situations this personal insight allows you to identify negative patterns in your life and integrate a more positive and productive approach, thus eliminating many of the underlying causes of stress.

In social situations, fear and anxiety will no longer be your constant companions. Meditation and mindfulness help you to become more calm and centered, and less fearful. These practices are helpful in developing healthy relationships. Problems in relationships are often caused by one or both partners being under stress. It’s also great to practice together as a family or as a couple as the practices create more harmony.

Why is meditation so healing?

Life organizes itself in a rhythm of activity and rest, activity and rest. Sleeps helps to rejuvenate and renew our nervous system. Meditation gives us access to that kind of renewal, only on a deeper level.

Meditation is something the body knows how to do, and does willingly if you set up the conditions to allow it. The body knows how to enter a profound healing state. All you have to do is get out of the way and let the body do its thing.

Meditation is one of the few practices in the self-help arena that produces measurable changes. In other words, you can take a few hours of meditation training, and then go into a medical lab and meditate, and they can measure the changes in your breathing, your blood chemistry, your brain waves, and your response to stress. And if you were sitting in a medical lab all wired up, and they saw you enter a state of rest deeper than sleep in 5 minutes, a knowledgeable researchers would look at the instruments and say, “Oh, you just started meditating. I can see it on the meters.”

Some practices of meditation, such as silent meditations, allow you to access a naturally-occurring rest state; and according to research it is actually different from sleep. This rest is much deeper and at the same time, you are more alert. It is sometimes called the state of restful alertness. This helps to reduce stress and improve your sense of well-being. But it is like exercise. You can’t just know about it to get the benefits, you have to do it regularly.

As stated above, the restful state one gets into has been measured as deeper than deep sleep and is another way to give the body a chance to rejuvenate. When you rest, the body (including the nervous system and brain) tunes up, repairs damage, gathers energy, and gets ready to go.

• Meditation creates a deeper rest than sleep, even though you are sitting up and are awake.

• Meditation reduces emotional and physical stresses that have accumulated from the past.

• After meditation, you’re less likely to get stressed over little things, so you will tend to have less stress-related issues.