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Complementary and alternative medicine Alternative medicine Complementary medicine Glossary of alternative medicine

Meditation is a discipline in which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned, "thinking" mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness. Bangalore ( officially Bengaluru ( Kannada: ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು) is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva Mind-body interventions is the precise name of a US National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM classification that covers a variety of techniques designed The Alexander Technique is a discipline with a focus on the self-perception of movement and is aimed at alleviating pain promoting rehabilitation improving breathing and decreasing The term autosuggestion is used for positive or negative physical Symptoms explained by the thoughts and beliefs of a person Autogenic training is a relaxation technique developed by the German psychiatrist Johannes Schultz and first published in 1932 The Feldenkrais Method is an educational system centered on movement aiming to expand and refine the use of the self through awareness Hypnotherapy is therapy that is undertaken with a subject in Hypnosis. In Alternative medicine, a Medical Intuitive is a person who uses their intuition to find the cause of a physical or emotional condition Mindfulness is concentrated awareness of one's thoughts actions or motivations Qigong (or ch'i kung) refers to a wide variety of traditional cultivation practices that involve methods of accumulating circulating and working with Qi or energy Somatic Psychology, also referred to as Body psychotherapy, is an Interdisciplinary field involving the study of therapeutic and Holistic approaches Sophrology was created by Dr Alfonso Caycedo in the 1960s It is a branch of neurological medicine that studies the human Consciousness and its positive Tai chi chuan (is an internal Chinese martial art often practiced for Health reasons The Trager® Approach is a mind-body approach to movement education See Yoga for the family of spiritual practices that originated in India. This is a glossary for terms and concepts being used in Complementary and Alternative Medicine ( CAM) an umbrella term for a large number of practices that fall The term alternative medicine, as used in the modern western world encompasses any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional Medicine. This is a glossary for terms and concepts being used in Complementary and Alternative Medicine ( CAM) an umbrella term for a large number of practices that fall It often involves turning attention to a single point of reference. Attention is the Cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring other things Meditation is recognized as a component of almost all religions, and has been practiced for over 5,000 years. ^[1][2][3] It is also practiced outside religious traditions. Different meditative disciplines encompass a wide range of spiritual and/or psychophysical practices which can emphasize different goals - from the achievement of a higher state of consciousness, to greater focus, creativity or self-awareness, or just simply a more relaxed and peaceful frame of mind.

The word meditation originally comes from the Indo-European root med-, meaning "to measure. "^[4][5] From the root med- are also derived the English words mete, medicine, modest, and moderate. It entered English as meditation through the Latin meditatio, which originally indicated every type of physical or intellectual exercise, then later evolved into the more specific meaning "contemplation. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. An intellectual (from the adjective meaning "involving thought and reason" is a person who tries to use his or her Intelligence and analytical thinking, The word Contemplation comes from the Latin root templum (from Greek temnein to cut or divide and means to separate something from its environment and to enclose it in a sector "

Eastern meditation techniques have been adapted and increasingly practiced in Western culture. The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings ^[6]

Contents 1 Forms of meditation 1.1 Hinduism 1.2 Buddhism 1.3 Christianity 1.4 Islam 1.5 Jainism 1.6 Judaism 1.7 New Age 1.8 Sikhism 1.9 Taoism 1.10 Bahá'í Faith 1.11 Other 1.11.1 Meditation according to Krishnamurti 1.11.2 Active/dynamic meditation 1.11.3 Secular 1.11.4 Meditation using beads 1.11.5 Acoustic and photic 2 Meditation in a Western context 3 Physical postures 3.1 Spine 3.2 Mudra/Hand 3.3 Eyes 3.4 Focus and Gaze 3.5 Cross-legged Sitting 4 Health applications and clinical studies of meditation 5 Meditation in popular fiction 6 See also 7 Notes 8 References 9 Further reading

Forms of meditation

Meditation has been defined as: "self regulation of attention, in the service of self-inquiry, in the here and now. "^[7] The various techniques of meditation can be classified according to their focus. Some focus on the field or background perception and experience, also called "mindfulness"; others focus on a preselected specific object, and are called "concentrative" meditation. Mindfulness is concentrated awareness of one's thoughts actions or motivations There are also techniques that shift between the field and the object. ^[8]

In mindfulness meditation, the meditator sits comfortably and silently, centering attention by focusing awareness on an object or process (either the breath, a sound: a mantra, koan or riddle evoking questions; a visualisation, or an exercise). The meditator is usually encouraged to maintain an open focus:

. . . shifting freely from one perception to the next clear your mind of all that bothers you no thoughts that can distract you from reality or your personal being. . . No thought, image or sensation is considered an intrusion. The meditator, with a 'no effort' attitude, is asked to remain in the here and now. Using the focus as an 'anchor'. . . brings the subject constantly back to the present, avoiding cognitive analysis or fantasy regarding the contents of awareness, and increasing tolerance and relaxation of secondary thought processes. ^[8]

Concentration meditation is used in many religions and spiritual practices. Whereas in mindfulness meditation there is an open focus, in concentration meditation the meditator holds attention on a particular object (e. g. , a repetitive prayer) while minimizing distractions; bringing the mind back to concentrate on the chosen object. ^[9] In some traditions, such as Vipassana, mindfulness and concentration are combined. Vipassanā ( Pāli) or vipaśyanā (विपश्यना Sanskrit) means Insight into the impermanent nature or Anicca, ^[10]

Meditation can be practiced while walking or doing simple repetitive tasks. Walking meditation helps to break down habitual automatic mental categories, "thus regaining the primary nature of perceptions and events, focusing attention on the process while disregarding its purpose or final outcome. " In a form of meditation using visualization, such as Chinese Qi Gong, the practitioner concentrates on flows of energy (Qi) in the body, starting in the abdomen and then circulating through the body, until dispersed. Qigong (or ch'i kung) refers to a wide variety of traditional cultivation practices that involve methods of accumulating circulating and working with Qi or energy ^[8] Some meditative traditions, such as yoga or tantra, are common to several religions^[3] or occur outside religious contexts. Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the Tantra ( Sanskrit: तन्त्र; " Weave " denoting continuity) tantricism or tantrism is any of several esoteric

Hinduism

For more details on this topic, see Dhyana in Hinduism. According to the Hindu Yoga Sutra dhyana is one of the eight methods of Yoga, (the other seven methods are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama

Meditation originated from Vedic Hinduism which is the oldest religion that professes meditation as a spiritual and religious practice.

