Mindful Meditation, All About Your Practice

Meditation is part of my life. I make time for it every day because it changes my life. My practice brings calm and happiness. I see "the light" when I meditate, and I often see images or color. Meditation is also a good tool for imagining a better life or seeing life from a different perspective.

When consciousness lingers on a positive thought or concept, it learns to find and replicate the image in the reality. This is quite different from “wishing” or “trying” because it is possible to imagine the “desired state” and to experience it. Scientific studies show that most people have about 65,000 thoughts each day, and most of these are repetitive. Can you imagine the change in your life when you start repeating positive images accurately or at will?

It’s best to take a small problem or only one aspect of a problem for beginning meditation. You might begin with a screen (computer, TV or movie screen) and then project the desired result. It’s important to see the solution in completion. For example, you would visualize that you have already lost 10 pounds, rather than an image of dieting or exercising. You might add wonderful feelings of vitality and health from a better diet and exercise, but it’s better to omit the step-by-step work and visualize the result.

I’ve taught many of my students to start with a color, such as pink (it can represent love), when beginning a meditation practice. The color can eventually be expanded throughout the room or radiated out to other people. It’s also helpful to use a chant or sound. There are many Hindu chants that train the voice, mind and consciousness to focus on a single point.

Meditation teaches focus. When the basic focus is achieved, it’s important to expand the practice to visualizing a desire with a new positive feeling or to imagine that light moves through the body. Besides the many benefits of learning to focus the mind and emotions at will, most practitioners notice a substantial increase in energy and less identification with problems.

A recent study at Harvard Medical School verified the results that I have seen in many students. For those who are right-brained and prefer scientific data[1], here’s the information.

Changes the Brain

"Mindful meditation is the process of paying attention to what you're experiencing from moment to moment without drifting...or analyzing. Meditation alters regions of the brain associated with memory, awareness of self, and compassion, according to a brain imaging study..."

Better Memory and More Optimism

The practice supported learning, memory and regulation of emotions. It increases the ability to remember the past, visualize the future, as well as aiding with introspection, empathy and the ability to acknowledge the viewpoint of others. Participants also felt more capable of acting with awareness and observing.

Youthfulness

Meditation also increased activity of telomerase, an enzyme that aids in the long-term health of cells. (Research into the enzyme, telomerase appears to immortalize cells by lengthening the repetitive sequence of the DNA at the end of each chromosome.) It reduced the gray matter in amaygdala, a region associated with stress, fear and anxiety, which helped in lessening chronic pain, psoriasis and high blood pressure.[2]

Eventually meditation becomes easy, particularly when practiced daily. The benefits multiply as time passes. Every day, every human wastes time. Meditation is a way of mindfully using our time in a wise way for both the future and the present.

[1] The Harvard Women's Health Watch, Volume 8, Number 8, April 2011, Harvard Medical School

[2] Time Magazine, April 25, 2011, Mayer, Catherine, “Amortality”, p.48