A prolific orator, writer and philosopher, Alan Watts was one of the first contemporary figures in the early 20th century to bring Eastern Zen philosophy and thought to a large Western audience. He was an instrumental figure in the 1960s counterculture revolution and continued to write and philosophize until his passing in 1973. His lectures and writings today seem to be seeing a resurgence in popularity.

With countless hours of his lectures sprawled online, sampled into dreamy chillwave music and the likeness of his voice even featured as an advanced A.I. in the movie Her, it seems Alan Watts still has a whole lot to tell us.

In our current age of industrialized mass anxiety, students and educators alike are working more grueling and unproductive hours, while at the same time they're still underperforming when compared to more relaxed and productive educational systems, like those in Scandinavia.

Here is an Alan Watts pronouncement that sums up a large part of his philosophical outlook.

"If happiness always depends on something expected in the future, we are chasing a will-o'-the-wisp that ever eludes our grasp, until the future, and ourselves vanish into the abyss of death."

Taking into account some of Watts' philosophy, we can shift our views on the subject of life, learning and education through a more inspired and whimsical viewpoint.

Photo: Frederick Florin/Getty

For the great majority of us, our early lives were defined by the ever-increasing grade scales we progressed through, from elementary school into middle school and so on. These were our internal ranking and status symbols as we barreled through our early life's big biological and mental changes, shifting from one well-placed rung to the next and following our teacher's orders if we wanted to keep up with the already-laid path for becoming a successful member of society.

Alan Watts found this idea a strange and unnatural progression of our early lives, and something that was indicative of a much deeper-seated issue in how we view the nature of change and reality. Watts says:

"Let's take education. What a hoax. You get a little child, you see, and you suck it into a trap and you send it to nursery school. And in nursery school you tell the child 'You are getting ready to go on to kindergarten. And then wow-wee, first grade is coming up, and second grade, and third grade.' You are gradually climbing the ladder towards, towards, going on towards progress. And then when it gets to end of grade school, you say 'high school, now you're really getting going.' Wrong."

Whether we consciously recognize it or not, this expectant progressive nature of reality we foster during our school years is something that becomes an undeniable fabric of the way we live and think. It sticks with us our whole lives.

We're constantly moving forward to some goal that's just out of reachnever within the now, always later or after this or that accomplishment has been reached.

Watts believed that this same logic applies to us once we leave the tiered school system. He goes on to say:

"But on towards business, you are going out into the world and you got your briefcase and your diploma. And then you go to your first sales meeting, and they say 'Now get out there and sell this stuff,' because then you are going on up the ladder in business, and maybe you will get to a good position. And you sell it and then they up your quota.

"And then finally about the year 45 you wake up one morning as vice president of the firm, and you say to yourself looking in the mirror: 'I've arrived. But I feel slightly cheated because I feel just the same as I always felt'"

Jacques Hoist via Flickr

Here Alan Watts touches on a classical bit of Buddhist philosophythe idea that there really isn't in fact anything to strive forward to and desire. Watts ties this aspect into the desire of one-upmanship in the educational system bleeding into our professional lives. This is an example of the unending ennui of materialistic pursuit in some form or the other.

Alan Watts goes on to say:

"Something is missing. I have no longer a future.' 'Uh uh' says the insurance salesman, 'I have a future for you. This policy will enable you to retire in comfort at 65, and you will be able to look forward to that.' And you are delighted. And you buy the policy and at 65 you retire thinking that this is the attainment of the goal of life, except that you have prostate trouble, false teeth and wrinkled skin.

"And you are a materialist. You are a phantom, you are an abstractionist, you are just nowhere, because you never were told, and never realized that eternity is now."

Now rather than falling into a passive nihilism (which is where Buddhist thought can lead) Alan Watts instead argues for being within the here and now. Learn for learning's sake! Eternity is now that is to become fully part of the processwhatever it may beand do not focus on an ever elusive end goal.

Not tying ourselves to the end result is something most people will never understand because it's counter intuitive. This ideal was a central focus of Alan Watts' philosophy.

