What Is Tai Chi Meditation?

January 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Tai Chi meditation is a form of meditation using controlled movements of the body. The original Tai Chi Chuan often shortened to Tai Chi is a form of Chinese martial art practiced both for the purpose of self defense and health benefits. Much like Yoga, the practice of this type of meditation uses the muscles of every part of your body: torso, legs, arms, and other parts of the body. Also called Movement Meditation, regular practice of Tai Chi leads to inner peace and sanctity. Tai Chi's theory and practices are believed to have been set in place by a Taoist monk Zhang Sanfeng in the 12th century AD.

The original Tai Chi practice is based on the philosophy that when hardness is used to resist force both the sides are injured to a certain extent. But if the force coming in is met with softness, the force has no option but exhaust itself in a period of time.

The basic practice of Tai Chi involves three primary aspects, health, meditation, and martial art. It is believed that a person with less than normal health meditation to a state of calmness is difficult to achieve and hence the martial art of Tai Chi provides good physical fitness. The meditative part of Tai Chi if mastered provides calmness of the mind and the body. The study of the Tai Chi martial art is the most challenging aspect and helps to combat attacking forces with yielding strength.

How To Practice Tai Chi Meditation?

Five major styles of Tai Chi currently popular are Yang, Wu, Chen, Sun, Wu/Hao. Though they share much of the same foundation theory, they differ in their approach to training.

The modern approach to Tai Chi meditation is very popular and is being practiced by people all over the world. The basic Tai Chi techniques involve moving the body slowly through a series of postures. The emphasis is on meditation. Distracting thoughts are cast away, concentration is enhanced and the body is moved from one posture to another seamlessly.

The standing meditation technique is one of the most basic forms of exercise in Tai Chi and is performed thus:

The Standing Posture

  1. Stand with your feet a shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
  2. Hold up your head while simultaneously keeping your shoulders relaxed. Position your hips forward.
  3. Inhale and exhale deeply through your nose while holding this posture. You can keep your eyes closed.
  4. Focus on your feet and begin the meditation. Be aware of the connection of the feet to the earth.

Prepare For The Meditation

  1. Become aware of your breathing and follow your breath.
  2. Gently concentrate on each part of the body and ease the tension if any.

The Meditation

  1. Inhale deeply and feel like you are pulling the energy from the ground into your feet.
  2. Exhale and push back the energy to the ground.
  3. Repeat this many times and then draw in energy to fill your entire lower abdomen. The area just below your belly button, the core of your inner strength, will get energized. The exhalation cleanses you of all the unclean energy in your body. This can be done for 8 to 36 breaths.
  4. The next point where you draw energy is the center of the chest through inhalation. Exhale to cleanse the heart. Do this for 8 to 36 breaths.
  5. Slowly bring energy into the position between the two eyes in the middle of the forehead, which is the center of higher consciousness. Inhale drawing energy and exhale to clear the mind. Repeat this for 8 to 36 breaths.
  6. Bring the focus back to the lower abdomen and let energy flow into the chest and into the center of the forehead. This connects the body, spirit and mind. Maintain this connection for 8 to 36 breaths.
  7. Next, change the focus to the palms of your hands, and exhale from this point. You can feel warm energy flow out of your palms. Repeat for 8 to 36 breaths.
  8. Become aware of your breathing. Feel the flow of energy through your body.  Relax completely.

Variations of this meditation technique are practiced by using the seated position, maintaining a horse stance, etc., among others.

What Are The Benefits Of Tai Chi Meditation?

Proponents of Tai Chi meditation have experienced numerous benefits ranging from regaining muscle control after surgery to notable recovery after cancer operations. Many others seem to enjoy increased stamina and endurance. They are more pumped with positive energy and are happier throughout the day.

The benefits of Tai Chi meditation are attributed to the energy flow that the meditation and the breathing bring about. The emphasis on the correct body posture and the spinal alignment during the practice of Tai Chi relieves most problems due to incorrect postures. The joints are relieved and make way for proper lubrication. Flexibility and range of motions is increased.

The psychological benefits of Tai Chi meditation abound. The mind works with more clarity, it is relaxed, and power to concentrate increases. Sleeplessness is reduced and the mind is more relaxed and peaceful. Reduced stress and calmness in dealing with difficult situations are other benefits.

What Is The Best Way To Learn Tai Chi Meditation?

Any meditation technique should be performed in the right manner to reap maximum benefits. Tai Chi is no different. As Tai Chi meditation involves postural elements, it is a good idea to consult your health specialist before embarking on the exercise program. Finding a good Tai Chi teacher is half the job done. There are many Tai Chi classes that happen, check out each of them till you find a good teacher. Enroll in the class.

If you cannot find someone to teach you, it is a good idea to buy a self-help book or a DVD with Tai Chi lessons from an expert. It is easier to learn Tai Chi meditation with the help of a DVD rather than a book. The book cannot effectively illustrate the different postures and weight shifts in the body exercises and meditation. Videos are definitely one of the best methods of learning Tai Chi meditation.

Tai Chi meditation video tutorials are available online. However, you have to read, understand and apply what you see.

Filed Under: Tai Chi Meditation, Types Of Meditation

StressEraser Review – Does It Really Work?

December 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

StressEraser Review

Recommended For Treating:

Stress and the symptoms associated with stress, including:

  • Tremors and twitches
  • Stomach upset or dizziness
  • Frequent urination or diarrhea
  • Muscle Tension
  • Headaches
  • Shortness of breath
  • Insomnia
  • Fatigue
  • Sweating
  • Pounding heart

Price: $119 – $179

30 Day “Stress Free” Money Back Guarantee

The StressEraser is a highly effective biofeedback tool that helps to reduce stress and can be used in the treatment and prevention of medical conditions that are brought on or exacerbated by stress. So far, this device has helped thousands of people learn how to change their body’s response to stressful situations.

One major advantage of this particular biofeedback device is that it is small and portable, so people can carry it with them throughout the day. Some people use the StressEraser to relax when they are about to enter what would normally be very stressful situations for them. Using the StressEraser in this way can help calm you down before a big job interview or work presentation.

Since the device is small enough to fit in your pocket, you can take it with you wherever you go and benefit from almost instant relaxation and stress relief, whether you are stuck in traffic on the way home, or grabbing a few minutes for yourself during your lunch break.

The state-of-the-art technology used in the StressEraser is approved by the FDA as a portable relaxation and stress relief device and many ongoing studies are researching the benefits of the StressEraser in relation to a number of other medical conditions.

So, How Does The StressEraser Work?

The StressEraser works by teaching you how to synchronize your breathing to your heart rate. It does this by first measuring a person’s “Heart Rate Variability” via an infrared sensor that detects the pulse from your fingertip. This Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is the increase and decrease in your heart rate cycle from beat to beat. What the StressEraser displays is the “inter-beat interval” which is the time between each heart beat.

Measuring HRV is the most accurate, non-invasive way to get a good picture of the activity going on within your nervous system. Basically, when you are stressed, your HRV wave shows as very spiky and jagged. But, when you relax, the wave settles down and becomes smoother and more consistent.

The StressEraser helps you to get the most out of this form of biofeedback by helping your to calm yourself by syncing your breath to your heart rate. When you learn how to breathe in relation to your stress level, you can actually see as your wave starts to smooth out and become regular in reaction to your inhales and exhales. Even your thoughts can affect your heart rate, and this is seen on the StressEraser handheld monitor.

By using very simple symbols (triangles and squares) the StressEraser helps cue your breathing so that you can normalize your heart rate and relieve stress. The fastest point of your heart rate in your HRV cycle is indicated by triangles, which indicate a peak in the wave. Squares act as a scoring system and the goal of the breathing technique taught with the StressEraser is to get three squares (which indicate proper breathing and focus) in each wave or “cycle”.

Although you need to consciously time your breaths, your breathing shouldn’t be forced or over or under exaggerated. Syncing up with the StressEraser can take a few triangle peaks, so while you are trying to change your breathing you don’t need to be rushed or hurried about it and your breathing should be comfortable and natural.

Before you start using the StressEraser, you will first take a few deep breaths to calm your heart rate and smooth out the spikes in your wave. After you are breathing at a calm pace, you will try to time each inhale so that your exhale happens on a triangle symbol. Once you get the rhythm down, it is easy to do this and the affects of your breathing will be almost instantly apparent.

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What Are The Benefits Of The StressEraser?

The main benefit of the StressEraser is – as the name suggests – erasing stress! Most people feel an immediate difference when they first start to use the StressEraser. The breathing technique used – timing your breath to your heart rate – activates the Vagus nerve which gets you into a parasympathetic-dominant state. When your body’s natural parasympathetic response is activated, it immediately switches from frazzled and hectic body signals and physiological reactions to focused and relaxed ones.

Although quick stress relief using the StressEraser is the main benefit of the handheld biofeedback device, continuous usage can help people to handle stress better even when they are not using the device. This “dose effect” can help people to more effectively combat stress naturally without the use of medication or other invasive therapies.

