|
| |
     |
||||||||||||||||||
Schedule of up-coming meditation classes Articles: Meditation Classes (content)
Why the Yoga Sûtra and Ken Wilber? New Article: An interview with Lynne Cardinal on Meditation New article: Satsang: the Value of Authentic Sharing Reframing sad thoughts: Mind-based therapy created to fight depression WHAT SCIENCE KNOWS ABOUT MEDITATION Regular meditation bolsters the brain
MEDITATION CLASSES Do you have the patience to wait * Excerpt from the Tao-te-Ching, by Lao-Tzu In our meditation classes, we teach various fundamental meditation techniques. The group classes are helpful for those who wish to develop regularity in their meditation practise and deepen their meditations. Meditation awakens in us a sense of focus and perspective, resulting in an overall feeling of well-being and peace of mind. During the classes, we will practise breathing exercises which are an important component of the practise of meditation. Breathing exercises affect the central nervous system, furthering the transformation to a more positive mind-frame enabling us to reach a finer state of consciousness. In addition, we use some Sanskrit chanting as a method to relax and to create a calm, meditative atmosphere. Chanting has grown into a very popular technique which allows us to get in touch with ourselves, as the sounds are soothing and lead to meditation. Meditation can be used to achieve a more stable and
concentrated state of mind, the objective being to live a life filled with
awareness, perspective, peace of mind and ultimately to lead to
Self-Realization. It has been proven that Meditation is one of the
greatest Stress Management tools available. Group
Meditation Classes: Join us for our group meditation classes at the PranaShanti
Yoga Centre in an environment peaceful and conducive to meditation.
The room in which the meditation classes will be offered is quiet, cozy,
offering a friendlier environment. Try a class as a drop-in and decide if you wish to join for the
session. There are over 100 parking places and the centre provides a
welcoming environment. "Regular meditation has dramatically improved the
quality of my life. I enjoy every day more. I feel less affected by
stress, and worry much less. I used to have difficulty sleeping quite
often, but that rarely happens now. I feel more rested with fewer hours of
sleep, and have more energy throughout the day." Brent Marshal, Nortel -
March 2009
"Meditation is helping me cope with stress and to
ground me. As a single mom with two teenagers, a young adult and a full
time job, life is very busy. I find that since I have started meditating I
see situations with more perspective and clarity." Bonnie Graham, Health
Canada - March 2009
"Thank you for another awesome meditation class
tonight. I sure left feeling calm, peaceful and strong." Anna Kemeny,
Statistic Canada - March
2009
"As you have said all along, meditating every day
makes a BIG difference. I go deeper sooner and am able to be more present
during the rest of the day. In fact, on Wednesday I had a wonderful day
with my Mom (meaning I didn't get stressed out at all), and it's not
because she changed her ways.
For some reason I
can't get myself together in the morning to do the meditation then, but
evenings seem to work so I'm going with that for the time being. Also,
it's nice to do it just before going to bed as it calms me down, puts me
in a serene mood and makes me sleep well." January 2009 "The difference between a good week and a not so good week is based on whether I meditated that week. Meditation has provided me with the greatest stress management tool." December 2008 "I love the philosophy expressed in the classes, the variety, and it's many angles, allowing for a more practical understanding of mind, emotions, anxiety and focus." January 2009 If you wish
to try a class or join us for the session, kindly contact us ASAP as space
is limited and we require a minimum number of participants, call (613)
721-7888 or email: info@kaivalya.ca
“MEDITATION NATION: It's not just New Age any more. Americans of all
kinds are meditating to boost their immune systems and to reduce
stress.”[i] There are many meditation techniques, each having
their value. But there are fundamental points that seem to hold for all
techniques. It is often thought that to meditate your mind has to be
still, quiet, like a vacuum, devoid of any thoughts or experiences. This
will be very difficult as you can’t force the mind to be quiet. You have
to let it stop by itself. There is no need to struggle with the
techniques. Simply apply them and gently allow the mind to stop by itself.
Thoughts will come and go, but they won’t stay for very long. If you try
to stop your thinking, it means that you are bothered by it. In its
essence meditation encourages you to become a witness, an observer,
allowing sounds to occur, thoughts to arise, to come and go, to sensations
or images to arise, but they are just waves in your own mind. Learning to
observe the mind is the first step, the most important part of meditation.
