Meditation is the process of achieving the state of deep rest and descending into deeper levels of awareness. In this state the mind is quite, body is deeply relaxed. The state can simply be described as being in silence and full of bliss. In Zen philosophy objective of Meditation is to attain 'samadhi', in this state you encounter pure form of existence.
There are multiple type of meditation techniques with different objectives. Some of the techniques have objective of achieving optimal health, some of them have deeper spiritual meaning. On this web site we will explore all of these techniques under different categories. This web site is a work in progress, it started only at the end of 2008, so this is just a beginning, a lot of material is yet to be added.
The meditations currently available on this site are purely for stress reduction. They follow the technique known as guided meditation, in which the instructor provides gentle guidance to take you to the state of deep rest. The 'Welcome' page has a play button that will provide you some instructions, then you can try some of the guided meditations which are mainly 15 minutes, the short meditations are marked with run time generally in 5 to 10 minutes range.
I have collected following articles that describe the Meditation. Each of these links will open in a new window, so please make sure that your pop-up blocker is not blocking them, this is as per guidelines from these sites.
National Institutes of Health: 'Meditation - An Introduction'
wikipedia.org Meditation information
What is Chronic Stress, how does it affect our health?
We have basic instincts to survive, sustain and procreate. On the basis of these instincts we have survived and evolved for thousands of years. The survival instinct has helped us over the ages to save ourselves from dangers, it still helps us on occasions, where our survival depends upon fast response. This 'survival' instinct causes the response, commonly known as 'Fight or Flight'. Since we don't face the same dangerous living situations as our ancestors did, now this 'Fight or Flight' response gets triggered if someone is facing critical project deadline, financial threat or getting into an argument. Often in these situations neither fight or flight is a solution and this response doesn't end but remains chronically active and causes harms to biological systems in long run.
The triggering of this response is mainly caused by misidentification of the threat. It is analogous to the allergic response, in which the immune system misidentifies the simple proteins and substances as potentially harmful and gets activated to fight against them. The allergic reaction does produce immediate symptoms that are easy to identify, but the chronic stress response is more insidious, it is very difficult to identify this and a lot of damage is done once the symptoms appear.
Acute Manifestations of this 'Fight or Flight' response can be seen in 'Panic Attack' and a Chronic Manifestation of this response can be seen as insomnia, anxiety disorder, depression, hypertension, cardiac and psychological disorders. On the contrary the instinct to sustain initiates the processes that replenishes the body and helps rejuvenate. This instinct causes the restful response and fulfills the energy needs of the body.
The two main sources of energy are 'food' that provides nutrition and the 'rest' which helps rejuvenate the body. This restful response consists of both 'Deep Sleep' and the state of 'Restful Awareness'. In this state of 'Restful Awareness' we are awake and aware of the body but the mind is quite. This state of 'Restful Awareness' is known as Meditative state and the process to achieve this state is known as 'Meditation'.
The 'Restful Awareness' marks the end of the 'Fight of Flight' response. As an example if an animal is chasing you and you are running for your life, in this state your 'Fight and Flight' response is serving you well, as the chase ends and you are at a safe place, the first thing you will do is a 'sigh of relief', this marks the end of the 'Fight or Flight' and immediately a process of relaxation starts.
In Modern Times most of the causes that initiate 'Fight and Flight' response like 'critical project deadline' remains active for much longer time thus this response remains Chronically Active and causes harm to body. Doing regular Meditation raises level of Awareness which in turn makes you aware of when this Chronic response of 'Fight or Flight' has gone active. Doing Meditation regularly puts an end to this, thus helping you get into the state of 'Deep Rest'.
I have collected following articles that describe the Stress and it's affect on health. Each of these links will open in a new window, so please make sure that your pop-up blocker is not blocking them, this is as per guidelines from these sites.
MayoClinic.com Stress information
What are the benefits of Meditation?
