Introduction to Meditation

Meditation, often associated with the image of a sage or yogi sitting cross-legged with an expression of absolute bliss, has piqued the curiosity of people worldwide for centuries. 

The growing number of apps, videos, classes, and teacher trainings that cover every possible form of meditation speaks to the emerging and universal recognition of the importance of meditation in modern life. 

Historically and traditionally, meditation tends to have connections to religion or spirituality. 

While many meditation practices are informed by religion or spirituality, the basic practices and principles can be adapted for use by anyone interested in mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being to cultivate greater self-awareness and health-promoting behaviors. 

Meditation is for everyone. It offers tools for people to connect to an inner source of vitality and to transform challenging experiences into opportunities for self-discovery and transformation. 

After a brief overview of the benefits of meditation, you will have the opportunity to reflect upon societal and personal benefits, thereby setting the foundation of this course.

Meditation, which is often about creating quiet or tranquillity and exploring the workings of the mind, has deep roots through various cultures.

Meditation's evidence reaches back 5,000 years to the Indus Valley. The origins of meditation can be traced back to approximately 1500 BCE in Hindu traditions. 

From India, meditation found its way to China several centuries after Buddhism arrived. The meditation practices in Buddhism and Hinduism are quite different, reflecting their unique philosophies, but then and now the primary reasons for meditation tend to have seasonal and physical/mental health benefits. 

Over centuries, the ideas of mindfulness and meditation found their way into the Abrahamic religions as well. Fast forward to the 20th century when the world is increasingly smaller and more interconnected. 

Having moved into mainstream culture and media, positive testimonials are yet to be confirmed through the lens of science, which is finally catching up.

Definition and Origins

Ask a biologist, a sociologist, an anthropologist, or any number of specialists, and each would craft a unique definition of meditation from their intellectual perspective. 

Invariably, these definitions would include elements such as mental training, contemplation, or focused attention as part of an elucidation of the practice. 

Scholars report that reference to practices similar to what we now call meditation began over 3,500 years ago in early writings of Hindu traditions; however, the cultural and historical practice of meditation may predate written history by several millennia. 

Although efforts to pinpoint meditation's historical roots are complicated by the subjective and incipient nature of meditation, and therefore are perpetually debated, early surveys of meditative practices corroborate the impressive number of contemplative traditions around the globe.

Most discussions on meditation admit that these practices arose within spiritual or philosophical traditions, arising as part of culture, sometimes expressly forbidden to general audiences. 

Meditation practice and productivity initially circulated among holy men and women in India and other ancient peoples. 

Since then, the practice of meditation has crossed many cultural and physical boundaries to become a global spiritual, religious, and secular phenomenon. 

Many historical figures, including Siddhartha Gautama and St. Paul of Tarsus, are thought to have practiced some form of meditation or mental prayer on which they rebuilt religious traditions.

The Science Behind Meditation

Some years ago, many people would associate meditation with an alternative or esoteric practice and would feel reluctant to give it a try. 

But that mindset has been changing, since many scientific explorations have been done about the effects of meditation on the brain and the body. 

Meditation is unique in that it is the only time when we can truly return to a state of rest while still being awake, without it being a result of sleeping on the couch. 

Studies using advanced methodologies have revealed that regular meditation is the key to developing a more tolerant, attentive, calm, and resilient mind by working its magic on the biology of the brain. 

Fortunately, today, more and more people around the world are abandoning meditation's new-age roots in favor of a science-backed approach. 

Neurological brain imaging studies have shown different changes in the brain and body during meditation practice. 

There are four primary brainwave frequencies, each of which has a different effect on the frequencies that make up the brain, with many different brainwave categories between them.

The beta rhythm is formed by rapid, low-amplitude oscillations of brain activity and equates to normal waking consciousness - that is, the availability of the thoughts and feelings of daily living. 

By contrast, alpha waves occur over a slower, higher amplitude waveform in the brain and can occur while you're being wired up to have an EEG. 

This is the reason why the alpha rhythm has been the most extensively studied of all. 

Researchers have hypothesized that the alpha rhythm makes the mind more stable and relaxed, produces less stress, and is actually a deep state of physical rest, ideal for the body to expand. 