To learn to observe dispassionately. Then to return to the technique, with
an open and curious mind, applying efficient meditation techniques. When
we persevere we reach a state that is calm, a state called “Big Mind”.
This state of mind provides us with clarity and inner strength, with
connecting with our true self. For a great explanation and graphics on what science says that meditation does to the brain, visit: http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101030804/om/ [i] http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101030804/gallery/5.html
“The creative process is a process of surrender, not control.” - Julia Cameron, teacher, author, journalist “If you think you can do it, or you think you can't do
it. You
are right.” – Henry Ford Patanjali, the ancient author of the Yog Sutras,
addresses all human beings of all times through philosophical and concise
verses or sutras. Amazingly, we still have, even in the 21st century, this
same desire for Knowledge and Truth, and we still carry this innate sense
of our true, free and eternal nature. In the second chapter of Patanjali
Yog Darshan, Patanjali explains that the process of transforming our mind
from agitated to focused, from dualistic to unified, consists of mental and physical
purification. He explains it brilliantly through 3 important elements:
1- Tap , using willpower
and
making conscious efforts; 2-
Swaadhyaay, the study of
Self, including one’s own thoughts and actions ; and 3- Eeshwar Pranidhaan, surrendering
to a higher power, dedicating one’s thoughts, actions and their
results, to a higher power, letting go of the results of our actions. According to Patanjali, these 3 elements
are important. 1- Making efforts: Just like an athlete can’t expect
to win with some degree of efforts, we also need to dedicate time to our
own spiritual growth and emancipation. This is unavoidable. Daily
meditation will yield results, and that leads to further inspiration and
commitment. 2- Understanding our mind: Patanjali wisely states
that with this daily practice we should also come to understand our mind
and its tendencies. This understanding comes through reading about the
philosophy of meditation and also through joining a meditation class which
addresses it, combining philosophy with meditation. 3. Surrender: However, the third element of
surrender is considered to be the highest. In it,
grace and inner knowledge can manifest. Surrender helps us to let go,
after making efforts and doing our very best. In doing so we are expanding
our own identity. We move from identifying solely with our own individual
self and reality (ego-mind) to reaching a more expanded state of
universality.
We understand the many factors influencing us, and learn to accept
and let go. That provides us with a relief from the intensity of making
efforts as well as the element of gain consciousness that may come with
it. In a nutshell, it frees the ego-mind from over identifying with the
results of one’s actions. Those three elements complement each others, and
provide us for a balanced outlook on life. It is also the best approach to our
meditation practice, enabling it to yield deeper and lasting results.
Healing the Pain Body
through Meditation by Lynne Cardinal “As long as you
are unable to access the power of the Now, every emotional pain that you
experience leaves behind a residue of pain that lives on in you. It merges
with the pain from the past, which was already there, and becomes lodged
in your mind and body. This, of course, includes the pain you suffered as
a child, caused by the unconsciousness of the world into which you were
born. This accumulated pain is a negative energy field that occupies your
body and mind. If you look on it as an invisible entity in its own right,
you are getting quite close to the truth. It’s the emotional pain-body.”
Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now, p.29 The daily
practise of meditation is amongst the best stress management tools, it is
especially efficient as it works on relaxing the very foundation of our
mind. But with this sense of peacefulness comes the ability to have a
better perspective or insight on the mechanism of our very own mind. We become able
to analyse with objectivity and locate what really triggers our reactions.
We can note that in some instances, we are able to maintain control in a
remarkable way when facing difficult or stressful situations. But in some
other situations, we observe much stronger reactions within ourselves.
That is when our pain-body is being triggered by a situation that holds
meaning for us, accessing our memory bank, consciously or not, and making
us react. Patanjali,
the author of the Yog Sûtras, also addresses the subject, speaking of
memory-seeds that are held in the mind and are ready to sprout at any
time, engendering reactions of various amplitudes. A simple example: if we
have been bitten by a dog once, we will carry that memory and it will be a
memory filled with confusions or fears. And perhaps even just hearing the
sound of a barking dog may accelerate our heart rate and make us anxious.
