You often hear statements like millions of people practice it around the world. And that there are hundreds of scientific research studies on its benefits. But what is the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique, really?

Here is the essence of TM in a nutshell.

SUITABLE FOR MODERN LIFESTYLE: With your eyes closed, you can practice TM either at your home or on the road, sitting on your bed or in an airplane.

In brief and contrary to what the name itself might suggest the Transcendental Meditation technique is a very simple, natural and effortless way of letting your mind settle down into an extremely calm and wise state of rest. Best effects are produced with regular practice of two times twenty minutes a day.

Well come back to the calm and wise part in a second.

But first the issue of mantras.

Though TM is not a mantra-based meditation in the sense that its main core and direction is oriented towards transcending, it does involve use of mantras.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the great teacher from India who introduced the TM technique to the wider world, said: Mantra is a specific thought which suits us, a suitable sound for us which we receive from a trained teacher of Transcendental Meditation.

By using this mantra, the practitioner experiences the thought of that sound and starts minimizing that thought to experience the finer states of that thought until the source of thought is fathomed and the conscious mind reaches the transcendental area of being.

As you can see, though the technique itself is easy to enjoy and practice after youve learned it, it is a fairly finely-tuned stuff based on traditions thousands of years old.

This is the main reason why it makes sense to play it sound and learn it from a qualified TM teacher (heres the list of contact information for teaching centers by continent and country). Its the only way to make sure that you get your moneys worth.

The fee for learning TM varies across countries, but it usually reaches into hundreds of dollars per the 4-day course. For example, in the U.S. you can take the course for around 1,000 USD with several options of scholarships and paying schedules available.

Still seems expensive, at the first glance?

GUARANTEE OF QUALITY: The official logo of the TM Organization.

However, even if it is expensive in terms of its nominal cost (that is, in terms of how many ice-creams you could buy for this amount of money, or how many classes you could take at your Pilates studio), this probably isnt the calculation which matters the most.

At the end of the day, its the worth of your deal which counts: its about what you get for your money. Buying a brand new Ferrari for a couple of grands wouldnt be such a bad deal, right?

And in this context, TM could well be the most useful investment you can possibly make in your life. Heres why.

It has often occurred to me that if Transcendental Meditation could be put into a capsule and marketed like a pharmaceutical, it would be a billion dollar blockbuster. Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal, award-winning psychiatrist (Georgetown University)

As said earlier, doing TM regularly will make your mind-body system naturally calm and wise.

It will make it CALM as it has a well-proven effect of letting your nervous system settle into a state of deep rest. This will automatically turn the notch down on your level of stress.

And as you begin to feel more and more at ease in your skin, and stop fretting about all those innumerable projects and lifes little problems, everything else tends to click into place, too. Thats why TM is proven to have a positive impact on your blood pressure, immune system, eating habits, good nights sleep, etc.

A nice, healthy state of impassionate vegetation? Nope. While making you calm, TM practice will also make you WISE and EFFICIENT.

As the dust of our daily neurosis settles, our mind will naturally become more open, clear and insightful. With TM, artists will become more creative, students more able and discerning, businessmen will make smarter decisions and sportsmen reach their full potential. You can go through hundreds of such testimonials and stories.

Theres nothing mystical, religious or magical about this process, however; the wisdom of our mind simply starts to manifest itself when given a chance.

As weightlifting, tennis, and ballroom dancing strengthen specific muscles and produce different overall effects in the body, so do focusing on a candlelight, repeating mantras or trying to dispassionately observe ones mental content result in different outcomes.

MEDITATION AND BRAIN: Some of the best, most revealing research on the effects of meditation practice has involved different methods of neurophysiological brain imaging. Photo: University of Illinois.

According to research, the practice of Transcendental Meditation is unique in many a sense.

For one, TM seems to turn on the whole brain and make it function as a holistic unit. This is a common feature of those people who report peak-performances in business, art or sports.

Another peculiar feature of the TM technique is that there is no difference between brainwaves of experts and beginners one masters it quickly. In fact, the positive effects of practice are usually apparent already from the very first TM session.

If you are an auditive learner, then you may find this introductory video extremely useful.

It is recorded by Bob Roth, one of the most qualified TM teachers around and the 20-minute video covers all the most important topics like what happens during TM, how we know if it really works or not, whats its effect on the brain, etc.

Continued here:

Transcendental Meditation: A quick introduction

HappyNew Year To You & Yours From The Entire Project Meditation Team! May the year of 2017 bring you the very best life has to offer. With each New Year comes those all important resolutions but sadly most resolutions peter out after about a week, so here is a brilliant hack for greater success. Brian

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Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. William Arthur Ward I hope you are enjoying the festive spirit of the holidays! If you feel youre getting too stressed out about everything the family dramas, shopping, too much spending, too many obligations and

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Christmas magic doesnt have to be just for kids. There is no reason to abandon the joy or the mystery of Christmas just because we are adults.

Whatever your faith, and whatever your traditions expand this idea beyond Christmas its a beautiful way for us to reconnect and reaffirm what is truly meaningful

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Scientific evidence shows that the radiation from our electrical and wifi devices can be harmful to our health but that doesnt mean we have to ditch our iphones.

