Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Meditation: Not What You Think
However you try to define meditation, it's not that. -- Swami Brahmananda
Through many years of being involved with meditation we have seen how easily people miss the point, mainly because they take the practice and themselves too seriously. Many "try" to meditate but their minds are so busy they get frustrated and quickly believe they are no good at it. Others turn into diehard advocates of a particular method or technique and become like a salesperson trying to sell a product.
Just like yoga, people want to own meditation and to believe that their technique is the best one. They give it a name: TM, Vipassana or Kundalini meditation and sometimes make outrageous claims of what can be achieved, but that is not the point. Meditation is not a technique -- being quiet happens by itself, not because of following the breath in and out, reciting a specific mantra or creating a visualization. (MORE)
Through many years of being involved with meditation we have seen how easily people miss the point, mainly because they take the practice and themselves too seriously. Many "try" to meditate but their minds are so busy they get frustrated and quickly believe they are no good at it. Others turn into diehard advocates of a particular method or technique and become like a salesperson trying to sell a product.
Just like yoga, people want to own meditation and to believe that their technique is the best one. They give it a name: TM, Vipassana or Kundalini meditation and sometimes make outrageous claims of what can be achieved, but that is not the point. Meditation is not a technique -- being quiet happens by itself, not because of following the breath in and out, reciting a specific mantra or creating a visualization. (MORE)
Source: Huffington Post
Monday, May 30, 2011
Meditation May Help Youths Achieve Goals
A function was organised by Ramakrishna Mission Sevashrama under the aegis of Vivekananda Study Circle on Sunday. Kanaklata Dubey, HoD, Sanskrit, Jagat Taran Girls Degree College, was the chief guest.
Speaking on 'Teachings of the Gita for the youth', Dubey highlighted the sixth chapter of Gita that meditation is useful for the achievement of concentration, self-confidence and goals for youth. She emphasised on the importance of getting up in `Brahma Muhurta' (Brahm Muhurta). Swami Dharanidharananda presided over the function.
Tournament: "Every student is a champion in any field that he ventures even though success may elude him, so I not only congratulate the winners of NIPS tournament but also those who participated from the day one of the event,'' said minister for homeopathy, UP, Nand Gopal `Nandi'. He was speaking as chief guest on the final day of the NIPS College Cricket Tournament organised at Madan Mohan Malviya stadium. (MORE)
Speaking on 'Teachings of the Gita for the youth', Dubey highlighted the sixth chapter of Gita that meditation is useful for the achievement of concentration, self-confidence and goals for youth. She emphasised on the importance of getting up in `Brahma Muhurta' (Brahm Muhurta). Swami Dharanidharananda presided over the function.
Tournament: "Every student is a champion in any field that he ventures even though success may elude him, so I not only congratulate the winners of NIPS tournament but also those who participated from the day one of the event,'' said minister for homeopathy, UP, Nand Gopal `Nandi'. He was speaking as chief guest on the final day of the NIPS College Cricket Tournament organised at Madan Mohan Malviya stadium. (MORE)
Source: Times of India
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Mindful Meditation Might Ease Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Study found symptoms reduced far more with meditation than with therapy
A simple meditation technique can help ease the torment suffered by people with a chronic bowel disease, a new study has found.
The research, done at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, found that women with irritable bowel syndrome who practiced "mindful meditation" had more than a 38 percent reduction in symptoms, far surpassing a nearly 12 percent reduction for women who participated in a traditional support group.
Moreover, meditation helped reduce psychological distress and improved quality of life, the study found.
One of the study authors said the practice, based on a Buddhist meditative technique, "empowers" patients to deal with an illness that is difficult to treat. (MORE)
A simple meditation technique can help ease the torment suffered by people with a chronic bowel disease, a new study has found.
The research, done at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, found that women with irritable bowel syndrome who practiced "mindful meditation" had more than a 38 percent reduction in symptoms, far surpassing a nearly 12 percent reduction for women who participated in a traditional support group.
Moreover, meditation helped reduce psychological distress and improved quality of life, the study found.
One of the study authors said the practice, based on a Buddhist meditative technique, "empowers" patients to deal with an illness that is difficult to treat. (MORE)
Source: US News Health
Friday, May 27, 2011
ADHD in Women: Is There a Role for Meditation?
