A) Mahalaya Tarpan - Monday, October 12th from 7a.m.

B) Matri Bandana, Bhakti-Geeti and Chandi-Path: Saturday, October 10th at 4a.m. Followed by Morning Ma Durga Bhog-Prasadam.

B) Bodhan, Amantran, Adhibas and Maha-Sasthi Maha-Puja- Sunday, October 18th at 6.30pm. Followed by Arati, Puspanjali, Charanamrita dan, Cultural Program and Mahabhog.

C) Maha-Saptami Maha-Puja: Monday, October 19th. Puja: 8.30 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. Followed by Arati, Puspanjali, Private Puja, Charanamrita dan and Mahabhog.

Evening Puja - 6.30p.m. Followed by Sandhya Arati, Puspanjali, Private Puja, Charanamrita dan, Cultural Programs and Mahabhog.

D) Maha-Astami Maha-Puja: Tuesday, October 20th. Puja 8.30a.m.- 12.30p.m. Followed by Arati, Puspanjali, Private Puja, Charanamrita dan and Maha-bhog.

Evening Puja- 6.30 p.m. Followed by Arati, Puspanjali, Private Puja, Charanamrita dan, Cultural Programs and Mahabhog.

Sandhi-puja: Tuesday, October 20th at 10.41pm - 11.05p.m. Followed by Devi Chamunda Arati, Puspanjali and Charanamrita dan.

E) Maha-Navami MahaPuja: Wednesday, October, 21st Puja 8.30 a.m.- 12.30p.m. Followed by Arati, Puspanjali, Charanamrita dan, Private Puja and Maha-bhog.

Evening Puja and Vaidik Biswa-Shanti Yajna at 6.30pm. Followed by Arati, Puspanjali, Private Puja, Charanamrita dan, Cultural Program and Maha-bhog.

F) Dashami Vihit Puja & Visarjan: October 22end, Thursday. Puja 10.00 a.m. Followed by Arati, Puspanjali, Private Puja and Charanamrita dan. Visarjan: 12.30 P.m. Followed by Matri Pranam, Puspanjali, Ashirvad Grahan, Shanti Jal and Maha-bhog.

Sindur Khela: 1.00p.m.

Vijaya Misti Pradan: 6.30p.m.

We will highly appreciate if you sponsor one day puja or Maha-bhog.To sponsor one day Puja, Bhog etc. Please call Swamiji at the Ashram at 732 422 8880.

It is mentioned above that everyday after morning and evening Puja there will be Puspanjali Pradan and Maha-bhog.

Cultural Program everyday from 9p.m- 10p,m.

The rest is here:
Welcome to Bharat Sevashram Sangha, NJ

Nietzsches idea of an overman and life from his point of view

Nietzsche's idea of "the overman" (Ubermensch) is one of the most significant concept in his thinking. Even though it is mentioned very briefly only in the prologue of Thus Spoke Zarathustra, it might be sensible to conceive that Nietzsche had something in his mind about how a man should be more than just human-all-too-human, regardless if he was one or not. All these ideas had been pondered on and developed though all his works. The concept then seems to reveal much about the way Nietzsche saw life. This essay will attempt on seeing through, as much as possible, the idea of overman by Nietzsche and life from the point of view of an overman.

An overman as described by Zarathustra, the main character in Thus Spoke Zarathustra, is the one who is willing to risk all for the sake of enhancement of humanity. In contrary to the last man whose sole desire is his own comfort and is incapable of creating anything beyond oneself in any form. This should suggest that an overman is someone who can establish his own values as the world in which others live their lives, often unaware that they are not pregiven. This means an overman can affect and influence the lives of others. In other words, an overman has his own values, independent of others, which affects and dominates others lives that may not have predetermined values but only herd instinct. An overman is then someone who has a life which is not merely to live each day with no meanings when nothing in the past and future is more important than the present, or more precisely, the pleasure and happiness in the present, but with the purpose for humanity.