Neuroscientists have identified seven primary states of alpha, each having different perceptions of the mind. Several studies have shown that such 'solitude alpha' dramatically increases after practicing meditation. 

For example, one study conducted in children with ADHD showed almost a 50% increase in alpha - a substantial change for a relatively short meditation session, and this change continued to rise even after meditation.

Neurological Effects

Positive Neurological Effects.

Meditation and the transformative neurological effects that occur during practice have attracted increasing attention from academic and non-academic circles. 

When looking for research insights, the first thing that stands out is the structural changes in the brain during meditation. 

A range of studies suggests physiological changes as a result of prolonged meditation practice. Increased cortical thickness and gray matter density, particularly in the insular cortex, striatum, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala, have been observed. 

Notably, decreased size or activity of the amygdala and increased activity in the prefrontal cortex may indicate mediators of emotion regulation involved with mindfulness-based practices. 

Long-term meditators show activation patterns in the brain regions involved in memory processes, learning, focus, and attention, including the frontal cortex, dorsolateral cortex, inferior frontal cortex, and lateral temporal cortex during meditation compared with non-meditators.

The results indicate that meditation not only produces therapeutic effects in the brain but also increases cognitive capacity by shaping functional brain connectivity and reducing mind wandering. 

These structural and functional effects contribute to the observed enhanced cognitive processes of working memory, attention control, and executive functions. In addition, this research suggests that cognitive meditation skills are associated with increased gray matter concentration in areas such as the hippocampus, supportive sensory cortices, and areas of the prefrontal cortex. 

These areas are involved with functions such as attention, regulation of emotion, and sensory processing, indicating areas of the brain that may change as a result of reduced emotional reactivity and improved sense of well-being. 

In sum, it appears that through meditation, specific neural networks in the brain change, and the brain can be trained to help better regulate the nervous system, increase attention, memory, and emotional self-management.

Psychological Benefits

Research has shown that meditation significantly benefits mental health conditions. 

Different studies examining participants of mindfulness meditation clinics indicate how meditation can also enhance self-awareness and develop emotional intelligence. 

This self-awareness allows people to perceive early signs of discomfort, unease, or anger, and gives them the capacity to react more appropriately. 

Mindfulness has also been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of PTSD through the development of acceptance and self-compassion. 

It improves resilience by acting as a buffer to developing symptoms of stress and depression.

The MBCT Depression Study found that an 8-week meditation course reduced the relapse rate of regular depression sufferers from 58% to 38%. 

Finally, various case studies illustrate how specific individuals have psychologically benefited from incorporating meditation into their lives. 

These stories show the practical application of meditation in enhancing wellness, helping participants to cope more effectively with personal and professional stress, and guiding them through midlife reflections to find happiness and satisfaction.

The psychological component of mindfulness has its roots in cognitive behavioral therapy. 

Mindfulness is regularly incorporated into CBT treatments for various disorders, including major depression, anxiety, PTSD, and borderline personality disorder. 

Treatment is geared towards developing greater self-awareness, recognition, and understanding of affective and cognitive warning signs. 

For those interested in trying meditation, the potential emotional benefits are often very appealing. 

I was working at the BBC, managing the technical facilities for the music recording department, and was asked to set up a meditation group, initially to help de-stress some of the musicians. 

But stress and anxiety were also affecting my own world. As a result, I began to practice meditation myself, hoping to find some relaxation in my inner world.

Psychological: to do with mental functioning and the mind, including conscious and unconscious processing that influences behavior. 

In a clinical context, this often refers to mental health and illness. A clinical psychologist, for example, will work with people who are struggling with psychological disorders.

Mindfulness: the non-judgmental awareness of the present moment. 

It is often developed through specific practices, a large portion of which are seated, and the individual is thus mindful of the breath. 

Being mindful means that the individual is present in the here and now, with the mind neither dwelling in the past nor focused on the future.

Mindfulness has consistently been found to provide some of the main psychological benefits for people who practice it. 

As a clinical psychologist, I use mindfulness and mindfulness-based strategies and techniques as evidence-based components in the treatment of various psychological disorders, including major depressive disorder and various anxiety problems. 