In the opening chapter of his book The Wisdom of Insecurity, he coined the term "backwards law," of which he says:

"When you try to stay on the surface of the water, you sink; but when you try to sink you float."

This koan of his illustrates that when we put too much pressure on ourselves to meet some ideal or goal in the spectral future, we detract from the working process at hand. It will never be reached because what needs to be done isn't our central focus.

Conversely, by being completely involved in the present, those elusive goals in the future could one day come to fruition. This is where the concept gets muddled for some.

But it can be simply summed up as follows: not looking towards the future will prepare you for it.

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Alan Watts likened compulsory education to the penal system.

Alan Watts felt the educational system failed us by the very way it prepared us to look forward to the rest of our lives. An idealized version he cooked up in his head of what a great educational upbringing would look like can be gleaned from this passage:

"When we bring children into the world, we play awful games with them. Instead of saying, 'How do you do? Welcome to the human race. Now my dear, we are playing some very complicated games, and these are the rules of the game we are playing. I want you to understand them, and when you learn them when you get a little bit older you might be able to think up some better rules, but for now I want you to play by our rules.'

"Instead of being quite direct with our children, we say, 'You are here on probation, and you must understand that. Maybe when you grow up a bit you will be acceptable, but until then you should be seen and not heard. You are a mess, and you have to be educated and schooled until you are human.'"

He even likened the compulsory educational system as having heavy religious undertones.

"'Look you are here on sufferance. You are on probation. You are not a human being yet.' So people feel this right on into old age and figure that the universe is presided by this kind of awful God-the-Father parent."

Much of this still resonates with us today. Alan Watts' sage advice on education just might be the thing we need to revisit if we're to escape the monotonous reality of modern education.

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Alan Watts: Why education (as we know it) is a hoax

How to Use These Meditation for Anxiety Tips

There is no right or wrong way to practice anxiety meditation. To get the most from these meditation-for-anxiety tips, first select one of your favorite meditation techniques. Then, read through the list of tips. Note which tips speak to you-the ones that seem to connect with the anxiety and stress you are feeling.

Next, choose one tip to focus on. Read the quote, summary and meditation advice. Take a few moments to internalize the information, then follow the advice as you begin your session. You will feel immediate relief from anxiety, even if you simply feel better because you are taking action.

Finally, follow the same process for each tip that connects with your anxiety and stress. If you like, research online to find a specific guided meditation for anxiety relief, and focus on the same topics.

You will no doubt have further work to do to achieve full anxiety relief, but meditation for anxiety can provide a great beginning!

Go here to read the rest:

17 ways to use meditation for anxiety & stress relief ...

Sri Aurobindo has been variously described as the greatest philosopher of modern times, a towering spiritual personality, an outstanding leader of Indias freedom movement, an inspired poet, an astute political thinker and strategist, and a selfless humanist. For the purposes of this site, he can most appropriately be thought of as an Integral Scientist. His entire thought, work and life were an endeavour to integrate all aspects of human existence based on integral truths of existence. The idea of establishing the Human Science wiki is inspired by Sri Aurobindos integral conception of individuality, society, life and spiritual reality.

Born in Bengal in 1872, raised and educated in the perspectives of European civilization, rather than traditional Indian wisdom, Sri Aurobindo was sent to England at the age of seven to live and study with a clergyman. He was educated at Cambridge University, where he excelled academically, but acquired a deep aspiration for Indias independence from colonial rule. Returning to India in 1893, he became a college lecturer, then secretary to the Maharaja of Baroda, before assuming a leading role in Indias nascent freedom movement. As editor of several journals calling for the end of colonial rule and a renaissance of Indian culture, he was the first Indian leader to call for complete and total independence from British rule. He argued so persuasively about the injustice and unacceptability of the British Raj that he came to be regarded by the British government as the most dangerous revolutionary in India.