Evidence of the origins of meditation extends back to a time before recorded history. Archaeologists tell us the practice may have existed among the first Indian civilizations. Indian scriptures dating back 5000 years describe meditation techniques. From its ancient beginnings and over thousands of years, meditation has developed into a structured practice used today by millions of people worldwide of differing nationalities and religious beliefs. ^[11]

Yoga (Devanagari: योग) is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy, focusing on meditation. Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya In India, Yoga is seen as a means to both physiological and spiritual mastery.

There are several types of meditation in Hinduism. Amongst these types are:

• Vedanta, a form of Jnana Yoga. Vedanta ( Devanagari: sa वेदान्त Vedānta) is a spiritual tradition explained in the Upanishads that is concerned with the Self-realisation Jnâna yoga ( Devanāgarī: ज्ञान योग or "path of knowledge" is one of the types of Yoga mentioned in Hindu philosophies
• Raja Yoga as outlined by Patanjali, which describes eight "limbs" of spiritual practices, half of which might be classified as meditation. Rāja Yoga ("royal Yoga " "royal union" also known as Classical Yoga or simply Yoga) is one of the six orthodox ( Astika) Patañjali ( Devanāgarī पतञ्जलि (fl 150 BCE or 2nd c Underlying them is the assumption that a yogi should still the fluctuations of his or her mind: Yoga cittavrrti nirodha.
• Surat shabd yoga, or "sound and light meditation"
• Japa Yoga, in which a mantra is repeated aloud or silently
• Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of love and devotion, in which the seeker is focused on an object of devotion, eg Krishna
• Hatha Yoga, in which postures and meditations are aimed at raising the spiritual energy, known as Kundalini, which rises through energy centres known as chakras

The objective of meditation is to reach a calm state of mind. Surat Shabd Yoga or Surat Shabda Yoga is a form of spiritual practice that is followed in the Sant Mat and many other related spiritual traditions Japa ( Sanskrit: जप is a Spiritual discipline involving the meditative repetition of a Mantra or name of God. A mantra ( Devanāgarī मन्त्र (or mantram is a religious or mystical syllable or poem typically from the Sanskrit language Bhakti Yoga ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति योग is a term within Hinduism which denotes the spiritual practice of fostering loving devotion to God Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism Hatha Yoga ( Sanskrit हठयोग hʌʈʰʌjogʌ also called Hatha Vidya (हठविद्या is a particular system of Yoga introduced by Yogi Swatmarama Kundalini (kuṇḍalinī sa कुण्डलिनी Sanskrit, literally "coiled" Chakra ( Pali: chakka Tibetan: khorlo Malay: cakera is a Sanskrit term meaning Circle or Wheel Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras, described five different states of mind: Ksipta, Mudha, Viksipta, Ekagra and Nirodha. Patañjali ( Devanāgarī पतञ्जलि (fl 150 BCE or 2nd c This is an article about the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali For general information on sutras see Sutra. Ksipta defines a very agitated mind, unable to think, listen or remain quiet. It is jumping from one thought to another. Thought and thinking are mental forms and Processes respectively ("thought" is both In Mudha no information seems to reach the brain; the person is absentminded. Viksipta is a higher state where the mind receives information but is not able to process it. It moves from one thought to another, in a confused inner speech. Ekagra is the state of a calm mind but not asleep. The person is focused and can pay attention. Lastly Nirodha, when the mind is not disturbed by erratic thoughts, it is completely focused, as when you are meditating or totally centered in what you are doing. The ultimate end of meditation according to Patanjali is the destruction of primal ignorance (avidya) and the realization of and establishment in the essential nature of the Self.

Buddhism

Main article: Buddhist meditation

Meditation has always been central to Buddhism. Buddhist meditation encompasses a variety of Meditation techniques that develop Mindfulness, concentration, tranquility and insight The historical Buddha himself was said to have achieved enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhi tree. Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder Bodhi (बोधि is both the Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English as "enlightenment The Bodhi Tree, also known as Bo (from the Sinhalese Bo was a large and very old Sacred Fig tree ( Ficus religiosa) located in Bodh Most forms of Buddhism distinguish between two classes of meditation practices, shamatha and vipassana, both of which are necessary for attaining enlightenment. Samatha ( Pāli) śamatha ( Sanskrit) or orthographically romanized to shamatha and is often translated as 'Calm Abiding' ( Tibetan Vipassanā ( Pāli) or vipaśyanā (विपश्यना Sanskrit) means Insight into the impermanent nature or Anicca, The former consists of practices aimed at developing the ability to focus the attention single-pointedly; the latter includes practices aimed at developing insight and wisdom through seeing the true nature of reality. The differentiation between the two types of meditation practices is not always clear cut, which is made obvious when studying practices such as Anapanasati which could be said to start off as a shamatha practice but that goes through a number of stages and ends up as a vipassana practice. Ānāpānasati ( Pali) meaning ' Mindfulness of Breathing ("sati" means mindfulness "ānāpāna" refers to inhalation and exhalation

Theravada Buddhism emphasizes the meditative development of mindfulness (sati, see for example the Satipatthana Sutta) and concentration (samadhi, see kammatthana), as part of the Noble Eightfold Path, in the pursuit of Nibbana (Nirvana). History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Mindfulness is concentrated awareness of one's thoughts actions or motivations The Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta and the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta are two of the most popular discourses in the Pali Canon, embraced by both Theravada and In Buddhism, samādhi ( Pali; Skt) is mental concentration In the Pali literature, samadhi is found in the following contexts In Buddhism, kammaṭṭhāna is a Pali word (Sanskrit karmasthana) which literally means the place of work, figuratively it In sramanic philosophy Nirvana (निर्वाण| Nirvāṇa; निब्बान Nibbāna; Prakrit: णिव्वाण Traditional popular meditation subjects include the breath (anapana) and loving-kindness (mettā). Ānāpānasati ( Pali) meaning ' Mindfulness of Breathing ("sati" means mindfulness "ānāpāna" refers to inhalation and exhalation Mettā meditation the practice of loving-kindness Mettā signifies Friendship and Non-violence as well as "a strong wish for the happiness of others"

