Meditation a Look at Its Roots and Benefits
By johnnydod, 6th Jul 2011 | Follow this author
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Posted in WikinutHealthMind & SpiritSelf Help
Meditation can benefit many of us, for those that think its just for religious people think again, meditation is for everyone, for those of you, just like to sit quietly with your thoughts, you are meditating
- Saint Padre Pio
- A collection of your thoughts can bring so many benefits
- Types of meditating
- Meditation is the key
- Swami Vivekananda the influential Hindu describes meditation as follows:
- The Bible the Qur’an and Celibacy
- Enter Zen
- Understanding and finding yourself
- And Finally
Saint Padre Pio
A strong believer in Christian meditation, Saint Padre Pio stated: "Through the study of books one seeks God; by meditation one finds him".
Meditation is to instruct one’s mind on an acceptance, be it compassion or understanding of one’s self or to cultivate techniques or practices of others. In meditation one should step away from the outside world to teach oneself to focus on a single thought, without the intervention of the world around him or her.
A collection of your thoughts can bring so many benefits
In studies meditation has been shown to alter or even modify metabolism, blood pressure and brain activation, and can undeniably help some people with stress and pain reduction; with the correct mind control it is possible to enter a state of self hypnosis where sounds and touch from the outside world are separate from your hypnotic mode of consciousness.
Meditation a very much an individual practise however many mediators use various methods of help, some will use prayer beads or some other ritual object to cultivate the state, others use music in some form or another either played or chanting and some will just demand peace and silence.
Types of meditating
There are dozens of types and styles of meditation dating back eons including
- Breath meditation ( dealing with the flow of air coming into and out of your body, along with the energy it brings)
- Serenity ( developing concentration of the mind allowing oneself to suppress obscuring hindrances thereby gaining liberating wisdom )
- Insight (enabling one to see and explore to self-transformation through self-observation)
Most are components of numerous religions; in Hinduism and Buddhism almost all followers will practice meditation, a study made by the U.S. government found that over 30 million American adults practiced it
Meditation is the key
Meditation is many things to many people; indeed most of the world’s religions base meditation on different facets, to those of The Bahá’í Faith meditation is necessary for spiritual growth.
To quote Abdu’l-Bahá :-
Meditation is the key for opening the doors of mysteries to your mind. In that state man abstracts himself: in that state man withdraws himself from all outside objects; in that subjective mood he is immersed in the ocean of spiritual life and can unfold the secrets of things-in-themselves.
Buddhism which is more a philosophy rather than a religion uses meditation as part of the path toward Enlightenment and Nirvana.
Swami Vivekananda the influential Hindu describes meditation as follows:
"Meditation has been laid stress upon by all religions. The meditative state of mind is declared by the Yogis to be the highest state in which the mind exists. When the mind is studying the external object, it gets identified with it, loses itself. To use the simile of the old Indian philosopher: the soul of man is like a piece of crystal, but it takes the colour of whatever is near it. Whatever the soul touches … it has to take its colour"
The Bible the Qur’an and Celibacy
A Muslim will pray five times a day and during that payer time he would focus and deliberate (meditate) on God by reciting the Qur’an.
In Jainism meditation has been the core practice ever since it’s first Tirthankar Lord Rishabha. As Celibacy forms a major part of this philosophy meditation helps to control the senses including the mind from indulgence and thereby managing and balancing one’s passion and mantra (Spiritual transformation)
Enter Zen
OK lets jump from around the 9th century BC when Jainism is thought to have started to 1970 when Aaron Hoopes wrote a book called Zen Yoga explaining a style of exercise combining the graceful movements of tai chi with qigong and Shanti Yoga( meaning peace, rest, calmness, tranquility, or bliss ) Aaron Hoopes describes meditation as being “an avenue to touching the spiritual nature that exists within each of us”
In 1922 T.S.Elliott wrote in his poem “The Waste Land”
"I will show you fear in a handful of dust"; “these fragments I have shored against my ruins”.
“Why then Ile fit you, Hieronymo’s mad againe Datta. Dayadhvam. Damyata.Shantih shantih shantih”
Understanding and finding yourself
To simplify meditation, if that was possible it’s about feeling the spiritual fundamental nature that exists within us all, this has been called many things, enlightenment, nirvana, and even rebirth, we don’t create spiritual essence through meditation is already there waiting to be discovered.
You don’t need to be religious to benefit from meditation, in fact many atheist meditate it all about finding yourself and your spiritual nature; this in its self transcends religion, when you do find it you will have a much greater understanding of the world around you.
And Finally
Do you write? Story's, Poems, Factual articles, why not let Wikinut publish them for you? have you published them already on other sites? no matter Wikinut can republish them and allow you to double your earnings.
You can be as artistic as you like, the magic of seeing YOUR poem or story in print is wonderful, and to makes things better we will pay you for it, why not give it a try?
