Meditation and yoga, which is a highly structured mental and physical meditation, are propagated by many schools of thoughts.  As such, there are various meditation and yoga principles from the Eastern to the Western cultures and from spiritually-evolved cultures like Oriental, Indian, Tibetan and Grecian.  Though they have different names for the types of meditation and yoga they are propagating, these techniques often possess similar objectives and steps.

Here are a few different and important types of yoga and meditation which was practiced in the ancient world but still survives and given some modern twists today.
Prayer Meditation is considered one of the oldest and most effective types of yoga or meditation, not to mention the most basic process of connecting within one’s inner self as well as the surrounding, and the relationship between the two.  This is not surprising since all religions in the world have embraced some form of meditation as a major process in the understanding and attaining of their spiritual goals.  Whether it is a simple prayer, a chant or a mantra, prayer is the simplest, easiest and most accessible yoga and meditation one can perform at any time.

One of the most popular types of meditation and yoga is Mindfulness Meditation.  It is a meditation technique where one focuses on the field or background and embrace all the perception around that field.  In mindfulness meditation, the person is trained to have an open focus of all the inter-related senses coming from the immediate environment while concentrating on a unifying object or a foundation from which to channel all the other senses that is being absorbed or experienced.

In contrast to mindfulness meditation is Concentration Meditation, where one channels all the energy and focus on one specific object or subject, blocking all distractions around.  In concentration meditation, the person holds attention on a single specific focus of thought, which could be a prayer bead, or a thought-based anchor for concentration like a mantra or repetitive prayer.

While concentration meditation trains the mind to withdraw all attachment beyond the self to develop full self-awareness, mindfulness meditation encourages the mind to recognize elements beyond the self to be able to know the whole self as a constitution of all the other elements. 

1. To relax the body, mind and rejuvenate one’s flow of energy in order to more effectively face the responsibilities of one’s demanding and active life.

2. To heal illnesses (especially psychosomatic ones).

3. To overcome emotional problems.

4. To develop a more relaxed and positive view towards life.

5. To develop a peaceful and more clearly functioning mind.

6. For greater ability to penetrate into the core of problems and find inspirational solutions. This has been found especially useful by scientists and businessmen.

7. To tune into a creative inspirations for artistic expression.

8. For freeing oneself from addictions such as cigarettes, alcohol, narcotics and tranquilizers.

9. To purify one’s character.

10. To develop will-power.

11. As a method of self-observation and self-discovery.

12. To develop the latent powers of the mind.

13. To create a relationship with God.

14. To develop an inner relationship with the Divine.

15. For spiritual growth, self-knowledge or enlightenment.

16. To transcend the identification with the body and mind, and experience spiritual realities.

17. For the ecstasy of union with the Universal Spirit, which is the essential reality of the universe.

Scientific Research on the Effects of Meditation
on the Body and Personality

Numerous scientific experiments on people who meditate and similar control groups who do not meditate, have given repeatable results concerning the effects of meditation on a person’s body and personality.

Most of the following studies have been made on persons practicing Transcendental Meditation. (However, my personal opinion after 34 years of practicing various forms including T.M., is that most forms of meditation will give the same results)

1. DEEP PHYSIOLOGICAL REST is shown by a distinct drop in the metabolism rate, as measured by the oxygen consumption by an individual in meditation, waking activity, sleep and hypnosis.

2. Another indication of the deep rest is that the number of breaths needed to be taken each minute during meditation drops significantly.

3. Good news for those with heart problems is that meditation is also extremely restful and rejuvenating for the heart.

4. Another indication of the deep rest produced by meditation is the significant drop in the blood lactate level. The lower the lactate level the more rested and rejuvenated is the muscle tissue.

5. Tests show meditation’s deep calming effect through the decrease in skin conductivity.

6. Brain wave measurements during meditation show a higher incidence of alpha waves indicating a restful alertness. There is a sense of peace and yet a wakeful awareness in one’s environment.

7. Another scientific study showed that meditation induces greater communication and interaction between the two hemispheres of the brain.

8. Perhaps the best documented and well known effects of meditation concern its ability to reduce blood pressure in those with high blood pressure.

LONG TERM PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES

9. In the long run both the heart rate and breathing rate develop a slower pace as the body experiences less mental-emotional stress and learns to waste less energy. The body becomes more relaxed and more efficient.

10. Persons who meditate experience much more stable health. They have less illnesses in general in their lives.

LONG TERM PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES

11. Studies have also shown that those who meditate regularly react more quickly and more effectively to a stressful event.

12. Meditation also increases one’s perceptual ability and motor performance.

13. Studies on high school students showed that those who meditated had a higher «intelligence growth rate» than those who did not.

14. Memory recall is also enhanced by meditation.

15. Many psychological studies have been made in work environments concerning meditators and control groups of non-meditators.
Meditators had above average increases in
a. JOB SATISFACTION
b. PRODUCTIVITY,
c. Improvement in their relationships with coworkers
d. Improvement in their relationship with their supervisors.