On the other
hand, the more positive memories we have, the happier we tend to be. If we
have a predominance of negative memories we tend to be very unhappy. But this can
be changed through changing our attitudes towards the event. Certain
attitudes serve no purpose but to deplete us of energy. The very core of
the attitude is negative, and according to Patanjali that creates
unnecessary unease or pain, and is useless. So taking the time to observe
our mind we can redirect its tendencies, from klisht
(useless, painful) to aklisht (useful, painless). We can analyse the
core of our anger and frustrations, and acknowledging it is the first
step. We don’t have to be embarrassed by this, as we all have
pain bodies. And those pain bodies or negative memory bank may have more
or less power over us, according to circumstances, and it is essential and
empowering to recognize this phenomena. It is simply our pain body
reacting! That perspective is what we want. From it we derive clarity and
the ability to change the very direction of our thinking pattern, saving
us or our friends from a lot of negative energy. “Some pain-bodies are obnoxious, but relatively
harmless.... Others are vicious and destructive monsters, true demons...
Some will attack people around you or close to you, white others may
attack you, their host.” The Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now, p. 30 Here are 4
simple steps to deal with your own pain-body: 1.
Become aware of its existence and what triggers
it 2.
Experiment with different thinking patterns that will
help you pacify or better cope with the situation (could be just adding perspectives, understanding
other’s needs and being able to relax with them without having strong
reactions, etc.) Using your thoughts to change your reactions is a very
efficient way to cope. 3.
Ask your spouse or good friend to provide feedback
after a pain-body attack. Recognizing it as such weakens its impact on us and
others. 4.
Meditate regularly to increase your capacity for
awareness and alertness. And be patient! Practise makes
perfect. If you find
that your pain-body is too large or difficult to deal with, you may want
to consult with a professional therapist, psychologist or even coach, for
best results. However
meditation in itself is a great tool to help us live with greater freedom
and awareness. There are no doubts; a regular meditation practise
engenders on-going changes towards a better life, enhancing inner strength
and peace of mind. Lynne Cardinal teaches private classes in the Britannia area and
group meditation classes at the PranaShanti Yoga Studio in
Ottawa. Join us on September 8th, 2009 for a Free introduction to the
up-coming sessions.. All are welcome. For more information
call us at
(613) 721-7888
Why the Yoga Sûtras? Patanjali’s
Yoga Sûtras and Ken Wilber’s Integral approach: Why unite the ancient Yoga Sûtras with the contemporary insights of Ken Wilber? The brilliant Integral Framework developed by Ken Wilber serves as a practical way to enhance the Patanjali Yoga Sûtras. Ken provides us with a simple map of reality: the 4 perspectives of the quadrants (interior, exterior & individual, collective). Ken also explains the two basic types of Enlightenment: States and Stages. The states of consciousness experienced in meditation (perspective, calm, etc.) are themselves temporary and can be cultivated on a daily basis. On the other hand, the stages of consciousness are earned after some time in a regular meditation practice and create permanent transformations. Our objective: through meditation we want to transform our mind from agitated to focused, from uneasy to easy, from unclear to clear. Both schools of thoughts complement each other in this regard.. The Patanjali Yog Sûtras are verses that contain the essence of Eastern Philosophy. Inspired by Sankhya Yog , an ancient school of logic, the Yog Sûtras provide us with a remarkable overview of Eastern Philosophy. This overview enables us to gain a basic understanding of all other philosophical schools. The sûtras contain profound thoughts that are clear, precise and inspiring. Thoughts that can be meditated on, and help us realize deep insights into the nature of mind and freedom. After studying the sûtras, we can return years later and understand an even greater depth of meaning. In this way we can enhance our life and meditation practice. Sûtras are sentences that are short, but packed with wisdom. This rich philosophical tradition is made accessible through a step-by-step system. We come to grasp the nature of mind, why we should meditate, what are the various states of meditation and what obstacles can potentially arise during our meditation practice. All of these captivating subjects will be discussed during our 15-week session. By the end of the session we will have covered all the main concepts expressed in the first chapter of the Patanjali Yog Sûtra as well as the pragmatic clarity that the Integral framework provides us with. Join us on January 22nd for this unique exploration. This class will help you develop regularity in your meditation and help you derive clarity from your spiritual practice, all within an open and peaceful atmosphere. For more information and schedule of classes click here Two
Types of Enlightenment: An Integral
Approach During the 1990s I spent 3 years at an
ashram in the Indian Himalayas studying meditation and Yoga and Vedantic
philosophy. The primary teacher, a self-proclaimed guru and swami,
appeared to be fully enlightened. He was a good speaker, philosopher and
meditation expert and was charming and very perceptive in his interactions
with his students. However, in the later stages of my stay it became
apparent that something wasn’t quite right. Certain
comments were very ethnocentric and closed-minded. A few years after
leaving India we discovered a whole shadow side of the guru which had been
carefully hidden for decades. The discovery that my guru was not as
perfect as he had claimed forced me to a deeper level of
investigation.