Meditation helps reduce the stress of daily life by breaking the chronically active cycle of bodies 'Fight or Flight' response. Reduction of stress in turn help with maintaining optimal health. Meditation also helps you attain the mental clarity and calmness. When you meditate regularly the people around you start seeing a change in you and the way you deal with them. On the clickToMeditate.com web site we provide free 5 minutes and 15 minutes meditations, you can try them at any place where you have access to internet. You must have flash enabled browser to access these Free Meditations. There are numerous advantages to Meditation from reduction of anxiety, stress to helping out in certain medical conditions.
I have collected following articles that describe the Meditation and it's health advantages. Each of these links will open in a new window, so please make sure that your pop-up blocker is not blocking them, this is as per guidelines from these sites.
webmd.com Depression Health Center information: 'Meditation - Topic Overview'
webmd.com Health News: 'The Mysterious Medication of Meditation'
webmd.com Health & Balance: 'Meditation May Cut Heart Disease Death'
MayoClinic.com Stress information: 'Meditation: Take a stress-reduction break wherever you are'
MayoClinic.com Stress information: 'Relaxation techniques: Learn ways to calm your stress'
About.com: 'Benefits of Meditation for Stress Management'
American Cancer Society: 'Meditation'
How to measure the success of a Meditation session?
A simple answer to this question is that Every Meditation that you practice is a success. In each Meditation session you grow your level of awareness and your body mind system gets rested. This is a process of continuous improvement. In some meditations you will feel blissful and well rested while in others you might not feel that state of deep rest. So don't rush to judgment about the quality of meditation you achieve each time. Initially you might not be able to sit for the complete duration, this is very normal, as you practice more it will get better. Actually you should try meditating continuously for at least one month, before you will see any difference. Don't get disappointed in the beginning keep on trying, contact back to us for guidance using the 'Contact' tab on the 'navigation bar'.
What types of Experiences will I get during Meditation?
During the Meditation people get different type of Experiences or no experience at all. When you are Meditating your level of awareness is higher, at that point you are aware of various stimulus received by 'Sensory Organs'. Also you will become aware of thoughts and emotions that you never would have noticed before. In short the higher level of awareness may result in variety of sensory experiences as well as flooding of mind with various thoughts and emotions. These experiences will change a lot during different Meditation sessions. Having the experience doesn't indicate anything about a specific Meditation session. Actually the experiences sometime are counterproductive as it acts as a diversion. If someone has a session with blissful experience and the next with none, then a doubt is created in mind about the progress being made. So my recommendation is to just let go on the experiences and don't analyze them. They might change or completely go away as you make steady progress. During Meditation sometime you might come out with memories long forgotten or the mind will get flooded with thoughts and emotions, this is normal, it is due to increased awareness. Initially it might be disturbing but Meditation is a process of cleansing. There are thoughts and emotions that are deep within you without you being aware of it, these might be hurting you by manifestating as some physical ailment. Meditation brings them out and you become aware of them, just being aware of them eliminates their destructive capabilities. An example sometimes when you reach home you get angry at your family for no reason without being aware that this might be resulting from the frustration of being stuck at rush hour traffic. As your awareness increases, you learn to recognize the situations like this and feel calm and peaceful under those situations.
How to get rid of depression/anxiety?
Start with finding out the cause of your depression, if it is very light (just feeling slightly down-sad-...) or slightly anxious, analyze yourself. If it is moderate to severe or you are thinking of harming yourself in any way or there is a repeated pattern you must leave this web site and take help from qualified health professional. They might help with identification of cause and provide help. Also take help from friends and family.
Sometimes the anxiety and depression is caused by unfortunate circumstances or events on which you have no control. Under these circumstances counceling and therapy helps. A spiritual guidance often helps going through these circumstances. Meditation along-with all the above helps in getting calm relaxed and getting to know your 'self' which is a source of strength and silence.