In this section, I will explore meditation’s psychological benefits. When I use the term meditation, I am referring to any form of meditative practice. 

Some of the main forms of meditative practice are outlined in this article. 

Mindfulness meditation has been shown to reduce a number of psychiatric symptoms. A number of studies have demonstrated how mindfulness is beneficial at modifying many psychiatric diagnoses.

Different Types of Meditation

Meditation is practiced in numerous ways. 

There are meditation traditions rooted in religious practices, such as Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Taoism, and then there are secular forms of meditation as well. 

Within all of these traditions, we find myriad techniques.

While it is never quite right to say, "take this type of meditation for X result," in today's world, we can certainly identify some types of meditation and their broad intentions. In establishing varied types of meditation, we can thereby break down some techniques to help you grasp what kind of experience or personal change you may encounter as a result of their practice.

Meditation can serve many different intentions and offer varied results. 

Depending on a person's constitution, they may need different meditation methods at different times. For example, someone seeking deep relaxation may need a method fit for refining body awareness and promoting deep slowing of the heartbeat compared to someone who is looking to develop a more self-observant mindset. 

Similarly, one meditator may use a meditation technique to focus on self-compassion while their friend uses the same practice to develop more self-confidence. 

Meditation cannot be, and shouldn't be, stereotyped as "just one thing."

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation has seen a surge in popularity in recent years. 

It makes us feel really present in the moment and deeply connected with ourselves. 

It teaches us to accept things as they are, without making any judgments. 

It instructs us to focus on our breathing and to acknowledge and observe any sounds, thoughts, or feelings without interacting with them. 

Broader conditions to pay attention to our body sensations are also included in daily practice. 

This way, we are reminded of our connection to the present; the one and only place where life happens. 

What’s fascinating about mindfulness is that we can incorporate it into our daily lives as well, not just as a seated meditation. 

“Notice five things around you that you hadn’t noticed before” is an example of a practice you might easily integrate.

You might also choose to practice mindful eating, something that involves focusing on chewing and experiencing each meal’s texture, taste, and the sensations in our bodies. 

The trend of modern science interest in meditation began as early as the 1960s, and research on the applications of mindfulness grew sharply in the 21st century. 

Physiological processes, mental well-being characteristics, and the effects of repetitive practice on mental health are also well known. It increases our self-awareness, concentration, and mental power. 

Meditation may also decrease stress and improve sleep. 

Many psychological benefits are linked to meditation, such as anxiety reduction, reduced depressive traits, as well as increased attention, motivation, and memory. 

Mindfulness therapy is linked to the promotion of attention networks, emotion control, management of stress, and improved interpersonal conflict strategies. 

Mindfulness is the sensation of getting the right focus; it teaches us to look inward and look first. 

Mindfulness is centered on patience, understanding, and empathy. Ideally, an individual should eventually concentrate on living his or her life in a new way. 

There are, however, some original moves and steps to keep in mind during mindful meditation. 

The roots of mindfulness are actually tied to Buddhism and Vedic traditions, whereby attention was used to stabilize the mind and emotions. In the 

Buddhist emphasis tradition and the mindfulness of breathing, the origins of mindfulness, resilience, vitality, and totality explored the difficulties of overcoming greed, upset, and delusion. 

In the present modern world, you don’t need to subscribe to any particular faith or ideology to derive the benefits of mindfulness meditation. 

With the practice of mindfulness, you have the ability to be close to the fullest. It teaches us not to get distracted by emotions such as anxiety, guilt, and jealousy, but to accept and respect them. 

It encourages us to use both body and mind to experience emotional experiences.

Loving-Kindness Meditation

In Loving-Kindness Meditation (Metta), you focus on genuine compassion and unconditional love toward yourself and others. 

This is a process of sending goodwill, kindness, and warmth to yourself and others. 

Many people find it easier to feel warmly toward others than toward themselves, so gradually, over the course of practicing Metta, the focus will include sending kindness and openness to oneself. 

Begin by focusing on someone for whom you are grateful, or someone who has helped or acted kindly toward you. 

Notice that the positive feelings you focus on are feelings of gratitude, not of desire. They are the warm feelings of goodwill and appreciation and do not have any sense of possessiveness or erotic attraction. 

