Meditation

What is meditation ?

Meditation is a mind training practice that promotes mental well-being. In this sheet, you will discover what meditation is, its main principles, its history, the different types of meditation, its benefits, some practical advice, and finally the opinion of a specialist.

From the Latin “Meditare” which means “to contemplate”, meditation is a practice that consists of training the mind so that it frees itself from negative and harmful thoughts. Obviously, many thoughts are useful for managing one’s life or solving practical problems. But the mental mechanisms are such that they constantly produce often deleterious thoughts. The objective of meditation is therefore to ensure that these thoughts no longer have control over us, and to free us from our negative ruminations which prevent us from moving forward in our lives.

Meditating is therefore using certain techniques of concentration and relaxation in order to concentrate on oneself and thus silence one’s inner hubbub. It’s a parenthesis in our noisy stressful daily life at an infernal and too fast pace: it’s being able to land, stop and observe what’s going on inside us…

The main principles

The practice of meditation is all about training yourself to maintain your attention and keep your mind from getting carried away by the thoughts that keep popping up. That said, it is above all not a warlike activity where you have to fight against thoughts. Instead, we resort to the “gentle will”. It is an activity of letting go where one accepts that thoughts pass by, like clouds or the horses of a carousel, without allowing oneself to be captivated by them.

Meditation is also a spiritual practice, indeed, many people say that meditating serves above all to be truly in touch with oneself and ultimately with “the whole universe”.

The different types of meditation

mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness meditation is the approach used in the stress reduction workshops designed by Jon Kabat-Zinn. There are also groups that form around experienced practitioners, especially inspired by the Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh who adapted the teachings of Chinese Zen (more flexible than zazen) for the West. The meeting schedule may vary from one group to another. 

Transcendental Meditation (TM)

Based on the Vedic tradition of India, the technique (with mantra) of transcendental meditation was adapted by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It was greatly popularized by the Beatles in the late 1960s. Learning is done in 4 consecutive days, for a substantial fee.

Vipassana

Traditional Buddhist practice, kept alive especially in Burma and disseminated in the West by SN Goenka and his disciples. Vipassana is an ascetic practice (based on the continuous observation of the breath and bodily sensations), in a very structured context. To get started, you must first register for a 10-day retreat. Subsequently, other retreats are offered (3, 10 or 30 days). There are no weekly practice groups.

Zazen

Strict practice of Zen (fusion of Buddhism and Taoism) as it developed in Japan within the lineages of masters. Zazen is practiced in a fairly ritualized context: the relationship with the master is important. Due to the discipline required, it is not suitable for everyone. The different centers offer both weekly meetings and retreats (called sesshins).

The benefits of meditation

Increase the occurrence of positive feelings

More “positive” feelings. When we feel positive feelings (joy, curiosity, enthusiasm, pride, etc.), electrical activity is predominant in a specific area of ​​the brain (the left prefrontal cortex). A study using magnetic resonance imaging has discovered that in a state of meditation, this area is particularly active. According to the researchers, it could be that meditation promotes brain activity in areas associated with positive feelings while inhibiting those related to anxiety and negative feelings. They hypothesize that this could in the long run affect the temperament and make it more “positive”.

Reduce symptoms of chronic pain in the elderly

In 2008, 2 reviews on the effectiveness of meditation in the treatment of chronic pain in the elderly were published. The findings of these reviews suggest that meditation may be an intervention to help reduce overall chronic pain. However, as it is often accompanied by other treatments and therapies, its specific effectiveness is not clearly established.     

Improve concentration and attention skills

The practice of meditation would allow you to stay long and effectively focused on a task or on a problem to be solved. When a person is highly focused, their gamma frequency brain waves naturally synchronize and amplify. But these periods rarely last more than 1 second at a time. Researchers have found that people who meditate for a long time manage to make them last several minutes.

Research over the past 40 years has found that meditation results in several measurable psychological and physiological benefits.

Reduce stress and anxiety

Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation in reducing psychological and physiological stress. This could be explained by its action on negative thoughts. Indeed, many thoughts are harmful (ruminations, catastrophic scenarios, mental representations that have nothing to do with reality …), these thoughts create what is called “internal stress”. Practicing meditation can help dispel these thoughts and reduce stress. This is why, when practiced daily, meditation is a powerful anti-stress.

Prevent cardiovascular disorders

A randomized clinical study evaluated the practice of transcendental meditation by comparing it to information sessions and discussions with 84 patients with cardiovascular disorders deemed stable. Beneficial effects were observed with regard to blood pressure and insulin resistance in the meditation group. The use of transcendental meditation by patients suffering from cardiovascular disorders could also improve some aspects of the metabolic syndrome.

Reduce the severity of symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder

A 2008 study investigated the effects of meditation on individuals affected by obsessive-compulsive disorder. The results showed a reduction in the symptoms of the participants who followed the sessions. In addition, they had less difficulty letting go of their thoughts.

Improve the immune system

In one study, researchers found that following vaccination, the level of antibodies against the influenza virus was higher in meditators than in a control group. In addition, the increase in this rate was proportional to that of brain activity in the area related to positive feelings (the left prefrontal cortex).

How to meditate? meditation in practice

According to the different schools, and there are many of them, meditation can be practiced standing, sitting, walking, eyes open or closed, silently or by repeating a word, the mind focused on an image or not. There does not seem to be any great difference in the effects of one form compared to another, the most determining element being diligent practice.

To be well understood and integrated, meditation training should take place within a certain framework: stress reduction workshops, retreats, meditation classes or groups. This is important for developing good habits (practice, correct posture, etc.).

There are now many resources on the Internet that allow you to learn about meditation and meditate alone. Most come in the form of guided meditations accompanied by music or sounds. These aim to bring inner calm or to more easily access states of relaxation, vigilance or creativity, for example.

If you want to start alone, here are some techniques that can help you concentrate, since they occupy the mind, and thus limit the occurrence of parasitic thoughts.

The meditation on the breath

This is probably the most common technique today. This consists in being aware of the air which penetrates the body, which is expelled from it, which still penetrates… As breathing is a permanent and infallible movement, it gives a stable anchor to the effort of attention.

The body scan

The person sits with their back straight and performs a mental scan of their body. This exercise must be done without judgement, and allows you to become aware of any tensions or pain points.

Meditation using a mental image

The individual imagines a specific image, and must focus on it. He can imagine a tree, the sea, or anything that inspires him.

The use of a mantra

The individual repeats a mantra (sacred formula), an expression which is personal to him or a syllable (“aum”, for example). He can repeat them mentally, articulate them quietly, or say them out loud. In the latter case, the vibrations caused from the vocal cords are supposed to bring the body to a good disposition.

Meditation using an object

The person is staring at an object near them. It can be the flame of a candle, an image that is dear to him or even a drawing of geometric shape.

The specialist’s word

Meditation is a millennial practice that originated in India more than five thousand years ago. Around 600 BC, it spread to Japan and to Asian countries.

In the 18th century, meditation techniques arrived in the West, but it was not until 1927 and the publication of the “Tibetan Book of the Dead” that meditation and Buddhist philosophy interested Westerners.
In the 1960s, yoga and meditation techniques became popular and secularized in the West.
In 1979 in Massachusetts, with the publication of the mindfulness stress reduction program to treat patients suffering from chronic illnesses, meditation entered the medical world.

Meditation is for everyone including young children. However, it is advisable for people suffering from psychiatric disorders to seek advice from their doctor who will indicate the most suitable meditation for them.

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