The device may not be suitable for everyone, as certain heart conditions and medication can interfere with the StressEraser’s readings. However, for most people, the StressEraser is a very effective, completely natural and risk-free way to combat stress.

Also, although the StressEraser is indicated for relaxation training and stress reduction, it is also being studied with people who have a number of stress related conditions. Though not yet fully researched, the StressEraser seems to have promising benefits for people who suffer from conditions like insomnia, depression, anxiety attacks and post traumatic stress disorder.

Where Is The Best Place To Buy The StressEraser?

There are many different online stores that offer the StressEraser device. However, I recommend you buy the StressEraser from official website, StressEraser.com. StressEraser.com still offers the cheapest price of $119 for a refurbished machine or $179 for a brand new device. When you purchase your device from the official site, you can also be assure that it will be in perfect working condition and not a previously used device or a cheap knock off of the original.

Also, because some people may have a difficult time with the breathing techniques or if for some reason the device isn’t to their liking and they aren’t completely satisfied, StressEraser.com offers a 30 day money-back guarantee. StressEraser.com is the only online store that can back up this guarantee, so purchasing your StressEraser portable biofeedback device at this site is the best option.

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Filed Under: Biofeedback Therapy, Recommended Biofeedback Machines

What Is Neurofeedback?

December 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Neurofeedback TherapyNeurofeedback, also known as neurotherapy and brainwave biofeedback, helps people learn how to gain control over their brain waves, resulting in a variety of physical and mental health benefits. Through the use of electroencephalograph (EEG) equipment, brainwaves can be measured and patterns can be distinguished. Through watching the changing brainwaves and studying brainwave patterns, a person can learn to change the way their brain works and consciously make specific brainwaves occur.

Because neurofeedback can help to train the brain, researchers and therapists have used neurofeedback therapy to treat both mental and physical illnesses and conditions. Many medical institutions and health care centers now offer neurofeedback therapy to patient suffering from numerous conditions including depression, anxiety disorders, insomnia and ADHD.

Neurofeedback is now even accessible to people within their own homes. New technology has made it possible for people to gain the benefits of neurofeedback via a home EEG device or a electrode kit that attaches to a home computer. This makes neurofeedback therapy much more convenient and accessible to people, as well as a lot less expensive.

What’s The Difference between Neurofeedback and Biofeedback?

Neurofeedback and biofeedback are essentially the same. However neurofeedback specifically focuses on the brain and the central nervous system while other biofeedback methods like thermal biofeedback and electromyography (which measures muscle tension) measure the body’s physical reaction to emotions, thoughts and stimuli, neurofeedback goes directly to the source of the reaction. Everything a person experiences is processed through the brain; thoughts and emotions send out signals from the brain which affect our bodies, and outer stimuli are first sent as signals to the brain where they are processed before the body can react.

These signals are sent at such a fast pace that most people are completely unaware of the complexities of the brain and all it does to keep us healthy emotionally, mentally and physically. But, with neurofeedback, people can learn to be aware of how their brain works and change any thought patterns or crossed signals that could be harming them or causing stress and pain. This differs from other biofeedback therapies, as emphasis is placed on controlling the brainwaves that cause reactions in the body, rather than focusing on the reactions themselves.

 How Does Neurofeedback Therapy Work?

Neurofeedback works because of the positive reinforcement it provides. For example, if neurotherapy was being used to help a child or adult with ADHD learn how to focus, a program might be used that displays a “reward” of soothing sound, a fun animation or some other signal that is activated when the brainwaves show that the person has kept their focus for a number of seconds. In this way, the person undergoing therapy is able to condition their brain to concentrate and focus on something, when normally ADHD would make this very difficult.

The same process may be used for other conditions as well. If you are able to get positive feedback every time you do something “right” (ie. calm your mind or focus on something) you will eventually train your brain to react in the desired way more frequently. You will be getting the positive response that your brain needs to subconsciously want to repeat whatever action elicited the response in the first place. This conditioning is the chief goal of neurofeedback and through this brain training many positive results can be achieved.

What Happens During A Neurofeedback Session?

Some people are fearful of trying neurofeedback because of all the wires and equipment involved. The sight of all that alien looking gadgetry can be pretty scary for some. However, getting hooked up to an EEG machine is nothing to be scared about and it is completely pain free. There are no needles or other pain inducing paraphernelia involved.

The only thing that needs to be done to begin the neurofeedback therapy is to attach electrodes to particular points on the scalp. The electrodes are stuck on with a gummy substance after the skin has been swabbed with alcohol. This gummy substance allows the EEG machine to read tiny electrical signals from the brain as well as detect signals between electrode locations on the scalp.

Once you are attached the EEG machine, the machine is turned on and you will see signals displayed on a screen or monitor. The neurofeedback practitioner will explain what these signals mean so you can learn to read and understand the feedback from your brain waves. With practice, you can learn to control your brain waves so that you will be able to get a certain result just by concentrating or focusing in a certain way.

A typical neurofeedback session can last from one to two hours. Usually at least ten session are needed in order to see improvement in a condition, although more may be necessary. Weekly or even daily sessions may be scheduled, so that you can learn how to control your brain waves and treat yourself through neurofeedback.

 Can Neurofeedback Assist With Meditation?

Neurofeedback is often used in research to monitor the changes in the brain while meditating. This type of feedback may also assist meditators outside of a research setting. It may allow the person meditating to understand more about what happens in their brain as they meditate. It can help them to hone their meditation technique and get more from their meditation as it will help them to condition their brains to reach a meditative state more easily.

However, using neurofeedback during meditation isn’t for everyone. Some people may not like the clinical feel of being attached to a machine when they are having what many would see as a “spiritual” experience. Also certain types of meditation, such as Japa and mantra meditation, require the meditator to narrow their focus on one specific object for a period of time. If the neurofeedback device shows positive results through visual or audio signals, concentration will likely be broken and the point of the meditation would be lost.

 What Are The Benefits Of Neurofeedback Therapy?

As mentioned earlier, neurofeedback therapy can be used to treat and improve a variety of mental and physical conditions and illnesses. In particular, neurofeedback is especially effective at treating ADHD because it rewards the brain when it achieves a concentrated state for any matter of time, and thus it conditions the brain to do something that is quite unnatural for someone with ADHD: sit still for a moment. Children who suffer from severe ADHD really benefit from this conditioning because it trains their brain in a fun and entertaining way. They don’t need to understand everything about brainwaves; they simply need to know that when they focus on something for a while, something good happens. This positive reinforcement is all the brain needs to start rewiring itself.

Neurofeedback therapy is very powerful treatment and it is also used to treat the following conditions.

  • Depression
  • Seizures
  • Brain Injury
  • Attachment Disorder
  • Sleep disorders
  • Tourette Syndrome
  • Anxiety
  • Chronic Pain
  • Learning disorders
  • Migraines

It is also used to help healthy people to achieve maximum brain performance and help them to gain greater control of their mind and body.

 Are There Any Side Affects Associated With Neurofeedback?

There are no side effects associated with neurofeedback, which is why it such a popular form of treatment. Many people realize that drugs may treat the symptoms of an illness but not the actual cause of the problem. Often, the side effects that may be caused by taking strong medications may in fact be more undesirable than the original conditions they were meant to remedy. Neurofeedback does help to treat the symptoms of illnesses, but it does this by starting at the root of the condition, which in the case of the health issues such as depression, anxiety, sleep disorders etc is often a disturbance in brainwaves or the way the brain functions.

The only thing that must be avoided when going through neurofeedback therapy, is misinterpreting the signals. With the cutting edge technology available, both to professional practitioners and those at home, misinterpretation is not something that happens often. However, it is best to see a trained neurofeedback practitioner, at least for the first neurofeedback session, so that they can thoroughly explain the process of neurofeedback and help you to interpret the signals for yourself. Many at-home neurofeedback machines may also come with free online training and support from a professional and it is a good idea to utilize this feature if it is available to you.

~ Most over-the-counter and almost all prescribed drug treatments merely mask symptoms or control health problems or in some way alter the way organs or systems such as the circulatory system work. Drugs almost never deal with the reasons why these problems exist, while they frequently create new health problems as side effects of their activities ~

-John R. Lee, M.D

 What Is The Best Way To Get Started With Neurofeedback Therapy?

When you start neurofeedback therapy, it is usually advisable to find a trained practitioner to help you to understand the process of neurofeedback. This can especially helpful when you are using neurofeedback to treat certain medical conditions. A trained neurofeedback practitioner will be able to help you to interpret brainwave signals you see on the monitor and give you guidance as to how to change the brainwave patterns with your mind.

However, it is completely possible to train yourself with neurofeeback by using certain FDA approved “at home” EEG machines. You can use these machines alone or after first getting started in neurofeedback with a neurofeedback practitioner.

If you would like to learn more about neurofeedback and what it can do for you and your brain, there are a lot of good resource books on the topic that can provide a wealth of information to anyone who is interested in neurotherapy. One very good book about neurofeedback is “The Neurofeedback Solution: How to Treat Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, Brain Injury, Stroke, PTSD, and More” by Stephen Larsen.