I had no doubt that meditation works and that it is very useful in
making the individual more aware and free. However, something appeared to be
missing from the overall traditional path of enlightenment. Then I
discovered Ken Wilber’s work. Ken is a contemporary American philosopher,
writer and pundit who combines both Eastern and Western approaches to
spirituality to create a more integral framework of understanding. Here’s how he breaks it down: The
Eastern approaches have mastered the meditative and contemplative domains
which help us to go beyond the ego and experience our pure essence. The
Western approaches have focused on the healthy development of the ego so
that we can better function in the world. One is about transcending the
world and the other is about owning the world. One is about Emptiness and
the other about Form. Recognizing the value of both is the integral
approach. Developmental psychologists have
discovered over the last 100 years that individuals move sequentially
through different stages of development in their lives. In the simple
table below (based on the Wilber-Combs lattice) we see individuals moving
from egocentric to ethnocentric to worldcentric in their development. This
development is about deepening and widening our perspectives. Ken refers
to this as vertical development which transcends and includes each
previous level. The egocentric stage is concerned
primarily with oneself, one’s growth and needs. It is a necessary stage
but limited in scope. The ethnocentric stage is concerned with care for
one’s family, community or nation. It is a higher stage with a wider
perspective but it still carries boundaries, a sense of separation with
other groups. The worldcentric stage takes everyone and everything into
consideration. It carries the perception that we are all interrelated and
everyone deserves basic rights and freedoms. In its highest form, it is
the expression of Oneness, the perception that one life permeates everyone
and everything.
In meditation we aspire to reach deeper
states of consciousness: from gross (waking state) to subtle (dream or
meditation) to causal (deep sleep or deep meditation) states. Ken refers to
this as horizontal development. Now the real discovery that he and Alan
Combs made is to combine both approaches and represent them in a single
table:
The above table illustrates that an
individual may have mastered the states (gross, subtle & causal) but
still be stuck at egocentric or ethnocentric levels. In other words, when
we come out of deep meditation we will interpret that experience according
to the developmental level or stage we are at. This explains why certain
so-called masters are still homophobic, sexist, racist or intolerant of
other approaches to spirituality. The Wilber-Combs lattice helps us to
clearly see that every stage of development as well as state of
consciousness is important and necessary in our ongoing process of
spiritual maturity and evolution. In conclusion I want to reemphasize that
both approaches, Eastern meditative and Western developmental, are
necessary in today’s 21st century when
talking about full enlightenment. One approach without the other will only
result in limited understanding and not represent the full potential of a
human being. The practise of meditation combined with philosophy and an
understanding of Western developmental models are a perfect combination
that will lead to deep positive transformations and realizations. Jürgen Portz
teaches Integral Satsang with his spouse and partner Lynne Cardinal at the
PranaShanti Yoga Centre. The next 8-week session starts September 15th 2009. Our fall session starts on September 8th, 2009. All are welcome.
We offer group and private meditation classes.
