Science of the Spirit
But it is quite possible. The practice of self-healing meditation is just this: resting the mind in silence and space, allowing it time to recover and rejuvenate. Meditation does not mean sitting in a perfect state of peace while having no thoughts. Big misconception! Instead, meditation is about establishing a different relationship with your thoughts, just for a little while. Instead of attention being drawn off by whatever thought happens to present itself, in meditation, you watch your thoughts from a different, more stabilized perspective. You're training yourself to place your attention where and when you want. This is very powerful. It gives you the ability to direct your thoughts (and mood) in more productive and peaceful directions. And, as has been demonstrated in the last few years, this ability has profound self-healing implications for physical and mental health.
Over the last 10 years, Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama has been engaged in formal top-level dialogues with leading scientists and brain researchers from M.I.T., Harvard, the University of Wisconsin, and others. Until several years ago, these annual conversations were held in private as simple but powerful inquiries into each other's methods for understanding the mind. Recently, the results of this dialogue, and resulting studies into meditation, have been made public, and they're fascinating.
When studying the brainwaves of meditating monks, Dr. Richard Davidson, director of the Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience at the University of Wisconsin, found that brain circuitry is different in long-time meditators than it is in non-meditators. Here's how: when you are upset - anxious, depressed, angry - certain regions of the brain (the amygdala and the right prefrontal cortex) become very active. When you're in a positive mood these sites quiet down and the left prefrontal cortex - a region associated with happiness and positivity - becomes more active. In studying meditating monks, Davidson found they had especially high activity in this area.
One of the things that is so amazing about this finding is that for a long time, scientists thought that each individual was wired with certain "set-points" for happiness, depression, and so on. This study shows that the brain can rewire itself and alter its set points - simply by the self-healing power of thought.
We've all read reports that stress can affect health and immunity; Dr. Weil has emphasized this repeatedly. An ulcer, for example, has direct correlation with emotional stress. An ulcer, simply defined, is the presence of certain bacteria in the stomach, plus stress. Other conditions have a noted relationship to stress, such as heart disease, lowered immunity, diabetes, and asthma. The acute stress that results from almost being hit by bus or thinking your house may have been broken into is not the kind of stress that has deleterious affect. This kind of stress mobilizes your emergency responses and capabilities. But, according to neuroendocrinologist Dr. Robert Sapolsky, Professor of Biological Sciences, Neurology and Neurological Sciences at Stanford University, chronic stress is a different story. There is evidence that it shrinks neurons on the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in learning capacity, memory, and positive mood. The self-healing hippocampus has the ability to regenerate, if stress is discontinued. And meditation reduces stress, as shown in Dr. Davidson's research.
Medical research has shown that there are two main contributing factors to depression: a genetic predisposition, and environmental factors such as stress, loss, and trauma. The first factor, genetics, is not within our control. The second, however, is. We can't prevent loss and difficulty, but we can significantly alter our reactions to them. Zindel Segal, Chair in Psychotherapy in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, a pioneer in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has shown that MBSR participants are 50% less likely than other patients to relapse once depression is alleviated through medications and other therapies. This is because meditation teaches us, thought by thought, to alter our responses to stress, thereby increasing serotonin production, a neurotransmitter that influences mood, sleep, and appetite. Anti-depressants such as Prozac and Paxil, so-called SSRIs (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) are drugs that increase serotonin.
As mentioned, meditation is often viewed as a way to relax -- and it is. But it's also a very precise strategy for maintaining health and training the mind in keen observation, increased power of concentration, and emotional stability.
It's important to learn meditation from an accredited source. Although it's a very simple practice, it's also quite precise. Please visit my Web site, susanpiver.com, for a listing of resources.
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Reader Comments
My only point is that I do not believe it is in our best interest to classify all modalities as trappings, as certainly, if one has not yet faced the very difficult task of letting your subjective story go, it does help to have a guiding hand, though, as it has been many times said, a teacher must only open the door, it is the student alone who can pass through to its other side.