In Nietzsches view, an overman should be able to affect history indefinitely. He will keep reentering the world through other peoples minds and affect their thoughts and values. Napolean who is highly admired by Nietzsche may be seen as an example here since he changed and created orders in Europe. What he did effects greatly in how Europe is today. This idea agrees with another of his most significant idea, the idea of the will-to-power. He asserts that life is the will-to-power. Although it is hard to say exactly what he meant by that term, it can be described as something, which underlies how human thinks, behaves and acts in all circumstances. He views that a human being is always in a constant struggle to quench his own desire. This is shown in the context of power used to exclude desires of others that is in conflict to his, power that is used to achieve what they desire. A living thing always seeks to discharge its strength, not only to survive but to power and this sometimes results in violent behaviour which is, allegedly by Nietzshce, intrinsic to the nature of men. However, the way to will can be different, constructive or destructive. My interpretation would then be that an overman uses the will-to-power to influence and dominate the thoughts of others creatively from generation to generation. In this way, his existence and power live on even after he dies.

Nietzsche also has the answer to life that seems suffering. His answer, which is expressed in the same book of Zarathustra, is an attitude towards life that helps one overcome the feeling of its meaninglessness. It starts with the idea that life is an eternal recurrence with no beginning and no end but a repetition of the very same life over and over again. With all sufferings, unhappiness and misdeeds in life, one may feel cursed and despaired if he inevitably were to repeat the same life with the same pain and joy. However, the most important point may not be whether life is really an eternal recurrence. Rather, although not explicitly stated, the important point is that an overman should view it differently such that in the very same life, there has been a moment that it redeems everything else. It then makes him content with and happy to repeat that very same life again and again. He has got the feeling of unity of creation and destruction, good and bad taste of life and is able to say that life is good even it may seem terrible and questionable. He views all the past actions, silly or wise, accidental or achieving, as necessity of becoming himself. Therefore he can redeem himself and thus be willing to repeat the same life again. Some may even say that it was and thus I willed it even though he knows well that one cannot will backward and there are many other limitations in life. It implies that living a life of an overman is to live with the knowledge of what has already happened and constant reinterpretation according to it. Clearly, an overman is then someone who can, with appreciation, face life that may seem so suffering and absurd, knowing that the basic conditions of life will not change even when he is in the ideal state of an overman.

In a sense, overman is about self-overcoming. It involves an attitude towards life when one may feel despaired and feel life is meaningless. It is about the way to deal with truth not in direct manner with straightforward rules as in rationalism, but more like a sensitive mix of trickier indirect approaches. As he compared this with winning a womans heart, those who approach clumsily and directly will bound to failure and hence left dispirited. When compared to Kantian view of truth, it can be seen that going straight into finding an absolute naked truth may leave one unsastisfied with questions that remain unanswered. Instead, Nietzsche suggested the way to tackle this by going along with it and take it as it is. One will then feel content and happy with the life that may be so questionable.

Another characteristic used to describe an overman originated in his earlier work, The Birth of Tragedy. In this book, the notion of Apollonion and Dionysian principles is used with respect to his analysis of the Greek tragedy. They are used to describe two principles men use in thinking which consequently determine actions. Apollonion principle is the principle of light, rationality, order and clear boundaries whereas Dionysian is the principle of the dark, irratioanality, the collapse of order and boundaries. The Apollonion views an individual as separate from other reality and hence can be viewed dispassionately with rationality. On the other hand, the Dionysian views things as a living whole where one is a part of a larger reality. The Apollonion therefore involves no passion or emotion but pure reasons with order whereas the Dionysian is passionate, dynamic and unpredictable. Nietzsche believes that a balance of the two principles is essential in order to have some meanings in life. He seems to be very fond of art and viewed that artistic works, paintings, plays, literature or music exhibit a great deal of Dionysian principle in the form of creativity. In his later work, the importance of the Dionysian principle in living a life with values and meanings is expressed clearly. He views that the highest state attainable by a man can be achieved when life is conceived in terms of the realisation of the Dionysian ideal of the overman. That means one must realise and accept his own Dionysian nature and use it appropriately.