In Japanese Mahayana schools, Tendai (Tien-tai), concentration is cultivated through highly structured ritual. Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. Zazen (坐禅 Chinese zuò chán Pinyin or tso-chan Wade-Giles) is at the heart of Zen Buddhist practice Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for History The Tiantai teaching was first brought to Japan by the Chinese monk Jianzhen (鑑眞 Jp Ganjin in the middle of the 8th century, but Especially in the Chinese Chán Buddhism school (which branched out into the Japanese Zen, and Korean Seon schools), ts'o ch'an meditation and koan meditation practices allow a practitioner to directly experience the true nature of reality (each of the names of these schools derives from the Sanskrit dhyana, and translates into "meditation" in their respective languages). Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. Zazen (坐禅 Chinese zuò chán Pinyin or tso-chan Wade-Giles) is at the heart of Zen Buddhist practice Reality, in everyday usage means "the state of things as they actually exist" Dhyāna in Hinduism See also Dhyana in Hinduism In Hinduism dhyana is considered to be an instrument to gain self knowledge separating maya from The esoteric Shingon sect shares many features with Tibetan Buddhism. Shingon Buddhism (眞言 真言 " true words " is a major school of Japanese Buddhism, and is the other branch of Vajrayana Buddhism Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana) emphasizes tantra for its senior practitioners; hence its alternate name of Tantrayana Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and Tantra ( Sanskrit: तन्त्र; " Weave " denoting continuity) tantricism or tantrism is any of several esoteric Many monks go through their day without "meditating" in a recognizable form, but are more likely to chant or participate in group liturgy. In this tradition, the purpose of meditation is to awaken the sky-like nature of mind, and to introduce practitioners to that which they really are: unchanging pure awareness, which underlies the whole of life and death. ^[12][13]

Meditation is the way to bring us back to ourselves, where we can really experience and taste our full being, beyond all habitual patterns. In the stillness and silence of meditation, we glimpse and return to that deep inner nature that we have so long ago lost sight of amid the business and distraction of our minds.

The gift of learning to meditate is the greatest gift you can give yourself in this life. For it is only through meditation that you can undertake the journey to discover your true nature, and so find the stability and confidence you will need to live, and die, well. Meditation is the road to enlightenment. - Sogyal Rinpoche, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying^[12]

Most Buddhist traditions recognize that the path to Enlightenment entails three types of training: virtue (sīla); meditation (citta); and, wisdom (paññā). Sogyal Rinpoche ( is a Tibetan Dzogchen Lama of the Nyingma tradition The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, written by Sogyal Rinpoche, gives a comprehensive presentation of the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, exploring the The Schools of Buddhism. Buddhism is classified in various ways Bodhi (बोधि is both the Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English as "enlightenment The Buddha identified the threefold training ( sikkhā) as training in higher virtue ( adhisīla-sikkhā) higher In the Pali Canon In the Pali Canon, paññā is defined in a variety of overlapping ways frequently centering on concentrated insight ^[14] Thus, meditative prowess alone is not sufficient; it is but one part of the path. In other words, in Buddhism, in tandem with mental cultivation, ethical development and wise understanding are also necessary for the attainment of the highest goal. ^[15]

Christianity

Main article: Christian meditation

Christian traditions have various practices which can be identified as forms of "meditation. Christian meditation is Meditation in a Christian context The word meditation has come to have two different meanings (1 continued intent focused thought and " Monastic traditions are the basis for many of these practices. Monasticism (from Greek μοναχός, monachos, derived from Greek monos, alone is the religious practice in which one Practices such as the rosary, the Adoration (focusing on the eucharist) in Catholicism or the hesychast tradition in Eastern Orthodoxy, may be compared to forms of Eastern meditation that focus on an individual object. The Rosary (from Latin rosarium, meaning "rose garden" or "garland of roses" is a popular traditional Roman Catholic devotion. As a Christian Ecclesiastical term Catholic —from the Greek adjective, meaning "general" or "universal"—is described Hesychasm ( Greek hesychasmos, from hesychia, "stillness rest quiet silence" is an Eremitic tradition of Prayer in The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Christian meditation is considered a form of prayer. Prayer is an important theme in Christianity, and there are several different forms of prayer Hesychastic practice, may involve recitation of the Jesus Prayer, thus "through the grace of God and one's own effort, to concentrate the nous in the heart. Hesychasm ( Greek hesychasmos, from hesychia, "stillness rest quiet silence" is an Eremitic tradition of Prayer in The Jesus Prayer, also called the Prayer of the Heart, is a short formulaic prayer often uttered repeatedly Nous (ˈnuːs Greek: or) is a philosophical term for Mind or Intellect. "^[16] Prayer as a form of meditation of the heart is described in the Philokalia—a practice that leads towards Theosis which ignores the senses and results in inner stillness. Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate with a Deity or spirit The Philokalia ( Gk φιλοκαλείν "Love of the Beautiful" is a collection of texts by masters of the Eastern Orthodox, hesychast In Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholic theology theosis (written also theiosis, theopoiesis, theōsis

In 1975, the Benedictine monk, John Main introduced a form of meditation based on repetitive recitation of a prayer-phrase, traditionally the Aramaic phrase "Marana Tha", meaning "Come, Oh Lord", as quoted at the end of both Corinthians and Revelation. Benedictine refers to the Spirituality and Consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in Fr John Main OSB (1926&ndash1982 was a Benedictine monk and priest who presented a way of Christian meditation which utilized the practice of The World Community for Christian Meditation was founded in 1991 to continue Main's work, which the Community describes as: "teaching Christian meditation as part of the great work of our time of restoring the contemplative dimension of Christian faith in the life of the church. The World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM was founded in 1991 to foster the teachings of Benedictine monk and priest Fr "^[17]

The Old Testament book of Joshua sets out a form of meditation based on scriptures: "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it, then you will be prosperous and successful" (Joshua 1:8). In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Joshua, Jehoshuah, or Yehoshua ( 'יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, Tiberian: jə This is one of the reasons why bible verse memory is a practice among many evangelical Christians. Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel ^[18][19]

Islam

See also: Muraqaba

Meditation in Islam is the core of its creed and way of life. Muraqaba (Arabic مراقبة is the Sufi word for Meditation. In the five times a day (before dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and night) that a Muslim is obligated to pray, focusing and meditating on Allah through reciting Quran and dhikr is the core of this practice aimed at establishing the connection between Creator and creation, which in turn guides the soul to truth. Dhikr ذکر Plural اذكار Adhkaar ( Zikir in Turkish and Malay, Zikr in Urdu, Jikir in Bengali and Zekr Through these five times a day of meditating a Muslim is expected to maintain the spirtual peace he/she experiences through work, social and family life and every single aspect his awakeness, transforming his whole day to meditation, so that when he/she goes to sleep its nothing but another phase of meditation till the next morning (3 Al Emran verses 189-194)(6 Al Anaam verses 160 to 163).