Heres how you can protect yourself and your loved ones from Electromagnetic field radiation (EMFs) and why you may want to

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When you are centered, its easier to see the world through a happier and more peaceful lens. You may experience greater patience and understanding, feelings of kindness and unconditional love toward all beings, unshakeable inner peace and joy that are independent of what is going on around you, and a sense of deeply knowing your true nature as a spiritual being: infinite, and eternal.

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Feeling joyful sounds wonderful something we all aspire to, every day and yet according to Dr Brene Brown, author of Daring Greatly, says that many of us are terrified at the prospect of feeling joyful.

How can this be? Joy feels good so why should we be afraid of it?

In Dr Browns interview with Oprah, she

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Is it OK to fall asleep when I meditate? I get this question a lot, and the answer is yes, and no.

In some respects, the fact that you fall asleep is good because you obviously need the rest. If you feel that you are dozing off and youve been lacking sleep, go for it. Sleep is important and if youre mindful of the times of day you meditate (at higher energy times) and youre still falling asleep, youre in sleep debt and its good to catch up. BUT dont call it meditation. Call it a nap.

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When it comes to the great pillars of health and wellbeing, getting a good nights sleep is up there with healthy eating and regular exercise. Some people who cant sleep are suffering from sleep disorders, and they require significant interventions for example, CPAP machines for sleep apnea.

For most of us though, it could just be a matter of taking better care of ourselves during the day and in the hour before we crawl into bed

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Insomnia strikes most adults at least once in their lives and for many, it is a chronic condition. While there can be many causes ranging from what you ate to late-night electronics use, most insomnia is caused by stress. Worry keeps you awake but if you can get control of your monkey mind (racing and often negative thoughts) you will be able to get the rest you need.

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Meditation retreats are a wonderful way to unplug from the hectic pace of modern life. Many people have traveled to exotic ashrams to experience a meditation retreat, but its not necessary to do that.

You have several options when you want to decompress, enhance your spiritual practice, connect with your inner self, reenergize and rejuvenate, or just experience deeper relaxation than you can normally get.

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By Tammy Preston, MS

Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder that affects more than 4% of adults. Although it is likely that the roots of this disorder are genetic, that certainly doesnt mean that you are powerless to control your symptoms.

There are many medications that are used to control the symptoms of adult ADHD. Still, medication is not a magic bullet that will solve all of your problems. There are important aspects of ADHD treatment that supplement the relief medication provide, including counseling, support groups and even meditation.

What Does Meditation Have to Do with Adult ADHD? Meditation is a way of training your attention that increases self awareness and can help those with adult ADHD regulate their symptoms. The process involves disciplining or training your mind so that you become more aware of your ADHD-related behaviors and thought patterns, both those that are positive (creativity and enthusiasm) and negative (distractibility, stress, hyperactivity). Through meditation the adult with ADHD can gain more control over a disorder that may often leave them feeling out of control.

Can Behavioral Techniques Such as Meditation Really Help Manage ADHD Symptoms? University at Buffalo researchers have found that combining behavioral therapy with medication was the most effective way to improve behavior of the ADHD children that they studied. By teaching their subjects techniques to modify their behavior, the investigators were actually able to reduce the amount of medication required to control ADHD symptoms. Although this study did not specifically focus on meditation techniques, it did clearly show that behavior modification can have a substantial effect on the symptoms of ADHD.

The UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center has specifically done meditation studies on adults and teenagers with ADHD. Their study subjects were trained in various forms of meditation once a week, for eight weeks.

The meditation exercises used essentially focused on: subjects becoming more aware of how they were paying attention catching themselves when they became distracted then returning their attention to the present moment

The subjects were then given cognitive tests at the end of the study. The testing revealed that, after being trained in meditation, the participants had improved in their ability to focus on tasks, even when attempts were made to distract them. As an added bonus, many also felt less anxious and depressed by the end of the study.

How Do I Learn to Meditate? There are many ways to meditate and scores of books, CDs, videos and classes out there that can teach you the techniques. Engaging in active meditation is the best way to begin. Active meditation involves paying attention to your senses your body, breathing, and even your voice. Focusing on activities and parts of your body trains you to stay in the moment and helps give you something concrete to refocus on should your mind begin to wander.

You can begin by sitting quietly, closing your eyes and paying attention to your breathing. If you have too much energy to start with something this low-key, you can also meditate while you walk. If you want to try meditating while on the move, just focus on your breathing as you walk or even count your stepsanything that requires your mind to attend to one single activity.

The first few times that you try to meditate, you will probably find your mind frequently wandering. Dont worry. Meditation takes practice. Start out with short sessions, trying to focus for just a few minutes. Then work on lengthening your meditations as you develop more control.

Leaning to control your attention is a skill that will help you to become better aware of when you become distracted and eventually teach you how to keep your wandering mind on a short leash so that you can stay focused.

Sources Medication Combined with Behavior Therapy Works Best for ADHD Children

UCLA Health And Wellness ADHD Study

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How Meditation Helps Adults with ADHD

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The Most Holy Name of Jesus (Optional Memorial)

He is the Son of God. (John 1:34)

Parents-to-be often spend hours and hours flipping through books or searching the Internet for that perfect name for their child. They are looking for a name that not only sounds pleasant but has significance: Claire, for example, means brilliant, and Drew means trustworthy.

