All it takes is the mere mention of "meditation" to hear a litany of myths. Stripped of its mystery, however, meditation is little more than directed concentration. Today, modern medicine is finding it to be a powerful antidote for everyday ills such as mild depression, insomnia, tension headaches and even heart disease.
Discerning when and where meditation first began is nearly impossible. Perhaps cave dwellers stared up from their evening fires at the stars and felt the first beginnings of a deep connection to the universal divine. As the observation of natural systems evolved into concrete religions, various forms of meditation developed, most prominently in Buddhism and Hinduism, but also in religions and cultures spanning from the Americas to Africa and Asia.
A few forms of meditation had somewhat pragmatic beginnings. A common practice among Buddhist monks in 13thcentury Japan was to recite the Lotus Sutra, a 28-chapter treatise expounded by Shakyamuni Buddha in the last eight years of his life. One priest by the name of Nichiren Daishonin asserted that the title of the Lotus Sutra encompassed its essence and consequently initiated the practice of chanting just that, as opposed to all 69,384 characters - no doubt saving practitioners hours of constant page turning.
Hundreds of forms of meditation exist today, and many cost nothing. Some are a part of a religious practice while others are not. Some methods are more difficult than others. The common denominator is that meditation provides a way to focus attention on the present moment. Most people may have meditated whether they realised it or not. Directing sustained attention on an object, word, vision or breath is the long and short of it - so anyone who has ever calmly gazed at waves splashing onto a sandy shore was in fact practising a mild form of meditation.
While one of the wilder claims includes the ability to levitate, numerous scientific studies now indicate the many down-to-earth benefits of meditation.
Herbert Benson, best-selling author of The Relaxation Response, concluded that it counteracted the physical "fight-or-flight" symptoms of anxiety. While perfectly designed to provide short bursts of life-saving energy, fight-or-flight symptoms are physically and emotionally damaging when sustained over a long period of time. Many researchers credit the current epidemic of heart disease and hypertension in the Western world to prolonged stress. Benson and his colleagues at the Harvard Medical School in the US discovered that meditation induces a polar reaction of lowered blood pressure, reduced heart and respiratory rate and increased blood flow.
Meditation also helps to alleviate pain. Dr John Kagat-Zinn, founder and director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in America, conducted extensive studies on chronic pain management. Working with patients who had not responded to standard medical treatment, Kabat-Zinn taught a large percentage to meditate. Those who did, showed improvement, while the control group of similar patients witnessed little to no change.
By no means an overnight fix, meditation requires consistent daily practice over months and even years to reap the rewards. When evaluating a practice, consider whether you have experienced any beneficial changes in your daily life. If it's working, meditation should empower an individual with the wisdom to revitalise their life.
Most systems recommend a seated posture with a straight spine. It is perfectly all right to sit in a chair if you find the floor uncomfortable. Begin by focusing solely on the slow, relaxed movements of your abdomen and chest as breath is inhaled and exhaled. Consciously relax your muscles, from your toes to your forehead. If your attention wanders, simply bring it back to your breath. To develop consistency, once in the morning and once in the evening for 20 or 30 minutes a day is an easy, adaptable rhythm. It is important to note that people with mental illness may become agitated from excessive meditation.
If you are not able to relax and clear your mind, keep going. The goal is not to stop all thoughts, but rather to concentrate on a particular object or phrase. People who persist inevitably notice gradual changes in their ability to focus.
Some choose to repeat a mantra, a technique that is common in Buddhism and Hinduism, although it is also found in Western traditions. Mantras are certain phrases or words that help slow the busy mind and consequently counteract the negative effects of agitation, anger and unease. Some well-known mantras are believed to have tremendous transformative power. Examples include: Nam Myoho Renge Kyo (the essence of the Lotus Sutra in Buddhism)
Hail Mary, full of grace . . . (the Catholic prayer)
Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah (the Muslim name of God)
Shema Yisroel, adonai elohenu, adonai ehod . . . (Jewish praise of God)
Repeating a mantra provides a comforting focus. It requires no training or special equipment and can be done anywhere, though caution must be taken when driving, operating machinery, or engaging in other activities that require undivided attention. Mantras are especially helpful for people with restless minds, whose turbulent thoughts keep them from relaxing or concentrating.
Dublin Meditation Centre, 2 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, 01-6713187, fax: 01-6705717. Teaches meditation, yoga and Buddhism.
SGI-UK, Taplow Court, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 OER. Tel: 0044-1628- 773163; fax: 0044-1628-773055.
Buddhist organisation that provides contacts for practitioners in Ireland.