The Health Informant: Meditation

Meditation :: A practice of concentrated focus upon a sound, object, visualization, breathing movement, or attention itself in order to increase awareness of the present moment, reduce stress, promote relaxation, & enhance personal and spiritual growth.

Key points about meditation:

• been around for more than thousands of years
• many associate with Buddhism but has many other nonreligious practical uses
• can be practiced by anyone regardless of religious or cultural background to relieve stress, pain or to clear mind
• 2 types of meditation: concentration meditation & mindfulness meditation

Concentration meditation – practice of focusing attention on a single object and maintaining focus no matter what.

• Examples of objects: the breath; internal/external images; a movement pattern (i.e. yoga); a sound, word, phrase that is repeated silently (i.e. mantra)

Mindfulness meditation – practice of the ability to focus & quiet the mind; awareness of the entire field of attention of all thoughts, feelings, perceptions, sensations as they arise each moment.

FOR MORE INFORMATION :: www.how-to-meditate.org