Mary and Joseph didnt have to bother with all of that. An angel told them their sons name before he was even born (Luke 1:31; Matthew 1:21). He was to be called Jesus, which means God saves. As in most Jewish families, the name of this child was seen as a sign of what kind of a man he would grow into. And more powerfully than all others, Jesus fully embodied all that his name said he would be: he literally saved us from our sins!

So why do we still celebrate Jesus name today if he has already fulfilled his destiny? Because his is the name by which we are saved. According to St. Bernard of Clairvaux, The sweet name of Jesus produces in us holy thoughts, fills the soul with noble sentiments, strengthens virtue, begets good works, and nourishes pure affections. . . . This name is the cure for all diseases of the soul.

Of course, Bernard was not implying that the name of Jesus worked like a magic spell. Like John in todays Gospel, he knew that without the Holy Spirits revelation and power, Jesus name would be like any other name. The Catechism teaches us: To pray Jesus is to invoke him and to call him within us. His name is the only one that contains the presence it signifies. Jesus is the Risen One, and whoever invokes the name of Jesus is welcoming the Son of God who loved him and who gave himself up for him (CCC 2666).

So ask the Spirit to reveal Jesus to you today. Call on his name with faith and trust. Believe that the Spirit will reveal Jesus to you in a way that fills your heart with confidence and joy, no matter what situation you may face.

Lord Jesus, your name is my salvation! May your name, Jesus, be ever in my thoughts, on my lips, and in my heart.

1 John 2:293:6 Psalm 98:1, 3-6

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The WORD Among Us daily meditation - wau.org

FREE GROUP MEDITATION SESSIONS

February 7th - May 11th, 2017

12:30pm - 1:30pm

Room 0142

12:00pm - 1:00pm

Room 0142

12:00pm - 1:00pm

Room 2118 A

Want to meditate now?

Do you need an individual session?

Call Edie Anderson at (301) 314-9629 to schedule an appointment today!

Individual sessions are available Tuesday through Friday.

Faculty,Staff, & Visitor: $10 per 1 hour session.

There is NO CHARGE for UMD Students.

Meditation and Its Benefits

WHAT IS MEDITATION?

Meditation is a journey inward to the authentic self, the soul that is pure and whole. It is a technology that brings health and healing to mind, body and spirit. The inward journey taken through meditation, if practiced daily, will over time awaken creativity, healing and transformation. Meditation expands our internal reference point from constricted to expanded awareness allowing us to explore our essential nature and restore the memory of our pure wholeness and inner bliss. The silence we can experience in meditation helps to establish an inner quietness in our daily lives providing access to our creativity and enabling us to make more life-affirming choices. Listening to the dialogue of our thoughts quietly opens us up to an awareness of our infinite possibilities, for letting go of thoughts not needed and for allowing our transformation of intention. Meditation is an antidote to stress and a pathway to wholeness and wellness connecting in mind, body and spirit.

WHAT MEDITATION IS NOT

Meditation is not about forcing your mind and body to be quiet but to rather allow and discover our dialogue and the stillness and quietness that is already there when we choose to just let go in mind and body. Meditation is not a religious or cult based practice. Meditation like many things in life does not work for everyone. Keeping an open mind about experiencing meditation in your unique awareness will help with finding your internal peace and allow your body and mind to relax.

HOW DO I MEDITATE?

Sit comfortably with shoes removed and a pillow under your feet if possible or just sit comfortably in a safe place. Close your eyes and just follow your breath, feeling it come into your body and leaving your body with a non-judgemental and gentle awareness.

Allow yourself to let go in mind and body by hearing the vibrational sound of SOOOO as you breathe in and HUUUUMMM as you exhale. As thoughts come up just gently repeat the sound of SOOOOO and HUUUUMMM a little louder as you breathe allowing the thoughts to disappear into the background and eventually away into space. Thoughts and ideas of importance will be recaptured after time spent meditating.

For more information or to make anappointmentcall (301) 314-9629 or emaileanders3@umd.edu

The University Health Center Group Meditation Program is a free service to University of Maryland students, staff and faculty. It is not open to the general public.

Individual sessions are free for students; the faculty, staff and visitor fee is $10 per session.

Faculty and staff Group Meditation Sessions arefee-based and available upon request. Please call (301) 314-9629 for pricing and reservations.

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Meditation Spring 2017 | University Health Center

In the beginning, I found thatguided meditationswere appealing. They literallywalked methrough the meditation.I didnt have to do anything but just sit there and let it happen. This seemed simple enough for a guy like me who cancomplicate things.

After scouring countless meditations, Ive collected thebest guided meditations on YouTube. Each oneillustrates fun mindfulness exercises and approaches.Whether for sleep, anxiety, chakra-clearing, or binaural beats, these are worth listening to.

I like this guided meditation because it has sounds of ocean waves in the background. This is nice because it puts me into a calm state by itself. Also, there is a wonderful integration of breathing exercises that sooth and relax. You may find yourself feeling weightless at some point, which is quite nice.