I believe this touches the second and I believe most important part of Luke's comment, that meditation IS NOT a simple practice. It is NOT magic, or a means to obtain "higher" states of consciousness nor higher levels of "understanding", special power or "visions". As has been said by so many wiser than myself it is not a quick fix. We are not talking a dedicated week, or a retreat in the woods here. Not months. Nay, perhaps, not even years, but rather a lifetime to unlearn that which shackles us to our subjective beliefs and thus their according reactions, further leading, perhaps, to a societal and cultural state of ponerological (sic) dis-ease and dillusion.
But how is one led to this most important path? Surely a properly timed word from Toni Packer turns our ear. A fortuitous glance at the Tao Te Ching, catches at our eyes. Attending a lecture given by a longtime paractitioner in a credible (CANNOT stress due diligence enough! The journey is vital and full of pitfalls and those who mean to confuse you!) environment about, perhaps, Vipassana meditation in the vein of say, loving forgiveness meditation, or insight meditation, or, say, open monitoring meditation (just to name a few that may be worth looking into) begs us to dig deeper, to look at our own condition, our own state of TRUE BEING. However, as stated above, once you fall into the trap of "being" a "Buddhist" or "(fill in anything you like)" your point of view has failed objectively, and you may be more susceptible to accept doctrine blindly, labeled as faith, and what started as a most beneficial intention has led you further astray!
It is known, not theorized, that certain agents with certain interests fear this knowledge and mean to lead you astray and to confuse your true objective. Beware most certainly of any "new age" practitioners that promise you a quick fix for a monetary fee, or who promote the false idea that everything is "okay", and all the world needs is "positive energy", this promotes apathy and delusion and is most certainly not an accident.
Your true power does not lie in another or a belief or a theory of any kind, but rather in each of us the same if only we care long enough to look to change to accept. These are very important discussions to engage in and I would be most thrilled to see more dialogue kick up in the comments of these article, SOTT has long been a shining beacon of Truth and it is here I believe more than any other site that intelligent thoughtful discussion is most harbored.
Kudos for your thoughtful and comprehensive comment. Efforts at managing meditation are both difficult and easy. There is no 'trick' or 'special method' to achieve this. It is more the willingness to explore the concept of quieting the mind and that determination, and practice ( lots of practice) matter more than any 'training' or 'teaching' can offer.
In this particular discipline, it's the wanting more than the knowing.
"My only point is that I do not believe it is in our best interest to classify all modalities as trappings."
It's good practice to maintain an awareness that any and all modalities can become traps in what is essentially a world where people can't help making complete cults of themselves.
One problem with meditation is the word "meditation". It's an inadequate catch-all term that covers a number of processes that may, or in many cases, may not, be happening. It's noteworthy that Gurdjieff never used the word meditation.
"I believe this touches the second and I believe most important part of Luke's comment, that meditation IS NOT a simple practice."
Nonsense. Simplicity is the key. No Photoshop sunsets or MIDI pan-pipes necessary.
"It is NOT magic, or a means to obtain "higher" states of consciousness nor higher levels of "understanding", special power or "visions". As has been said by so many wiser than myself it is not a quick fix. We are not talking a dedicated week, or a retreat in the woods here. Not months. Nay, perhaps, not even years, but rather a lifetime to unlearn that which shackles us to our subjective beliefs and thus their according reactions, further leading, perhaps, to a societal and cultural state of ponerological (sic) dis-ease and dillusion. "
You say that, but then you advocate....
"Vipassana meditation in the vein of say, loving forgiveness meditation,"
If you're going to watch your breath, watch your breath. Adding contrivances only further muddies the waters. Do you not see how that last statement of yours nullifies your previous statement?
"or insight meditation".
I think what you might be referring to there is one of those Osho things. You press the soles of your feet together and the palms of your hands together, it creates a circuit within the body, so you can build up a lot of energy really quickly. That's a really useful technique. Whether or not that's actually a "meditation" or not, is, I think, largely irrelevant.
"These are very important discussions to engage in and I would be most thrilled to see more dialogue kick up in the comments of these article."
