Effect of meditation on health

Good health is necessary for almost all human endeavors. Without even a mid-level healthy state, one can't do physical, mental, intellectual and social tasks with some degree of excellence. A Sanskrit proverb considers health as the foundation of all happiness. Many types of equipment have been invented for the diagnosis and treatment of incurable diseases. Hundreds of new medicines are also now available. Several infectious diseases can now be eradicated but stress-related diseases are assuming epidemic proportions. It has, therefore, become necessary to tell how one can be free from stress. Meditation Many people have uninformed view of meditation and wonder, “What is meditation and what good can it do to me?” Some people may have visions of monks in far off lands, sitting together in silence when they think about meditation. Essentially, the answer to the question is a simple one. Meditation is an approach that anyone can use to help them cope with medical problems, stress, and anxiety by way of thought, contemplation (repetitive thinking), and reflection. Meditation is therefore associated with healing and relaxation. Found in cultures, spiritual traditions, and disciplines throughout the world, meditation is a mind-body practice with many methods and variations—all of which are grounded in the silence and stillness of present moment awareness. According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, “Meditation is simplicity itself. It’s about stopping and being in the present. That is all”. Father Thomas Keating adds that “Meditation is for everyone, not just for monks.” In meditation, one’s attention is directed towards a word, sound, image, prayer, or the breath, allowing the mind to settle into the present moment, thereby becoming still and receptive. An analogy can be made with a radio dial. The static represents the countless daily thoughts and sensations that preoccupy the mind. Meditation is the tool that fine-tunes the mind (the dial) so that one may become receptive and experience balance and harmony in the midst of the ever-changing conditions of the present moment. I firmly believe that in this modern era of anxiety and high expectation to perform the best in this industrialized and materialistic global world, Meditation plays a vital role to heal out individual’s stress. Modern world counts each and every moment of individual’s performance and contribution to a particular organization. People feel so much stress in day to day life. They feel insecurity on daily basis. Meditation helps individual to come out of the problem as well as prepare an individual to live healthy, happy and prosperous life. History Of Meditation - The Age-Old Practice Even though there are several structured forms of meditation today, the history of meditation goes back to thousands of years. It is believed that primitive man might have discovered the art of meditation, mesmerized by the blazing fires they built and going into a trance even as they watched the fire. Archaeological findings reveal yogic figures in the Indus Valley Civilization, which proves that meditation existed thousands of years ago. The Indian scriptures dating back more than five thousand years talk about different methods of meditation! As times developed, this became more structured. Throughout its history, meditation has been perceived as religion related, but now, its health benefits are being recognized and appreciated. Subsequently the next big thing in the history of meditation is credited to Buddha in 500 BC. He initiated his students and followers into the principles of meditation and this reached out across Asia, becoming very widespread in China, Japan, Tibet, and other Asian countries. Different methods evolved as this happened. Slowly other parts of the world developed their own methods of meditation. Among the best-known forms is Buddhist meditation and Hindu meditation. This became popular in the western countries over time and the benefits of meditation were esteemed highly as people were practicing it all over the world. Different methods of meditations practiced worldwide Kundalini Meditation, Transcedental Meditation, Vipassana Meditation, Dharanas leading to Dhyana and Samadhi, Hathayoga, Tantra Yoga, Laya Yoga, Swar yoga, Dhyana yoga, Gyan Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga Meditation Meditation being a vast subject, the study is limited to only Raja Yoga meditation in this project “Effect of meditation on health”.