This YouTube videois effective for beginners and experienced meditators alike.

Even though there arent any instructions with this guided meditation, the music and imagery work well. This is the best YouTubevideosI can think of to start with.Want deep, restful sleep? Read this article ondeep sleep meditation.

Manymeditations tell us to breathe deeply, but what does that mean?

I like the way this begins by simply demonstrating what deep breathing means. The meditation guides you to put one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. This shows the correct method of diaphragmatic breathing, which increasesthe amount of oxygen that goes into your lungs.

Beyond that, this meditation does a nice job of guiding you through imagery to stillness. You are then given about 10 minutes without a guiding voice to allow you to floatin silence. The Seat meditation is an effective way to connect with your breath and find a place of stillness inside.

This guided meditation is designed to alleviate anxiety. This is forthose of you who have emotional vampires in your life and want torelieve stress.I like its brevity (about 10 minutes) and general helpfulness for those new to meditation.

When just starting, many people prefer having a voice to guide them for the duration of a meditation. Soft speech combined with the flute and strings in the background of this video are soothing.

The voice directs you in following your breath and also involves some guided imagery with nature.

This may be better for those open to an Eastern conception of the body involving chakras. However, I also find it to be universal and digestible for anyone with an open mind.

If youre unfamiliar with chakras, this meditation explainsalong the way. Itdirects you to breathe in healing and positive energy and breathe out negativity. This has the effect of shifting your mindset to be more positive.

The progressive scanning up the body after feeling a connection with the Earth is pretty sweet. It also creates a physical relaxation similar to that felt in a body scan. If you seekto gain clarity with all areas of life, this guided meditation is powerful.

For those who use meditation to get in touch with intuitive guidance in life, this may be for you. It uses a unique sound/technology calledbinaural beats.Binaural beats are a series of tones and sounds that physically affect our brain wave states.

This meditation does require headphones (preferably ear-covering ones). The tones induce theta waves, which represent deep relaxation. It also can be considered the space between sleep and being awake.

This video combines the binaural tones with contemplative questions (written on the screen). This integrationhelps you listen to your own intuition on what to do in life. Big questions are asked, some without an answer: Who are you?

The binaural tones combined with the contemplation can lead to profound insights. Especiallyif youre at a crossroads with a job, relationships, or direction at work.

I recommend this for those who tend to be contemplative or just want to experiment with binaural meditation. Keep a journal handy to record any major insights that may come.

This list wouldnt be complete without a video produced by yours truly (Chris Willitts, founder of Mindful Muscle). Itisnt a guided meditation per se. It is more of an instructional video about how to start a meditation practice.

If youre just getting started this should get you going in the right direction.Want more tips on how to get started? Heres the article that goes with the YouTube video above:How to Meditate: 5-Minute Mastery.

Summary

Meditation can dissolve stress and help us find inner peace. Some say it is the most effective tool we have to harmonize our emotional self. Its really difficult to learn how to meditate without a teacher, a guided meditation presents an attractive method.

Sleep meditation isall the rage, be sure to check out our resource below

*UCLA has free guided meditations worth checking out.

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7 Best YouTube Guided Meditations - Mindful Muscle

Introduction

Scripture declares of Gods thoughts,

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts (Isa. 55:8-9).

We are also told to be of the same mind toward one another which means essentially that we must develop and maintain the mind of Christ or Gods thoughts. We are to stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel (Rom. 12:16; Phil. 2:5; 1:27). But if my thoughts are contrary to Gods, then I must exchange my thinking with Gods and for that process, He has given us His inspired, inerrant, and authoritative Word. So what is our need? We are to study the Scripture, but for that to be effective, we also need to develop the art of biblical meditation.

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 4:4 Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still.

If I were the devil (please, no comment), I would do my best to divide and fragment the thinking of the church of Jesus Christ. I would try to get Gods people confused as to who they are and why they are here. I would try to get them preoccupied with other things. I would try to get them to live independently, to think like the world thinks, to think like the natural man thinks in the futility of his mind (Eph. 4:17-18). In other words, I would like to keep people away from serious involvement with the Word of God. I would want to keep their relationship to Gods Word superficial and secondary. Someone has said that the Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry, and crowds. But he also has a number of cultural values or belief systems, actually illusions and snares, that he uses to confuse and manipulate the church so that it must, of necessity, fail in its calling and purpose whenever it operates under these illusions.

Each of these are opposed to and work against developing and maintaining the mind of Christ through studying and meditating on the Word. They are designed to keep us out of the Word which is so essential to our ability to avoid the delusions of Satan and the world system and to hear and respond to the call of God on our lives.

The first question we must consider concerns the meaning of meditation and what meditation involves. This is particularly important to the Christian because of the great and growing emphasis on meditation in eastern religions. Transcendental meditation, as it is often called, is not biblical meditation. It is dangerous and actually opens up ones mind for Satanic attack as it is found in New Age thinking. My purpose here is to deal only with the meaning and blessing of biblical meditation and to point out that eastern forms of meditation and biblical meditation are miles apart.

