By Heather Sissons What is meditation DFN Consciously

By Heather Sissons

What is meditation? • DFN - "Consciously directing your ________ to alter your state of consciousness. " www. meditationcenter. com/info/index. html

What meditation is… • Allowing your mind to be _____ and attentive. • Increase awareness of the world around you. • Being in the moment – not worrying about the past or future • A process more than a goal

Meditation is not… • • Falling asleep. Going into ________. Becoming lost in thought. Forgetting who or where you are. www. heartspring. net/music_health_effects. html

Types of meditation • Two groups: – Concentrative - focus on ________ • Meditation of mind • Meditation of body • Meditation of senses

Types of Meditation – Mindful - quiet ________ of stimuli without thought or worry • Mindfulness meditation

Concentrative Meditation • Meditation of mind – Involves use of a ________ or an internal visual image. • Meditation of body – Involves attending to breath or other physical sensations such as rocking or overall feeling.

Concentrative Meditation • Meditation of ________ – Involves attending to sounds or external visual stimuli

Mindful Meditation • Mindfulness meditation – Involves attending to a the _____ of all stimuli in your environment, without concentration. Smith (2005)

Why Meditate? • Traditional view – _______ growth • Contemporary view – relaxation, stress relief

How to meditate • 1. Find a quiet, comfortable place where you will not be ________. • 2. Calmly attend to a stimulus (breath, mantra, etc. )

How to meditate • 3. Calmly redirect your attention back to the target stimulus when you get distracted. • 4. Feel yourself _____ and continue attending to your target stimulus.

Misconceptions • Meditation is very difficult. – Not true, with _______ it becomes easier and easier. • Meditation requires you to turn off your thoughts. – Also false, you don’t turn off your thoughts, you just don’t focus on and worry about them. http: //www. meditationcenter. com/info/index. html

Misconceptions • You have to sit in uncomfortable positions to meditate. – No, you should sit (or lay down) in a comfortable position for best results.

History and Theory The consciousness of mind and culture

• Meditation began from _______ religious practices. (ex. Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. ) • Their mind set and way of life promote meditation to achieve peace of mind and enlightenment. • Each culture has their form of meditation tied with their own beliefs. • Meditation spreads throughout the world today. http: //www. erowid. og/spirit/meditation

Types of Meditation • Transcendental • Zen • Mindfulness or insight • ________ Meditation Position Ref.

Types of Meditation • • Meditation Position Ref. Guided ________ Music And many more…

Transcendental Meditation • DFN: A technique of meditation derived from Hindu traditions that promotes deep relaxation or state of rest, through the use of a mantra. • ________: A sacred phrase, word or sound chanted repeatedly as part of meditation and prayer, as an aid to concentration and the development of spiritual power • One of the more widely known mantras is the letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, Om http: //www. transcendental-meditation. org. uk

Amharic Mahout Mahesh Yogi • Born 1918 • Taught by _____ Swami Drahamananda Saraswati, the divine teacher (1940 -1953) • Instructed to create universal meditation technique • Himalayan mountains, 2 yrs • 1959 -Formal teaching • U. S. 1961 -popularity-70’s

Zen Meditation • DFN: Enlightenment can be attained through meditation, ________, and intuition rather than through faith and devotion practiced mainly in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. • Purpose: Through a clarified mind- you shed views and interpretations of concepts such as victory and defeat, self and others, right and wrong. Thus, reaching a realm of great rest and tranquility. http: //www. zenguide. com

Mindfulness or Insight Meditation • DFN: Focusing on awareness and ________; observing your thoughts and environment. Being fully present in the moment, without judgment, simply observing and moving on. Becoming aware of your thoughts gives you power to manipulate them. – Most importantly, no thoughts can be judged or given emotional energy – Feelings of losing control when free association yields all possible thoughts.

Meditation and Music

Listening “It is the province of knowledge to speak and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen” –Oliver Wendell Holmes • Definition: To listen is to make a conscious effort to _____ • Two types of listening: • • Active- Active listening intentionally focuses on a sound or group of sounds with the intention of providing feedback in order to establish understanding of what is being communicated. Passive- Passive listening is when no feedback response is intended, such as when listening to the radio or watching television. While listening is an active state of awareness, it is also passive in the sense that it is receptive. Listening, opposed to just hearing, suggests a more attentive state in which we intend to hear. http: //www. interluderetreat. com/meditate/listen. htm

Listening and Sounds • Definition: Sound is that which • • is heard, resulting from stimulation of auditory nerves by ________ in the air, either passive or active. Music is a _______ sound. A musical sound is more than just the sounds of the city streets or the constant hum of conversation, a musical sound, or a tone, can be defined in terms of pitch and duration.

