MEDITATION
Yoga Sutras 1:1; Atha Yoganusasanam
Now the exposition of Yoga is being made
Yoga Sutras 1:2; Yogas Citta Vrtti nirodhah
Conscious mastery of the thoughts arising in the mind is (a large part of) Yoga
(The other vitally important parts of Yoga being; Purification, Virtuous Living, and Self Realization.)
Conscious mastery of the thoughts means that you learn how to calm the mind and then you can create the thoughts that you want to, instead of being a slave of the mind.
Calming the mind
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DIET: The next part of our life to modify for calming the mind is our diet - everything that we put into the body. Yoga suggests a "sattvic diet", a diet that does not overly excite (stimulate) or dull the body and mind.
It is suggested to reduce or avoid the following foods:
- Red meat
- Coffee (only two cups a day if necessary)
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Stimulant drugs
- Very spicy meals
- Heavy, sugary desserts
Eat healthy, fresh meals of sensible portions and leave about 30 minutes between finishing your meal and meditating.
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ETHICAL CONDUCT: This is covered by the first and second limbs of Ashtanga Yoga - Yama (don'ts) and Niyama (Do's), but further HOLISTIC PURIFICATION is recommended.
By holistic purification and following Yama and Niyama, we reduce the outer and inner disturbances due to unethical conduct. The conscience is clean and we are free from guilt, shame, regret, the consequences of selfish and negative actions, and other afflictions to peace caused by unethical, immoral behaviour. We don't call them the deadly sins for nothing!
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RELAXING EXERCISE: A little relaxing exercise each day does wonders for calming the mind. Many meditators do one or more of the following recommended exercises several times a week:
- Hatha Yoga routine
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Tai Chi
- Gardening
- Walking in nature
- Or any other relaxing, non-competitive, non-straining physical exercise
If you are following The Eight Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga, then it is advisable to do a little hatha yoga before proceeding with your relaxation breathing (Pranayama)
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BREATHING: The most effective, safe, healthy, and FREE way to calm the mind is to learn and practice relaxation breathing. Simply by making the outbreath two seconds longer than the inbreath, the body's natural relaxation system is triggered. As your breathing deepens try to make the outbreath twice as long as the inbreath without straining. You will soon be in a deep relaxation with a calm mind.
In Yoga, conscious breathing techniques are called "Pranayama" and it is the fourth limb of the eight limbs of Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga).
Health benefits of Meditation
Although meditation is usually recognized as a largely spiritual practice, it also has many health benefits. The yoga and meditation techniques are being implemented in management of life threatening diseases; in transformation of molecular and genetic structure; in reversal of mental illnesses, in accelerated learning programs, in perceptions and communications beyond the physical, in solving problems and atomic and nuclear physics; in gaining better ecological understanding; in management of lifestyle and future world problems.
Some benefits of meditation are:
- It lowers oxygen consumption
- It decreases respiratory rate
- It increases blood flow and slows the heart rate
- Increases exercise tolerance in heart patients
- Leads to a deeper level of relaxation
- Leads to clarity of thought, mastery of the mind, and deep concentration when we need it
- Helps us break unwanted habits
- Good for people with high blood pressure as it brings the blood pressure to normal
- Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate
- Decreases muscle tension (any pain due to tension) and headaches
- Builds self-confidence
- It increases serotonin production which influences mood and behaviour. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression, obesity, insomnia and headaches
- Helps in chronic diseases like allergies, arthritis etc
- Reduces Pre-menstrual Syndrome
- Helps reduce depression and unwanted, neurotic, emotional habits
- Helps us gain conscious self mastery
- Helps in post-operative healing
- Enhances the immune system. Research has revealed that meditation increases activity of 'natural-killer cells', which kill bacteria and cancer cells
- Also reduces activity of viruses and emotional distress
- Enlightenment