Aye.
going further, if you're going to take a shit, take a shit. if you're going to be engaged in anything, there's what's happening BEFORE the inclination hits to 'be' with what is happening, and either we're immersed in that, or in our heads.
2-70 years of meditation leads only to the juncture where there's the possibility of direct engagement with reality- that's not 'easy', but absolutely simple, and i've found that it's a remarkably stark juncture where identification with thought stops for good- 'thoughts' don't stop. not ever. identification can and does, and that's an unfamiliar and glorious arena
I was in no way speaking about the technique here, but the process. I could not agree more that the technique should be absolutely stripped of any frills or pomp--- no idea where you got the idea, never did I advocate sunset images and panpipes ... my point was it IS NOT as simple as sitting still. It is a process and it does take time GREAT concentration, mental and emotional effort, intention and time. Those who tell you otherwise might be sellin a lie
"If you're going to watch your breath, watch your breath. Adding contrivances only further muddies the waters. Do you not see how that last statement of yours nullifies your previous statement?"
Ah, but many practitioners choose to practice loving forgiveness first as a way to release any judgments, or held in frivolous emotions that can and will interrupt the very important task of watching your breath as you mentioned. Mentioned it only as an example of a way to get yourself better into an objective mindset ... not advocating muddying any waters here, the point is an objective point of view, hey whatever helps! Might not be useful to just say something as simple as stating, "I forgive all who have caused me harm, I ask for forgiveness from those I have harmed, I forgive myself for haring others, I wish peace and well being to all the world's creatures" muddies waters. Again, this is nothing more than a means to shut off all that inner-dialogue and story telling before your practice begins, so as to be more effective. Not sure why you are responding to my comment as though I am advocating something specifically when I think it is very clear I am just listing some simple practices that are steeped more in mindfulness than all the new age pomp. I feel you arguing my same point, from a different point of view.
"I think what you might be referring to there is one of those Osho things. You press the soles of your feet together and the palms of your hands together, it creates a circuit within the body, so you can build up a lot of energy really quickly. That's a really useful technique. Whether or not that's actually a "meditation" or not, is, I think, largely irrelevant."
What in the word are you talking about? This is not at all what I am referring to. I am referring to the Vipassana practice of observing ones thoughts and attempting to more deeply understand where these feelings, judgments, stories come from. Nothing to do with pressing soles together or circuits, and it is I venture to say largely relevant to the problems at hand in this discussion
Glad this generated some responses, I hope you did not feel I was arguing with your comment, as I was merely expanding on the subject and offering perhas some points some might helpful. In other words I am probably just over giddy to see others doing the owrk, or t least looking into it
Thank you for posting this article and linking your website. Clears up some misconceptions about HFL which I held, based on some of your previous comment postings. Gives me a much more positive view of you as a fellow seeker of truth; an individual seeking to turn off the inner taped dialog and indoctrination of the world we all live in, to find the space for self healing and rest. I would say that the world would be a much better place if we all followed your example and set up our own inner school. Hope this reply does not offend and I apologize for any past abrasiveness by me.
if what's implied in that is seen, then you're screwed, yet in a glorious way. making 'space' for meditation is something wonderful that is also a cosmic joke of sorts... if one's sincere about allowing for life to step through the roles and thoughts and 'me' we think ourselves to be, there's a dipshit simple surprise here
giving oneself enough rest and time in nature CAN allow one who's very simply okay with life as it IS the space to shed lies, yet that's rare... more than usually it takes a shock from the familiar that doesn't lead into the possibility of escapism anymore...
not always tho
Forget all about The Dalai Lama, buddha statues, tangerine velvet cushions, books on "How to Meditate" etc. They have nothing to with meditation and everything to do with being in a state of identification with the trappings of "so-called" meditation.
"It's important to learn meditation from an accredited source. Although it's a very simple practice, it's also quite precise. Please visit my Web site, susanpiver.com, for a listing of resources."
It is not. Beware of fakes, charlatans and professionals.