Meditative quiescence is believed to have a quality of healing and creativity. ^[20] The Muslim prophet Muhammad, whose deeds devout Muslims follow, spent long periods in meditation and contemplation. IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics It was during one such period of meditation that Muhammad began to receive revelations of the Qur'an. Wahy (وحي) is the Arabic word for revelation. In Islamic context it refers to the revelations and inspirations of God (Arabic Allah) to The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran ^[21]

Two more concepts or schools of meditation in Islam:

• Tafakkur and Tadabbur, literally meaning reflection upon the universe. Amin Ahsan Islahi (1904–1997 was an Indian Pakistani exegete of the Qur'an, who became famous for his Urdu exegeses of Qur'an Tadabbur-i-Qur’an Muslims feel this is a form of intellectual development which emanates from a higher level, i. e. from God. This intellectual process through the receiving of divine inspiration awakens and liberates the human mind, permitting man’s inner personality to develop and grow so that he may lead his life on a spiritual plane far above the mundane level. Revelation is the act of revealing or disclosing (see etymology or in the theological perception making something obvious and clearly understood through active or passive communication This is consistent with the global teachings of Islam, which views life as a test of our practice of submission to Allah, the one God.

• The second form of meditation is the Sufi meditation, it is largely based on mystical exercises. Muraqaba (Arabic مراقبة is the Sufi word for Meditation. However, this method is controversial among Muslim scholars. One group of Ulama, Al-Ghazzali, for instance, have accepted it, another group of Ulama, Ibn Taymiya, for instance, have rejected it as a bid'ah (Arabic: بدعة‎) (religious innovation). Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad al-Ghazālī (1058-1111 ( ابو حامد محمد ابن محمد الغزالی or امام محمد غزالی was born and died Taqi ad-Din Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah ( January 22, 1263 &ndash 1328 was a Sunni Islamic scholar born in Harran, located In Islam, bid‘ah ( is any type of Innovation. Though innovations in worldly matters are acceptable to an extent innovation within the religion is seen as a sin

Sufism relies on a practice similar to Buddhist meditation, known as Muraqaba or Tamarkoz which is taught in the Oveyssi-Shahmaghsoudi Sufi order. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف Muraqaba (Arabic مراقبة is the Sufi word for Meditation. Tamarkoz is a Persian term that means ‘concentration,’ referring to the “concentration of abilities”. Consequently, the term concentration is synonymous to close attention, convergent, collection, compaction, and consolidation.

Jainism

The Jains use the word Samayika, a word in the Prakrit language derived from the word samay (time), to denote the practice of meditation. In Hinduism, sadhu is a common term for an Ascetic or practitioner of Yoga ( Yogi) who has given up pursuit of the first three Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. Samayika (a Prakrit word derived from samay ( time) is the practice of Meditation in Jainism. Prakrit (also transliterated as Pracrit) ( Sanskrit: prākṛta प्राकृत (from pra-kṛti प्रकृति according to one The aim of Samayika is to transcend the daily experiences of being a "constantly changing" human being, Jiva, and allow for the identification with the "changeless" reality in the practitioner, the Atma. In Hinduism and Jainism, a jiva (जीव jīva alternate spelling jiwa) is a living being or more specifically the immortal essence of a living being The practice of Samayika begins by achieving a balance in time. If the present moment of time is taken to be a point between the past and the future, Samayika means being fully aware, alert and conscious in that very moment, experiencing one's true nature, Atma, which is considered common to all living beings. The Samayika takes on special significance during Paryushana, a special 8-day period practiced by the Jains. Two of the most important festivals for the Jains are Paryushana and Diwali.

Meditation techniques were available in ancient Jain scriptures that have been forgotten with time. A practice called preksha meditation is said to have been rediscovered by the 10th Head of Jain Swetamber Terapanth sect Acharya Mahaprajna,^[22] and consists of the perception of the body, the psychic centres, breath and of contemplation processes which will initiate the process of personal transformation. Preksha meditation Dhyana is the lost meditation technique of Jainism. Acharya Mahapragya, the 10th Acharya of Terapanth was born in a small and tranquil village of Tamkor in the Jhunjhanun district of Rajasthan on 14 June 1920 It aims at reaching and purify the deeper levels of existence. Regular practice strengthens the immune system, builds up stamina to resist against aging process, pollution, chemical toxins, viruses, diseases, food adulteration etc. Jain Meditation is important to the daily lives of the religion's monks. Jain Meditation is called Samayika.The Samayika is done to practice meditation generally by sitting in the Kayotsarga (khadgasana, Padmasana or ^[23]

Acharya Mahaprajna says:

Soul is my god. Renunciation is my prayer. Amity is my devotion. Self restraint is my strength. Non-violence is my religion. ^[24]

Judaism

Main article: Jewish meditation

There is evidence that Judaism has had meditative practices that go back thousands of years. Jewish meditation can refer to several traditional practices of contemplation visualization analysis and gaining intuitive insights ^[25] For instance, in the Torah, the patriarch Isaac is described as going "לשוח" (lasuach) in the field—a term understood by all commentators as some type of meditative practice (Genesis 24:63). term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to According to the Hebrew Bible, Isaac ( Hebrew: Yitzchak יִצְחָק, Standard Yiẓḥaq

Similarly, there are indications throughout the Tanach (the Hebrew Bible) that meditation was central to the prophets. See also Old testament, Septuagint, Targum, Peshitta The Tanakh (תַּנַ"ךְ (taˈnax or; also Tenakh or Tenak is Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin ^[25] In the Old Testament, there are two Hebrew words for meditation: hāgâ (Hebrew: הגה‎), which means to sigh or murmur, but also to meditate, and sîḥâ (Hebrew: שיחה‎), which means to muse, or rehearse in one's mind. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon.

In modern Jewish practice, one of the best known meditative practices is called hitbodedut (התבודדות) or hisbodedus is explained in Kabbalah and Hassidic philosophy. Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. Hasidic Judaism (also Chasidic, etc from the Hebrew: he '''''חסידות''''', Chassidus, meaning "piety" from the Hebrew The word hisbodedut, which derives from the Hebrew word "boded", בודד (a state of being alone) and said to be related to the sfirah of Binah (lit. book of understanding), means the process of making oneself understand a concept well through analytical study.

Kabbalah is inherently a meditative field of study. Kabbalistic meditative practices construct a supernal realm which the soul navigates through in order to achieve certain ends. One of the most well known types of meditation is Merkabah, from the root /R-K-B/ meaning "chariot"(of God). For the series of Israeli main battle tanks see Merkava. The Hebrew word Merkabah (he מרכבה " Chariot " derived from the consonantal

New Age

Main article: New Age

New Age meditations are often influenced by Eastern philosophy and mysticism such as Yoga, Hinduism and Buddhism, yet may contain some degree of Western influence. New Age ( New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) is a Social Collective Phenomenon and a Spiritual Nature Nambassa was a series of Hippie -conceived festivals held between 1976 and 1981 on large farms around Waihi and Waikino in New Zealand - Aotearoa New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island In the west meditation found its mainstream roots through the hippie- counterculture social revolution of the 1960s and 1970s when many of the youth of the day rebelled against traditional belief systems. ^[26]