Filed Under: Neurofeedback Therapy

What Is Biofeedback Therapy?

December 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Biofeedback TherapyBiofeedback therapy can be used to treat a number of different illnesses and conditions. It works by helping people learn how to self-manage and change physiological functions that are usually involuntary such as skin temperature, blood pressure, muscle tension and breathing. This is accomplished by providing the person with accurate information about what is going on in their own body by means of precise monitoring instruments.

By viewing this nearly instantaneous “feed back”, a person can learn to consciously take control of different physiological activities and this can drastically improve health. One of biofeedback therapy’s primary uses is the reduction of stress. By using the biodfeedback therapy equipment to learn how your body reacts to stressful situations and then learning how to consciously bring your body’s signals back to a normal level through different techniques, you can eventually learn how to defuse stressful situations in every day life without the use of the biofeedback therapy monitors.

Since biofeedback therapy measures even the tiniest imperceptible changes in things like brain waves and muscle tension it is very useful in physical rehabilitation as well. It can be very difficult when you are trying to overcome a physical impairment or difficulty and your efforts don’t seem to be getting you anywhere. With biofeedback therapy, even the slightest change in your physical condition is registered by the biofeedback device and this can be very encouraging for people who are going through a process of recovery or rehabilitation.

Are There Different Types of Biofeedback?

There are a number of different types of biofeedback. Depending on what you are using biofeedback therapy for, you may decide to use a few of the different methods or just one particular method of biofeedback. A few common methods of biofeedback are:

Electromyograph (EMG)

This measures muscle tension. It works by detecting the signals that initiate muscle contraction. In this method of biofeedback therapy, electrodes are placed over a target muscle and reference electrodes are placed about six inches away to give an accurate reading.

Biofeedback therapy using EMG is often used when treating anxiety and stress related illnesses, chronic pain or headaches, incontinence and physical rehabilitation.

Thermal Biofeedback

Thermal biofeedback is done using a feedback thermometer that detects skin temperature. Often a temperature sensitive resistor will be attached to a toe or a finger to get an accurate measurement.

Biofeedback therapy that utilizes thermal biofeedback is used to treat chronic pain and headaches, high blood pressure, and other stress related conditions.

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

This type of biofeedback therapy is often referred to as neurofeedback. It involves attaches electrodes to the scalp to measure the activity in the brain. It is used in treating both physical and psychological disorders, as well as learning disabilities in adults and children. Neurofeedback can also compliment and assist with certain styles of meditation such as Mindfulness Meditation which is practiced by focusing your awareness on present moment.

Galvanic Skin Response (GSR)

This type of biofeedback measures the skin’s conductivity. Sweat can be a response to stress or strain and when the the part of the body being monitored (usually the hands) starts to sweat the GSR biofeedback machine is able to detect the change in electrical conductivity of the skin. This type of biofeedback equipment is used to treat stress related disorders as well as excessive sweating.

Quantum Biofeedback

Quantum biofeedback therapy uses a machine called the QXCI to detect the ionic exchanges between the brain and body. A feedback loop is created that sends back an alternative frequency that your body is meant to respond to and thus alter it’s own frequency.

Although this type of biofeedback is not as widely accepted as some of the other biofeedback methods, it is purported to balance and restore the body’s energy field flow so that it can more readily heal itself.

~ The treatments themselves do not ‘cure’ the condition, they simply restore the body’s self-healing ability ~

Leon Chaitow, N.D., D.O

What Is Biofeedback Therapy Used For?

Biofeedback therapy has gained a well deserved place in the medical world because of its ability to drastically improve a large number of conditions without the use of strong medications. Here are some of the conditions that are often treated with biofeedback therapy.

  • Adhd
  • Anxiety
  • Asthma
  • Back Pain
  • Constipation
  • Depression
  • Headaches / Migraines
  • Hypertension
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Incontinence
  • Insomnia
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Phobias
  • Raynaud’s disease
  • Stress
  • Teeth Grinding

How Does Biofeedback Therapy Work?

Biofeedback therapy works by allowing people to see even the smallest reactions their bodies have to outside or internal stimuli. Once a person is aware of these changes in their body, they can actually learn how to control these bodily functions through different techniques. Usually through trial and error, the person undergoing biofeedback therapy will be able to find a technique that yields the desired result and they can then practice this technique with the biofeedback equipment monitoring their progress, until they are capable of initiating the desired change in their body at will.

Sometimes it is helpful to have a professional biofeedback therapist to help train you in the different techniques you can use to achieve the result you are after. This is especially useful if you are using biofeedback therapy as part of a physical rehabilitation program. However, over the past couple of years, practicing biofeedback therapy at home has become increasingly popular. This is mainly due to the release of portable, ease to use biofeedback devices which you can use to treat yourself. These home based biofeedback machines are relatively inexpensive and all of the popular devices, have received the endorsement of both the FDA as well as many qualified biofeedback therapists.

If you decide to go the home based biofeedback route, it is important to remember that each biofeedback device works in a different way and many are designed to be used to treat a specific condition or range of health related issues. When deciding which machine is right for you, I recommend you think about the treatment method each biofeedback machine uses as well as the condition or issue it is designed to tackle.

Home biofeedback equipment such as the StressEraser, RESPeRATE and the EmWave help you to fight stress by monitoring your heart beat and teaching you how to sync your breathing to your heart to bring your blood pressure to a healthy level.

The GSR2 is another type of monitoring device. It is a handheld galvanic skin response device that measures levels of stress by detecting the amount of sweat the hands produce. It feeds back an audible tone that allows the user to determine the level of stress they are experiencing and practice relaxation techniques until the sound grows lower and quieter.

The Journey to Wild Divine program monitors both galvanic skin response and heart rate. This interactive program uses different techniques to teach relaxation, including biofeedback games that reinforce breathing techniques and other relaxation skills.

The Myotrac and Antense are both EMG biofeedback devices that monitor muscle tension. These machines are used to reduce stress and treat and prevent chronic pain, migraines and tension headaches. The SleepGuard is another EMG device that monitors tension in the jaw and helps to eliminate migraines and other pains that are a result of nighttime teeth grinding.

While most of these devices are electronic, others are simply visual indicators, such as the Educator Pelvic Floor Indicator. This biofeedback therapy device helps to treat incontinence because it allows you to determine if you are executing pelvic floor muscle exercises properly and effectively.

~ Eventually, patients should be able to use their biofeedback experience to lower their own heart rate or blood pressure, or to alleviate physical complaints. It’s a form of self-medication ~

-Dr. David Spiegel, Stanford University Medical Center

Are There Any risks Associated With Biofeedback?

One of the reasons that biofeedback therapy is so popular is because it is highly effective and yet completely risk free. There are no drugs or needles involved; it’s simply a way to monitor your body’s reactions so that you can learn to take control of those reactions. Many people have found relief from long standing conditions through biofeedback therapy after years of being on prescription drugs without success.

However, biofeedback therapy is not a replacement for professional medical advice and it should be used in conjunction with whatever treatment plan you and your medical provider agree on. If you are trying biofeedback therapy because you suffer from one of the medical conditions listed above, ask your doctor how biofeedback therapy could help you and then you can decide what course of action you want to take.

Also, although there are no negative side effects of using the biofeedback therapy machines listed above, it is suggested that you refrain from operating heavy machinery or driving directly after completing a session to reduce stress, as the immediate effects of deep relaxation can make it difficult to focus for a while.

What Is The Easiest Way To Get Started With Biofeedback Therapy?

Many medical institutions offer biofeedback therapy, and locating a biofeedback therapy center near you is usually easy. However, many people opt to benefit from biofeedback therapy from the comfort of their own homes. Because most home biofeedback monitors are easy to use and may even come with free online support, choosing home biofeedback therapy can be easier and more convenient than scheduling biofeedback therapy sessions at an institution.

Programs such as Journey To Wild Divine are excellent for beginners just starting out with biofeedback therapy. Wild Divine’s biofeedback program in particular introduces biofeedback therapy to a beginner in a really clear and structured way to help users interpret their body’s feedback. To make the training fun and engaging, The Wild Divine program incorporates interactive techniques such as biofeedback games which teach the various ways users can control their body’s reaction to stressful situations or conquer their anxiety.

Filed Under: Biofeedback Therapy, Types Of Meditation

What Is Biofeedback?

December 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

BiofeedbackBiofeedback therapy enables people to monitor signals from their body and gain detailed information on their bodily processes so that they can learn how to consciously manage these processes. There are three main types of Biofeedback therapy:

Electromyography (EMG) - EMG measures muscle tension which makes it particularly useful when training your muscles to fully relax. Most EMG devices work by attaching an electrode (or a number of electrodes) to a target muscle and then another electrode (or electrodes) about six inches away as a “reference.” In this way, a person can detect even the slightest bit of stress or tension on the muscle and learn how to consciously relax.