Having been denied exposure to his own cultural heritage during childhood, Sri Aurobindo plunged into a deep investigation of ancient and modern Indian spiritual knowledge and experience. From 1905 he experimented with a variety of yogic methods and began to have profound spiritual experiences. In 1908, he was falsely accused of master-minding a bomb blast, placed in solitary confinement for one year, and then acquitted by an English judge and released after a long and widely publicized trial. When he received word the British again planned to arrest him, he traveled to Pondicherry, a small the French enclave on the Bay of Bengal in South India, and remained there from 1910 until his passing in 1950.

During this later period Sri Aurobindo dedicated his entire life and energy to the pursuit of spiritual knowledge and spiritual power to transform life on earth. In 1914, Mira Alfassa, who subsequently became known as The Mother, and her husband, a French diplomat, visited him in Pondicherry and at their urging helped found a monthly journal, Arya. From 1914 to 1920, Sri Aurobindo simultaneously authored all but one of his most important works and published them chapter-wise as monthly installments in Arya. The Mother left Pondicherry at the outbreak of World War I and then returned in 1920 and remained there to work with Sri Aurobindo and head the spiritual community which she founded in his name.

Sri Aurobindos collected written works consist of 30 full volumes on philosophy, yoga, politics, international affairs, social evolution, Indian culture, art, literature and life, including a volume of poems and two volumes of plays, in addition to voluminous records of his spiritual practices and experiences which were published posthumously. His major works include:

Even a minimal summary of his thought is too daunting a task for this brief biographical sketch. That thought is the source of inspiration and insight for all the thus far presented and discussed on this site. A few concepts of most direct relevance to human science are listed below and discussed in detail in other articles.

See also

External Links

You are invited to create new articles, add new sections to this article, raise questions or comments on the discussion page or project/portal Forum page, or send feedback by email to humansciencewiki@gmail.com

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Sri Aurobindo | Human Science | FANDOM powered by Wikia

Transhumanity

A transhuman is a life form with an intelligence comparable or superior to that of humans.

It thus has the following characteristics:

A posthuman or post-human is a hypothetical future being whose capabilities so radically exceed those of present humans as to be no longer human by current standards. A posthuman can also be described as the creature that results from radical human enhancement. In these ways, the difference between the posthuman and other hypothetical sophisticated non-humans is that a posthuman was once a human, either in its life time or in the life times of some or all of its direct ancestors. As such, a prerequisite for a posthuman is a transhuman, the point at which the human being begins surpassing his own limitations, but is still recognisable as a human person.

Posthumans could be a symbiosis of human and artificial intelligence, or uploaded consciousnesses, or the result of making many smaller but cumulatively profound technological augmentations to a biological human, i.e. a cyborg. Some examples of the latter are redesigning the human organism using advanced nanotechnology or radical enhancement using some combination of technologies such as genetic engineering, psychopharmacology, life extension therapies, neural interfaces, advanced information management tools, memory enhancing drugs, wearable or implanted computers, and cognitive techniques.

The term can also refer to the possibility of a technological singularity or that humanity or a segment of humanity will create or evolve into a "posthuman God".

Homo excelsior (Latin for "higher man") is an alternate term used in the literature of transhumanism for the posthuman.[citation needed] The use of the Latin binomial implies the transhumanist idea of participant evolution as a hypothetical human progression through an intermediary form of the transhuman to a new species distinct from Homo sapiens.

As used here, "posthuman" does not refer to a conjectured future where humans are extinct or otherwise absent from the Earth. As with other species who diverge from one another, both humans and posthumans could continue to exist.

"Posthuman" should not be confused with "posthumanism," which is a European philosophical extension of humanism.

Continue reading here:
Transhuman | Future | FANDOM powered by Wikia

December 3, 2015

Here is an overview of the biggest benefits of meditation, based on latest scientific research: From health benefits to improved cognition and intelligence, from success at work to more harmonious relationships.

Increased intelligence Scientific studies shown that meditating improves the practitioners cognitive and intellectual abilities. This effect of becoming smarter has been demonstrated by different types of intelligence tests.