Whenever grateful feelings arise, meditators open to and absorb them.

During meditation, complete all these steps at your own pace or in the suggested order. 

You can repeat this meditation as often as you like, with different people or groups each time. 

The changes that result from loving-kindness meditation are tied to personal motives we all share, including finding happiness and reducing one’s suffering. 

These motivations lead to much broader psychological benefits. 

For example, positive emotional states like feeling love and compassion for others are correlated with feelings of social connectedness and reduced feelings of loneliness or social isolation. 

Integrating elements of loving-kindness like hope and a focus on forgiveness can lead to increases in empathy and reductions in prejudice. 

It is also likely to be stronger for people who are already low in feeling loving-kindness—this makes perfect sense because, as a skill, loving-kindness becomes like an antidote to our other issues, especially negativity. 

Other beneficial consequences of consistent loving-kindness meditation include easing the fuller self and tying intrinsic self-worth to open-hearted intimate reliability through the personal growth journey. 

Recognize the multitude of reasons why the open heart is therapeutic, and why, in essence, the Metta meditation is a cornerstone of meditation practice. 

Standing the test of time, the spectrum of love espoused by Metta cuts through any religious tradition, faithfully reflecting the inclusive aspects of the heart-centered way. 

Additionally, it can help understand the unconditionality of that wealth of emotional depth. 

Considerably, think about its application to personal relationships, especially your most important relationships. Loving-kindness curative potential is drawn to how it facilitates growth from the heart up. 

If the meditation is compared to a group of people attending the seminar looking to further explore their personal and emotional experience, then immersion in abundant love and good wishes mentally involves building a natural state of mind toward personal peace and joy.

Practical Tips for Establishing a Meditation Practice

When embarking on your meditation journey, it is important to create a personalized plan that you will stick with over the long term. 

It is sustainable and builds momentum to significantly integrate meditation into your daily routine. 

Here are some practical tips to help you establish a meditation practice that works for you: Commit to it - Schedule meditation time. 

Choose a time of day and duration that works for you and commit to sticking with it. Shorter meditations are generally better than none at all. 

Environment - Meditate in a quiet spot where you feel comfortable and safe. 

Creating a 'sacred space' in your home or office dedicated solely to meditation can deepen your practice. 

Downplay - Turn off your mobile phone and place limits on other forms of potential interruptions. 

Create a no-worries zone for yourself. 

Open-minded focus - Approach meditation with a sense of openness and acceptance. 

There are many ways to meditate. 

If you have already tried one form of meditation and dismissed it outright or were afraid of it, try avoiding it for at least one month and come back to it with an open mind. 

It is highly encouraged to see what feels best for you and you alone. 

It is helpful to begin your practice with your own coping mechanisms and your goals; this will determine which practice to follow. 

This approach may also result in a more flexible approach to your practice. 

If your practice becomes such an inflexible everyday ritual that you will not participate in, adjust your goals and consequently your time patterns. 

After gathering data and information about your own meditation practice, gradually increasing it to a point that feels right for you is strongly recommended.                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Starting small may make sticking with a meditation practice more manageable in the long run. 

This is an opportunity for contemplation and reflection on one's meditation therapeutic approach. 

With consistent and realistic goals, you can expand your practice over time.  

Creating a Sacred Space 

Creating a sacred space for meditation—that is, a designated spot for your practice—can be very inspiring. 

Notice how when you walk into a beautiful church or temple or enter a shrine room, you feel calm and deeply touched. 

You can create a small sanctuary in your own home that has the same effect. 

A serene environment can enhance your practice and attract you to the cushion more often. 

This section contains suggestions for creating a special place in your environment. 

You don’t need to be rich, or even neat, to create a worshipful room. 

You might find it inspiring to choose an area that is: 

1. Away from noise and high traffic. Your sacred place will require a calming atmosphere. 

2. Pretty to look at. A place in nature offers a beautiful view, but you will need a place to sit during bad weather. 

A corner of your living room or a bare bedroom can become very attractive with a little imaginative decorating. 

An uncluttered living room corner will do nicely. 