In a recent Washington Post Magazine article called "Scattered," Brigid Shulte deals with an important topic: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among women. The subject is important for many reasons. First, although most people associate ADHD with schoolchildren, the condition often persists into adulthood. Second, ADHD is extremely common in adults, affecting, according to one Harvard study, an estimated 4.4 percent of adults (or 8 million people between ages 18 and 44), the vast majority of whom don't even know that they have the condition. About 40 percent of these people are women. Third, because ADHD results in all sorts of performance problems (disorganization, failure to meet deadlines, and absenteeism, to name just a few), the condition is estimated to cost the U.S. $75 billion per year in lost productivity. Finally, there are all sorts of secondary problems that people with ADHD have to contend with, including more motor vehicle accidents and other psychiatric conditions -- depression, anxiety and addiction to cigarettes and other substances. (MORE)
Source: AOL Health
Thursday, May 26, 2011
5 Yoga Poses to Cure Erectile Dysfunction
Earlier most male reproductive problems were related to age factors. However today other factors are found to play culprits too: the most common ones being stress, poor or a nutrient deficient diet and irregular eating habits, certain chronic ailments like diabetes and high blood pressure, certain medications used to treat problems like insomnia, depression, high blood pressure and diabetes can also cause these issues.
The treatment for this has to be clearly multi-pronged and yoga must be part of this therapy. In classical yoga, there are several spiritual practices used to sublimate one's sexual energy that are also, intriguingly, used to treat problems in the uro-genital system. (MORE)
The treatment for this has to be clearly multi-pronged and yoga must be part of this therapy. In classical yoga, there are several spiritual practices used to sublimate one's sexual energy that are also, intriguingly, used to treat problems in the uro-genital system. (MORE)
Source: rediff.com
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Meditation Improves the Well Being of Cancer Survivors
Group sessions during which cancer survivors are taught meditation, mindful yoga, and communication techniques significantly improve psychological symptoms and quality of life (QoL), especially among breast cancer survivors.
Ruth Lerman, MD, from William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, and her colleagues conducted a study in which female cancer survivors were randomized to attend weekly 2-hour classes for 8 weeks plus a single 4-hour weekend retreat or were wait-listed (control group). She presented the findings here at the American Society of Breast Surgeons 12th Annual Meeting.
The intervention group significantly improved on all psychological and QoL measures assessed, compared with the control group.
Mindfulness studies have been done before in cancer survivors, but few randomized controlled trials have been done in the same population, Dr. Lerman noted. (MORE)
Ruth Lerman, MD, from William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, and her colleagues conducted a study in which female cancer survivors were randomized to attend weekly 2-hour classes for 8 weeks plus a single 4-hour weekend retreat or were wait-listed (control group). She presented the findings here at the American Society of Breast Surgeons 12th Annual Meeting.
The intervention group significantly improved on all psychological and QoL measures assessed, compared with the control group.
Mindfulness studies have been done before in cancer survivors, but few randomized controlled trials have been done in the same population, Dr. Lerman noted. (MORE)
Source: medscape.com
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
How to Meditate Through Strong Emotions
In mindfulness meditation practice, we are instructed to rest our attention on our breathing as a way to focus and stabilize our mind. This is an ancient and time-honored approach that clearly has relevance for those of us living in the modern world -- who are often racing around, feeling stressed out, and having a hard time catching up with ourselves!
For those of us practicing in this way, several questions seem to come up over and over again -- one of them is usually expressed something like this:
"I see the point of trying to develop more steadiness and ease in my state of mind. I am now able from time to time to notice myself thinking and bring my attention back to my breath, but when strong emotions come up in meditation, I do not seem to be able to let go of those so easily. They are captivating and disturbing, and are compelling me to look more deeply at their history and meaning. Should we really be using our meditation practice to shut down and stifle our emotions?" (MORE)
For those of us practicing in this way, several questions seem to come up over and over again -- one of them is usually expressed something like this:
"I see the point of trying to develop more steadiness and ease in my state of mind. I am now able from time to time to notice myself thinking and bring my attention back to my breath, but when strong emotions come up in meditation, I do not seem to be able to let go of those so easily. They are captivating and disturbing, and are compelling me to look more deeply at their history and meaning. Should we really be using our meditation practice to shut down and stifle our emotions?" (MORE)
Source: AOL Healthy Living
Monday, May 23, 2011
Life After 50: The Power of Meditative Running
Who knew that the secret to happiness and good health is right at our feet?