Meditation means the act of focusing ones thoughts: to ponder, think on, muse. Meditation consists of reflective thinking or contemplation, usually on a specific subject to discern its meaning or significance or a plan of action.

Some synonyms would be contemplation, reflection, rumination, deep thinking, or remembering in the sense of keeping or calling something to mind for the purpose of consideration, reflection, or meditation. Compare for instance the following verses of Scripture:

Psalm 63:6 When I remember Thee on my bed, I meditate on Thee in the night watches,

Psalm 77:11 I shall remember the deeds of the LORD; Surely I will remember Thy wonders of old.

Psalm 78:42 They did not remember His power, The day when He redeemed them from the adversary,

Psalm 143:5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Thy doings; I muse on the work of Thy hands.

In Eastern forms of meditation as in TM there is an attempt to empty the mind. Biblical meditation, however, is an attempt to empty the mind of the wrong things in order to fill it with what is right and true according to the index of Gods inspired Word.

All Eastern forms of meditation stress the need to become detached from the world. There is an emphasis upon losing personhood and individuality and merging with the Cosmic Mind Detachment is the final goal of Eastern religion. It is an escaping from the miserable wheel of existenceIt is merely a method of controlling the brain waves in order to improve your psychological and emotional well-being.1

Biblical meditation involves becoming detached from the controlling and hindering influences of the world and attached to the living God through Christ that we might, through faith and transformed values, experience the sufficiency of the Savior and reach out to a hurting world in need of the living Christ.

Biblical meditation is object oriented. It begins with reflective reading and rereading of the Word and is followed by reflection on what has been read and committed to memory. In Scripture, the word meditate is generally found with an object (God, His Word, or works, etc.) or in a context where the object of meditation is understood.

In Scripture it does not mean to sit and ponder infinity or to empty the mind so some force can fill it by repeating some chant or mantra. Such is dangerous and opens the mind to demonic attack. Meditation in the Bible means reflective thinking on biblical truth so that God is able to speak to us through Scripture and through the thoughts that come to mind as we are reflecting on the Word, but that must also be filtered by the Word.

The goal of Christian meditation is to internalize and personalize the Scripture so that its truth can affect how we think, our attitudes, and how we live, our actions.

(1) WorshipIt is designed to focus on the Lord and His works (Ps. 27:4; 77:12). It is a place and space in our lives for communion with God. It is a means of elevating the spiritual over the material world and the world of activity: the world of hustle and bustle and coming and going.

(2) InstructionIt is designed to improve our understanding of the Word and Gods ways as it applies to our lives (Ps. 49:3 [i.e., understanding comes from the meditations of his heart]; 119:27, 97f). In meditation we exchange our thoughts with God's.

(3) Motivation or EncouragementIt is designed to motivate and inspire us in service and courage for the works God has called us to do (Josh. 1:7-8)

(4) TransformationIt is designed to transform and change our lives. This would apply to all the above (Ps. 4:4; 19:14; 119:15; Rom. 12:2; Col. 3:1f).

In Joshua 1:8, God promised Joshua success as part of the fruit of his meditation on the Word, but this has nothing to do with the prosperity mentality of the positive thinking and eastern meditation that is so present today in New Age thinking where, through positive thinking, one is able to control his or her destiny. Rather this is the success of obedient and godly living which experiences Gods provision and deliverance from the enemies of this life. It is not a guarantee against trials and pain.

(1) At prescribes times set aside for Bible study and thinking on the Word (Gen. 24:63; Ps. 4:4; 27:4; 63:6; 77:6; 119:148). It means making space in a special place for God and spiritual values.

(2) At all times throughout the day and night, as we face the varied situations of life. It involves the constant application of the Word through remembrance and reflective thinking (Josh. 1:8).

(1) Because of what the Bible isRevelation from God. In the Bible God has spoken and through this book God reveals Himself, reveals who and what man is, and what His plan for man consists of. (Cf. Ps. 19:7f; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; Isa. 55:8f.)

The Bible was given to us by God to be read and meditated on. An unread Bible is like food that is refused, an unopened love letter, a buried sword, a road map not studied, a gold mine not worked.2

(2) Because of what man is and needsReconciliation to God and one another. The nature of man and the nature of the world and Satan constitutes a great need for personalizing the Word: cf. Eph. 4:16f; 5:15f; 2 Cor. 4:4; etc. Because man is a holistic being, his spiritual, psychological, and physical faculties are complexly intertwined. Dr. Paul Meier writes:

To prepare myself as a Christian psychiatrist, I undertook college studies, an M.S. degree in human physiology, an M.D. from medical school, psychiatric residency training in two different programs, and theological course ware from two evangelical seminaries. During those years I was equipped with many techniques and shortcuts for bringing human beings relief from anxieties, depression, phobias, fears, insecurities, and other kinds of emotional and physical pain. Among the many tools I learned to use, by far the one that has been most valuable in helping people attain spiritual well-being is Scripture meditation.3

Meditation affects mans whole being. Another reason is the fact man does not innately contain Gods thoughts and ways. Again Meier writes:

Man is a totally depraved being, possessing selfish and ultimately self-destructive thought patterns and behavior. Show me a natural man, untaught in Gods principles and Ill show you a natural man who suffers from emotional pain. Ill show you a man who experiences the guilt and discomfort of a God-vacuum. Ill show you a man who is unconsciously fighting and struggling for a sense of significance, using worldly ways (e.g., sexual fantasy, materialism, power struggles, and prestige) in a vain attempt to attain significance all of which will fail. The ways of the world bring temporary relief, like bandaids on open flesh wounds, but not ultimate relief from mans inner awareness of his insignificance apart from God.4

(3) Because of what the meditation doesReformation of the mind and life. Using the words meditate and remember which is sometimes used as a synonym for meditate (Ps. 63:6; 77:5-7; 119:55-56; 143:5-6), lets note from Scripture some of the reasons we should meditate on the Word.