Thermal biofeedback - As the name suggests, thermal biofeedback measures changes in a person’s temperature. Detecting tiny changes in temperature is a good way to gauge the body’s reaction to emotional and mental stimulation. When a person thinks of unpleasant thoughts or stressful situations, skin temperature starts to drop. When happy or pleasurable emotions are triggered by our thoughts, the opposite happens and our skin starts to warm up. By being aware of these slight changes, a person can train their body’s reaction to thoughts and emotions and eliminate stress and other medical conditions.

Neurofeedback or electroencephalography (EEG) - EEG measures brain waves. This is done by attaching electrodes to specific locations on the scalp and monitoring the interaction between the different points. EEG machines can monitor brain activity and symmetry and they are used to treat conditions such as depression, chronic pain, seizures and learning disabilities like ADHD.

By tracking their progress on a biofeedback machine, people are able to use different techniques to learn how to control bodily processes that are normally involuntary, such as:

  • Heart rate
  • Blood pressure
  • Muscle tension
  • Skin temperature

By learning to be aware of these processes and consciously being able to control them and relax at will, a person can greatly improve their health. Biofeedback training has been shown to very effectively reduce stress and improve or relieve many other conditions and illnesses.

How Does BioFeedback Work?

Biofeedback works by teaching people to learn about and self-regulate their physiology. This is done by attaching electrodes to the skin and monitoring various bodily functions. By first becoming aware of their body’s reaction to different stimuli and situations and then being able to actually see their body’s reaction to the different relaxation and concentration techniques that are used, a person can gain great insight into what makes their own body tick and how they can consciously control functions that are usually thought to be beyond control.

Biofeedback computer software or biofeedback devices are used give you a clear picture of how well your meditation or relaxation technique is working, so that you can either be encouraged to continue with the technique and fine tune it to fit your needs best, or else move on to another technique that work better for you. Two biofeedback devices that are very popular are the StressEraser, a portable device that works by helping you to synchronize your breathing with your heart rate, and “The Journey to Wild Divine: The Passage” which is actually both a monitoring device and a training course that you can run off your computer. The program included in “The Passage” was developed by Deepak Chopra and you can read our full review of the program over at our Journey To Wild Divine: The Passage Review Post.

You will start by training with the biofeedback equipment or device; this will give you a clear picture of what’s going on in your body and how effective you are at controlling your bodily functions. After a while of tracking your progress and learning how to take control of your body’s normally involuntary processes and reaction, you will be attuned enough to your body that you will be able to control these processes without the feedback from the biofeedback equipment. Learning how to control these reactions in your body in your day to day life, without the help of the biofeedback machine, is the main goal of biofeedback training.

~ The early pioneers in biofeedback and relaxation demonstrated that people could influence their own muscular reaction or heart rate, just by directing their attention to parts of it in sequence. Biofeedback even had measurable effects on brain wave activity, blood pressure and electrical activity on the skin ~
- Lynne Mctaggart

Biofeedback and Meditation Techniques

Biofeedback can help to enhance meditation for some people. It will allow you to visually see what effect the meditation is having on your bodily functions and how you can improve your techniques so as to have the best results when you meditate. While most people can feel a certain change in their body when they meditate, actually seeing the good results of the meditation will really help you to realize that it’s not just in your head; relaxation and meditation have actual physical benefits and you can measure these benefits through biofeedback.

Biofeedback can be especially helpful to results oriented people who are encouraged and motivated by seeing tangible results from their meditation session. However, some people may find that being hooked to a biofeedback device and getting constant feedback about their physical state can be distracting to their meditation practice. For example, if you are someone who practices a a style of meditation that requires you to focus on an object, word or sound, such as in Japa yoga meditation or Transcendental Meditation, getting any beep or signal back from the machine may distract you.

However, other forms of meditation such as Mindfulness Meditation work very well with biofeedback and can in fact assist and improve your meditation practice. Mindfulness requires you to be aware of the present moment, and biofeedback can enhance this by giving you a clearer interpretation and understanding of the experience and how your body is handling the present situation, whatever it may be.

Sahaja yoga may also be enhanced by biofeedback. Although it is not necessary to tangibly see the results of a meditation, it can be very encouraging and help you find motivation to continue the practice. Sahaja yoga is a good example of a meditation that has physical effects that can be measured through biofeedback. People who practice Saha yoga often experience what is described as a feeling of “cool wind” on the top of their head and the palms of their hands. This temperature change can actually be detected with a biofeedback device that measures changes in skin temperature.

What Are The Benefits Of Biofeedback Therapy?

There are many benefits gained through biofeedback training. People have used biofeedback techniques to lower high blood pressure, gain greater control over their heart rate and probably most importantly, learn to control pain perception. Medical professionals have long been studying the functions of the brain and the effects of the signals it receives and sends out to the body. Biofeedback training helps people to better understand and self-manage those signals which can result in a large number of physical and psychological benefits. Learning to focus using biofeedback techniques and mental exercises has also been shown to help adults and children who suffer from learning disabilities such as ADHD.

Biofeedback has been used to aid in the treatment of everything from bed-wetting to spinal cord injuries. Here is a brief list of a few of the other conditions that have successfully been improved or treated with biofeedback treatment:

  • Chronic migraines and headaches
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Autism
  • Learning disabilities
  • Motion sickness
  • Pain during intercourse and other sexual disorders
  • Head injuries
  • Anorexia nervosa
  • Chronic pain
  • Asthma
  • Seizure disorders including epilepsy

Doctors are not entirely sure why biofeedback is so effective at treating such a large number of conditions, but the speculation is that it allows people to consciously relax and relieve stress, which is a common contributing factor in most illnesses.

Meditation Nation’s Extra Tips And Tricks

  • Although biofeedback therapy can be used to improve a number of physical and psychological conditions, it is best to just have one simple goal to start out with rather than have a large number of things that you wish to get out of the biofeedback training. Starting biofeedback sessions with the goal of lowering your blood pressure to a healthy level for example is a good start. Once you have learned to do this you can then move on to learning how to manage other actions within your body.
  • If you want to use biofeedback in conjunction with meditation, it is sometimes very useful to have a device that measures changes in your physiology and saves the information for you to review after your meditation session. This can cut down on distractions while meditating and can be preferable to devices that give you “instant feedback” by alerting you with sounds or other signals.
  • Biofeedback is something that you have to commit to if you want to see results. It isn’t something that you can benefit from overnight. It may take many biofeedback training sessions before you see an improvement in the area you are working on, but the results will come in time if you are willing to put in the time and effort.
  • There are quite a few biofeedback devices and monitors that you can choose from if you are just starting out with biofeedback therapy. When choosing a piece of equipment or biofeedback software it is important to take your lifestyle into account, as well as what you are trying to improve through biofeedback. For instance, a portable device such as the StressEraser would probably be a good idea if you spend a lot of your time on the go. It will enable you to track your heart rate so that you can learn to consciously manage it through whatever technique works best for you. However, you may wish to go a little deeper than simply monitoring your heart rate. In this case, getting a full kit that you can set up on your computer like Wild Divine’s The Passage would be better as it will help you to monitor more of your body’s functions and help you to gain control over your sympathetic system.

What Is The Best Way To Get Started With Biofeedback

Many medical institutes now offer biofeedback training sessions and you may wish to ask your doctor about this, particularly if you have a specific medical condition you wish to improve through biofeedback. However, as mentioned earlier there are a few very good devices which can be used at home. Many people prefer to use these devices because it allows them to benefit from biofeedback training when and how they wish. These devices come with detailed instructions and are not difficult to operate.

If you would like to know more about the science behind biofeedback and how you can apply what you learn from the biofeedback techniques to your daily life, you can read Biofeedback, Third Edition: A Practitioner’s Guide by Mark S. Schwartz which is a very good guide for anyone who is interested in learning more about biofeedback and its benefits.

Filed Under: Biofeedback Therapy

What Is Sahaja Yoga Meditation?

December 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Photo Attribution: Chris Patmore at Flickr.com

Sahaja yoga meditation is a form of meditation practiced and taught by the Sahaja Movement, which was founded by Nirmmala Srivasta, also known as Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, in the 1970s. Sahaja yoga is explained as the state one reaches through the awakening of the kundalini, a powerful energy center which is believed to be located at the base of the spine at the Root Chakra. When this energy is awakened, the energy travels up the body, through the other chakra centers and finally reaches the crown chakra where the kundalini energy, which is seen to take on the form of the Goddess Shakti, joins with the God Shiva which results in the state of thoughtless awareness and bliss known as Samadhi.

This state of mental silence and self realization brought on by the kundalini awakening is believed to be a transforming experience that leads to a more balanced and moral personality. Mataji describes the awakening of the kundalini as a person’s desire for God. When the kundalini pierces the Sahasara (the crown chakra) what the person experiences is union with, and connection to, God.