Particles of sand: the art of meditation Excerpts from an interview with Lynne Cardinal by Tanya Witteveen, undertaken as research for her masters thesis. Tanya is working on her Master of Arts degree in Human Kinetics. Tanya: Lynne, could you explain the process of meditation? Lynne: Meditation is a tool to help settle the mind, to create a sense of peacefulness within. Once that is achieved, a new type of awareness emerges, a perspective that is impossible to attain with an overactive or anxious mind. According to Ken Wilber, a contemporary philosopher of international acclaim, “Meditation empirically demonstrates techniques that will increase self-esteem.” Indeed, meditation provides us with a confidence or a sense of self that is peaceful, stable and unshakable. This confidence is not based on superiority, but rather on the knowledge that our true essential existence is eternally free. The first step is to settle the mind, gain focus and deepen our meditation. There is an analogy I like to use to describe what happens to the mind during the process of meditation. Imagine an aquarium with sand at the bottom. Now take a stick, stir up the sand, and watch as the particles whirl around, clouding the water. The particles of sand are your thoughts, the water your state of mind. Mostly, our state of mind is cloudy. We get up in the morning and thoughts whirl around: “I must do this, I must go there, I must not forget x, y and z.” And off we go! Too often, our minds are in a constant state of activity, busy planning, thinking, remembering, anticipating, worrying. We live in the past, and in the future, but seldom in the present. When you meditate, you temporarily remove that stick from the aquarium, and the first thing you see is the momentum—and it whirls! At first, the speed of whirling may even appear worse, because, unlike before, now you are looking directly at it. This is when some think, “meditation doesn’t work for me, I can’t settle my mind”. But it is working. Just wait. The momentum will slow down and then, just as the particles of sand eventually settle, so will your mind. If you meditate long enough, the sand may completely settle at the bottom and you will see clear water. People often tell me, “I open my eyes after meditation and I see better. Colors are brighter, scents more acute. Above all, I feel better because I have a clear mind.” You can use meditation to get to a very, very deep place inside of you. To illustrate this point, think of the ocean, whose surface is generally quite choppy. If you go just slightly below, you will still feel the currents from above. But if you go deeper, you are no longer affected by what’s happening on the surface. Likewise, when you go very deep into meditation, you can free yourself from superficial mental activity and experience a deeply balanced state of mind. A regular meditation practice is not only balancing and healing, it is also a great tool for coping with issues and problems. So when a crisis occurs, you will be prepared, as you literally have practiced and developed a healthier perspective on life. You will find yourself reacting with greater ease, agility and clarity. With years of practice, stability will permeate your being. In Sanskrit it’s called Stithi and refers to a fundamental equanimity that predominates, no matter what. You develop a sense of being an objective observer in your daily life. You no longer rise and fall with the superficial waves. Your greatest stability lies deep within. Tanya: Sometimes people feel frustrated because of not achieving tangible results quickly enough. It seems extremely difficult not to judge our meditation. Lynne: That is true. We judge according to concepts we’ve acquired based on what we consider good or bad. That’s what we’ve been taught. We constantly judge ourselves and others, our work, our relationships, our yoga practice, our meditation. So one day, you feel good in your meditation and you experience a profound sense of peace, or you sense an infinite blue sky, or see lovely colours, and you think it is beautiful and blissful and that finally your meditation is working. Those experiences are really remarkable, but they don’t last, and it can be very frustrating if you depend on them or expect them to happen every time you meditate. So if the next day, instead of experience something special, you encounter endless thoughts whirling about, you may feel uncomfortable and disappointed. Then you will think, “I’m not a good meditator”, again, judging yourself. In reality your objective in meditation is to practice it regularly no matter what and to observe your thoughts dispassionately. As it is often said, “Just show up. The rest will happen by itself.” If you keep at it, you will eventually transcend the conceptual judgmental mind that has been super-imposed on you by culture. That very act of not judging your meditation is essential and will carry over into your daily life. You will be less harsh on others and kinder to yourself. When you meditate, you gradually get to a place of authenticity that is pure awareness. The practice of meditation involves a definite process, and what is essential to understand is that the secret lies in perseverance. Do not stop, just keep at it. Rest assured that nothing bad will ever happen to you in meditation if you practice with the guidance of a qualified teacher and use proper techniques. Enjoy every meditation, even when you have a lot of thoughts. Let them be, humor them a touch, then return to your technique. You may have a hard time settling your mind at times, but it is all part of a gradual process that leads to transformation. So just keep at it. Meditation leads the mind into concentration. Not a concentration that is rigid, but a gentle sense of focus. Gentleness will pervade, next to insight and awareness. At this point, for me, after 30 years of daily practice, meditation is like drinking water. It quenches my thirst. It always feels good. Each meditation is unique, but there is a fundamental sense of satisfaction and balancing of body and mind. Concentration is balancing. A lack of it generates anxiety both for the body and for the mind. Tanya: Can