Sikhism

Main article: Nām Japō

In Sikhism, the practices of simran and Nām Japō encourage quiet meditation. The Hippie Subculture was originally a Youth movement that began in the United States during the early 1960s and spread around the world The Counterculture of the 1960s and early 1970s refers to a period between 1960 and 1973 that began in the United States as a reaction against The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos Nām Japō ( Gurmukhi ਨਾਮ ਜਪੋ refers to the Meditation, vocal singing of Hymns from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib or of the various Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century For the Indian film actor see Simran Bagga. Simran is a Sanskrit word meaning 'realization of that which is of the highest Nām Japō ( Gurmukhi ਨਾਮ ਜਪੋ refers to the Meditation, vocal singing of Hymns from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib or of the various This is focusing one's attention on the attributes of God. Sikhs believe that there are 10 'gates' to the body; 'gates' is another word for 'chakras' or energy centres. The top most energy level is the called the tenth gate or dasam dwar. It is said that when one reaches this stage through continuous practice meditation becomes a habit that continues whilst walking, talking, eating, awake and even sleeping. There is a distinct taste or flavour when a meditator reaches this lofty stage of meditation, as one experiences absolute peace and tranquility inside and outside the body.

Followers of the Sikh religion also believe that love comes through meditation on the lord's name since meditation only conjures up positive emotions in oneself which are portrayed through our actions. The first Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev Ji preached the equality of all humankind and stressed the importance of living a householder's life instead of wandering around jungles meditating, the latter of which being a popular practice at the time. The Guru preached that we can obtain liberation from life and death by living a totally normal family life and by spreading love amongst every human being regardless of religion.

Taoism

Main article: Taoism

Taoism includes a number of meditative and contemplative traditions. The Secret of the Golden Flower ("Tai Yi Jin Hua Zong Zhi"《 太乙金華宗旨 》 a Chinese book about Meditation, was translated by Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions Originally said to have their principles described in the I Ching, Tao Te Ching, Chuang Tzu and Tao Tsang among other texts; the multitude of schools relating to Qigong, Neigong, Daoyin and Zhan zhuang are a large, diverse array of breath training practises in aid of meditation with much influence from later Chinese Buddhism and with much influence on traditional Chinese medicine and the Chinese as well as some Japanese martial arts. The I Ching ( Wade-Giles) or “Yì Jīng” ( Pinyin) also called “Classic of Changes” or “Book of Changes” is one of the oldest of the The Tao Te Ching or Dao De Jing ( originally known as Laozi or Lao tzu ( is a Chinese classic For the book with the same name see Zhuangzi (book Zhuangzi ( was an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th Daozang ( meaning "Treasury of Dao " or " Daoist Canon" consists of almost 5000 individual texts that were collected circa C Qigong (or ch'i kung) refers to a wide variety of traditional cultivation practices that involve methods of accumulating circulating and working with Qi or energy Neigong, also spelled nei kung, neigung, or nae gong, is any of a set of Chinese breathing and Meditation disciplines Tao Yin is a series of breathing exercises practiced by Taoists to cultivate Ch'i or internal energy of the body based upon the principles of Traditional Chinese Zhan zhuang (站桩 lit "standing like a post", sometimes called "standing like a tree" or "post standing" is a method of training in many Chinese Chinese Buddhism ( Pinyin fójiào refers collectively to the various schools of Buddhism that have flourished in China proper since ancient times Traditional Chinese medicine (also known as TCM,) includes a range of traditional medical practices originating in China. Kung fu and wushu are popular terms that have become synonymous with Chinese Martial arts. Japanese martial arts refers to the enormous variety of Martial arts native to Japan. The Chinese martial art T'ai Chi Ch'uan is named after the well-known focus for Taoist and Neo-Confucian meditation, the T'ai Chi T'u, and is often referred to as “meditation in motion”. Tai chi chuan (is an internal Chinese martial art often practiced for Health reasons Neo-Confucianism (/( is a form of Confucianism that was primarily developed during the Song Dynasty, but which can be traced back to Han Yu and Li In Chinese philosophy, the concept of yin and yang ( is used to describe how seemingly opposing forces are bound together intertwined and interdependent in the

Often Taoist Internal martial arts, especially Tai Chi Chuan are thought of as moving meditation. Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions The term " nèijiā " usually refers to Wudangquan or the internal styles of Chinese martial arts, which Sun Lutang identified in the 1920s as Tai chi chuan (is an internal Chinese martial art often practiced for Health reasons A common phrase being, "movement in stillness" referring to energetic movement in passive Qigong and seated Taoist meditation; with the converse being "stillness in movement", a state of mental calm and meditation in the tai chi form.

Bahá'í Faith

The Bahá'í Faith teaches that meditation is necessary for spiritual growth, alongside obligatory prayer and fasting. The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind `Abdu'l-Bahá is quoted as saying:

"Meditation is the key for opening the doors of mysteries to your mind. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ( ar عبد البهاء &lrm (23 May 1844 - 28 November 1921 born `Abbás Effendí, was the son of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the In that state man abstracts himself: in that state man withdraws himself from all outside objects; in that subjective mood he is immersed in the ocean of spiritual life and can unfold the secrets of things-in-themselves. "^[27]

Although the Founder of the Faith, Bahá'u'lláh, never specified any particular forms of meditation, some Bahá'í practices are meditative. Bahá'u'lláh ( ba-haa-ol-laa "Glory of God" ( November 12, 1817 – May 29, 1892) born Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Nuri One of these is the daily repetition of the Arabic phrase Alláhu Abhá (Arabic: الله ابهى) (God is Most Glorious) 95 times preceded by ablutions. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Abhá has the same root as Bahá' (Arabic: بهاء‎ "splendor" or "glory") which Bahá'ís consider to be the "Greatest Name of God". Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language ^[28]

Other

Meditation according to Krishnamurti

J Krishnamurti used the word meditation to mean something entirely different from the practice of any system or method to control the mind. Jiddu Krishnamurti ( Telugu: జిడ్డు కృష్ణ మూర్తి or J He said, “Man, in order to escape his conflicts, has invented many forms of meditation. These have been based on desire, will, and the urge for achievement, and imply conflict and a struggle to arrive. This conscious, deliberate striving is always within the limits of a conditioned mind, and in this there is no freedom. All effort to meditate is the denial of meditation. Meditation is the ending of thought. It is only then that there is a different dimension which is beyond time. ” For Krishnamurti, meditation was choiceless awareness in the present. He said ". . When you learn about yourself, watch yourself, watch the way you walk, how you eat, what you say, the gossip, the hate, the jealousy - if you are aware of all that in yourself, without any choice, that is part of meditation. "^[29]