~ Self Realization makes us humble…replace temper with compassion…the more innocent you
are, the more blissful you will be ~

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

Sahaja yoga is seen as different from other forms of yoga because it begins with self-realization instead of starting with yoga asanas or kriya techniques. Instead of working very hard to work up to self-realization, the kundalini awakening is something that is meant to happen naturally. The word Sahaja is often loosely translated as “spontaneous” and Sahaja Yoga meditation is meant to spontaneously awaken kundalini energy, which is believed to be present, but usually dormant, in all human beings.

This spontaneous kundalini awakening differs from normal kundalini yoga, because instead starting at the bottom and “pushing” the kundalini energy up to the Sahasara, focus is simply put on the Sahasara when practicing Sahaja meditation which creates a sort of vacuum that draws the kundalini energy up through the body. This spontaneous kundalini awakening and self-realization is said to be made possible by being in the presence of Shri Mataji, or even by looking at a picture of her.

How To Practice Sahaja Yoga Meditation

Sahaja yoga is free for anyone to learn and there are many different guided meditations available for those who are interested. The Sahaja yoga meditation included here is a simple exercise that will help those who practice it to reach a state of thoughtless awareness.

  1. Take off your shoes and loosen any restrictive items of clothing.
  2. Cross you legs and sit upright or sit on a chair if sitting on the floor is uncomfortable.
  3. Rest your hands in your lap with your palms upward in a “receiving” gesture.
  4. Take a deep breath. Take your time and hold it for a few seconds. Do this seven times and really focus on your breathing.
  5. Next hold your right hand about 2 or 3 inches above your head, with your palm facing your head. You may feel a cool breeze in your palm.
  6.  Lower your right hand and try your left hand next.
  7. Focus attention at the top of your head and try to be thoughtless for a few minutes. It will be difficult for many people, but if you simply watch your thoughts and don’t follow them, you will find that the thoughts will cease after a while.

After completing this simple meditation, which should only take about 15 to 20 minutes, you can try one of the more advanced techniques after a few days.

What Are The Benefits Of Sahaja Yoga

There are many benefits of practicing Sahaja yoga, many of which have been proven by research. Sahaja yoga helps to bring balance between the mind and body which promotes peace of mind and health in general.

A preliminary study showed that Sahaja yoga was one of the best ways to treat occupational stress. It was found to be much more effective than the medications prescribed to reduce anxiety and stress.It was also shown to reduce menopausal symptoms in women, especially heat flashes and other vasomotor symptoms of menopause.

Epileptic patients that practiced Sahaja also experienced fewer and less severe epileptic seizures. Studies also showed that Sahaja yoga greatly increases beta-endorphins, which are known to strengthen the immune system and help maintain healthy psychological function. These beta-endorphins even have the ability to combat cancer cells, which could be the reason for  the “miraculous” recoveries in cancer patients who practice Sahaja yoga meditation.

~ The Spirit is like the firm axis at the very centre of a wheel. If our attention reaches the immovable
firm axis at the very centre of the wheel of our existence (which is constantly moving), we become
enlightened by the Spirit, the source of inner peace,and reach a state of complete calm and
self-knowledge ~

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

Meditation Nation’s Extra Tips And Tricks

  • Sahaja yoga is meant to be spontaneous and not strenuous. It may take a little effort to find the time to get quiet and meditate, but you shouldn’t be straining yourself while you are practicing any sort of meditation. You are to focus on the meditation in a relaxed and peaceful way.
  • The Sahaja movement incorporates a lot of music and dance in their beliefs. You can find audios of Sahaja music to play during Sahaja yoga meditation on the internet, as well as videos of Sahaja dance.
  • Although not absolutely necessary, it is helpful to have at least a basic understanding of the “subtle system”, the chakras and nadis, before starting Sahaja Yoga. This will give you a better idea of how the renewing power of Sahaja yoga works.
  • Yoga asanas are not the priority when practicing Sahaja yoga, but doing some yoga stretches before meditation can help you to relax more while meditating and also give you a better mind-body connection.
  • People who practice Sahaja yoga will often describe a feeling of coolness on their palms and the crown of their head while they are meditating. This “Cool Wind” is one of the distinguishing characteristics of Sahaja Yoga. To facilitate this cooling further, it is suggested that practitioners of Sahaja keep to a “cooling” diet and avoid spicy and greasy foods that are believed to create heat in the body.Sahaja Yoga Meditation

What Is The Best Way To Learn Sahaja Yoga?

There are Sahaja Yoga courses offered all around the world by the Sahaja Movement. These classes are offered free of charge and they are open to anyone regardless of their religious beliefs. Attending such a class is the easiest and best way to learn Sahaja Yoga Meditation. You can also find free online courses where you can learn Sahaja Yoga.

If you would like to study the Sahaja yoga meditation technique on your own, a very good book on the subject is “Sahaja Yoga-The Secret to Self-Unfoldment and Transformation” by Saraswati Raman.

Filed Under: Sahaja Yoga Meditation, Types Of Meditation

What Is Mindfulness Meditation?

December 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Mindfulness MeditationMindfulness meditation is one of the most widely practiced forms of meditation and all the great meditation traditions practice a form of mindfulness to some degree. Mindfulness meditation is essentially awareness of and focus on the present experience. This seems easy, but the truth is that hardly anyone truly lives each moment of their life. They are either still thinking about what just happened or their past, or worried about or focusing on the future. Most people are never truly present, in the sense that they never really focused on living and appreciating the experience of “now”.

This preoccupation with the  past and future can make people live very stressful and often unfulfilled lives. However, if you slow things down and really focus on your existence each moment, you gain a greater appreciation for life itself and are better able to handle a thousand different situations which may cause you stress if you were to think about them and experience them in the normal worrisome past and future-tense way most of us do.

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, who is largely responsible for introducing mindfulness to mainstream medicine, says that:

“‘Mindfulness can be cultivated by paying attention in a specific way,that is, in the present moment, and as non-reactive, non-judgemental and open-heartedly as possible”

By cultivating this technique, patients are better able to cope with mental and physical stress and illnesses. This is done by practicing mindfulness meditation and awareness from moment-to-moment, examining the sensations of the body and being aware of your thoughts and these two work together to affect your emotions.

Being aware of your thoughts and emotions in a non-reactive, non-judgemental and openhearted way is trickier than you might think. We are programmed to judge each of our experiences and our natural tendency is to avoid those things which we label “bad” and try as much as possible to hold on to those things which we see as “good”. But in reality this is futile, and the majority of people go through this life in a futile quest for happiness that they just won’t find if they are constantly looking out for that one thing that will make them permanently happy.

Mindfulness meditation does away with the labels and lets us experience life as it is, just as it is. In this way, even painful or “bad” can be appreciated, at very least for the things we can learn when we are really aware of the experience and the thoughts and emotions that the experience evokes.

How To Practice Mindfulness Meditation

You can and should practice mindfulness in your daily life, but this incorporating mindfulness into your daily life will take time and practice. There are a number of mindfulness meditation techniques that can help you to cultivate this mindfulness and one of the most widely used mindful meditation techniques used when you first begin to practice mindfulness is the Body Scan Meditation technique.

The Body Scan is usually done while lying down on a mat or on a bed. It allows you to relax and let go of your body and when you do this it is also much easier to relax and let go of your mind. There is no need to consciously try to keep your posture straight or do anything in a set sort of way; you simply let everything go and dwell in the moment. You are even told to forget about any idea about what you might get out of your time of meditation – any improvement or benefit you hope to gain as a goal of the meditation. Thinking about these things and trying to get somewhere through the meditation defeats the purpose of simply being attentive and aware of the present.

Here is simple beginner’s guide on how to do a body scan:

1. Lie down on a mat or on your bed and rest your arms by your sides with the palms facing up.

2. Feel the weight of your body as you lie on the mat. Be aware of the points that make contact between your body and the mat. Breathe normally, and each time you exhale, relax a little more and sink further into the mat.

3. Be attentive to your breathing. Feel the air going in through your nostrils and into your lungs and back out again. Be aware of the sensation of breathing; the rise and fall of your abdomen and all the small feelings and sensations that you take for granted.

4. Next move your awareness down your leg to your left big toe. Be attentive and curious about the sensations in your big toe. Feel how it feels against your other toe and examine whether it is cold or warm etc. Expand this awareness to the other toes on your foot.

5. Now as you breath, imagine that you are breathing “into” your toes. Think of the air entering your nostrils and reaching all the way down your body to your toes, and when you exhale, imagine your breath leaving starting from your toes.

6. Gently move your attention around your body in this way, being curious of each sensation experienced by your feet, legs, hips, abdomen, chest, arm and head and breathing into these parts of your body bringing life giving air and nutrients to your body.

What Are The Benefits Of Mindfulness Meditation

Mindful meditation leads to mindful living. The average person simply doesn’t live their life to full capacity because they are always trying to get somewhere (thinking about the future) or trying to hold onto the past. When you live in a mindful way, you can actually fully experience your life as it happens and be “present” in a way that very few people really are in this busy world. This leads to less stress and anxiety and fuller sense of peace and happiness.

