The health benefits of effective meditation are slowly gaining popularity in the world of alternative medicine. Meditation is believed to result in behavioural, attitudinal and health transformation in most people. The practice of different meditation techniques in the modern western world is being adopted by most alternative medical practitioners to help their patients reach deep into their consciousness and into the root of their physiological as well as psychological concerns.
Meditation traces its roots from religious practices of Hindu and Buddhism. It has a history of over thousands of years, stretching back to the first Indian civilizations. Vendic Hinduism, one of the oldest religions, is known to profess meditation as part of its spiritual and religious practices. This form of mental discipline involves the attainment of a deep state of relaxation and a higher state of consciousness through the channelling of mental energies to a single focal point. Originally done in religious and ritualistic affairs, meditation has now evolved into other uses including alternative healing.
There are different ways by which meditation can be done. One meditation technique focuses on specific fields or background perception and experience referred to as "mindfulness." Another meditation technique, called "concentrative," focuses on a specific object. Both techniques can be combined or used interchangeably with the expectation of the same results of a relaxed consciousness. These techniques are separated by the object of focus used in inducing the desired state of mind.
1. Mindfulness meditation is characterized by open focus. The present status and experiences are kept in the consciousness. It is this focus on present perceptions that serves to anchor the meditator to the whole process of meditation. The awareness of what is and what is not are processed in the mind as it is, without analysis or interpretation.
2. Concentrative meditation, commonly used in religious and spiritual practices, focuses the meditator on a particular object. All other thoughts and distractions are banished from the meditator's mind. This type of meditation clears the mind of all other things but the object of focus.
3. Combined meditation brings together mindfulness and concentrative meditation. In this meditation technique movement is allowed, making the meditator aware of the energies flowing through his body and making body movements smooth and fluid.
In all these meditation techniques, introspection is common. All are done in a period of quietness, inviting relaxation and a feeling of inner peace. These meditation techniques are practiced in modern ways of counselling and psychotherapy. As they result in mental and muscular relaxation, these meditation techniques are considered to be effective tools in relaxation training, one of the procedures done by psychologists and psychiatrists to help an individual uncover the inner self and consequently address present behavioral, attitudinal and mental concerns.
These meditation techniques are also used in alternative medicine to help treat diseases particularly heart or cardiovascular diseases. As meditation ultimately results in a relaxed state of mind and a general feeling of well-being, these meditation techniques are credited for reducing incidences of cardiovascular diseases through effective stress relief in most patients, meditating for health benefits.