From my point of view, Nietzsche must have treated art as something higher than ordinary, mass-conventional logic and rationality such as that in science for he admired creativity and beauty in art above all things. A person who will be viewed by Nietzsche as an overman is then more likely to be an artist who uses his Dionysian principle and way of thinking and feeling to create works that carry particular individuals picture or interpretation of the world. His values may or may not be the same as any other but a good artist should be able to combine creativity with his perception of the world and life and express it well in his work. On comparison to Aristotle who views that the most desirable state of a person is a philosopher who contemplates, Nietzsche viewed traditional philosophers during his time as people who did not really affect the real world outside and usually their traditional philosophical works were merely self confession. It can then be seen that his value is highly placed upon the concept of Dionysus and therefore he praised the Greek civilisation where a lot of creativity took place even more than in present society. Nietzsche accepted that Socrates did affect the history greatly, which is the characteristic that Nietzsche valued. However, he blamed Socrates for the western society and culture that emphasised the Apollonion principle too much. Socrates was thought to have gone too far in defending rationality. He even viewed that we could use reasoning in everything so that the natures flaws can be corrected. It is then what the western dreams of and pursues up until now through science and technology. This is the view that does not accept human limitation, that men are powerless and have no control but always places men on the top of everything. In contrast, Nietzsche views that an overman must be able to accept these limitations and can face it in the eternal recurrence. Nietzsche must have felt that the western culture had put less and less significance on artistic creativity and passion that mental and spiritual power which create beauty in life have fewer and fewer places in the modern society.

Emotion is one of the attributes of Dionysus and is also one of the entities which Nietzsche defended. He views that emotion is natural. Its repression or suppression is psychologically disastrous. This also includes sexuality. He attacked Christianity for its traditional value that places bars on emotion and impulse and this is viewed by Nietzsche as self-denying. He disagrees on inhibiting and thwarting human own nature. Rather, an overman must accept his own nature and divert the energy of primitive impulses into a culturally, higher or socially more acceptable, activity. This is exactly what should happen to a good artist on creating his work of art. To him, the Dionysian is not completely dark and evil as opposite to the Apollonion which is associated with light and reason. The Dionysian is rather viewed as natural, both good and bad just like any ordinary human being. It is in every human nature. With a right balance with the Apollonion and with the right use, a burst of creativity is the result. However, it is usually the case that when the Apollonion principle mixes the Dionysian, it tends to suppress the Dionysian. As a result, the Dionysian principle is expressed in a destructive way. Basically, an overman must be able to control this and divert the Dionysian power into something creative. To Nietzsche, Dionysian is profoundly irrational rather than negatively or stubbornly irrational.

In the present age where science and rationality are highly valued, I realise that it is hard to accept the negative side of being rational since it seems to be the most reliable tool in treating others, living together and judging. Without it, society can be chaotic and too much disordered for no control is imposed on the irrational ones who do not use the Dionysian principle in a productive way. However, I agree with Nietzsche in the beauty of the product created out of Dionysian principle and feel that the right mix of Apollonion and Dionysian will make the world much nobler, not in the luxurious sense but aesthetic one. The world with no passion and emotion will be an unnatural one and this special property, among others, of human that differs from other animals will be lost.

Nietzsche might or might not consider himself an overman but he surely determined to be a means or bridge who brings closer to reality an emergence of an overman. In his view, men are not born equal. He always stresses on the difference of men and hence in contrast to Marx who includes everyone into his ideal society. For Nietzsche, there are only some capable and talented who qualifies to be an overman from his point of view. Therefore, he is usually perceived superficially as an elitist which might have brought down the value of his thinking. To me, it is a fact that is hard to swallow for all of us and quite sceptical on the ability of men. However, it is the case, at least throughout the history of mankind up to the present, for men are educated differently and experience different things. Nevertheless, Nietzsches thinking provides some space for this. He says that his ideal is not necessarily everyones universal ideal. Each of us values things differently and therefore his overman may not be the same as others overman. He consequently urges for revaluation of traditional values such as, the supression of emotion, the wholeheartedly devoted rationalism. An overman, in his view, should not be restricted by tradition nor bounded by convention but has independent values of his own.