Active/dynamic meditation

Dynamic Meditation is the name of one of Osho's popular Active Meditation techniques. OSHO Dynamic Meditation is an Active Meditation technique developed by Osho. "Rajneesh" Chandra Mohan Jain (रजनीश चन्द्र मोहन जैन (December 11 1931 – January 19 1990 also known as Acharya Rajneesh Active Meditation is the generic term for a number of meditation techniques created by Osho. However, in general active/dynamic meditation refers to any meditation technique which does not have one's body assuming a static posture. Such techniques are widely used in Karma Yoga. Karma yoga (Sanskrit कर्म योग (also known as Buddhi Yoga or the "discipline of action" is based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred An example of such activity could be Natya Yoga or a Shamanistic dance, such as described by Carlos Castaneda or simple exercises that focus on certain parts of the body "to give you the power to profoundly affect your mental and physical state directly and quickly". Natya Yoga, popularly known as Dance Yoga, the all-inclusive spiritual path of action is a combination of mainly Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga with many Carlos Castaneda (December 25 1925 – April 27 1998 was a Peruvian born American author ^[30]

Osho, earlier named Rajneesh, introduced the meditation techniques which he termed Active Meditations, which begin with a stage of activity — sometimes intense and physical — followed by a period of silence. "Rajneesh" Chandra Mohan Jain (रजनीश चन्द्र मोहन जैन (December 11 1931 – January 19 1990 also known as Acharya Rajneesh "Rajneesh" Chandra Mohan Jain (रजनीश चन्द्र मोहन जैन (December 11 1931 – January 19 1990 also known as Acharya Rajneesh Active Meditation is the generic term for a number of meditation techniques created by Osho. He emphasized that meditation is not concentration. Dynamic Meditation involves a conscious catharsis where one can throw out all the repressions, express what is not easily expressible in society, and then easily go into silence. OSHO Dynamic Meditation is an Active Meditation technique developed by Osho. Some of his techniques also have a stage of spontaneous dance. He said that, "If people are innocent there is no need for Dynamic Meditation. OSHO Dynamic Meditation is an Active Meditation technique developed by Osho. But if people are repressed, psychologically are carrying a lot of burden, then they need catharsis. So Dynamic Meditation is just to help them clean the place. And then they can use any method . . . It will not be difficult. If they, right now, directly try, they will fail. " ^[31]

Sri Aurobindo used to meditate while walking. Sri Aurobindo (শ্রী অরবিন্দ Sri Ôrobindo) ( August 15, 1872 – December 5, 1950) was an Indian

Also the Thai monk Luang Por Teean taught a (more conservative) form of active meditation which in Luang Por Teean's translated books is usually translated as 'Dynamic Meditation'. The Thai (or Tai) are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries A Bhikkhu ( Pāli) or Bhiksu ( Sanskrit) is a fully ordained male Buddhist Monastic. It involves the use of the hands and arms during sitting meditation. He also used walking meditation as a complementary method. His teaching was aimed at developing awareness of the movements of the arms, which are moved continuously in a certain pattern throughout the meditation. The awareness is, however, not limited to the arms but inclusive of the whole life-experience. This type of active meditation is a type of vipassana meditation, which originated in Burma, but is becoming more well known in the western countries, too. Vipassanā ( Pāli) or vipaśyanā (विपश्यना Sanskrit) means Insight into the impermanent nature or Anicca, Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia.

Secular

Forms of meditation which are devoid of mystical content have been developed in the west as a way of promoting physical and mental well being.

Jacobson's Progressive Muscle Relaxation was developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the early 1920s. Progressive muscle relaxation (or PMR is a technique of Stress management developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the early 1920s Edmund Jacobson (b April 22, 1888 in Chicago; d January 1983 in Chicago) was a US-American physician in internal medicine and psychiatry and Jacobson argued that since muscular tension accompanies anxiety, one can reduce anxiety by learning how to relax the muscular tension.

Autogenic training was developed by the German psychiatrist Johannes Schultz in 1932. Autogenic training is a relaxation technique developed by the German psychiatrist Johannes Schultz and first published in 1932 Schultz emphasized parallels to techniques in yoga and meditation; however, autogenic training is devoid of any mysticism.

Australian psychiatrist Dr Ainslie Meares published a groundbreaking work in the 1960s entitled Relief Without Drugs, in which he recommended some simple, secular relaxation techniques based on Hindu practices as a means of combating anxiety, stress and chronic physical pain. Dr Ainslie Dixon Meares (3 March 1910-19 September 1986 was an Australian psychiatrist, scholar of hypnotism psychotherapist authority on stress and a prolific

Herbert Benson M. Herbert Benson (born 1935 is an American Cardiologist and founder of the Mind/Body Medical Institute near Boston Massachusetts. D. , of Harvard Medical School, conducted a series of clinical tests on meditators from various disciplines - mainly Transcendental meditation and Tibetan Buddhism. Transcendental Meditation or TM is the trademarked name of a Meditation technique introduced in 1958 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1917-2008 Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including He first described the results in his 1975 book The Relaxation Response where he outlined a secular approach to achieving similar results.

Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche founded Shambhala Training in 1976, a secular program of meditation with a belief in basic goodness and teaching the path of bravery and gentleness. Chögyam Trungpa (February 1939 &ndash April 4, 1987) was a Buddhist Meditation master scholar teacher poet artist and a Trungpa Shambhala Training is a Secular approach to Meditation developed by the late Tibetan Buddhist teacher Chogyam Trungpa and his students The 1984 book Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior contains student-edited versions of Trungpa's lectures and writings. In Tibetan Buddhist tradition Shambhala (also spelled Shambala or Shamballa; Tibetan bde byung, pron

The book Sensual Meditation (1980) which was written by the founder of the Raëlian movement outlines a sequence of non-ascetic meditation exercises which emphasize a Sensual Meditation involving a physical and sensual awareness connected with current knowledge of how the body and mind are organized. Sensual Meditation is the set of exercises made public by Claude Vorilhon in his book La méditation sensuelle. Raëlism or Raëlian Church consists of the practitioners of a UFO religion founded by a former French sports-car journalist and test driver named Claude Sensual Meditation is the set of exercises made public by Claude Vorilhon in his book La méditation sensuelle.

The 1999 book The Calm Technique: Meditation Without Magic or Mysticism by Paul Wilson has a discussion and instruction in a form of secular meditation.

Biofeedback has been tried by many researchers since the 1950s as a way to enter deeper states of mind. Biofeedback is a form of Alternative medicine that involves measuring a subject's quantifiable bodily functions such as Blood pressure, Heart rate, ^[32]

Primordial Sound Meditation is an ancient meditation technique with its origins in the Vedic tradition of India. It has been modernized and revitalized by Drs. Deepak Chopra and David Simon of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing. It is a silent mantra meditation that uses primordial sounds (sounds of nature) that are linguistically structured and used to bring awareness to more and more subtle levels of thought.

