Meditation has been receiving lots of attention lately. Medical journals carry articles on the tangible, physical improvements made through regular meditation. Celebrities and sports stars swear by its power to help focus and calm the mind. Yet many misconceptions about what “meditation” actually means still exist.
Some people think meditating means adhering to a particular spiritual practice, or giving up their own tradition. In fact, many spiritual traditions practice some form of mindfulness/meditation, yet the activity of meditation, itself, is “neutral.” Techniques and terminology may differ depending on the instructor/place, but practically speaking, most practices of meditation are quite similar. Meditation—with practice—can offer a profound experience; but one is free to “interpret” that experience according to one’s own beliefs.
Meditation is not “easy,” though it is generally very relaxing. In fact, it’s hard to teach oneself how to meditate. Many people find it very difficult to simply sit quietly, or to lie down without falling asleep. The mind tends to wander immediately to today’s chores, or tomorrow’s work schedule. Guided meditation teaches us techniques to detach from this wandering mind. According to Bharat Kalra, LMT, who teaches Guided Meditation at Creative Therapeutics in DeKalb, the key is to “learn to become an observer.”
“Instead of allowing our thoughts and emotions to lead us, we simply watch them the way we might watch cars in traffic—without judgement,” says Kalra. “We don’t ‘turn them off’—we observe them.” To detach, Kalra emphasizes, does not mean we ignore, reject, or turn off our thoughts. Rather, we gain a perspective on how our mind works (almost in spite of ourselves) that has great practical benefits.
Meditation is done in a comfortable, quiet area—sitting and lying down, using chairs or floor, cushions and blankets—whatever makes you most comfortable. Class usually begins with breathing exercises to lower the heart rate and focus the mind. Then, guided by an instructor, we learn techniques that heighten our awareness of our bodies and our surroundings. This is the heart of learning how to meditate. Class usually ends with a deep, silent meditation.
At the very least, the effect is extremely restful—almost like a super-effective nap. Not only does it lower stress, it can be used to address conditions such as anxiety, insomnia, panic attacks, addiction, or grief, and promote healing. Research shows that regular practice actually “rewires” our neural pathways, getting us out of well-worn ruts. Students find that they are much more “even keeled” in their everyday lives, more able to weather the stuff life throws at them.
Come try Guided Meditation Thursday nights at 7:00 at Creative Therapeutics next week during their FREE Classes Week, August 24th thru August 28th!
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