While trying to come to grips with the changes my body, mind and life were going through after turning 50, I came across a life-changing article in the Wall Street Journal about Jeff Galloway, the Olympian and marathoner who developed the Run-Walk-Run program used by hundreds of thousands of people around the world.
The article was published the day after the NYC Marathon, so its focus was on how anyone can train and run in a Marathon using Jeff's program. At that time, I was more interested in losing the 15 post-menopausal pounds I had packed on, and looking for ways to incorporate exercise and fitness into my life without spending a lot of money or time in the process.
I knew I had to do something to get my health, weight and stress level back on track, but run? I had never willingly run in my life, except during the dreaded annual Field Day at P.S. 203!
Worse, I hadn't done any kind of sustained exercise since having children, and it was definitely showing. A few days later, I decided to contact Jeff to talk about his program. When we spoke, he insisted that anyone who could walk could run, regardless of age or fitness level, just by following his simple method. In fact, people all around the world use the program to train for marathons, often improving their race time. At least willing to try -- I made a commitment that day and bought my first pair of running shoes. (MORE)
While trying to come to grips with the changes my body, mind and life were going through after turning 50, I came across a life-changing article in the Wall Street Journal about Jeff Galloway, the Olympian and marathoner who developed the Run-Walk-Run program used by hundreds of thousands of people around the world.
The article was published the day after the NYC Marathon, so its focus was on how anyone can train and run in a Marathon using Jeff's program. At that time, I was more interested in losing the 15 post-menopausal pounds I had packed on, and looking for ways to incorporate exercise and fitness into my life without spending a lot of money or time in the process.
I knew I had to do something to get my health, weight and stress level back on track, but run? I had never willingly run in my life, except during the dreaded annual Field Day at P.S. 203!
Worse, I hadn't done any kind of sustained exercise since having children, and it was definitely showing. A few days later, I decided to contact Jeff to talk about his program. When we spoke, he insisted that anyone who could walk could run, regardless of age or fitness level, just by following his simple method. In fact, people all around the world use the program to train for marathons, often improving their race time. At least willing to try -- I made a commitment that day and bought my first pair of running shoes. (MORE)
Source: Huffington Post
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Yoga and Meditation Help Dispel Fears
Fear is the mind –killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.” –Frank Herbert
Fear is a natural part of life. It is what drives us to our reactions to everyday existence. It can save us in moments of immediate danger and motivate us to stand firm in face of a threat. But it can also freeze us into passivity in the face of overwhelming harm. When confronted by our fears, the natural inclination is to take one of the following actions:
Run away
Attempt to control it
Try to suppress it
Resist it in any way possible
Instead of avoiding your fears, you need to take off your blinders and face them. You will still want to run, control, suppress, or resist them; after you have seen what the monsters look like, however, you just might discover that they aren’t such a big deal. The important thing is to identify your fears. Then, using your yoga practice and meditation, you can observe them and work to dissolve them.
I once had a student who had broken her neck in a riding accident many years before she began to study yoga with me. Going upside down, even in the Downward Facing Dog pose, was emotionally challenged with fear. Even though she was a Physical Therapist by profession and knew that her neck had healed and strengthened properly, she would not consider doing a headstand. Meanwhile, her life and relationship was at a standstill and she was afraid to make a decision fearing it would be the wrong one. (MORE)
Fear is a natural part of life. It is what drives us to our reactions to everyday existence. It can save us in moments of immediate danger and motivate us to stand firm in face of a threat. But it can also freeze us into passivity in the face of overwhelming harm. When confronted by our fears, the natural inclination is to take one of the following actions:
Run away
Attempt to control it
Try to suppress it
Resist it in any way possible
Instead of avoiding your fears, you need to take off your blinders and face them. You will still want to run, control, suppress, or resist them; after you have seen what the monsters look like, however, you just might discover that they aren’t such a big deal. The important thing is to identify your fears. Then, using your yoga practice and meditation, you can observe them and work to dissolve them.
I once had a student who had broken her neck in a riding accident many years before she began to study yoga with me. Going upside down, even in the Downward Facing Dog pose, was emotionally challenged with fear. Even though she was a Physical Therapist by profession and knew that her neck had healed and strengthened properly, she would not consider doing a headstand. Meanwhile, her life and relationship was at a standstill and she was afraid to make a decision fearing it would be the wrong one. (MORE)
Source: www.care2.com
Saturday, May 21, 2011
An Easy Meditation Practice to Reverse Memory Loss
By the time you finish reading the above headline, you or someone you love could have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Yes, you read correctly! Recent research reveals that every 69 seconds someone in America develops this memory-robbing, life-destroying, incurable illness.
