“The affairs of the world will go on forever. Do not delay the practice of meditation.”
—Milarepa, Tibetan meditation master and poet, 1052-1135
The practice of meditation has changed little since the days of Milarepa, a celebrated yogi who earned his legendary status through a series of colorful, and often sinister, episodes high in the ancient mountains of Tibet. While we still meditate in much the same way, we now have scientific evidence of how meditation can positively impact our lives.
Milarepa had his share of troubles. His descent into infamy begins when, after the death of his father, his aunt and uncle seized all of his father’s belongings. Encouraged by his mother, Milarepa applies himself to learn sorcery. Becoming proficient, he avenges the thievery by manifesting a giant hailstorm to destroy his enemies, but he also succeeds in killing a number of innocent people. His community uprises against him, so he manifests another hailstorm and destroys the crops. At this point he rather sensibly hides away in a cave for many years. But later in his notably long life he repents, and embarks on a soul-searching journey that culminates in his becoming a legendary figure in Tibetan culture, renowned over the centuries for his poetry, songs, and complete mastery of the art of meditation.
While most of us don’t have the sort of troubles Milarepa had, his ancient advice applies to anyone at any age: the affairs of the world will go on forever. Meditation continues to be one of the most effective ways of tuning out the affairs of the world, quieting the ever-chattering mind, fostering a sense of peace and serenity, and, we now know, give our health a good boost at the same time.
· Lowers oxygen consumption.
· Decreases respiratory and heart rates.
· Good for people with high blood pressure as it brings the blood pressure to normal.
· Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate.
· Decreases muscle tension (any pain due to tension) and headaches.
· Builds self-confidence.
· It increases serotonin production which influences mood and behavior. Lower levels of serotonin are associated with depression, obesity, insomnia and headaches.
· Helps in chronic diseases like allergies, arthritis, etc.
· Helps in post-operative healing.
· Enhances the immune system. Research has revealed that meditation increases activity of ‘natural killer cells’, which will kill bacteria and cancer cells.
· Reduces the activity of viruses and emotional distress.
Meditation is simply a focused effort of quieting the mind. Regular practice can promote a sense of calm and control; accomplished meditators tend to feel far more relaxed and happy. Their ability to concentrate will be greater; they don’t become as stressed about things, and they feel more peaceful and relaxed about everything. One of the greatest benefits of meditation is learning to go with the flow, and things that used to cause irritation before simply become insignificant.
· A quiet place to meditate,
· A comfortable or poised posture,
· An object for attention-awareness to dwell upon,
· A passive attitude.
Monroe Products Hemi-Sync® audio CDs can greatly enhance the meditation process by combining alpha or theta signals with soothing music or guided imagery. There are dozens of meditation titles to choose from. We wish you great success in your meditation practice!
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