Meditation using beads

Most religions have their own prayer beads or rosary. A rosary consists of pearls or beads linked together by a thread. Catholics use a string of beads containing five sets with ten small beads. Each set of ten is separated by another bead. The Hindu and Buddhist rosary has 108 beads and the Muslim rosary 99 beads. Prayers and specific meditations of each religion are different and there are theological reasons for the number of beads. Rosaries may come in different colors, sizes and designs. However, the central purpose, which is to pray repetitively and to meditate, is the same across all religions that use them as a prayer tool.

Acoustic and photic

Newer forms of meditation are based on the results of EEG (electro-encephalogram) work in long-term meditators. Studies have demonstrated the presence of a frequency-following response to auditory and visual stimuli. Frequency is a measure of the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit Time. This EEG activity was termed "frequency-following response" because its period (cycles per second) corresponds to the fundamental frequency of the stimulus. Stated plainly, if the stimulus is 5 Hz the resulting measured EEG will show a 5 Hz frequency-following response using appropriate time-domain averaging protocols. ^[33][34] This is the justification behind such inventions as the Dreamachine and binaural beats. The dreamachine (or dream machine) is a Stroboscopic flicker device that produces visual stimuli Binaural beats or Binaural tones are Auditory processing artifacts or apparent sounds the Perception of which arises in the brain independent of physical

Meditation in a Western context

"Meditation" in its modern sense refers to Yogic meditation that originated in India. In the late nineteenth century, Theosophists adopted the word "meditation" to refer to various spiritual practices drawn from Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and other Eastern religions. This article is about the philosophy introduced by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century Eastern religion is a group of Religions originating in India, China, Japan and Southeast Asia. Thus the English word "meditation" does not exclusively translate to any single term or concept, and can be used to translate words such as the Sanskrit dhyana, samadhi and bhavana. Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical Dhyāna in Hinduism See also Dhyana in Hinduism In Hinduism dhyana is considered to be an instrument to gain self knowledge separating maya from Samadhi ( Sanskrit: sa समाधि is a Hindu and Buddhist technical term that usually denotes higher levels of concentrated meditation or Bhavana ( Pali and Sanskrit) means "development" In the teaching of the Buddha it is often used in a compound form in such phrases as

Meditation may be for a religious purpose, but even before being brought to the West it was used in secular contexts, such as the martial arts. Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for Combat. Beginning with the Theosophists, though, meditation has been employed in the West by a number of religious and spiritual movements, such as Yoga , New Age and the New Thought movement, as well as limited use in Christianity. Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the New Age ( New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) is a Social Collective Phenomenon and a Spiritual Nature The New Thought Movement or New Thought is a New religious movement developed in the United States during the late 19th century which emphasizes metaphysical

Meditation techniques have also been used by Western theories of counseling and psychotherapy. Relaxation training works toward achieving mental and muscle relaxation to reduce daily stresses. Jacobson is credited with developing the initial progressive relaxation procedure. These techniques are used in conjunction with other behavioral techniques. Originally used with systematic desensitization, relaxation techniques are now used with other clinical problems. Meditation, hypnosis and biofeedback-induced relaxation are a few of the techniques used with relaxation training. One of the eight essential phases of EMDR (developed by Shapiro), bringing adequate closure to the end of each session, also entails the use of relaxation techniques, including meditation. Multimodal therapy, a technically eclectic approach to behavioral therapy, also employs the use of meditation as a technique used in individual therapy. ^[35]

From the point of view of psychology and physiology, meditation can induce an altered state of consciousness, and its goals in that context have been stated to achieving spiritual enlightenment, to the transformation of attitudes, and to better cardiovascular health. Psychology (from Greek grc ψῡχή psȳkhē, "breath life soul" and grc -λογία -logia) is an Academic and Physiology (from Greek grc φύσις physis, "nature origin" and grc -λογία -logia) is the study of the mechanical physical An altered state of consciousness, (ASC also named altered state of mind is any condition which is significantly different from a normal waking Beta wave state This is an article about the rock music band "Circulatory System"

Physical postures

Main article: Asana

Different spiritual traditions, and different teachers within those traditions, prescribe or suggest different physical postures for meditation. Sitting, supine, and standing^[36] postures are used. Most famous are the several cross-legged sitting postures, including the Lotus Position. The lotus position ( Devanāgarī: पद्मासन IAST: padmāsana; Japanese:) is a cross- Legged

Spine

Many meditative traditions teach that the spine should be kept "straight" (i. In Human anatomy, the vertebral column ( backbone or spine) is a column of 34 Vertebrae the Sacrum, Intervertebral e. that the meditator should not slouch). Often this is explained as a way of encouraging the circulation of what some call "spiritual energy," the "vital breath", the "life force" (Sanskrit prana, Chinese qi, Latin spiritus) or the Kundalini. In traditional Chinese culture, qi (zh [[wikt氣 氣]] Pinyin qì, Wade-Giles ch'i Jyutping Kundalini (kuṇḍalinī sa कुण्डलिनी Sanskrit, literally "coiled" In some traditions the meditator may sit on a chair, flat-footed (as in New Thought); sit on a stool (as in Orthodox Christianity); or walk in mindfulness (as in Theravada Buddhism). The New Thought Movement or New Thought is a New religious movement developed in the United States during the late 19th century which emphasizes metaphysical The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Some traditions suggest being barefoot, for comfort, for convenience, or for spiritual reasons. For people with the name Barefoot see Barefoot (surname Going barefoot (also barefoot ed) means for a person not to use or

Other traditions, such as those related to kundalini yoga, take a less formal approach. Kundalini yoga is a physical and meditative discipline, comprising a set of techniques that use the mind senses and body to create a communication While the basic practice in these traditions is also to sit still quietly in a traditional posture, they emphasize the possibility of kriyas - spontaneous yogic postures, changes in breathing patterns or emotional states, or perhaps repetitive physical movements such as swaying, etc. Kriya (in Sanskrit "action deed effort" most commonly refers to a technique or practice within a Yoga discipline also the outward physical manifestations , which may naturally arise as the practitioner sits in meditation, and which should not be resisted but rather allowed to express themselves in order to enhance the natural flow of energy through the body. This is said to help purify the nadis and ultimately deepen one's meditative practice. Nāḍi (the Sanskrit for "tube pipe" are the channels through which in traditional Indian medicine and spiritual science the energies of the Subtle body

Mudra/Hand

Various hand-gestures or mudras may be prescribed. A mudrā ( Sanskrit: मुद्रा lit "seal" is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism. These can carry theological meaning or according to Yogic philosophy can actually affect consciousness. For example, a common Buddhist hand-position is with the right hand resting atop the left (like the Buddha's begging bowl), with the thumbs touching.