That's why Alzheimer's is the number-one worry of aging baby boomers.
Yet, there is some good news. It's also a medical fact that if we can delay the onset of memory loss by five years, we can reduce an individual's chance of developing Alzheimer's by 50 percent. Moreover, if you can keep your memory strong and vital 10 years longer than expected, you can forget about ever getting Alzheimer's.
While researchers continue to search for that ever-elusive, magic-bullet drug, they could be missing the boat. Why? The answer to the prevention and reversal of memory loss could lie in a 5,000-year-old technique that has recently been revealed to actually reverse memory loss in only 12 minutes a day.
And when you discover the whole story, it makes perfect sense.
Is Stress Killing Your Brain?
(MORE)
That's why Alzheimer's is the number-one worry of aging baby boomers.
Yet, there is some good news. It's also a medical fact that if we can delay the onset of memory loss by five years, we can reduce an individual's chance of developing Alzheimer's by 50 percent. Moreover, if you can keep your memory strong and vital 10 years longer than expected, you can forget about ever getting Alzheimer's.
While researchers continue to search for that ever-elusive, magic-bullet drug, they could be missing the boat. Why? The answer to the prevention and reversal of memory loss could lie in a 5,000-year-old technique that has recently been revealed to actually reverse memory loss in only 12 minutes a day.
And when you discover the whole story, it makes perfect sense.
Is Stress Killing Your Brain?
(MORE)
Source: Huffington Post
Friday, May 20, 2011
Overwhelmed Caregivers: Try Meditation
Home-based caregivers of ill or elderly family members are under enormous physical and mental stress, but daily meditative yoga may be a simple, effective strategy for maintaining health, according to a study presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Assn.
UCLA researchers Helen Lavretsky and Michael Irwin conducted an eight-week, randomized trial on the effects of meditation exercise on 49 people who were home-based caregivers of a loved one with dementia. About half of the caregivers listened to relaxation tapes for 20 minutes a day for eight weeks, while the other caregivers practiced Kirtan Kirya yoga, a meditation exercise. The study's authors then conducted tests on mental and cognitive health, did brain scans and measured telomere length. Telomeres are sequences of DNA at the end of chromosomes that are protective of cellular health. Measuring telomere length can be used to determine how fast a person is aging. (MORE)
UCLA researchers Helen Lavretsky and Michael Irwin conducted an eight-week, randomized trial on the effects of meditation exercise on 49 people who were home-based caregivers of a loved one with dementia. About half of the caregivers listened to relaxation tapes for 20 minutes a day for eight weeks, while the other caregivers practiced Kirtan Kirya yoga, a meditation exercise. The study's authors then conducted tests on mental and cognitive health, did brain scans and measured telomere length. Telomeres are sequences of DNA at the end of chromosomes that are protective of cellular health. Measuring telomere length can be used to determine how fast a person is aging. (MORE)
Source: LA Times
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Meditate Your Way to A More Creative Mind
Want to ignite your creative brain? Slow down.
THIRTY YEARS AGO, the Walt Disney Co. was at a creative crossroads. With the opening of Epcot, Disney's original theme park vision was complete. Where could the company go next? Walt Disney's Imagineers, the company's goofily named creative design and development arm, took an unusual step. They called in a therapist and meditation teacher named Ron Alexander. "Over two years, I did a series of seminars on creativity, reengineering, and revisioning, so that individuals in the division could begin to access new creative directions," he says. The Imagineers went on to open Tokyo Disney, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland, and even today still earn patents in areas like 3-D virtual-reality displays and animatronics.
In the decades since, Alexander has built up his therapy and coaching practice helping creative workers -- Hollywood producers, rock musicians, advertising executives, screenwriters -- enhance their creativity. He asks his clients to meditate for at least 12 minutes every day. "Mindfulness helps you to build what I call 'mind strength,' " Alexander says. "Your awareness and consciousness become really toned. This is an excellent strategy for becoming successful in your profession, as well as the bigger game of transforming yourself and the people who work with and for you." (MORE)
THIRTY YEARS AGO, the Walt Disney Co. was at a creative crossroads. With the opening of Epcot, Disney's original theme park vision was complete. Where could the company go next? Walt Disney's Imagineers, the company's goofily named creative design and development arm, took an unusual step. They called in a therapist and meditation teacher named Ron Alexander. "Over two years, I did a series of seminars on creativity, reengineering, and revisioning, so that individuals in the division could begin to access new creative directions," he says. The Imagineers went on to open Tokyo Disney, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland, and even today still earn patents in areas like 3-D virtual-reality displays and animatronics.