16. A large number of psychological tests have been done on those who have been meditating for various periods of time. A test made on those who had been meditating for only two months in comparison to non-meditators produced the following results:
a. Meditators had greater inner-directedness than non meditators.
b. They measured higher self acceptance.
c. Greater spontaneity and creativity.
d. Greater self-esteem.
e. An increase in the capacity for intimate contact with loved ones.
f. Less anxiety .

17. Prisoners who stared meditation showed:
a. A marked decrease in mental illness.
b. Their behavior became more socially acceptable.
c. Less anxiety and less aggressiveness.
d. Became inclined to more positive activities such as sports, clubs and educational activities.

OTHER LONG TERM PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES

18. After 4 to 6 weeks of meditation, meditators with hypertension have found their blood pressure fall.

19. A group of meditators who had been suffering from bronchial asthma found significant relief.

20. Meditators checked for their consumption of cigarettes after starting to meditate showed marked decrease.

21. Meditation significantly reduces ones need for or dependency on tranquilizers. alcohol and or drugs.

22. Other tests made on meditators show that they need much less sleep to recover from sleep deprivation.

23. Meditators show significant decrease in the illness after starting meditation.

24. Meditators showed greatly increased ability to recover from psychosomatic illnesses.

25. Insomniacs who start meditation require much less time to fall asleep.

26. A study on athletes showed that, after starting to meditate, there was an improvement in their performance on various athletic events as well as their intelligence as measured by intelligence tests.

27. In one other study it was found that meditation has the tendency to normalize a person’s weight. That is if he is overweight, he tends to loose, and if he is underweight, he tends to gain.

SOME CONCLUSIONS
CONCERNING THESE RESEARCH STUDIES

The conclusion is obvious.

Meditation increases whatever is good and life supporting in a person.

It strengthens our immune system, harmonizes our endocrine system and relaxes our nervous system. It creates health and vitality.

On a mental level it develops inner peace, clarity, self-confidence, self-acceptance, creativity, productivity and eventually greater self-actualization.

It makes our work environment more satisfactory, improves our relationships with coworkers, supervisors and subordinates. It makes us more creative, more responsible and more productive.

On a spiritual level it puts us in contact with our inner voice, with our inner strength, with our inner spiritual wisdom and love.

Think now, what would happen if many people in our society meditated? How would it affect our society?

Think what would happen if you meditated daily.

Some meditation styles suit those of an intellectual disposition, while others are more attractive to those who prefer the path of love and surrender. Still others, with an active approach to life, may like the meditation techniques involving movement, while those with a strong mind would enjoy the approach of visualization and concentration. Overall, there are several broad categories under which we can capture most of these various meditation practices and in Part 1 I will explore Insight Meditation Techniques and Sound (Mantra) and Intention Meditation Techniques.

1. Insight Meditation Techniques: These are the meditations of choice for the Gyan Yogis or those drawn to the intellectual path. It incorporates the advanced meditation techniques from the Zen school of Buddhism, the Advaita Vedanta school of Hinduism, certain schools of Western Religions among others.

A. WHO AM I Meditation Technique: This techniques comes from the school of Advaita Vedanta (Non-Dualism / End of Knowledge). The meditation was popularized by Shri Ramana Maharishi and is based on negation of the false self in order to realize one’s True Nature. Here is an example of my experience with WHO AM I Meditation Practice.

B. Koan Meditation Technique: These meditations come from the Zen school of Buddhism and are designed to break down the ordinary pattern of conceptual, dualistic thinking. By breaking down the interference created by the thinking mechanism the practitioner is brought to confront the non-dual reality of “what is” directly and thus Awaken.

C. Contemplation Meditation Technique: These meditations utilize introspection, self-study, reflection, self-dialogue and contemplation to cut through the layers of false conditioning and false understanding that deludes the mind. These meditations have their roots in many Western Religions and are also a part of Eastern philosophies.

D. Silent Mind Meditation Technique: This meditation technique is my contribution to this category and it involves directly perceiving the fact of what is by acute observation of the thinking process. This is the flavor that I enjoy best and I have explained it in detail in the The Silent Mind Meditations, which are part of the Silent Mind Meditation Program. These meditations are an extension of the teachings of Jiddu Krishnamurti.

2. Sound (Mantra) & Intention Meditation Techniques: The meditations that fall under this category use the science of sound and thought vibrations (Naad Yoga), along with rhythm and music (Laya Yoga) to purify the heart and mind. These meditations have a wide range of applications, from bestowing Enlightenment, to improving health, wealth, happiness, peace etc…

A. Mantra Japa Meditation Technique: This meditation method uses the repetition of a mantra (a particular sound, word or phrase) verbally or mentally to create the necessary conditions for purification, refinement or expansion to take place. Mantras are essentially keys which allow one to tune into the individual energy field or tune into the Universal Energy field to produce certain desired results. Here is an example of using OM Mantra to activate the Third Eye Chakra.

B. Rhythm Meditation Technique: This form of meditation uses the combination of rhythm, chanting, music and breath to calibrate and perfect the system. The excellent Three Step Rhythmic Breathing (3srb) meditation technique of Sage Pantanjali and many Kundalini Yoga meditations fall under this category, among others.