3. Free from irritants like the smell of garbage or diploma-covered walls.

When you first set up your shrine, consider how each thing you are adding might make the atmosphere more calming and aesthetically pleasing. 

For example, while it is important for some students of meditation to have an image or symbol of the divine, others are disgusted by the idea of 'worshipping false idols' and can buy a statue, glue fake gemstones and sequins to the statue’s third eye, and hang it on the wall with tacks. 

Did you see the beauty produced when two things that usually do not jive are combined in an unusual way?

It’s unique to you, because that’s you hanging it. Beyond a visual attraction, you can place things in your calming space that are actually calming to touch! 

In treating yourself to these small personal touches, you are customizing your environment so that it is 'you' that is calming you down when you meditate. 

In turn, this relaxing place will actually be encouraging you to do more yoga meditation. 

Have you ever glanced at a photograph of a favourite teacher and suddenly felt peaceful, as if that figure were right beside you? 

These feelings accumulated over numerous meditations will add to your motivation to meditate daily. 

Setting Realistic Goals 

Setting real, achievable goals is crucial in meditation. 

For people who identify as recovering from spiritual bypassing, ungrounding, dislocation, or dissociation, you might identify with feeling unmoored from your direct and personal experience of life and reality. 

Many of us want to reconnect with what we feel and see and to regain an embodied knowing of who we are, where we are, and our capacities for feeling, intuition, and love. 

Another very common, very helpful aspiration for beginning a meditation practice is "I want to feel less stressed." 

Many people come to meditation to gain some control over their state of mind or receive relief from depression, anxiety, PTSD, or physical experiences of the effects of years of stress on the body. 

These hopes are brilliant goals. 

These are realistic goals. If it can feel grounding and encouraging, you might want to set small and steady goals to make meditation something manageable and enjoyable. 

Real and simple goals may sound something like: 

"I'll start with just one minute" or "I'll practice the Feel the Body meditation three times per week" or "My plan is to sit for five minutes no matter how random and overwhelming my mind feels." 

When I hear from my students that they're able to meditate daily or for 15 minutes at a time, I'm excited with them! 

Goals might include the duration of your sessions: 

"I'll work up to practicing for 20 minutes," "I would love to practice daily," "I'm going to try meditating for a few weeks and evaluate from there." 

Goals, or intentions, might be in terms of recording and noticing practices, emotional experiences, or other changes: 

"After each session, I intend to fill in a brief blurb in my meditation tracker." 

Case Studies and Success Stories 

Before you go, here are just a few case studies and testimonials from ordinary people who have experienced extraordinary transformation with the simple practice of meditation. 

I hope, as you have met them, you have been able to connect to and draw inspiration from their stories, regardless of your own background or starting point. 

It is clear that meditation holds the potential to improve our mental and emotional wellness, to build resilience and empathy, and to foster our overall growth and development. 

As you have read through this guide, I hope that you have identified with one or more of the stories, experiences, and suggestions along the way and that you have been able to apply them to your life. 

For those who have come to this guide with an active meditation practice, I hope you have found inspiration to deepen your commitment and become increasingly consistent. 

Your journey is different from anyone else's. 

May the tales you have read on this journey remind you that you are part of a global community of practitioners who are committed to growing a little more every day for the better. 

Many of you will recall, I began my meditation journey in 2018 with a course called Transcendental Meditation. 

The goals and results of my practice changed over time, and when I became more serious about my spiritual path, a different approach was needed. 

I became interested in Vipassana, a meditation technique taught by Gautama Buddha more than 2500 years ago. 

I took a 10-day residential course in which participants were asked to take a vow of silence and meditate for 10 to 11 hours a day. 

While these methods were quite different, I found them incredibly revealing of my true nature. 

By learning to watch my thoughts, justified and absurd emotions, and by taking time to lean into silence, my exploration led me to realize that bad days, difficult circumstances, and tough times couldn't and wouldn't seem as bad. 

As highly as I will ever hold my techniques or path, the point is the practice of meditation—any right effort on the cushion—is a practice promising transformation, whether you're a stressed-out business professional, an athlete in need of increased mental resilience, or a traveller seeking inner stillness like me. 

I believe anyone interested in meditation will be on their way to saying and .