Benefits for students Regular meditation raises school performance (higher academic achievement, less absenteeism, better graduation rates), and that goes for all school levels from kindergarten to college.

Work efficiency Research has shown reduction in the stress levels and better decision making. This, in turn, leads to higher efficiency at work place in both small and big organizations.

Creativity & problem-solving Meditating leads to higher brain integration, which in turn sets the basis for mental alertness, original thought and creative problem-solving skills.

Access to higher levels of consciousness Whereas ordinary human experience is limited to three states of consciousness (wake, asleep, in deep sleep), one of the benefits of regular meditation practice is access to four more refined levels of being.

Transcendental experiences Study on meditative experiences which were characterized by the practitioners partial or complete absence of time, space, and body sense.

Positive emotions and well-being Research shows that meditation practitioners have 5 times greater clarified gamma output (positive feelings like love, happiness; well-being).

Business leadership and management skills Is meditating good for business? Evidence from Ray Dalio to Silicon Valley, from Fortune 100 lists to Harvard Business School.

Personal relationships Three months of Transcendental Meditation practice brings significant improvement in professional and personal relationships, based on increased happiness and reduced stress.

Marital relations Study measuring long-term marital happiness with Lockes Adjustment Inventory. Subjects in the TM group showed significantly greater marital satisfaction.

Life expectancy Mortality rates from various fatal heart conditions were cut by 48% with regular practice of meditation found a key study with patients suffering from cardiovascular disease.

Pregnancy Interaction of hormones and surrounding physical environment: What are the benefits of meditation practice during pregnancy, both for mothers and newborns?

Brain coherence Meditating leads to increased frontal coherence that is, more harmonious and efficient brain activity as measured during various computer tasks and eyes-closed rest.

Good sleep Lower levels of stress mean better sleep, dont they? Taking up meditation regularly, at least twice a day, is a natural home remedy against chronic insomnia (sleeplessness).

Multiple sclerosis Meditating reduces attacks of multiple sclerosis and relieves related symptoms (weakness, tingling, numbness, and blurred vision) by boosting energy levels.

Distress & coping Lower blood pressure, decreased psychological distress, increased coping in people at risk for hypertension, a study with meditating college students found.

Glowing skin Keeping the hormonal levels well balanced and cutting radically down on daily stress leads, among other good things, to beautiful skin and radiantly beautiful looks!

Stress and anxiety relief Arguably the single biggest benefit of meditation is a more balanced nervous system and hormonal levels which eliminate any excessive flight-or-fight responses by our body. In other words, meditation has been shown to naturally lead to a calmer life.

Heart diseases and ailments Improved functional capacity for patients with various heart conditions / heart failure. Risk of heart disease cut by 30%; mortality from stroke decreases 48%.

Normalized blood pressure Another crucial benefit of meditation is that it reduces blood pressure on average by 7 mm/Hg. It also thus reduces such conditions as heart attack, aneurysm, artery damage, kidney failure etc.

Immune system Regular Transcendental Meditation practice strengthens the bodys ability to resist disease by boosting immune cells fighting against viruses, bacteria and toxins.

Slower ageing Telomeres, the all-important chromosome endings which keep your cells fresh and healthy, have recently been shown to get a boost from regular meditation practice. This results in longer life and lower risk of falling pray to various ailments.

Cancer patients care Transcendnetal Meditation and yoga practice are considered the most helpful of all available non-invasive therapies for supportive care of cancer patients.

Autism spectrum disorders Learning to let the mind calm down in a natural, easy-to-do way helps in growing from frequent temper tantrums into a happy, well-adjusted personality.

Alcohol, nicotine and drug addiction Meditation significantly reduces addiction to and use of alcohol, cigarettes and drugs. With regular practice, the abstinence strengthens naturally.

Depression & burnout An interesting study with teachers confirmed that meditation significantly decreases work-related stress, burnout states, and various depressive symptoms.

Eating disorders Research shows that benefits of meditation include more effective recovery from food addiction, due to lower stress levels. Binge eating, as any other kind of addiction, is largely triggered by stress.

