Meditation and Relaxation
Meditation is a very personal thing! There are many techniques of meditation and each individual needs to experiment and find what works for them. I have found the book Teach Yourself to Meditate in 10 Simple Lessons by: Eric Harrison a great place to start. To quote:
"Meditation is a delightful and healthy thing to do. It brings out our natural instinct for stillness and clarity. By meditating, we relearn a skill often lost since childhood: the ability to relax at will and return to inner balance. When we de-stress and slow down, we know who we are and what we feel, and how to act intelligently in a less-than-intelligent world."
Why meditate? Well, aside from the statement above, it truly is good for you. It works because it restores the body to a state of balance. This is technically called "homeostasis". The role of maintaining balance falls on the autonomic nervous system. This system operates via two opposing functions called the stress response and the relaxation response. During the stress response adrenaline is the main hormonal instigator. Our muscles tighten, blood pressure and breathing rates rise, digestion stops and we burn a lot of energy fast. During the relaxation response adrenaline levels fade, muscles soften, blood pressure and breathing rates drop and digestion resumes and we burn energy at a sustainable rate. Keeping the body in balance within these two states is crucial to health.
The typical meditation goes through three stages: tense, relaxing and relaxed. As you go through these stages, your brainwaves literally slow down. The fast brainwaves are called beta, slower ones are called alpha and theta. You produce beta when your stressed, alpha when your relaxing and theta when your relaxed. The most productive meditative state is alpha. This is where you are focused but still aware of background noise and sensation. The right balance is a relaxed body and alert mind. One can meditate in any of these states of brainwave activity, but they produce different results. The ideal is theta, but often difficult to attain as one may tend to slip in to sleep. One should just do their best in meditation and accept what turns up.
How do you know if "your really meditating"? The best way to check is to ask yourself, "Am I more relaxed and is my mind clearer than when I started?" The body should feel less stressed and the mind is unlikely to be blank, but you will be able to direct it more easily and the thoughts should be moving more slowly and deliberately. The intent in some forms of meditation is to focus on one object or your thoughts with detachment. This "focus" slows and calms the mind. Meditation implies relaxation, but relaxation doesn't imply meditation. The most time-efficient meditations are the short ones. A good fifteen-minute sitting for meditation can produce as much result as an undisciplined hour-long unfocused sitting.
A great way to look at meditation is that it is relaxed, focused detached thought. Always find a warm comfortable space where you feel safe and there will not be interruptions. Finding a good CD with appropriate instruction is always helpful, but don't be afraid to simply try sitting for a short bit of time until you get the hang of it. Feel free to begin with the below example.
Simple meditation
Begin by finding a warm, comfortable and quite space. Make yourself comfortable and be sure to turn off any phones or items that may be a distraction. I recommend setting a timer or alarm to the amount of time you have available so you don't become consumed as how long you've been meditation. Now, close your eyes (put on some soothing music if you'd like) and take a few full deep breaths. Gently observe the movement of your breath. You should not try to control it, just feel and "watch" it move in and out of your body. If you notice any places of stress or irritation in the body, allow the breath to flow through them and allow then to release. When you're body is calm, direct your attention to your thoughts. Acknowledge each thought that may present itself. Observe it for a moment and allow it to go. If you need, visualize yourself physically setting it aside and move on to the next thought. When your mind feels as if it has slowed and is calm you can do a few different things. You may choose one of the thoughts that already presented itself to focus on, or you may choose an object and bring it to mind, or you may choose to move the mind to a "place" where you are at peace. Whichever you choose, observe it with detachment, almost as if you are looking at it in the third person. This does take some practice and your mind may wonder. That's ok, if this happens just bring your though back to what you've chosen and begin again. When you're time is up, simply bring your mind back to the space your body is in, take a few deep breaths and a nice stretch if you feel like it.
Remember, meditation takes practice but can be VERY rewarding!