The Benefits of Meditation

The Benefits of Meditation The importance of relaxation and meditation cannot be overstated. Not only is it good for the individual, but for the world as a whole. iThe new world view emphasizes the interconnectedness and interdependence of all phenomena, as well as the emboldens of the individuals and societies in the cyclical processes of nature (Capra 390). The systems theory provides that whatever is good for the individual, is good for the entire system of all ecology.

Depak Chopra states that whatever is good for the ecology is good for the health of the universe, for all things are interrelated. He calls this quantum healing. For this reason, it is imperative that an individual takes responsibility to keep the body and mind in good health. One of the most pleasant ways to achieve this type of euphoria is through meditation and relaxation. Meditation can be achieved through yoga, relaxation techniques, Shamanic journeying, channeling, or exercise programs such as Tai Chi.

The purpose of all of these exercises is to increase the body's energy flow and to] ward off sickness and contagious disease (Weiss 352). Tai Chi is a program that moves energy through the body. It uses the idea of pushing outward, moving the bad energy out, which leaves room for the good energy to enter. If the body is not cleared of the bad energy, the good cannot enter. This is accomplished through proper breathing, as Lao Tzu stated. Proper breathing is facilitated by all of the aforementioned meditation techniques.

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Yoga is another style of body movement which works in the same manner as Tai Chi. Through a specific routine, the individual moves and cleanses energy, so that not only air, but blood and intelligence can flow freely throughout the mind and body. As satirist Adams, creator of the Dilbert cartoon has often said, one of the best ways to achieve what one wants out of life is by writing out or stating affirmations. The process he recommends, and which he attributes to his own success, is the process of creative visualization.

Shakti Gawain states that the benefits to be gained from this process of seeing yourself as having completed goals, brings physical health, a healthy self-image, good relationships, forgiveness and release, and success (Gawain 122-123). The advantage of visualizing the future is that the information visualized creates a steady message to the body, mind and soul about the exact goals it wants to pursue and receive. For this reason, it is a very powerful means of achieving goals.

Shamanic journeying is also a hands-on approach, which entails relaxation to a repetitive drum beat or musical score, and a conscious intent to move a specific sickness (one at a time) out of the body. Shamanic journeying, much like a transcendental meditation on another plane, can be used to undo the past and move the ties that bind from the body, or it can be used to remove psychological dis-ease from the mind. Much like a physical manifestation of psychological treatment, the mind and body can be healed by Shamanic means within a very short period of time, however .

In the past, most of this work was done by a Shaman or Medicine person, but today, the individual can take responsibility for this work (Newhouse and Amodeo 48-52). The important thing to remember when journeying are these lines from a poem by Nancy Wood: iAll of my life rolled out from my feet,i and iAt the same time I made a hole in the sky (Newhouse and Amodeo 50). This epitomizes the release and intake of energy. This same type of process is involved in channeling, a quiet form of relaxation which is a 20 minute process that recognizes the seven chakras and their relationship to the earth and sky points of the body.

A channel opens all seven points to let energy flow down, up and out in order to cleanse, create and love. Through the lower chakras the energy cleanses down through the stomach (yellow), intestines (orange), and reproductive organs (red). Once these are clean, the heart (green/pink) is opened, and from there the throat/voice (blue), vision/third eye (purple), and mind (purple) can be opened to the heavens for universal information and communication. In all cases, the meeting place in the body is the heart.

When love is sensed and cleansed, it can then flow outward to everyone and everything in the immediate vicinity and the universe (Stevens 224-229). Not only does this heal the body, but it heals the universe and all that receive the cleansed outward energy. All of these processes are not only for the purpose of cleansing the body, mind and soul or for creating the world that an individual wants for himself or herself. They are means to effect changes in the universe. Worldwide group meditations are held to correct all kinds of ills on this planet.

They are held nightly and on specific dates. The perception experienced by the participants is a sense of complete peace and also of sensation. Works Cited Capra, Fritjof. Holistic Health Holistic Peace. in The New Holistic Health Handbook, Living Well in a New Age. Ed. Shepherd Bliss. Lexington MA: Penquin Books. (1985). Gawain, Shakti. iCreative Visualization. ,i in The New Holistic Health Handbook, Living Well in a New Age. Ed. Shepherd Bliss. Lexington MA: Penquin Books. (1985). Newhouse, Sandy R. M. A. Amodeo, John, Ph. D. Native American Healing. in The New Holistic Health Handbook, Living Well in a New Age. Ed. Shepherd Bliss. Lexington MA: Penquin Books. (1985). Stevens, Petey. iPsychic Healing. in The New Holistic Health Handbook, Living Well in a New Age. Ed. Shepherd Bliss. Lexington MA: Penquin Books. (1985). Weiss, Shandor. Tai Chi Chuan as a Healing Art. in The New Holistic Health Handbook, Living Well in a New Age. Ed. Shepherd Bliss. Lexington MA: Penquin Books. (1985).

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