Smoking Academic studies demonstrate that meditation has 50% of smokers quitting in two years after starting to meditate (i.e., three times more effective quit smoking rate than with therapy).

Alcoholism abuse A comparative study demonstrated that the effect of the Transcendental Meditation technique on reducing alcohol consumption was 1,5 to 8 times that of other programs.

Trait anxiety According to the meta-analysis, anxiety disorders (panic attacks, anger, tenseness) are rapidly and substantially reduced in the first few weeks of meditation practice.

PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) After just 10-days of TM practice, PTSD symptoms (depression, insomnia, fear etc) dropped almost 30 points compared to the base level.

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) Meditation practice relieves at least five different hyperactivity symptoms (including lack of focus, sleeping problems, depression).

40 latest scientific articles Abstracts, graphs, diagrams and full PDF texts (if not available, then a link to the original academic publication where the texts can be purchased).

10 biggest benefits An easy-to-read compilation of, arguably, the 10 greatest benefits of regular practice of meditation. From health gains to most important psychological benefits.

Different meditations, different effects There are several different kinds of meditation techniques. Are the effects of practice also different? Modern brain research answers in the affirmative.

Quotes on health benefits Compilation of illuminating quotes from people who have first-hand experience of meditation benefits. Wise and inspirational one-liners to take into your day!

Harvard health letter recommends meditation Harvard Medical School Newsletter gives its thumbs-up for meditation practice, and explains why the benefits reaped from meditating could be the best health insurance around.

American Heart Association meta-analysis Report by the national medical organization recommending Transcendental Meditation for prevention and treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure).

Infographic on health benefits Easy to grasp overview of the main health benefits of the TM technique as certified by scientific research. A picture is worth more than a thousand words, so take a look!

Transcendental Meditation practice is arguably the most researched meditation technique. Its effects and benefits have been subjected to rigorous study for over 40 years now. This body of scientific research has been conducted by over 200 academic institutions (universities, institutes, academic associations etc) in 35 countries. It has resulted in more than 300 peer-reviewed, independently verified articles published in topmost academic journals like American Journal of Physiology, Scientific American, Lancet, Journal of Counseling Psychology, International Journal of Neuroscience, British Journal of Educational Psychology, Journal of Conflict Resolution, etc.

Watch a video: World renowned psychiatrist Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal describes the quantity and quality of scientific research done in the area of Transcendental Meditation. Credit: uk.tm.org

Read more here:

40 benefits of meditation: Some stunning scientific proof

Thousands of people have begun the journey of personal health. To achieve the maximum level of health one must eat well, exercise regularly, and improve their mental well-being.

People struggle most often to improve their mental well-being because it is the most ambiguous and hardest to see tangible results. Meditation is the best way to mentally reduce stress and develop an air of peace and tranquility.

Maharishi, an advocate of Transcendental Meditation defines the purpose, The goal of Transcendental Meditation is the state of enlightenment. This means we experience that inner calmness, that quiet state of least excitation, even when we are dynamically busy. In this Hindu tradition you sit in Lotus, internally chant a mantra, and focus on rising above the negativity.

However, to effectively learn how to practice this form of meditation, expert guidance is recommended. There is internet resources, classes, or even meditation retreats to better learn this form of meditation.

Heart rhythm meditation is downward meditation, because it focuses energy on developing the application of consciousness.This form of meditation concentrates primarily on the heart, with an emphasis on breathing, and the purpose is to experience the mystics mantra, I am a part of all things and all things are a part of me.

HRM is a triple threat form of meditation because individuals experience physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits. It helps the individual better handle stress and develop an appreciative and joyous spirit.

Unlike HRM, Kundalini is a form of upward mediation, which focuses on the rising stream of energy. This form of meditation has roots in both Buddhist and Hindu teachings, and in Sanskrit translates to coiled. Many believe this to be a metaphoric form of meditation, however those who are able to access the dormant energy can attest to its healing benefits. To access this energy the individual must concentrate on their breathing as it flows through the energy centers in the body. Once that energy is felt, the individual can experience an altered state of consciousness.