Eyes

In most meditative traditions, the eyes are closed. In some sects such as Zen, the eyes are half-closed, half open and looking slightly downward. Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. In others such as Brahma Kumaris, the eyes are kept fully open. Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University ब्रह्माकुमारी pronounced (BKWSU or Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya (Sanskrit/Hindi

Quiet is often held to be desirable, and some people use repetitive activities such as deep breathing, humming or chanting to help induce a meditative state.

In Sufism meditation (muraqaba) with eyes closed is called Varood while with open eyes is known as Shahood or Fa'tha.

Focus and Gaze

Often such details are shared by more than one religion, even in cases where mutual influence seems unlikely. One example would be "navel-gazing," which is apparently attested within Eastern Orthodoxy as well as Chinese qigong practice. Qigong (or ch'i kung) refers to a wide variety of traditional cultivation practices that involve methods of accumulating circulating and working with Qi or energy Another would be the practice of focusing on the breath, which is found in Orthodox Christianity, Sufism, and numerous Indic traditions. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف

Cross-legged Sitting

Sitting cross-legged (or upon one's knees) for extended periods when one is not sufficiently limber, can result in a range of ergonomic complaints called "meditator's knee". Ergonomics is the Scientific discipline concerned with Designing according to the human needs and the profession that applies theory principles data and methods Many meditative traditions do not require sitting cross legged.

Health applications and clinical studies of meditation

Main article: Health applications and clinical studies of meditation

In their review of scientific studies of meditation, published in the International Journal of Psychotherapy, Perez-De-Albeniz and Holmes^[8] identified the following behavioral components of meditation:

1. relaxation,
2. concentration,
3. altered state of awareness,
4. suspension of logical thought processes, and
5. maintenance of self-observing attitude. The health applications and Clinical studies of Meditation are products of the field of interest within the medical community to study the Physiological Padmasambhava () The Lotus Born, is said to have transmitted Tantric Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet in the 8th century.

The medical community has studied the physiological effects of meditation^{[37][38][39][40]} Many concepts of meditation have been applied to clinical settings in order to measure its effect on somatic motor function as well as cardiovascular and respiratory function. Medicine is the art and science of healing It encompasses a range of Health care practices evolved to maintain and restore Human Health by the Physiology (from Greek grc φύσις physis, "nature origin" and grc -λογία -logia) is the study of the mechanical physical This is an article about the rock music band "Circulatory System" In Animal physiology, respiration is the transport of Oxygen from the outside air to the cells within tissues and the transport of Carbon dioxide Also the hermeneutic and phenomenological aspects of meditation are areas of growing interest. Hermeneutics may be described as the development and study of Theories of the interpretation and understanding of texts Meditation has entered the mainstream of health care as a method of stress and pain reduction. Pain, in the sense of physical pain, is a typical sensory experience that may be described as the unpleasant awareness of a noxious stimulus or bodily harm In 1976, the Australian psychiatrist Ainslie Meares, reported in the Medical Journal of Australia, the regression of cancer following intensive meditation. Dr Ainslie Dixon Meares (3 March 1910-19 September 1986 was an Australian psychiatrist, scholar of hypnotism psychotherapist authority on stress and a prolific Meares wrote a number of books on the subject, including his best-seller Relief without Drugs.

As a method of stress reduction, meditation is often used in hospitals in cases of chronic or terminal illness to reduce complications associated with increased stress including a depressed immune system. An immune system is a collection of mechanisms within an Organism that protects against Disease by identifying and killing Pathogens and Tumor There is growing agreement in the medical community that mental factors such as stress significantly contribute to a lack of physical health, and there is a growing movement in mainstream science to fund research in this area (e. g. the establishment by the NIH in the U. "NIH" redirects here For other meanings of NIH see NIH (disambiguation. S. of 5 research centers to research the mind-body aspects of disease. )

Dr. James Austin, a neurophysiologist at the University of Colorado, reported that Zen meditation rewires the circuitry of the brain in his landmark book Zen and the Brain (Austin, 1999). The University of Colorado at Boulder ( CU-Boulder, UCB officially Colorado and CU colloquially is the Flagship University Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. This has been confirmed using functional MRI imaging which examines the activity of the brain. Functional MRI or functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI is a type of specialized MRI scan ^[41]

Dr. Herbert Benson of the Mind-Body Medical Institute, which is affiliated with Harvard and several Boston hospitals, reports that meditation induces a host of biochemical and physical changes in the body collectively referred to as the "relaxation response. Herbert Benson (born 1935 is an American Cardiologist and founder of the Mind/Body Medical Institute near Boston Massachusetts. "^[39] The relaxation response includes changes in metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and brain chemistry. Benson and his team have also done clinical studies at Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayan Mountains.

Other studies within this field include the research of Jon Kabat-Zinn and his colleagues at the University of Massachusetts who have studied the effects of mindfulness meditation on stress. Jon Kabat-Zinn (born June 5, 1944) is Professor of Medicine Emeritus and founding director of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine Mindfulness is concentrated awareness of one's thoughts actions or motivations ^[42][43]

Meditation in popular fiction

Main article: Meditation in popular fiction

Various forms of meditation have been described in popular culture sources. Various forms of Meditation have been described in popular culture sources In particular, science fiction stories such as Frank Herbert's Dune, Star Trek, Star Wars, Maskman and Stargate SG-1 have featured characters who practice one form of meditation or another. Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr ( October 8 1920 &ndash February 11 1986) was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American In physical Geography, a dune is a Hill of Sand built by Aeolian processes. Star Wars is an epic Space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas during the 1970s and significantly expanded translated into English literally as Light Squadron Maskman, (in the Philippine Tagalog dub Laser Squadron Maskman) was Toei 's eleventh Usually these practices are inspired by real-world meditation traditions, but sometimes they have very different methods and purposes.

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

• Krishnamurti, Jiddu This Light in Oneself: True Meditation, 1999, Shambala Publications: ISBN 1-57062-442-9
• Long, Barry Meditation: A Foundation Course - A Book of Ten Lessons ISBN 1-899-32400-3
• Eknath Easwaran Meditation ISBN 0-915132-66-4
• David A. Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Jiddu Krishnamurti ( Telugu: జిడ్డు కృష్ణ మూర్తి or J Barry Long ( August 1, 1926 &ndash December 6, 2003[http //www Eknath Easwaran (December 1910 &ndash October 26, 1999) was born in a village in Kerala, India. Cooper The art of meditation:A Complete Guide ISBN 81-7992-164-6
• Meiche' Michele " Meditation for Everyday Living" ISBN 09-710374-69

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