Mindfulness meditation has also been used in a therapeutic setting to help patients who deal with chronic stress, anxiety, sleep disorders and illnesses and disorders that result in chronic pain. Learning to take the time to discern where the sensation of pain is coming from with mindfulness meditation, and really examining the mind’s reaction to the sensation, can help patients to deal with the pain and learn to better accept the sensation and react to it in a new way rather than futilely trying to run from the pain.

Body scans are used as part of the mindfulness meditation therapy developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn because using this technique really allows patients to connect with their bodies. It helps to remind them that their minds and their bodies make up the whole and that the thoughts of the mind have an impact on the physical body and the sensations and actions of the body have an impact on the thoughts. This is a simple concept, but it is easily forgotten in the rush of everyday living. When you can gain control of your mind and thoughts, these two separate aspects of our being can work together to create balance, health and peace of mind.

Mindful awareness of the body also allows us to release stored emotions and stress in our bodies. When we experience something traumatic or upsetting our bodies react in a certain way. Usually out body reacts by tensing up. Practicing body scans allows you to find where this stress is hiding so that you can consciously relax and release these stored emotions. Also, when you are aware of your body’s reaction to stress, you can make a conscious effort to not tense up and react in the same way when day to day upsetting situations arise. You can stop the stress at its root so you will not have to deal with the burden of holding everything inside until it just becomes too much for you to bear and you end up suffering from burn out.

Meditation Nation’s Extra Tips And Tricks

  • Yoga and meditation often go hand in hand. Yoga is also used in many mindfulness meditation therapy programs, because yoga helps people to become more aware of their bodies. When you practice mindfulness while doing yoga, you are able to focus on each move and stretch. When you get to the end of the stretch, the point where it becomes uncomfortable, instead of running from the sensation you can gain much from examining the sensation in a non-judgmental way and making a conscious effort to relax your body even in an uncomfortable situation.
  • Although body scans are usually practiced while lying down, this may not be comfortable for everyone. You can modify the position by using pillows under your knees and any other stress points, or by simple reclining in a chair rather than lying down fully. As long as you are comfortable and able to let go and relax it doesn’t really matter what physical position you are in.
  • There are many different mindfulness meditation techniques, and body scans are just one of them. You may like to try another mindfulness technique like mindful breathing, walking and even eating. How you cultivate mindfulness is up to you; the point is to practice mindfulness regularly. Trying to set aside a certain time each day to practice formal mindfulness meditation can help you to incorporate mindfulness more fully in your everyday life.
  • Although there are many benefits of mindful meditation, and a lot of people have wonderful experiences when they practice mindful meditation, it is important not to have any preconceived idea of what you must feel or experience when you meditate. Whatever you feel is perfectly right and valid and you simply cannot compare a “good” meditation experience to a “bad” one. That would defeat the purpose of mindfulness because mindfulness means to simply be aware of your experience in a non-judgemental way. So try to be open to whatever your experience may be and the benefits will follow naturally without you having to look for them.
  • If you realize that your mind has been wandering during your meditation, don’t be upset with yourself. Simply guide your thoughts back to what you were focusing on. Your mind will wander all over the place, especially when you first begin to meditate, but you will find that you can gently guide it back and soon it will wander less often. One mindfulness meditation techniques consists of simply watching the thoughts and letting them drift by like leaves in a stream, never dwelling on the thoughts and mental chatter, but being fully aware of them nonetheless.

What Is The Best Way To Learn Mindfulness Meditation

There are quite a few mindfulness meditation workshops which can be found in most major cities around the world, and attending one of these workshops or classes is probably the best way to learn how to practice mindfulness meditation.

For those who do not have the benefit of a nearby mindfulness meditation workshop, or who would simply like to delve deeper into mindfulness after learning the basics, there are a number of very good books, audio courses and guided mindfulness meditations available.  A few good examples are “Mindfulness and the Brain: A Professional Training in the Science and Practice of Meditative Awareness” by Jack Kornfield and Daniel J. Siegel and “Guided Mindfulness Meditation” by Jon Kabat-Zinn.

Filed Under: Mindfullness, Types Of Meditation

What Is Yoga Meditation?

December 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Yoga MeditationA Little Bit Of History

Many people mistake yoga for a primarily physical activity. However, the literal meaning of yoga is “yoke” and it is meant as a way to yoke, or bind, the body and mind (or soul) together as one. The yoga postures, or asanas, which most people are familiar with are meant to facilitate the ultimate goal of yoga meditation, which is a state where the object of the meditation and the meditator himself are indistinguishable from each other.

The first written record of yoga is found in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, a Hindu sage, and this record is still the most authoritative work on yoga. Patanjali described eight “limbs” or steps of yoga that help us to ultimately reach a state of yoga meditation. The steps are as follows:

  1. Yama – Moral precepts and abstentions
  2. Niyama – Ritual observance and purification
  3. Asana – Yoga postures which perfect the physical body
  4. Pranayama – Awareness of and control of the breath
  5. Pratyahara – Withdrawing the consciousness
  6. Dharana – Concentration
  7. Dhyana – Contemplation
  8. Samadhi – The ultimate meditative state of “No Mind”

There are many different yoga schools, and each school has a different method or path to reach the state of meditation, or Samadhi.

  • There is Hatha Yoga, which focuses on the physical side of yoga
  • Jnani Yoga is “The Path of Wisdom”
  • Dharma Yoga “The Path of Service”
  • Bhakti Yoga “The Path of Devotion”
  • Karma Yoga “The Path of Action”
  • And Raja or Ashtanga Yoga is a combined path

A very wide range of people practice yoga nowadays. Sports coaches, dance instructers and physical therapist may all incorporate yoga into their training routines. But the goal of the yoga asanas is not simply better muscle tone and range of movement; the true goal is to increase conciousness and awareness of the body.

When you practice the yoga asanas, you are meant to keep a quiet heart and an open mind. You breathe steadily and keep your eyes soft even in the challenging postures. Practicing yoga in this way  prepares  you physically and mentally for sitting yoga meditation. Physically, because you will be more comfortable while sitting for a long time if your muscles are stretched and relaxed. And mentally, because you will have been learning to quiet your mind even as you have been moving.

How To  Practice Yoga Meditation

The last four limbs of Ashtanga yoga describe meditation. The first step is Pratyahara, or withdrawing the consciousness. This can be done in a number of ways, often by focusing on a mantra or image, but basically you are focusing your attention and thoughts inwards and choosing to ignore the sensations your body is experiencing and the messages it is sending your mind in response to those sensations. Pratyahara helps you to still your mind and quiet the mental chatter that goes on in your head day and night without end if not consciously kept in check.

~ When the mind withdraws attention from sense experience, the senses receive no impressions from sense objects, and awareness rests in its essential nature ~

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

The next step is Dharana, or concentration, and it very easily follows the first step of Pratyahara, or withdrawal of consciousness. Dharana seeks to keep the mind still. This is very hard to do, because our minds wander everywhere. When we are repeating a mantra or focusing on an object, we will still find our minds wandering away from the matter at hand. Through concentration, we catch ourselves every time our minds wander and bring our thoughts back to where they are meant to be.

Once you have trained your mind to hold put for a long period, you have attained the next step of yoga meditation which is Dhyana, or contemplation. This is the state of being more completely absorbed in the object of meditation instead of simply forcing yourself to concentrate on it. Concentration is knowledge of the object; contemplation is understanding of the object.

The final step of Samadhi is when there is no distinction between you, the meditator, and the object of meditation. It is the supreme state of consciousness and is thought of as experiencing the true or ultimate reality.

Here are the steps to take when practicing yoga meditation:

  1. Choose an object of meditation. Patanjali advises those who want to meditate to choose whatever object suits their goals. An object that evokes feelings of harmony and equanimity is always good. You may choose to use a mantra as the object of your meditation. Some popular mantras for yoga meditation include:
    • The Gayatri Mantra – One of the oldest and most powerful Sanskrit mantras
    • The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra – The Great Death Conquering Mantra
    • The Rama Mantra – A powerful healing mantra
  2. Choose a place that is free from distractions. Sit comfortably with your neck and spine upright, close your eyes and breath deeply.
  3. Pay attention to your breath. Regulate it so that it flows deep, slow, and abdominal. Let each breath flow naturally and un-manipulated.
  4. Withdraw your attention and “look” inward. Focus on your “inner” world and withdraw your attention and thoughts away from any awareness of your surroundings and even your body.
  5. Concentrate on your chosen object of meditation. Your mind will stray, but this is natural. Simply guide your attention back to the object. You will need to do this again and again. Be gentle with yourself and when you catch your mind wandering, simply bring it back and begin again.

These are the basic steps of sitting yoga meditation. By practicing these steps each day, you will gradually be able to hold your focus on the object longer and longer, thus reaching the last two steps of Dhyana and finally Samadhi.

What Are The Benefits Of Yoga Meditation?

Yoga meditation has many benefits. Simply being more aware in your daily life can help you greatly. When you are more aware of your body and mind you are better able to enjoy and appreciate the things you experience on a day to day basis.