Guided visualization is a newer technique that can be used for spiritual healing, stress relief, or personal development. The inspiration comes from Buddha, The mind is everything. What you think you become. Among other factors that set this form of meditation apart, the emphasis on one specific goal is defining.

By imagining relaxing and positive experiences, the body will respond by releasing chemicals that generate feelings of positivity. This method can be done casually by imagining a certain situation in the brain. However, to achieve a more powerful experience, a guided visualization experience is key.

This is a meditation favorite because this method improves posture, respiration, and the ability to relax with greater ease. Qi Gong is one of the oldest forms of meditation and derives from ancient Chinese society. This art form of health and wellness uses breath to circulate energy through the body and energy centers. The focused combination on breathing techniques, movement, and meditation helps the individual to control their reactions to stress.

Zazen is the heart of Zen Buddhist practice and literally translates to seated meditation. This method is initially the easiest to engage in because it relies on self-guidance, however, the lack of guidance can make it difficult to progress in the future. Regardless, the mental benefits of Zazen are vast because you aim to forget all judgmental thoughts, ideas, and images.

After sitting in a comfortable position ensure that the back is completely straight and you are centered. Breathing is an essential element of Zazen and this position will allow the breath to deepen and enhance the experience.

The final favorite method of meditation is mindfulness, which also comes from the Buddhist tradition. The Buddhist term sati translates to mindfulness and breathes life into the practice. Conjuring mindfulness is essential in overcoming suffering and understanding natural wisdom. It is all about acknowledging reality by letting the mind wander, accepting any thoughts that come up, and understanding the present.

The practice is done by sitting with eyes close, crossed legs, the back straight, and attention placed on breathing in and out. For the period of meditation the individual focuses on his or her breathing, and when wandering thoughts emerge, one returns to focusing on the object of meditation, breathing. Research has found that a regimen of mindfulness can reduce anxiety, depression, and perceived distress.

Not every meditation method will be your favorite. Try these seven out and see which one helps you achieve that level of inner peace you are looking for. Once you have found your go to method, incorporate that into your daily schedule to best combat the enormous levels of stress synonymous with life.

This post was originally appeared at lifeadvancer.com and republished here with permission.

About the Author

Meghan Greene is a vital part of the SEO and Content Development team at Samahita Retreat. Meghan attends Elon University, double majoring in Marketing and International Business.

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7 Types of Meditation: Which One Is Best for You? | Visual ...

When you meditate, the silence of the senses illumines the presence ofGod within.

No matter who we are, what we do, what we may have or not have, each of us has an inherent power to meditate. Once this power is ignited through shaktipat, our meditation naturally deepens and draws us to the goal of Self-realization.

Meditation is the practice of turning our attention inward. Meditation beckons us to unravel the greatest mystery of lifethat in this human form, we are also divine. When we still the mind in meditation we are drawn, like bees to honey, to the presence of God within. Touching this truth, our restlessness ceases and we are flooded with a sense of our own perfection and divinity.

The Siddha Yoga meditation Intensives, in which we receive shaktipat, offer us a unique and heightened environment to launch or deepen our own meditation practice. Then, as we bathe in this state each day, even for a brief period, our understanding gradually shifts. We begin to see that the natural state of meditation is accessible even throughout our activities. We find God is closer than our own breath. We feel the divine presence infusing our everyday world.

I carry the feeling of meditation with me all day and night now. It is so blissful. I look forward to meditating twice a day. It is the most peaceful, ecstatic experience of my life.