May we join the Psalmist who, rather than use the methods of the world to deal with his pain, declared his commitment to meditation when he wrote:

Psalm 119:78 May the arrogant be ashamed, for they subvert me with a lie; But I shall meditate on Thy precepts.

How to Profit From Biblical Meditation

Biblical meditation is the art of reflection, of pondering and going over a matter in ones mind. It is important that we recognize we cannot divorce meditation from all the processes by which we learn and apply the Word. It is intricately tied to Bible study in all its forms.

Concerning one of the chief Hebrew words used for meditation, hagah, Herbert Wolf says, Perhaps the Scripture was read half out loud in the process of meditation.5

Biblical meditation involves the whole process of reading and observing a portion of Scripture in order to seek both its meaning and application. Though we generally think in terms of the final aspect in which one reflects on his observations and understanding of a particular text or concept of the Word, reading the text of Scripture reflectively is a part of the process of biblical meditation.

The point is this. We cant effectively reflect on and respond to a portion of the Word or a biblical truth without the whole process of careful Bible study. Just as meditating in a vacuum or to empty the mind as it is done in eastern religions is dangerous and may open the mind to demonic attack, so meditating on error drawn from a misunderstanding of a passage can lead to unhappy results.

There are three things that must go together in biblical meditation: READING, REFLECTING, and RESPONDING. The ultimate purpose of these three are the three great purposes of Bible study:

Careful reading for observation comes first. The word read or reading occurs 80 times in Scripture, 34 times in the New Testament. This involves the following:

(1) Read Reverently, ever mindful that you are reading the Word of God. The Bible is God breathed and each word and sentence has a purpose and function. This means reading deliberately, slowly, and alertly, not mechanically or legalistically.

(2) Read Repeatedly, going over and over the passage to observe more and more knowing that you do not exhaust the meaning of any verse even when it becomes familiar and you think you know it. There are always new observations to be seen or mined as a miner searches for silver or gold (Prov. 2:4).

(3) Read Creatively, visualizing yourself in the time, history, and situation of the passage as much as possible to experience a feel for what the author and the people of his day were experiencing. Precisely because God chose to speak in the context of real human history, we may take courage that these same words will speak again and again in our own real history, as they have throughout the history of the church.6

(4) Read With Study Tools In Hand, with paper and pen and Bible study helps at your finger tips to help you observe and answer your questions. Howard Hendricks use to tell us in class something like, A pencil, gentlemen, is the crow bar of the mind and understanding. You wouldnt go mining for silver or gold without tools would you? Of course not. So we need to use tools like a CONCORDANCE, COMMENTARIES, BIBLE DICTIONARY, ATLAS, and WORD STUDY HELPS like Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Revel, or New Testament Words, by William Barclay, SCM Press, or A Treasury of New Testament Synonyms, by Stewart Custer, Bob Jones University Press.

(5) Read to Understand, purposely, to make observations of the text that will help you understand its meaning. This means asking questions like our six important friends in Bible study, who, what, when, where, why, and how.

Of course, such reading requires constant reflection and pondering over the text you are reading. This brings us to our next point in the process of meditation, reflection.

Irving Jensen writes, Reflection is the mind and heart at work, thinking over and concentrating on what the eyes have seen Reflection in Bible reading should have the intensity of meditation, whereby the soul has the desire and intention of obeying Gods Word.7

So, how can we read the Bible like this? Jensen suggest the following which I have summarized as follows:

(1) Reflect Purposely, to fulfill the biblical objectives of meditationworship, instruction, motivation, transformation. As the Psalmist who prayed: I will meditate on Thy precepts, and regard Thy ways (Psa. 119:15), and again, Make me to understand the way of Thy precepts, So I will meditate on Thy wonders (vs. 27).

(2) Reflect Imaginatively, visualize the setting and put yourself there. Try to feel the burden, the concern, the fear, the love, etc. Seek to taste and feel every word you read.

(3) Reflect Humbly, realizing that you are not reading just a book, but that which is the very Word from God, God-breathed and authoritative, alive and powerful. It should truly humble us to know that in the Bible, the Holy One who is also the Almighty One, has spoken to us in the Bible.

(4) Reflect Prayerfully, trusting the Spirit of God to open up your eyes and heart to see, understand, and respond to the Word. Again, read as the Psalmist who prayed: Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things from Thy law (Ps. 119:18). This is also the position of humility and respect. Gods Word is a spiritual book requiring spiritual perception.