Being more aware also helps you to overcome many bad habits. Smoking, drinking, eating junk food and other bad habits can be done away with if we are aware of where the desire to do these things comes from and are able to switch our thoughts and focus on something other than the object of the habit or addiction.

People are even able to overcome debilitating pain in this way. They are able to concentrate on something other than their body and the pain they are experiencing and this enables them to reduce and even stop the pain without using strong pain killers.

Learning to concentrate on an object during meditation can also increase your attention span and help you to concentrate on other things in your day to day life. In yoga meditation, the object of meditation doesn’t necessarily need to captivate and interest you. You simply concentrate on it whether it entertains you or not.

Our minds are constantly seeking to be entertained, which is why many people find it difficult to sit down and complete a task they are not particularly interested in. However, uninteresting tasks are part of daily living. Learning to not only sit down and do them, but to also find a sort of hidden quality in them which can make these tasks more enjoyable, is something that yoga meditation can help to cultivate. This can make your life much less stressful and much more peaceful and joyful.

~ Health is wealth. Peace of mind is happiness. Yoga shows the way ~

Swami Vishnu-devananda

Meditation Nation’s Extra Tips And Tricks

  • Starting your meditation by practicing some yoga asanas and breathing exercises (Pranayama) helps you to connect your body and mind before you sit down to practice yoga meditation. Stretching your muscles and being aware of your body and breath all make it easier to really focus and concentrate when you are practicing meditation.
  • Yoga meditation can be practiced regardless of your level of fitness. Many  people are under the impression that they must be very flexible in order to practice yoga. However, the point of the asanas, as mentioned earlier, are simply to create awareness and consciousness of the body; the flexibility and strength is a by-product that is gained over time.
  • It is also not necessary to practice all the yoga postures in order to practice yoga meditation. There are over 1000 asanas practiced by the various yoga schools, and probably not even the most devoted yogi practices them all regularly. Instead of worrying about the physical side so much, you can start your yoga meditation with a simple asana like the “corpse pose”. This simple pose doesn’t require you to be a contortionist and helps you to be aware of your entire body, if done properly.
  • Finding an object to meditate on can be a little challenging. Try to find something that holds meaning to you or that carries the right sort of energy. Mantras are a good choice for beginning meditators because they not only evoke a certain feeling of calm and peace, but they are actually easier to concentrate on because you are using more of your senses to focus on it.
  • Try to be as consistent as you can when practicing yoga meditation. Practicing everyday is the best, and at the same time every day is ideal. The more regular your yoga and meditation schedule is, the easier it will be for you to enter a state of deep meditation, as your body and mind will be properly trained to ignore all other thoughts and truly concentrate on meditation.

What Is The Best Way To Learn Yoga Meditation?

A Yoga instructor is the best person to help you learn the various yoga asanas. However, many yoga classes only teach Hatha yoga and don’t really incorporate both conventionally understood yoga and meditation. Learning the different postures and relaxation techniques from conventional yoga class can be very helpful but finding an instructor that teaches traditional astanga yoga or kundalini yoga is preferable. There are also many relatively new yoga schools that place a lot of focus on the relationship between yoga and meditation. These schools of yoga, such as Dahn, Sahaja and Siddha yoga, have schools and ashrams across the globe where anyone who is interested may learn yoga meditation.

For those who would prefer to learn yoga meditation at home, there are many good resources for beginner meditators. There are not only thousands of books on the topic of yoga and meditation, such as Sri S. Satchidananda’s commentary on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, there are also many full audio and video courses for those who are interested in yoga meditation. One such course is “The Yoga Meditation Collection” which is a three CD course developed be Cyndi Lee, Beryl Bender Birch and Gael Chiarella. These resources have enough information to help the beginning meditator on their way to reaching the state of samadhi.

Filed Under: Types Of Meditation, Yoga

What Is Jewish Meditation

December 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Jewish meditation

A Little Bit of History

Jewish meditation is an important mystical aspect of Judaism. It consists of few mystic practices -- including Kabbalah meditation - and requires the practitioners to recite Hebrerw text and verses. There are several evidence that proves the presence of Jewish mediation since ages in the industry.

Similarly, there are numerous references throughout Tanach – the Hebrew bible that Jews have always had meditative practices in their religion. These practices were usually performed by Jewish mystics to end the paradox between the finite and infinite nature of man and God respectively. The meditation is also performed to turn away from vanity, deceit and to attain fulfillment & happiness by getting close to God.

The numerical value of Kabbalah is 137 and is the sum of values of two very significant terms in Kabbalah, Chochmah (Wisdom) and Nevuah (Prophecy). So, this meditation can therefore be considered as the ‘marriage’ of wisdom and prophecy, through which an individual reaches different levels of spiritual heights. Wisdom and Prophecy, as described in the Zohar, are two companions that never apart from each other.

Note: Zohar is the group of books that contains commentary on mystical aspects of Torah – the Holy book of Judaism, and materials on mysticism, mystical psychology, etc.

Most people think that Jewish meditation is a completely different study from Torah, but it is not. In fact, it is the inner soul of Torah, meaning when you learn deeply about Torah, you would automatically learn about different aspects of meditation.

How to Practice Jewish Meditation?

Jewish meditation or Kabbalah meditation techniques were designed by the Jewish mystics nearly 2000 years ago. The meditation takes multiple forms including sitting silently, concentrating on God, reciting Hebrew letters, words and phrases. It also involves chanting, controlling of breath, and focus on Torah.

Few centuries ago, it was almost impossible to get resources to learn Jewish meditation techniques. The only way people could learn some useful techniques was from senior Kabbalists or Rabbis who were experienced in it. The main reason for this was – Kabblists did not want every individual ‘looking for answers’ to practice it. They, in fact, tried to teach it to only the most righteous men and women.

There are different ways to practice Jewish meditation. For example, studying Torah is one form of meditation and chanting the Torah according to a set of notations called Trop is an advanced form of Jewish meditation. Few other techniques include meditation on divine names and concentration on numbers. Another form of meditation, called as Hitbodebut, meaning ‘solitude’ was done by the worship of God by joyful expressions (singing and dancing).

Last form of meditation, called as mussar – that began in 19th century, allows the practitioners to do ethical self-analyzation. In other words, it allows individuals to analyze where they stand in the world, are they leading a pious life, etc.

To perform Jewish meditation in the simplest form, here is a step-by-step guide that you need to follow:

 Step 1 – Admit that you are powerless and there are high chances of your life getting unmanageable when you do not seek God’s intervention.

Step 2 – Create and build a belief in yourself that God is the most supreme power in the world and the only source for you to come close to sanity.

Step 3 – You need to make a decision that as soon as you would spend a significant amount of life towards God.

Step 4 – Be ready to have God remove all your negative traits and defects such as anger, betrayal, conduct disorder, confinement, deceit, evil counsel, fear, guilt, hostility, prejudice and mendacity.

Step 5 – The fifth step involves us admitting to God, to ourselves and our fellow human beings as to what exact wrong we did in our lives.

Step 6 – Get ready to yourself to God and have God remove all your shortcomings that can purify your soul.

Step 7 – Humbly request the Almighty to remove your shortcomings.

Step 8 – Create a list of all people that you’ve harmed and be willing to seek forgiveness from them.

Step 9 – Directly reach out to them, ask for their forgiveness and amend your ties with them.

Step 10 – Ensure to analyze your deeds regularly and admit your mistakes whenever you make them.

Step 11 – Through your prayers and Jewish meditation techniques, try to enhance your consciousness and contact with God.

Step 12 – Spread the knowledge and experience acquired by performing the above steps and try to help alcohol addicts, compulsive overeaters, gamblers, criminals, etc.

When you recite the sacred Jewish terms and phrases during your meditation, it becomes really easy for you to execute the above mentioned steps. The way it works is – with Jewish meditation, you automatically get away from deceit, hatred and evil; and as a result of it, you become more spiritual and divine.

Meditation Nation’s Extra Tips and Tricks

Some people suggest that getting professional instructions on Jewish meditation is the easiest way to learn. However, it involves a lot of cost that most people don’t intend to spend. So, the best way is to have a good Jewish meditation guide and Torah at the least. These two resources are really vital for effective learning.

To get the most from your meditation practice, you need to sure of what exactly you need from it. Without a defined purpose, all your meditation efforts can go in vain. In order to define a purpose, you can ask the following questions to yourself:

  • What do I ultimately want in my life?
  • How I can lead the life of a true Jew?
  • What is the closest thing to my heart and how I can replace it with peace, love of God and happiness?
  • How exactly do I want Jewish meditation to help me?

All you need to do is – to ponder over these questions at least 10 minutes a day and find the answers. Once you get answers to these, results of the meditation would become more effective and long-term.

While performing Jewish meditation, it is best to try and control the emotions. Sometimes, the practitioners are found to be lead by their emotions making mistakes. So, the leading Jewish rabbis have advised the practitioners to get in complete control of their emotions before beginning the procedure.

Jews often practice their meditation in dedicated Jewish meditation centers for better results. Although, this is not really important, it is always good to meditate in proper environment that these meditation centers provide.