we call this an actual training of the mind? Lynne: Most definitely. If the mind is scattered, acknowledge it, then take steps to focus it. Taking those steps, focusing the mind, does involve effort but it’s a gentle one. It means that we are committed to a daily practice and accept the fact that it’s a long-term project. Then with time, with years of practice, transformation of the mind occurs. This is my direct experience. I am happier every year, as are others I know who are regular meditators. The practice of meditation is, as one of the Dalaï Lama’s books says, “The Art of Happiness.” Over time, meditators will become happier, lighter, more content, less anxious. So that’s what happens when you meditate. It is training in peacefulness, in stability. I can tell you that after many years of practice, you reach a level where the meditative state permeates the entire day. And yet, evolution continues and that is the beauty of it. I believe that our potential is infinite and I remain skeptical towards anyone who says that they have reached the end of learning, that they have attained perfection. I think that evolution goes on and that makes life wonderful. Once you start meditating regularly, you may begin to feel a need to do so. At that point, your mind will have reached a higher level, a calmer, more stable place with less buzz, less activity. And when your mind becomes restless again—as it inevitably will from time to time—you will have the skills acquired through meditation to gently guide it back to its more balanced state. This is huge. The problem in our society is that people usually don’t know when to stop. Their lifestyles are so overactive and busy that often they don’t even realize when their mind and body need a respite. Or by the time they become aware of it, they are deeply exhausted or very anxious and stressed. Being aware enough to know when to stop, to breathe deeply and to take a few minutes in meditation could prevent many of these negative consequences. Tanya: Is that why people don’t sleep well? Because the buzz of the day pervades the night and they can’t turn it off? Lynne: Regular meditators sleep very well. A daily practice of 15 to 20 minutes suffices to ensure a focused and rested mind, along with a solid sense of stability. These regular meditators tend to also develop the ability to take short breaks during the day to meditate when needed, an invaluable tool for preventing burnout, depression and anxiety. Meditators have their priorities straight. They value their peace of mind and understand that taking the time necessary to achieve this is not selfish, as eventually everyone will benefit from it. An agitated mind creates discord and leads to a host of difficulties including relationship problems, insomnia or even nightmares. In contrast, a stable mind generates balance, peace, and happiness. The following steps can help achieve a stable mind: 1. A daily practice of meditation Meditation requires discipline and patience, particularly as progress is not always obvious. Change—any change—does not happen overnight. But it is cumulative; every meditation counts, even the ones we don’t consider successful. When I started to meditate I simultaneously began to work on myself spiritually, emotionally and intellectually. It wasn’t always easy. But I knew, and I was always told, to never give up, to just keep at it. Eventually I noticed that I had turned a corner, that a paradigm shift had occurred. I felt stronger. I had healed certain vulnerable aspects of my personality, and had evolved to another level. To continue this process of evolution, we must keep on with our meditation practice. Now the good news is that it gets easier and more enjoyable all the time. As for me, meditation is what I love to do most. © Lynne Cardinal - Join us for weekly meditation classes at the Metta Massage and Yoga Clinic in Westboro (421 Richmond Road, suite 201, above Starbucks, parking behind the building). Classes are starting on January 16th, every Tuesday from 7:30 to 9 pm, for a 10-week session. All level classes, everyone welcome. You can join us at any time. Topics for discussion: Yoga Sûtras, Various Contemplative Practices; Ken Wilber’s work and more. To register: (613) 721-7888 or info@kaivalya.ca
Satsang: the value of authentic sharing
Satsang is a word that is often used in the context of yoga and meditation. It comes from the ancient Sanskrit, one of the most fascinating languages ever, and originates in the Vedantic texts, which are over 4,000 years old. The roots of Satsang mean Sat: Truth and Goodness, and Sang: being in the company of. Broadly speaking, then, Satsang is a meeting of people who get together to chant, meditate and study spiritual texts. There are three fundamental benefits of participating in Satsang: 1. Group energy, which greatly enhances
meditation; Joining a Satsang group reaps immeasurable benefits. Anyone who has tried to meditate on their own knows the difficulties involved. Alone, without the support of a like-minded group, it is difficult to stay motivated. Too often, we lose track of our objective, question the purpose of our practice or give up altogether, wondering why we are meditating anyway? And yet, anyone who has done so regularly knows the difference between a day with some time spent in sitting meditation, and a day without. As a fellow meditator said to me recently, “Meditating is the difference between having a good week or a bad week. It doesn’t matter what actually happens. If I have been meditating daily, I have a pretty good week. Everything is easier. I definitely feel better.” Meditation deepens our perspective on life and allows us to access an infinite ocean of peace at the heart of our being. For thousands of years, people have come together to learn, to share and to inspire each other. They would do this by reflecting on their own true nature through Satsang, the practice of discussions and meditations. They knew that their potential was not fully developed and they longed to live with truth, inner freedom and peace. It is the same today. There is but one way to access our own Truth; we must look inside, settle our generally overactive