Sometimes the anxiety and depression is due to too much free time and less work? If that is the case then find out how you can help others in solving their problems, it will help you alleviate depression. If you are not depressed go to 'meditation room' and meditate for 5 minutes or 15 minutes depending upon how much time you have. If it helps continue with meditation else try something like exercise. In my opinion if you are depressed be with the friends and the family, don't be alone. Find out the people who are suffering, help them out, you will forget your troubles.
When anxiety and depression is caused by work. Try finding out the solutions to the work related problems. Meditate for 5 minutes and then do your work with 100% attention.
Exercise also reduces depression and anxiety and it is good for health anyway. But if the exercising is done alone, then observe what is happening in the mind during exercise. Is it the same patterns of thought that caused depression and anxiety repeating? If it is so then go out, exercise in group with your friends.
Yoga class will certainly be a good idea, it falls under the same category as exercise.
Webmd.com Anxiety & Panic Disorders Guide: Best Ways to Ease Anxiety Disorders
Webmd.com Health & Balance: Meditation Balances the Body's Systems
Webmd.com Depression Guide: Exercise and Depression
What is Mantra?
Mantra is a Sanskrit word, it means "instrument of thought". The meaning is derived from two roots -man "to think" (also in manas "mind") and the suffix -tra "tool". From ancient times mantras have been used to control and harness the energy of thoughts. In India ancient seers have realized that the gross is 'manifested by subtle', in simple terms behind every action there is a thought. When you see a big magnificent building, there is certainly lot of work done by a lot of people but the subtle 'thoughts' in the mind of the Architect is the one that made it happen. If you see a plane flying in the sky, it is a technical marvel, but you fail to see the software that is making it work or the thousands of hours of thinking that has gone into preparing the blueprint of the plane.
In short if our thoughts are positive, harmonious and pure then our life will be better, relationships will be harmonious and body will be pure and healthy. The scriptures of the east are full of Mantra's. There is a mantra for almost anything. Reciting sacred mantras is a part of both religion and general spiritual practices. There are two types of Mantra's one which has some religious significance and the one that just have a positive message behind. For example there is a Mantra for peace that I recite at the end of the Meditation, that wishes peace and harmony for all that mantra doesn't relate to a specific religion, but the 'Om Namah Shivay' Mantra relates to Hinduism. Both of these cause positive vibrations and establish balance and harmony.
There are also mantras that are just single character long, these mantras are known as 'ekakshar'(or single character) mantra. These mantras are used mainly for mantra meditation. Transcendental meditation is a type of mantra meditation. These mantras are very powerful in focusing and calming down the mind and helping achieve deep meditation. Unfortunately in this web site I can't cover the meditation of this form. They require individual attention of the instructor. Each person responds differently to the different mantras, so the instructor must be good to find suitable mantra for each person. The enlightened masters can perceive the subtle characteristics of the disciple and impart on the suitable mantra, however only a fortunate few can become the disciple of an enlightened master and get a direct mantra.
One of the main features of mantras is reciting it multiple times. For religious practices generally 108 repetitions are considered auspicious. The recitation is done in couple of ways, it can be vocal (which is audible to all), can be vocal but pretty much whispering so that not all can listen and it can be purely mental recited silently. Each of these have their own benefits, when the mantra is recited so that everyone can listen then a lot of positive energy is generated that benefit all the people listening and purifies the place. When mantra is not spoken or recited in total silence it causes very powerful affect to the person reciting mantra. When mantra is recited mentally it's subtle effect influences the thought process in a very positive way. Recitation of Mantra over long times amplifies the positive thoughts resulting in immense spiritual powers or siddhis.
The most important point with a mantra is to understand the meaning of symbols. They carry very deep meanings which should be understood before recitation of the mantra. The understanding should sink deep into the mind and the subconscious mind subsequently. So when the mantra is recited it immediately affirms and strengthens the meaning and associated thoughts. As an example please read about the popular buddhist mantra 'om mani padme hum'.
Webmd.com Stress Management Health Center: Mantras May Help Cut Stress