Benefits of Jewish Meditation

The best benefit of Jewish meditation or Jewish meditation retreat is that it can lead you to a path cultivating an awakened state of self based on Jewish wisdom. You can also wake up with a sense of awareness about God, how you should lead your life a true Jew and understand the universe in a clearer way.

In Jewish meditation, the conventional mode of thinking is known as the “mentality of childhood” (mochin de-katnuth) whereas the advanced way thinking is called as “mentality of adulthood” consisting of advanced and clearer thought flow. With it, one can move from the childhood phase to the adulthood phase quite easily and lead a fulfilled life.

Most of the times, it is nearly impossible for human mind to focus on one particular thing for a long time. However, with Jewish meditation, you can focus on whatever you want to, without any mental distractions.

One of the most difficult tasks for human beings to do self-analyzation correctly; most people analyze themselves through a thick veil of ego. Jewish meditation eliminates this ego and allows an individual to get rid of his ego and understand more about himself, like a third person. Plus, you can increase your knowledge about Torah.

What Is the Best Way to Learn Jewish Meditation?

Even though Jewish meditation is tough to be practiced and requires a lot of efforts by the practitioner, it can be learnt through appropriate resources. All you need to do is – explore some of the best books or learning materials you can and get started with meditating. One really helpful resource that you can consider using is Jewish Meditation Practices for Everyday Life: Awakening Your Heart, Connecting with God.

While doing the meditation, if you play soothing Jewish meditation music, then the meditation can be performed more effectively. For the most appropriate music, you can checkout Hebrew Meditation -- Jewish Prayer Music; it is one of the best resources out there!

Filed Under: Jewish Meditation, Types Of Meditation Tagged With: , , , , ,

What Is Breathing Meditation?

November 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Breathing meditationBreathing meditation is meditation on or attention to the act of breathing. It is a very simple, yet powerful technique that is easy for beginners to learn and yet it still provides new horizons and challenges to experienced meditators. This technique is very useful because it has a powerful relaxing and healing affect. Many health centers are starting to use breathing meditation because of these physical and mental benefits.

The breath has held an important role in many beliefs and there are countless meditation practices that focus on the act of breathing. Some meditation traditions that are based on breathing meditation are:

  • Yoga Meditation
  • Vipassana Meditation
  • Zen Meditation
  • Sufi Meditation

There are many more, but these are some of the meditation traditions that focus primarily on the breath or that feature breathing as a large part of the meditation practice. This article will present the basics of the Yoga, or Pranayama, tradition of breathing meditation as it is a very good first introduction to breathing meditation, but first we’ll briefly mention a few of the other techniques.

Vipassana Breathing Meditation

Vipassana meditation, also known as insight meditation or mindfulness meditation, focuses on cultivating awareness. By simply being an observer, you can become more aware of the things you simply don’t notice in your life and thus gain more out of life than you would have if you were rushing through it trying to get to the future without ever fully experiencing the present.

The first thing that we become aware of in Vipassana meditation is the breath. In this form of breathing meditation, the breath is simply observed and no effort is made to breathe a certain way or control the breath. In Vipassana meditation, breath is simply the object of meditation.

Zen Breathing Meditation

Zen meditation also makes use of breathing as part of the meditation practice. In Zen breathing meditation however, you are not meant to focus on the breath, but only use it as a tool to help you relax. You can do this by counting your breaths in an unconcerned way. Starting from 1, you can count each inhalation, each exhalation, or both your inhalation and exhalation until you reach 10. Once you do this, you start from one again. Soon, you will find that you can count to 100 ten times and still not lose count or concentration.

Sufi Breathing Meditation

In the Sufi tradition breathing meditation is known as Fikr and it is very detailed. However, beginners can experience Sufi breathing meditation by practicing “The Five Breaths”. This is actually four rounds of five breaths each. Each round of breaths is meant to cleanse a certain aspect or obstacle of daily life, and each set of breaths is envisioned as having a different color and focus.

How To Practice Breathing Meditation

As you can see, breathing meditation is a great part of many meditation traditions. One of the most detailed, yet basic breathing meditation practices however is Yoga breathing meditation or Pranayama. The first step of Yogic breathing is awareness of the breath. This can be done in a sitting position, with your hands lightly touching your chest and abdomen. In this position you can observe your breathing. Be aware of the movement of your chest and abdomen. Does your chest move more than your abdomen, or is it the other way around? Which moves first, your chest or your abdomen? Figuring this out can give you better awareness of your breathing habits so that you can train your breath through yogic breathing.

A more detailed way to experience and become aware of the breath can be done by following these steps.

  1. Lie on down on a mat and close your eyes.
  2. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your abdomen.
  3. Breathe naturally through your nose and feel the air moving through your body like a wave.
  4. At first simply try to be aware of the moment each breath begins.
  5. Just like in the sitting position, using your hands as the gauge, be aware of the movements of your chest and belly.
  6. Let each breath come naturally and let each inhalation be a surprise; don’t try to force it or hold it off, just breath naturally. Your body will take care of rhythm of breathing; at this point you simply observe your breath at work.
  7. While you inhale, be aware of how it affects your whole body. Does the breath move like a wave through your body, or are there some parts that seem to be stiff and resistant to the flow of your breath?
  8. Next place your hands at the sides of your rib cage, near the lowest ribs. Do your ribs move outwards when you inhale? Try to sense the opening and closing in this area.
  9. As your breath travels through your body, it massages the soft organs and even has an effect on the muscles and bones. Try to sense the movement in your legs and arms when you inhale and exhale.
  10. Let your hands rest at your sides now, palms up.
  11. Try to detect the slight tug on your arms when you inhale and be aware of the movement in your body that occurs when you breathe.
  12. If you feel any resistance in your body, try to consciously relax that part of your body till the breath moves fluidly through your whole body without any obstacle or hindrance.
  13. Feel the breath entering your nose and chest and imagine that it is flowing so smoothly that there is no turbulence.
  14. Let each breath massage your whole body and bring life giving oxygen to every fiber of your being.
  15. Without too much conscious effort, slowly slow down your breathing until you are breathing at about twice as slow as you normally would.
  16. Continue to consciously be aware of your breath in this way for a while until your whole body relaxes and your breath flows fluidly through you.

Simply being aware of your breath in this way can help you to train your lungs and body so that your normal, everyday breathing habits will improve. Once you have this knowledge and understanding of your breath, you can try some of the more advanced breathing techniques and exercises.

~ When the breath wanders the mind also is unsteady. But when the breath is calmed the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath ~

Hatha Yoga Pradipika

What Are The Benefits Of Breathing Meditation?

Breathing meditation is used not only in a spiritual context in order to gain greater awareness or enlightenment etc., but in therapeutic way to prevent and treat a great number of physical and mental disorders and illnesses. By simply re-learning how to breathe properly, something that small children do naturally, we can decrease stress, fight aging, strengthen immunity and even help relieve asthma.

~ Natural breathing has to be understood. Watch small children, they breathe naturally. That’s why small children are so full of energy. The parents are tired, but they are not tired ~ 

Osho

Those who practice breathing meditation also report that they gain greater mental awareness, sounder judgment, a steadier mind, and stronger will power. The benefits of breathing meditation are far reaching, and simply practicing proper breathing habits or breath control on a daily basis can help you to gain greater mental clarity and a healthier body.

Meditation Nation’s Extra Tips And Tricks

  • You can retrain your involuntary breathing habit through breathing meditation, however in order to gain this benefit, breathing meditation should be done on a daily basis. Doing this takes a lot of practice and will power, so setting a regular time for practicing breathing meditation is very helpful.
  • Doing some gentle stretches or yoga asanas before breathing meditation is very beneficial, as it helps your body to be comfortable and relaxed during meditation. Doing stretches for your back and legs are particularly helpful as these are the areas that hold a lot of tension and stiffness.
  • Since you are focusing on your breathing, it is important to meditate in a well-ventilated area. Meditating in nature is always a wonderful experience, and it is especially good if you can practice breathing meditation in quiet outdoor area with plenty of fresh air.
  • While breathing meditation is very good for you and it is normally very healthy, if you have any problems with your blood pressure or any other medical conditions, you should practice breathing meditation with caution. Some breathing exercises may cause dizziness or other problems if you have a medical condition or even if you just practice the breathing exercise improperly.

What Is The Best Way To Learn Breathing Meditation?

Breathing meditation techniques are best learned with a trained teacher. Often you can find meditation and even physical therapy centers that offer classes in breathing meditation. This can be very helpful as you can have someone talk you through your meditation as your eyes are closed. You can also benefit from this guided meditation by listening to a pre-recorded guided meditation, but having someone right in the room with you who can correct your technique can be very helpful.

Some people can learn new techniques for breathing meditation by reading books like “Prana And Pranayama” by Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati. Others may find it easier to learn breathing meditation through guided meditation courses such as “Power Breathing: Prana Practices For Health and Vitality” by Master Stephen Co.

Filed Under: Types Of Meditation
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