C. Meditation via Song: Most of the meditations from the path of Devotion (Bhakti Yoga) and Love, designed to dissolve the ego belong in this category. This is a path most dear to those who are emotional in nature and feel a deep love for the divine. Christianity, Gospel, Sufi Meditations, Hare Krishna Meditations, Kirtans and Bhajans are some examples of techniques in this category.

D. Meditation via Prayer & Intention: All religions have meditations involving prayer and worship. The meditations that also use the power of intention to manifest desires fall under this category.

So you can see from above, these is a rich diversity to the Art of Meditation and certainly something for everybody. If one of the styles above does not catch your fancy, not to worry, I will be serving up more tasty flavors in part 2 of this series.

If you are going to say something involving how I should go to jesus or something, please just don’t answer.

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Outside of church I read books about prayer, and the prayers of other people. Still, there was this feeling inside of me that it is not quite right. Eventually I gave up on figuring out what prayer is about and just got on with life.

Of course I had conversations with God in my head, but none of the books that I read described these conversations as prayer. The conversations were also quite one-sided, because I told God what he/she needed to know about my life. Listening to God did not even cross my mind, because at the time I thought “If I cannot see God, then I also cannot hear God”. I intuitively knew that there must be something or someone out there, but the thought that this someone or something was able to actually speak to me was too far-fetched for me to accept.

You will agree with me that having a one-sided conversation is quite lonely, especially when you want reassurance in times of need and encouragement in challenging times. All the time I felt a need to confirm that there is someone on the “other side” that was hearing me.

I kept searching and was introduced to meditation. I tried it initially because it was not recommended in my culture – the church was there to take care of my religious needs and that should have been enough. However, sometimes the way to get me to do something is to put obstacles in my way – especially if the obstacles are based on fear and misconceptions that I can expose.

I found meditation to be quite an interesting experience. It definitely helped me to relax. I always felt calmer and more secure after meditating.

I was surprised when I discovered that meditation does not mean losing your consciousness. I had this perception that when you meditate you actually leave your body, only to discover that during meditation I am still fully in charge of the process. I could compare it to driving a familiar route every day. I know exactly where to slow down, where to turn, how long it will take me to get to my destination, and I simply drive.

If you show me detail pictures of buildings or other landmarks along the route, I might not be able to recognise them, even if I have travelled the same route every day for a year. The reason for this would be that I in fact go into a meditative state while driving when the route becomes familiar, and my mind gets occupied with other things like planning my day or having a conversation with a passenger.

The same happens during meditation. This is because meditation is an inner journey. I still remain in charge of the route, and I can return to “reality” any time I want to.

I initially found that guided meditations work much easier for me. Meditation requires a still mind, but at the same time meditation stills the mind. Getting the balance right is not so simple when your life is in turmoil or when finding a quiet place to meditate in a busy household is a challenge.

Saying to yourself that you must clear your mind of all thoughts so that a meditation can be successful is like saying to yourself that now is not a good time to think of a yellow elephant. Guess what picture just popped into your mind? Yes – the same happens when you focus on having no thoughts in your mind. Suddenly all the thoughts tumble into your mind.

This is where guided meditations made a huge difference to me. Rather than focusing on clearing my mind, I was able to focus on the guided meditation. As a result I experienced the benefits of meditation much sooner.

Before I got to understand that I create my own reality and my own future, I experienced fear, anxiety and even depression. These also disappeared with meditation.

Probably the biggest surprise for me was to discover that while in a meditative state I have access to images, thoughts and information that made a massive positive difference to my life. Initially I thought that these images, thoughts and bits of information are just my imagination, and I was surprised at how active my imagination was.

But then I discovered that what I received during meditation somehow had a either a direct or a subtle link to what I experienced when I was not meditating. I tried to ask questions while I was “awake”, and found that I received very interesting answers while I was meditating.

Eventually I realised that meditation is probably a form of prayer – but meditation is about listening rather than about talking.

I am still working on this, but I think that prayer is a way of asking, whereas meditation is a way of getting answers. This definition works for me, because I get many answers during meditation – and it works even better when I first ask the questions and then do my meditation.

Not all the answers come during meditation. I have discovered that there are more coincidences and more synchronicity in my “waking” life, and often things just happen around me that make me feel “yes – there is another answer”.

The fears, anxieties and depressive feelings have disappeared, and instead I am much more at peace with myself, especially during uncertain times. And I believe that I have found a way of listening to God. It is quite comforting to know that my communication with God is no longer one-sided.

I have decided to use my experiences and provide guided meditations to other people who may want to try meditation but are not sure how to do it. I still benefit even from recording the guided meditations. Every time I do a meditation, I feel more in control of my life and my thoughts.

An link to an example of a guided meditation, as well as guidelines on how to practise meditation, is available on my purple blog.

I wish you a lovely journey, and trust that you will benefit from meditation as much as I do.

3.What are the effects of meditation?

And with the Zen meditation do you follow the samething? Or you are counting your breathing etc?

Please give me example and breathing ratio.

Thank you.

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