Meditation Basics and Benefits

Meditation is meant to be simple. It is our opportunity to set aside the trappings of the physical world around us and to focus on our intention, whether that is health, creativity, spiritual growth or stress reduction.

No special tools or techniques are needed, and you don't have to set aside hours of your day in order to benefit from meditation. Once you know the basic elements of meditation, you can determine which tools or techniques will assist you in achieving your goals and enhancing the benefits you receive.

The following are the essential components to any meditation practice, and all you need to begin and sustain yours.

1. Find a comfortable, reasonably quiet place

2. Sit with your spine as aligned and straight as comfortably possible

3. Close your eyes or gaze downwards

4. Focus on your breathing

5. As your mind wanders, gently bring your focus back to your breathing

These five steps are all you need to know to begin your successful meditation practice. With the number of books, classes, seminars and CDs available, it may be hard to believe that meditation can be this simple. However, these are the basic principles on which each method of meditation is based.

This is not to say that the books and classes aren't valuable - they are. There are many excellent materials available that provide extensive information and suggestions on particular styles and tools that may enhance your practice. However, you can begin your practice without them and decide whether or not you want to invest in additional materials as you go.

Benefits of Meditation

Meditation is a simple and effective method for increasing health and well-being, reducing stress and maintaining balance.

Below are just a few of the research supported benefits each of us can receive through incorporating meditation into our lives.

Reduce anxiety and phobias

Reduce stress, irritability and moodiness

Lower blood pressure

Reduce chronic pain

Strengthen the immune system

Reduce cardiovascular problems

Assist weight loss efforts

Assist smoking cessation efforts

Decrease use of alcohol and other substances

Increase inner balance, peace and calm

Increase blood flow to your heart

Decrease symptoms of asthma

Decrease need for prescription medications

Increase athletic performance

Improve productivity and work/school performance

Stimulate creativity

Lengthen life span

Improve memory, concentration and alertness

Improve self-esteem

The stress reducing qualities of meditation are integral to the benefits received from a sustained practice. Chronic stress is a result of our everyday lives as we maneuver through our day managing family, work, school and social obligations. Whether you are an executive, a stay-at-home parent, or a student, your body's stress response is triggered throughout the day as you drive, worry about deadlines or money, argue with your partner, or encounter any number of other stress-inducing situations.

Without taking steps to counteract its effects, chronic stress has a profound impact on our bodies, including:

Increased heart rate

Increased blood pressure

Weakened immune system function

Inhibiting the body's natural ability to heal

Increased anxiety and/or depression

Decreased productivity

Increased risk of cardiovascular diseases

Increased risk of chronic illnesses

Increase of unhealthy behaviors, such as excessive smoking, drinking or binge eating

Disruption of inner balance and feeling centered

Decreased overall quality of life

Research repeatedly shows that incorporating meditation into our lives is an effective tool in combating the harmful effects of stress, maintaining balance and improving our overall health and well-being.

Although meditation has been practiced for thousands of years, modern allopathic medicine has largely ignored this low-cost, effective health measure until recent years.

The recent movement towards preventive care and complementary therapies, along with modern research methods consistently supporting the long held knowledge of its healthful benefits, has brought meditation into the mainstream where it is now widely practiced in health care settings.