Music • Must have certain elements of • • tone, scale, pitch, and presentation, to be most effective during meditation Affects brain at certain levels; our ______ can fluctuate between various music genres Can activate neural pathways associated with euphoria and reward which promotes emotional happiness While anyone can simply play music while meditating it may ______ the person from gaining full benefit from their meditation session. You must ________ to music in order to gain benefit from music during meditation. Listening to and focusing on the music, (if done properly), http: //www. pauladams. org/Meditationpage/Meditation%20 Page. htm

What type of music is listened to during meditation? • The type of music listened • to during meditation depends on the one who meditates. ________ music is recommended during meditation if music is played but ultimately it depends on the person meditating and the type of music they are most comfortable with.

Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) as a Type of Musical Meditation • • DEF: A therapeutic process using carefully selected music A trained facilitator to create an environment in which one can experience personal insights that provide answers and guidance for important life issues Provides an opportunity for emotions to be recognized, released, and then processed productively Recognized as a psychotherapeutic method by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) http: //www. musicinhealth. com/about_gim. html

GIM Continued… • The music during GIM evokes • • ________, sensations, and feelings and the traveler and guide dialogue together about the unfolding journey The traveler spontaneously describes experiences stimulated by the music while the guide supports and encourages Sessions usually last 30 -45 minutes (Music in Health) http: //www. musicinhealth. com/about_gim. html

Tips for Effectively Using Music in Meditation With Music • Use music you ______; • • • avoid music you assume will relax you if using music as meditation, try not to concentrate on anything else ie: breathing technique give in to the music. Let yourself feel what the composer intended to feel • • With Sound Sit in meditation and attend to the sounds that come to you Allow yourself to hear ________ the sound Listen with full attention What do you hear? . . . Disregard the name of what you hear Instead, focus on the sensation you achieve http: //www. interluderetreat. com/meditate/listen. htm

Music and Meditation in Medical Research • Music therapy and anxiety • • following surgery Music therapy and back pain Music therapy and cancer pain Music therapy and children with developmental delay Music therapy and depression Music therapy and _____ Music therapy and migraines Music therapy and stress management Music therapy and postoperative pain http: //www. internethealthlibrary. com/therapies/musictherapy-research. htm

In Conclusion… • Music in general is ________ for effective meditation • However, music affects the brain in areas that meditation alone does not • The combination of the two, music and meditation, can potentially produce a more effective meditation session and in turn a higher spiritual experience

The Benefits of Meditation

Physical Benefits • • Helps prevent heart disease Reduces ______ Enhances immune system Lowers blood pressure Decreases risk of heart attack and stroke Helps prevent digestive problems Improves fertility http: //cms. psychologytoday. com/articles/index. php? term=pto-20010501 -000025

Physical Benefits Cont. • Reduction of free radicals – unstable oxygen molecules that can cause ________ • Improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing – helpful to asthma patients • Graceful aging http: //cms. psychologytoday. com/articles/index. php? term=pto-20010501 -000025 http: //1 stholistic. com/Meditation/hol_meditation. htm

Psychological Benefits • Higher level of self-acceptance and insight about oneself • Reduces Stress • Decreases anxiety • Decreases ________ • Helps people better relate to one another http: //cms. psychologytoday. com/articles/index. php? term=pto-20010501 -000025

Psychological Benefits Cont. • Increased emotional stability – Decreased irritability and moodiness • Improvements in those with _______ • Improved learning ability and memory • Increased IQ Harrison, Linda J. (2004). Sahaja Yoga Meditation as a Family Treatment Program for Children with Attention Deficit. Hyperactive Disorder. Clinical Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 9(4), 479 -497.

Psychological Benefits Cont. • Increased brain wave coherence. – ______ of brain wave activity in different parts of the brain is associated with greater creativity, improved moral reasoning, and higher IQ. http: //1 stholistic. com/Meditation/hol_meditation. htm

Benefits for Cancer Patients • • Decreased depression and anxiety Decreased ______ and confusion More energy Fewer heart and gastrointestinal problems http: //cms. psychologytoday. com/articles/index. php? term=pto-20010501 -000025

Relaxation Response • Dr. Herbert Benson of the Mind-Body Medical Institute, which is affiliated with Harvard and several Boston hospitals, reports that meditation induces a host of ________ and physical changes in the body collectively referred to as the "relaxation response. " • The relaxation response includes changes in metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and brain chemistry. • The relaxation response is beneficial in reducing stress and controlling the fight-or-flight response. http: //www. nytimes. com/library/national/science/health/112399 hth-cancer-meditation. html http: //www. mindtools. com/pages/article/new. TCS_05. htm