mind, and get to the core of our being. The practice of meditation is profound. It is also a life-long commitment. There will be ups and downs, and our experience of deeper contentment will inevitably vary, but it is all part of a grand process. The idea is to keep at it no matter what. Not to mind days when thoughts abound. Even sit with them and enjoy them. It is a cumulative process; its benefits are never lost and are greatly enhanced by meditating daily. Then one day we look back and realize that it’s the smartest thing we have ever done for ourselves. As we advance in the practice of meditation, we begin to understand our mind and parts of ourselves that contain unease. This unease can express itself in various ways: through shyness, sadness, inferiority or superiority complexes, irritation, anger or depression. Each and every one of these traits limits us in some way and prevents us from living our lives to the fullest. Yet, we all wish to experience optimal levels of self-esteem, to live with perspective and be able to enjoy the game of life. Through regular Satsang, we come to understand how to access this perspective gradually, in an organic way. We learn to address those blind spots in our minds, which prevent us from gaining direct access to our Truth. Without recognizing and correcting these blind spots, it is next to impossible to overcome obstacles. As human beings, we are complex and fascinating, and while meditation can cure many ills, at times it may not be enough. For example, it is possible to meditate daily, yet still experience bouts of depression. One then has to look at other areas of life that may need to be changed. Let’s go back to our word Satsang, which can also mean “in good company.” What company do we keep? Are we surrounded by too much negativity? Do we feel unhappy at work or in an important relationship? The ancient sages used another word, “kusang,” to indicate that when we are in bad company, we experience psychological or physical pain. When surrounded by people who drain us of energy, it can be very difficult to transform ourselves and grow spiritually. Changing the company we keep may then be necessary, but doing so requires mental clarity and determination. It takes time to learn different ways of thinking, to speak up for ourselves, to learn true self-respect. But when we do, everyone benefits; all those who meet us will feel the presence of strength, truth and peace. And we will have taken a giant step forward. To be in good company is to be with people who respect us and honor us for who we are. They have no need to put us down or manipulate us for their own good. That is Satsang, to truly be in good company. The path of transformation is not always smooth. Some of our weaknesses may be quite stubborn, and we will need to learn specific skills if we are to overcome them. “Disidentification” through meditation helps us to surrender or redirect our weaknesses by attaining a proper perspective. It is an important practice in loosening our ties with our fears and vulnerabilities, and will lead us to our Free Spirit, at the very heart of our being. The path inward is returning to our very essence. Following that path will lead us to greater freedom, peace and joy. Realistically, achieving these goals cannot be done overnight. But step-by-step, by keeping good company, having meaningful discussions and learning to deepen our meditations, it can and it will happen. We are not meant to walk this path alone, and sharing our journey with a like-minded group is deeply inspirational. Lynne Cardinal ©
November 5th, 2006
Reframing sad thoughts: Mind-based therapy created to fight depression
Sandra, a Toronto woman in her early 40s, has a problem with recurrent depression. For four years, she tried "almost every approach there was" to stop it. "Nothing worked for long," she says. "I'd take medication, they'd say increase the dose, then I'd get worse." Then she heard of a study at Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) run by psychologist Zindel Segal, who was testing a program of therapy that has shown promise in patients who frequently relapse into depression. Called mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, it was developed to help people with depression and is being tested at CAMH with a $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. The therapy involves eight weeks of meditation, relaxation, breathing and concentration exercises to reframe patients' response to thoughts — especially negative ones — with daily homework and feedback. For Sandra (not her real name), it has been a lifeline. "When I was on medications, I had to deal with all kinds of side effects," Sandra says. "This has helped stop that negative thinking. A couple of weeks ago, I started to see the signs that would have got me going into depression. I used the tools with breathing and meditations and was able to turn things around." The study, which is to involve close to 300 people, is half way into its five-year mandate and still needs scores of volunteers. To qualify a person has to have had a diagnosed depression. Then they are treated for four to six months with medication before they are weaned off and taught the mindfulness program. The study will follow them for 18 months to see if it helps reduce relapses. A 2004 study found brain scans of people who received cognitive behaviour therapy, (which does not involve the same degree of meditation and attentional focus as Segal's current work) showed similar changes as those who had taken medication for depression and recovered. The changes were found in the frontal and limbic regions, areas that regulate worry and emotion. Normally a person is urged to stay on medication after their first major depression for eight weeks to six months or more. But due to side effects such as agitation, sexual dysfunction and weight gain among others and human nature — people who feel well do not want to take medication — it has always been difficult to get many patients to comply with long-term medication treatment. But even if patients take a full course of medication many will become depressed again within two to five years, or less.