In the decades since, Alexander has built up his therapy and coaching practice helping creative workers -- Hollywood producers, rock musicians, advertising executives, screenwriters -- enhance their creativity. He asks his clients to meditate for at least 12 minutes every day. "Mindfulness helps you to build what I call 'mind strength,' " Alexander says. "Your awareness and consciousness become really toned. This is an excellent strategy for becoming successful in your profession, as well as the bigger game of transforming yourself and the people who work with and for you." (MORE)
Source: Fast Company
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Meditation: Don't Leave Home Without It
It's not just anger management and lower cholesterol. A daily dose of meditation is a route to spiritual joy and mental health
Looking after our minds should be as natural as brushing our teeth. The government's Action for Happiness suggests daily habits – doing good to others, taking exercise and nurturing relationships – can improve our mental health, just as five-a-day fruit and veg portions improve our physical health.
The psychiatrist Dr Norman Rosenthal, best known for describing seasonal affective disorder, believes meditation is an essential daily habit. Addressing a seminar on Meditation and Mental Health in London this month – organised by Meditatio, the outreach programme of the World Community for Christian Meditation – Rosenthal said he wouldn't leave the house without it.
Rosenthal recommends transcendental meditation (TM) to patients. Peer-reviewed research on the physical and psychological benefits of TM – from reduced anxiety to increased creativity is – impressive. Different forms of meditation and mindfulness will affect brain waves in different ways, said Rosenthal, but they all reap benefits. Our responses become less reactive. For prisoners and city school kids, "a couple more minutes to respond" can mean not hitting out. (MORE)
Looking after our minds should be as natural as brushing our teeth. The government's Action for Happiness suggests daily habits – doing good to others, taking exercise and nurturing relationships – can improve our mental health, just as five-a-day fruit and veg portions improve our physical health.
The psychiatrist Dr Norman Rosenthal, best known for describing seasonal affective disorder, believes meditation is an essential daily habit. Addressing a seminar on Meditation and Mental Health in London this month – organised by Meditatio, the outreach programme of the World Community for Christian Meditation – Rosenthal said he wouldn't leave the house without it.
Rosenthal recommends transcendental meditation (TM) to patients. Peer-reviewed research on the physical and psychological benefits of TM – from reduced anxiety to increased creativity is – impressive. Different forms of meditation and mindfulness will affect brain waves in different ways, said Rosenthal, but they all reap benefits. Our responses become less reactive. For prisoners and city school kids, "a couple more minutes to respond" can mean not hitting out. (MORE)
Source: The Guardian
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Dispelling Meditation's Most Common Myths
One concern I often hear about meditation is how hard it is to clear the mind of thoughts. When I lecture on the Transcendental Meditation technique, it's not unusual for someone in the audience to sheepishly admit that their mind is too busy to settle down. I assure them that an active mind is no hindrance to meditation -- especially if you learn an effortless technique for transcending (going beyond thought). This brings us to our first common myth about meditation.
Myth #1: Meditation is difficult
It is often said that the mind is like a monkey jumping from tree to tree, always searching for more bananas. Most approaches to meditation involve degrees of effort or control, in hope that the mind can be steadied or subdued. Many earnest students of meditation tell me they have tried this and found it difficult. (MORE)
Myth #1: Meditation is difficult
It is often said that the mind is like a monkey jumping from tree to tree, always searching for more bananas. Most approaches to meditation involve degrees of effort or control, in hope that the mind can be steadied or subdued. Many earnest students of meditation tell me they have tried this and found it difficult. (MORE)
Source: Huffington Post
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Meditate For a Bigger Brain, Better Memory
In the time it takes you to read this column, you can master the basics of meditation -- and make your brain bigger, too. Yep, we started our daily practices back when we YOU Docs thought meditation would just ease stress. Then we found that it reduced inflammation, which reduces aging, heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Now we know it also gets your grey matter growing in the areas that improve learning and memory.
Here’s what you need to know to get even smarter and stay younger, longer. (MORE)
Here’s what you need to know to get even smarter and stay younger, longer. (MORE)
Source: The Province
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