When you're standing around your childrens' school admiring the motivational posters and artwork while talking to the other parents, you've probably heard some of them talking about how much meditation helps them deal with their crazy lives. If you're finding that you're stressing out too much, meditation may be able to help you too. This article will give you a clearer idea of what meditation is, where it comes from, what it's good for, and how to do it so you can get started.
Meditation is defined as training your mind to reach a certain level of consciousness from which you can benefit. It's generally done alone to reduce distractions and focuses on your own inner mental landscape rather than any outside influences, such as music or instructions from a tape or teacher. The goal is to rid your mind of conscious thoughts - including your worries. Many people find it helpful to chant a mantra while focusing, but it is not a necessary step for everyone.
Meditation has been around for thousands of years. Even in prehistoric times, early people would use repetitive chants to appease their gods. Meditation is mentioned in the Bible as well as in Hindu, Taoist, and Buddhist texts. The ancient Greeks wrote about meditative practices and both Christian and Islamic faiths use meditation through prayer beads and repetition as a way of focusing the mind. Secular meditation of the type you're likely to try in your home has been around since the 1950s and originated in India, becoming popular in North American during the counterculture movement.
Meditation can help you achieve several different goals in your life. Religious groups often use it to gain a greater understanding of their faith or their connection to their deity while athletes often use it to help them become more calm and focused. Everyday ordinary people also meditate simply to enjoy an oasis of calmness in their otherwise hectic days. For instance, some clinics may suggest to their clients to learn meditation to go along with any other additional medical therapies they are using. Many people who meditate find it to be more restful than napping, since the mind and body are calmed without the fogginess that accompanies sleep. Meditation recognized as a form of alternative medicine.
Even a busy lawyer can find time to meditate. All you have to do is sequester yourself in a room (it could be your bedroom or your office) where you will not be interrupted. Turn down the lights, sit comfortably, close your eyes, relax, and focus on clearing your mind of conscious thoughts. You might use a repetitive sound or thought to help with this. Meditation can be beneficial even if you only have 15 or 20 minutes to spare.
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