Meditation

The Language of the Spirit

Over millennia, so much has been said about meditation. I am sure you have all heard some of the obscure and remote explanations, the mystical and psychic experiences; that put the concept of meditation so far "out there" as to make it a joke to some and a dirty word to others. Despite the fact that meditation can cause psychic experiences (outside the sphere of physical science) these experiences are only a by-product of meditation.

Meditation is the tongue of the soul and the language of our spirit. ~Jeremy Taylor (Writer and Bishop, 1613-1667)~

It is also not the exclusive preserve of religious ascetics or the "spiritually advanced" and it is not necessary to subscribe to any particular belief system. Even though meditation is often associated with the Eastern Philosophies - Buddhism in particular - it is merely a state of mind, a very natural way to quiet the mind and tap into your limitless potential.

Various scientific studies have also confirmed that meditation has a measurable effect on both the brain and the body. The latest brain studies, conducted by function MRI (fMRI), Cat and other high-tech scans which can see brain function in real time, show that for instance the "day dreaming" state, formal meditation and even self-hypnotic states are all very similar in term of the wavelengths they generate (mostly in the alpha range of 8-13 Hz or cycles per second).

Contrary to popular belief, meditation is neither alien to our culture, nor to our nature. Although it is virtually impossible to pinpoint where and when it evolved, I would say that it is fair to assume that primitive man took the first step towards self-awareness when he began to wonder where he had come from and what purpose there might be in existence.

Meditation has been used from the very beginning of time as people have always sought inner quiet, balance and physical relaxation, whether for spiritual, self-realization or health reasons. The benefits of meditation for your health can be viewed here.

Meditation does not necessarily mean you need to spend large amounts of time to get the benefits to your mind and body it is:

• For everyone who wishes to relax and enjoy their own inner peace.
• A pleasant way to gain deep relaxation as well as creating time and space for yourself.
• Beneficial for your general well-being, but by using some simple words and images while you meditate (visualization) you can encourage improvement in a specific area of your life, you can gain the confidence to cope with an event in the future.
• A technique that can be utilized for its therapeutic and relaxing benefits in stress management, or simply in pursuit of self-awareness.
• For anyone wanting to improve their concentration.
• For everyone who wants to foster a more positive attitude to life.
• A way to enable you to gain a clearer sense of purpose.