(5) Reflect Patiently but expectantly, waiting on the Lord to teach you and show you. Time and patience are important elements to effective meditation and examination of the Word. Again remember that the great enemies of meditating on the Word are noise, hurry, and crowds. Thus, the Psalmist, looking for insight to Gods Word and direction in his life prayed, Lead me in Thy truth and teach me, For Thou art the God of my salvation; For Thee I wait all the day (Ps. 25:5).

Concluding his section on reflection, Jensen writes:

The purpose of reading and reflecting on Scripture is response, responding and applying the passage to our own lives. So we naturally turn to the third aspect of meditation and the ultimate purpose of the Word. The call to reflection in Bible reading is expressed in Samuels plain words to Saul, Stand here thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God (1 Samuel 9:27, KJV).8

Responding is the process whereby we make personal application of our observations and understanding of the text. Through meditation we internalize that we may personalize.

(1) The focal point of application: You are the focal point in application. This is not selfish or self-centered. 2 Tim. 3:16 makes this clear. You are meditating on the Word as part of your search for spiritual help, direction, and food. The Bible is addressed to each of us personally.

(2) The key spheres of application: (see diagram).

(3) Important questions for application:

(4) Three vital responses for application:

First, the response of confession: The Word of God is like a sword (it penetrates), like a mirror (it reveals), and like a critic of the heart (it judges and reproves or exposes our attitudes and actions). Whenever we read the Word, it should be with an open heart that is ready to acknowledge sin and confess it. So David prayed, Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my ways, and see if there be any wicked way within me (Ps. 139:23-24a; cf. 1 John 1:7-9; walking in the light).

Proverbs 28:13 He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.

Second, the response of faith: One of our reasons for meditating on the Word is to develop and build our faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, (Romans 10:17 brick by brick). We must mix faith with what we read and hear. In other words, we must act by faith in what God has shown us from His Word or our hearts can become hardened (cf. Mk. 6 and Heb. 3:7f).

Hebrews 4:2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

Third, the response of obedience: When we obey the Word we are demonstrating the reality of our love for the Lord and how much we really believe what we have seen and learned. It demonstrates our faith and just how serious we are in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

1 Sam. 15:22-23 And Samuel said, Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king.

In his excellent book, Pathways to Power, a book written in the early 1950s, Dr. Unger wrote:

Meditation upon Gods Word is fast becoming a lost art among many Christian people. This holy exercise of pondering over the Word, chewing it as an animal chews its cud to get its sweetness and nutritive virtue into the heart and life, takes time, which ill fits into the speed of our modern age. Today most Christians devotions are too hurried, their lives too rushed.9

If that was true in the early fifties, how much more is it not true todayforty years later in an age that has become even more activity oriented, materialistic, and consumer minded. Unger goes on to say:

But holiness and hurry never did suit well together. Prayer and preoccupation have always been strange bed-fellows. A head knowledge of the Word may perhaps be consonant with the scurry of the age, but not a deep heart experience of its preciousness. A deep knowledge of spiritual things can only come by the way of unhurried reflection upon Gods truth and by prayer.10

Speaking of Satan and his activity, someone has said our adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry, and crowds. What we need is a time for quiet, stillness, and solitude for the purpose of meditating on the Word.

Listen to these words from the Psalms:

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 104:34 Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; As for me, I shall be glad in the Lord.

From these verses it is clear that our meditation can be unacceptable and displeasing to the Lord. What does this mean? What are the implications of this? In what ways can my meditation be unacceptable and displeasing to the Lord? There are obstacles, dangers or hazards, and hindrances to meditation.

Writing to the Corinthian church the apostle wrote,

2 Corinthians 10:5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

(1) Speculations is the Greek logismos, calculation, reasoning, reflection, thought and in this context it refers to wrong thinking or reasoning and is connected to those thinking processes and attitudes that usurp Gods viewpoint and stand against the knowledge of God and what that should do to and in our lives.

(2) We see that Paul and his co-workers were committed to destroying and dealing with any such thinking in their lives because it was so destructive to their ability to wage war against the enemy and carry out Gods purpose as soldiers of the cross. The suggestion is that this is a daily battle, an ongoing process without which we are unable to obey and serve the Lord. He uses a military term, taking captive (aichmalotizo) plus the present tense which point to this as a continual struggle and warfare.

(3) The battle concerns our minds in both the content of our minds and in the way we think with our minds, the human devices of our minds which are so often influenced by Satan. Thoughts is the plural of noema, mind, thought, purpose, device, design. It is used of the schemes or devices of Satan in 2 Corinthians 2:11 and of the effects of his work on the minds of men (blinding, in 4:4).

(4) Finally, we see that this affects our obedience to Christ. If we do not bring our thoughts captive, control them and order them according to the Word, the mind of Christ, we cannot live in obedience. The goal and result of every thought captive is obedience to the Lord.

So, meditating on the Word, internalizing and personalizing the Scripture, is a crucial part of the Christian life. It becomes part of the means by which we can bring every thought captive to Christ.

