Eugene A. Alliende, MA, MFT
MEDITATION
What:
Meditation is the ancient art and science of quieting down the mind-body system
through a systematic but simple set of techniques and practices. Meditation
practice has roots originating in our ancient spiritual history, but has emerged in
the West as a powerful tool that facilitates optimal health and wellness. Current
medical science has begun to take this practice seriously as a healing modality,
finding a vast range of applications for the health and wellness of the body,
mind, and spirit. Current laboratory research has established that meditation
can vastly reduce sympathetic nervous system over activity, which is the result
of a high stress lifestyle. High stress is known to increase blood pressure,
disturb nervous and digestive functions, increase tension headaches, muscular
cramping, and be at the root of an entire spectrum of emotional and
psychological disturbances such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, and a sense of
being overwhelmed by life.
Why:
Meditation elicits the exact psycho-physiologic opposite effect of the stress
response. In other words, through a consistent practice one can achieve ever-
deepening levels of control over the fluctuating cycles of the body-mind, thus
facilitating true relaxation. This will allow one to manage stress at its root, slow
down heart rate, and lower blood pressure. Furthermore, it helps create an
inner center from which to witness the moving stream of emotions, sensations,
feelings, and thoughts. As such, one gains an inner perspective, or space, that
gives one an increased sense of freedom form the turbulent tides of our
emotions and thoughts. Healing is innate in nature and our bodies, but through
unchecked stress we inhibit this natural healing tendency. Meditation quiets our
stressed out body-mind system, allowing the natural regenerating and healing
properties of our body-mind system to take place.
How:
Meditation is simple, and anyone can do it: Its effects being directly proportional
to the frequency and ultimately the length of one’s meditations.
1). Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed for the duration of your
meditation. The place can be anywhere, but it is recommended at first that it
be the same place so that the body-mind knows what is happening every time
you sit there. Sitting somewhere that inspires you, such as in front of an altar or
a special space, is helpful.
2). Sit in a comfortable position with a straight back and aligned head and neck.
If you use a chair, take off your shoes and place both feet flat on the earth. If on
the floor, sit cross-legged or in the lotus position. Hands should be placed lightly
on thighs or held together.
3). Close your eyes (some prefer open eyes, but I find this to be distracting) and
place your attention and awareness on the rise and fall of your breath. The
object of meditation can be anything, (candle flame, picture of a Deity, word or
phrase, etc.) but the breath I believe to be the most powerful as it is something
we do all the time.
4). With the breath as the object of meditation, keep bringing your awareness
back to the breath. If a thought, feeling, image, memory, sensation, or emotion
arises, gently note it, and bring your awareness back to the breath, over and
over, creating a new mental habit of balance that over time will happen
spontaneously and without effort.
When:
The best time to practice is in the morning before starting your day, or at night
before going to sleep. Others are able to schedule some time during the day.
Ideally you will want to practice daily for 20 minutes per sitting session. As you
advance, you can and will want to extend the sitting time, as you will come to
really enjoy this time for your self. If 20 minutes is difficult for you, start with 5,
then 10, and so on until you can sit comfortably for longer periods. Sometimes
throughout the day it is beneficial to take a 2 minute break, sit back, take some
deep breaths releasing mental noise with the out breath, and focus on a couple
of breath cycles. You’ll find this relaxing and energizing, as it clears the mind
and brings you back to center.
Two Pillars of Meditation:
Concentration: This is the minds ability to focus, concentrate, and bring
attention to one point. Again, the object of concentration can be anything. This
practice will strengthen the mind, increase memory, creativity, its ability to focus
and concentrate, and facilitate a sharper mind. This has vast applications for
achieving improved mental health.
Mindfulness: This is the mind’s capacity to be aware of whatever arises in the
present moment. It is the field of awareness that grounds itself in the present
now, and allows for the rise and fall of whatever that moment brings. This state
of alert presence increases awareness of the here and now, brings vitality and
presence to every life situation, increases insight, understanding, and ultimately
openness, spaciousness, equanimity, inner freedom, and deep intuitive wisdom.
One is to not hold on to, grasp, or push away what comes up, but simply note it
and let go, returning to the breath.
everyday life, transforming your life from a stress-filled struggle to the joy-filled
everyday life, transforming your life from a stress-filled struggle to the joy-filled
adventure that it has always been.
adventure that it has always been.
On Breath
Breathing is natural, and is at the heart of our being: literally. Breath is the link
between the body and the mind, as it is a physiologic process but also one
controlled by the mind. It is the link between the conscious and the
unconscious, as it can be a conscious act or an autonomic process. Breath is
also the link between the outer world (out breath) and our inner world (in
breath). And finally, it is the thin veil between life and death: we breath we live,
we don’t we die. So in essence, the breath is our center, and by working with it
we can gain greater mastery of every level of our Being.
Give your Self the gift of silence, and you will discover an inner world that
fulfills you complete, and achieve a state of true wholeness.
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Eugene A. Alliende, MA, MFT
Meditation Teacher
Traditional and Transpersonal Psychotherapy
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