Thank you, Gurumayi, for the gifts you reveal.

a Siddha Yogi from New York, USA

As I sit for meditation each day, my awareness is drawn inside, beneath the level of thoughts, and I enter a space of stillness, serenity, and immense love. The nourishment I receive from these precious experiences of meditation supports me throughout the day and brings warmth, clarity, and enthusiasm to my life.

a Siddha Yogi from Massachusetts, USA

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Meditation - Siddha Yoga Meditation

Meditation-which come in many variations-has long been acknowledged as a tool tomaster the mind and cope with stress. Science is increasingly validating those claims, especially for depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Over 600 research studies on one form of meditation, Transcendental Meditation, indicate the positive effects of this stress reducing technique.

Yoga and meditation are described separately, but it should be recognizedthat meditation is an integral part of yoga and difficult to separate out.

Meditation is especially beneficial for reducing stress. Studies show it can also reduce depression and anxiety, and help people manage chronic pain.

This brief summary highlights the material covered in our full analysis on meditation, available here.

Meditation can be difficult for people with anxiety or stress.

Breathing andrelaxation are good for almost everyone. Meditation can benefit people who have mental health conditions, as well as those who do not.

For detailed information on Meditation and other treatments,download the full review.

More here:

Meditation | Mental Health America

What is meditation?

Meditation is a focusing practice that suspends the normal stream of thoughts occupying the mind. Usually, the attention is focused on a specific thing, such as the breath or a phrase. Practicing meditation regularly is believed to calm the mind, increase alertness, and bring a person into a state of physical and psychological balance.

Some people choose to learn meditation at home using an instructional book or audio CD. Others choose to learn from a teacher.

In studies, meditation has been shown to help:

There are many approaches to meditation. Here are some of the more common ways people meditate:

While many people sit still to meditate, it's possible to use the above techniques while lying down, standing, or walking. Meditation can also be combined with other practices such as yoga or tai chi if sitting still is difficult for you.

Meditation usually begins with finding a position that's comfortable for you. Most people choose to close their eyes to reduce any visual distractions. Once you're in position, you'll focus your attention on the area of your choosing the breath, a mantra, or another area of focus. During your session, you will be working to bring your awareness back to your area of focus whenever you find your mind wandering.

Tips for beginning meditation:

Because there are so many traditions of meditation, and just as many opinions about training requirements, there is no formal certification or licensing process for meditation instructors.

Some spiritual traditions, such as Buddhism, do have requirements for extensive formal training for new teachers. Training requirements vary widely depending on the institution. If you are searching for a meditation instructor, tell your doctor. He or she may be able to recommend instructors affiliated with a cancer center.

For more information about finding a qualified complementary medicine practitioner, see our Finding a Complementary Medicine Practitioner section.

In studies, meditation has been shown to help reduce stress, mood disturbance, and fatigue in people with cancer.

In 2000, a study was conducted in Alberta, Canada, in which 90 people with varying forms and stages of cancer met as a group for weekly 90-minute meditation sessions. Participants also meditated at home in between the group sessions. After 7 weeks, symptoms of stress and mood disturbance had decreased. Six months after participants completed the study, their stress levels were still low.

How can meditation help improve moods? To find out, the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, asked a University of Wisconsin research team to monitor the brain function of 8 Buddhist monks as they meditated. Ten student volunteers were also selected to participate. While the Buddhist monks had undergone meditation training over time periods of 15-40 years, the student volunteers had only 1 week of experience with meditation before the study began.

During the study, both groups were asked to meditate for short periods. The meditation involved generating feelings of compassion towards all people who might be suffering in the world. As the participants meditated, researchers recordedtheir electrical brain impulses using electroencephalography (EEG).

For the student volunteers, EEG tests showed a slight change in brain wave activity. For the monks, however, the EEG tests revealed high activity in the part of the brain associated with happiness and positive thoughts. Researchers concluded that meditation doesn't just change the brain's function in the short term; regular practice of meditation may be able to produce long-term positive mood changes.

Meditation is generally thought to be a safe practice. However, in people with psychiatric problems, there have been a small number of reports in which intense meditation has worsened symptoms. If you have been treated for a psychiatric issue, talk to your mental health professional before starting a meditation practice.

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Meditation - breastcancer.org

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MORNING MOTIVATION - Start Your Day Positively! (2018 motivational video)