The importance of this is further seen in the Psalms, particularly, Psalm 119. Six times the Psalmist prays for understanding and three other times he speaks of the understanding which comes from the Word:

Psalm 119:27 Make me understand the way of Thy precepts, So I will meditate on Thy wonders.

Psalm 119:34 Give me understanding, that I may observe Thy law, And keep it with all my heart.

Psalm 119:73 Thy hands made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments.

Psalm 119:125 I am Thy servant; give me understanding, That I may know Thy testimonies.

Psalm 119:144 Thy testimonies are righteous forever; Give me understanding that I may live.

Psalm 119:169 Let my cry come before Thee, O LORD; Give me understanding according to Thy word.

Why does the Psalmist pray like this?

Thus, eight times in this Psalm, we read of him meditating on the Word that he might better understand the Scripture and apply it to his life (vss. 15, 23, 27, 48, 78, 97, 99, 148).

But listen to these words from the Psalms:

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 104:34 Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD.

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Biblical Meditation | Bible.org

Meditation ... Its Benefits Meditation : an enrichment to your soul

While a meditative state is the natural outcome of yoga and the spiritual benefit of meditation is supreme bliss or enlightenment, these words are unlikely to be understood by many.

Though meditation is usually recognized as a largely spiritual practice, it also has many health benefits. The yoga and meditation techniques are being implemented in management of life threatening diseases; in transformation of molecular and genetic structure; in reversal of mental illnesses, in accelerated learning programs, in perceptions and communications beyond the physical, in solving problems and atomic and nuclear physics; in gaining better ecological understanding; in management of lifestyle and future world problems. Some benefits of meditation are:

Benefits of meditation on Women's health and Pregnancy:

Women begin life as someone's daughter, and then someone's lover, wife, someone's mother. Yes, but who am I- who am I really? Not only does a woman need an understanding of her body but also needs to connect with the essence of her true self. A true self, which is an identity beyond everyday change- beyond gender, beyond fluctuations of hormones, beyond family expectations and other superimposed personality patterns. Discovering this true self is not as easy. Just when you know who you are , it all changes again.

The process of self discovery involves, stripping off false layers of identity, going back through all the conditionings , realizing- "I am not that, and not that, and not that", an emptiness out of which arises the realization - "Ah ha! I am that".

Meditation can help to resolve the deepest of neuroses, fears and conflict which play their part in causing stress and ill health.

Meditation puts mothers in tune with their babies. Manta Japa is especially appropriate for pregnant women.[ See box Mantra Japa for pregnant women ] After birth, daily meditation becomes a precious time to refocus and make sense of the many new thoughts and feelings which can be running through your mind, brought about by the events of childbirth and new motherhood.

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Meditation - Benefits of Meditation - Health And Yoga

The rest in meditation is deeper than the deepest sleep that you can ever have. When the mind becomes free from agitation, is calm and serene and at peace, meditation happens.

The benefits of meditation are manifold. It is an essential practice for mental hygiene. A calm mind, good concentration, clarity of perception, improvement in communication, blossoming of skills and talents, an unshakeable inner strength, healing, the ability to connect to an inner source of energy, relaxation, rejuvenation, and good luck are all natural results of meditating regularly.

In today's world where stress catches on faster than the eye can see or the mind can perceive, meditation is no more a luxury. It is a necessity. To be unconditionally happy and to have peace of mind, we need to tap into the power of meditation.

Sahaj Samadhi Meditation is a mantra-based meditation where a sound vibration (mantra), when used in a specific way, gives you deep relaxation and also keeps you alert. It effortlessly allows the conscious mind to settle down. And when the mind settles down, it lets go of all tension and stress and centers itself in the present moment.

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Meditation | The Art of Living

Set amidst lush green fields Rishi Chaitanya Ashram is the hermitage of Sadgurudev Anandmurti Gurumaa. This aesthetically designed sanctum is a perfect place to unwind and take a break from the insane frenzy of the material world. It is a temple of learning where seekers from all around the world gather to learn and evolve under the guidance of Sadgurudev.

Beautifully landscaped gardens, well-tended verdant luxuriant lawns and pretty ponds mark the picturesque beauty of the Ashram. So does the spectacular array of blooming flowers. Life-like sculptures of sages and deities are dotted around the campus adding to the spiritual ambience. Another highlight is a temple housing a strikingly captivating idol of Shiva and just sitting near the sanctum sanctorum imparts such a profound sense of peace and quietude.

And above all, the invigorating presence of the Sadgurudev entails that the entire area reverberates with her vibrant, transcendental energy, pervading and suffusing the very air one breathes in. It is the presence & guidance of the master that inspires to seek, explore and passionately pursue the path with wisdom & practice. And to catalyse the growth & wellbeing of the seeker numerous retreats and body rejuvenation programs are offered in the Ashram.

Every glade of grass in the Ashram emanates vibrancy, grace and grandeur, attuning the seeker with the pervasive divinity. All the natural delights notwithstanding, the Ashram is nevertheless, well equipped with all modern amenities and thus offers clean, well-furnished accommodation in single/double rooms & dormitories, nutritious and hygienically cooked food using organically grown local produce and a well-stocked cafeteria.

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Rishi Chaitanya Ashram in India : Meditation Retreats ...