Another participant in the study, a therapist who has experienced depression, says the daily exercises have changed her emotional stability. "I find it amazing that with practice you can develop a different relationship with your thinking and affect your emotions," says the woman in her 30s. "This has helped me and I hope to be able to use it with my patients, too." The mind, thinking and emotions are just a set of chemical and electrical reactions, Segal says. Using both together makes sense and training people in their thinking is a logical way to approach problems with mood. Segal says, for everyone — even those not depressed — by being mindful of your thinking and mood and avoiding the "automatic pilot" approach to life in general, it is possible to radically improve your life experience. From:
http://www.agonist.org/bernadene/20060908/reframing_sad_thoughts
A study conducted by university researchers is the
first to suggest that meditation may have positive biological effects on
the body's ability to fight infection and disease. Also, the meditation
group exhibited increased activity in the left side of the frontal part of
the brain, indicating lower anxiety levels and a more positive emotional
state. In "The Meditative Mind: The Varieties of Meditation Experience", Daniel Goleman, psychologist and frequent writer for The New York Times, summarizes a number of remarkable physical and physiological effects of meditation : * Probably the single most reported physiological
benefit of meditation — indeed, of systematic relaxation techniques
generally — is the drop in blood pressure. Even the National Institutes of
Health (NIH) have recommended meditation (along with salt and dietary
restrictions) above prescription drugs as the first treatment for mild
hypertension. Other meditation research has demonstrated this wide range of psychological benefits: * Improvement in measurements of personality Of special interest is Daniel Goleman's own research demonstrating the greater tolerance for stress by those who meditate. He gives us some insight into how meditation accomplishes this: People who are chronically anxious or who have a psychosomatic disorder share a specific pattern of reaction to stress; their bodies mobilize to meet the challenge, then fail to stop reacting when the problem is over. Their bodies stay aroused for danger when they should be relaxed, recouping spent energies and gathering resources for the next brush with stress. The anxious person meets life's normal events as though they were crises. Each minor happening increases his tension, and his tension in turn magnifies the next ordinary event — a deadline, an interview, a doctor's appointment — into a threat. Because the anxious person's body stays mobilized after one event has passed, he has a lower threat threshold for the next. Had he been in a relaxed state, he would have taken the second event in stride. A meditator handles stress in a way that breaks up the threat 'arousal' threat spiral. The meditator relaxes after a challenge passes, more often than the non-meditator. This makes him unlikely to see innocent occurrences as harmful. He perceives threat more accurately, and reacts with arousal only when necessary. Once aroused, his rapid recovery makes him less likely than the anxious person to see the next deadline as a threat. (From The Meditative Mind, pp. 164-165) From Creative Meditation by Richard Peterson, Ph.D. A.R.E. Press, 1990. Meditation is the key to relaxation and Stress Management. We offer group and private meditation
classes.
Regular meditation bolsters the
brain* "Scientists have found the first evidence that meditating can change the structure of the brain. That reinforces the idea that staying mentally active in a variety of ways may help keep your mind sharp as you age. Researchers at Harvard, Yalk, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology compared 15 non-meditators with 20 people who had meditated for an average of 40 minutes a day for nine years. Using magnetic resonance imaging, the researchers measured the thickness of each person's cortex, the outer brain layer that's responsible for higher functions. The regions that control atteniton, sensory processing, and bodily awareness were thicker in the meditators. In one area, the differences were largest in older participants, suggesting htat meditation might reduce normal age related cortical thinning. Previous research has shown that other activities requiring concentration, such as learning a language, may stimulate growth in different cortical afreas. So, in theory, the greater and more varied your mental activities, the healthier your brain may stay." Quotes on Meditation - by Jack Kornfield and Ken Wilber
|
|||||||||||||||||||