Comments
21st Jul 2011 (#)
Wonderful article Johnny a truly deserved star.
Thank you
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3rd Apr 2012 (#)
I agree an incredibly wonderful page...thank you
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21st Jul 2011 (#)
Excellent article.
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21st Jul 2011 (#)
Great information on meditation Johnny. Well written and just a wonderful layout. Well done! As always, thank you for sharing.:)
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21st Jul 2011 (#)
Beautiful presentation, Johnny! Fun and informative!
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21st Jul 2011 (#)
Meditation helps people to regain a lost focus. I do it every day.
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21st Jul 2011 (#)
meditation can do great wonders i guess....thanks a lot for sharing such a an informative article...
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21st Jul 2011 (#)
I meditate regularly. To go within is bliss and all harmony.
Thanks Johnny!
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21st Jul 2011 (#)
Lovely, thank you johnnydod!
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22nd Jul 2011 (#)
Wonderful introduction to Meditation with a broad perspective including various traditions. A much deserving star page. :) Kudos
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22nd Jul 2011 (#)
I would like to point out that Christianity encourages meditation as well, although you don't hear about that so much. :)
We are to meditate onthe Word of God (the Bible), concentrating on a particular scripture or passage so that we may get an understanding of what it means in our lives. Reading the Bible is good, but it is only through meditation that we can hear God speak to us and tell us how to apply what we have read in our daily walk.
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22nd Jul 2011 (#)
This was a great article, Johnny. I'm a big believer in the benefits of meditation. I try to do it everyday. I'm not always successful in making that happen, but I try. Thank you.. :-)
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22nd Jul 2011 (#)
Great info, well done on the star page
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23rd Jul 2011 (#)
Wonderful article and congrats on the star page!!
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23rd Jul 2011 (#)
A wonderful article Johnny, and beautiful images. I enjoy your work very much, my friend, and the insight it brings me..
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25th Jul 2011 (#)
Thank goodness for meditation, it has brought us thus far and enabled man to see straight,
Now Man can remove the pain and Remain In the Moment,so he no longer has to meditate everyday. He now has Dianetics which will bring man to a whole new level, as it removes pain, fixing the mind the same as removing a virus fixes ones PC. One can now remain in the moment like Meditation has served us in the past...
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26th Jul 2011 (#)
Very nice presentation. I don't think it's possible to know the roots of meditation (obviously, it pre-dates oral or written history and most likely is associated with early humankind's use of psychedelics) but I believe it is a hard-wired mechanism for higher understanding.
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26th Jul 2011 (#)
Johnny, I was just about to send my page in last night, I was going to look at it one more time and then add the tags. Then it would have been done. I clicked on 'save' and then a page popped up that stated 'page not found'. The only way out was to close, so I did. When I got back on to wikinut, I was still signed in but, my page is gone. I wrote in but, I have not heard anything yet. This happened one time before and they were able to retrieve my page. Johnny if you can do something about this please do. I worked for days on this page and I am so damn upset. The title of the page is ... Sock it to Me! Fibromyalgia, Chronic Myofascial Pain and Multiple Sclerosis!
I am sorry to bother you Johnny but, I am in tears. Thank you.
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26th Jul 2011 (#)
Thank you any ways Johnny. I wrote it again. I don't know which draft is better but, oh well. :)
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26th Jul 2011 (#)
Hi Denise.
I hope we can sort this out foe you, but in the mean time I this it best to always write your article on a word processor such as word, that way you will always have a copy, also if you do it this way it is easier to spell check it before publication.
I can understand how you felt Denise I know what its like to spend days and days writing and then finding you have lost it.
Have a hug from me
Johnny
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26th Jul 2011 (#)
Johnny, I will do that the next time. I am so sorry I was a hysterical woman last night and I wrote this on your page. Since I have been sick, this was my first article, I really felt the creativity I have, working inside of this ol'noggin and as you have stated, it is not always easy. Thank you for my gift you left me in my inbox and yes, I will take it.LOL
You are tops Johnny.:)
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30th Jul 2011 (#)
This was a very enlightening paper ....... spending more time with my soul is a must in these times.. :) thank you! Peace & Joy
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31st Aug 2011 (#)
:) Like it
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18th Sep 2011 (#)
I observe nature and find the whole experience giving me peace and calm. I hate loud noises and find nature a pefect road to stability.
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18th Sep 2011 (#)
Welcome to my world Deeps, we are very like minded.
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18th Sep 2011 (#)
I just came to this page from deeps 'lotus' poem.
Johnny, this is very uplifting to me. Exploring for spiritual transformation is the essence of all meditation techniques.
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3rd Apr 2012 (#)
Johnny love, I do spiritual exercises that keep my mind busy whilst I access the inner realms of Being...
there are so many ways and they all ultimately lead into the heart of God... thank you...
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