From all that is shown above, we may say that Nietzsches overman must be able to affect history indefinitely, conceives life in terms of Dionysian realisation and is able to divert Dionysian principle into something creative. With this kind of attitude and the realisation of his own limitation in life, he would then be able to face life, look back with satisfaction, realising that all pasts make him what he is today, and hence feel happy if he were to repeat that very same life eternally. An overman should then be content with his own life and appreciate every bit of it even though some of them are painful and suffering. He spends each day of his life creating beauty, which affects the minds of others through out the time, knowing that his life has values and meanings since his existence of will-to-power will live on indefinitely.

References

1) The Cambridge Companion to Nietzsche, ed. B.Magnus and K.M.Higgins, Cambridge University Press, 1990.

2) Nietzsche, Life As Literature, Alexander Nehamas, Havard University Press,1994.

3) Nietzsche for Beginners, M.Sautet, Writers and readers, 1990.

4) Nietzsche:A Critical Reader.

5) Philosophy II lecture handouts.

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The first real spiritual self-help book I ever read was The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. You may have heard of it (thanks to Oprah), read it yourself or seen the movie.

As inspiring as I thought it was, it was far too mystical for my liking, and I couldnt buy into the whole law of attraction thing until I gained a much more practical understanding of it. But thats the thing about spiritual topics sometimes. For the science geeks, the rational thinkers, the non-religious, the skeptics and the existentially confused, like me, some of the books out there on spirituality just dont resonate with us in the typical way.

Fortunately for humans living in 2015 and beyond, the trend is shifting further toward bridging the gap between what we consider to be science and what we consider to be spiritual. All it takes is a little bit of digging around Amazon or your public library to see that nowadays, a goldmine of scientific spiritual books are available.

Here are just five you should consider checking out!

Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion, by Sam Harris

The title of this book really says it all, and you get the idea of who its really geared toward.

If you dont subscribe to any particular religious belief system, yet suspect there are fundamentaltruths that can be learned from thereligious prophets behind the biggest religions in the world, then this book is a must-read.

It also serves as a great beginners guide to meditation without any of the mystical stuff, instead presenting it from a very rational, scientific standpoint.

10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works A True Story, by Dan Harris

Ever notice how that little voice in your head just constantly yammers on and on, and never shuts up?

10% Happier is based on Harris personal journey towardtaming his monkey mind through meditation after years and years of being a spiritual skeptic. An anxiety attack on live TV waswhat sparked his motivation to start taking it seriously.

Harris takes what he learned fromthe biggest gurus in spirituality andputs it to the test using science. Hetakes thewoo woo out of spirituality and instead offers a fresh, practical perspectivethats both easy and enjoyable to understand.

Infinite Mind: Science of the Human Vibration of Consciousness, by Valerie V. Hunt

For people who want to really dive deep into how the human mind works, and arent afraid of reading into scientific terminology on a slightly more of an advanced level, then Infinite Mind is worth the read.

Throughout the book, Dr. Valerie Hunt takes a scientific approach to explaining mystical teachings, with experimental research results to back it all up.

Anyone who has ever wondered about the workings of the human mind, or how we experience consciousness, would find this book absolutely fascinating.

Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment, by Martin E. P. Seligman

Seligmans Authentic Happiness is a bestseller that helped introduce the new realm of positive psychology to the world. It seeks to focus on peoples strengths rather than their weaknesses for creating lifelong happiness.

While many of us tend to believe that certain people are just naturally happier than otherswhether out of luck or favorable genes and personality traitsSeligman challenges this idea. So if youve ever wondered why the things you thought would make you happy in life arent living up to your expectations, then this book could help you find clarity in what it takes to develop real lasting happiness.

The book even includes surveys and exercises you can do to apply the teachings to your own life.

The Field: The Quest for the Secret Force of the Universe, by Lynne McTaggart

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This truly is a book for the very open-minded (but then again, all five of these books on this list are). Reviewers have called The Fieldan excellent primer on the law of attraction, as well as agreatresource for real insight intothe true nature of life.

Youll be in for an exciting and very eye-opening ride with this bookthatsfor sure!

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There are many things in life that are beyond our control. However, it is possible to take responsibility for our own states of mind and to change them for the better. According to Buddhism this is the most important thing we can do, and Buddhism teaches that it is the only real antidote to our own personal sorrows, and to the anxieties, fears, hatreds, and general confusions that beset the humancondition.

Meditation is a means of transforming the mind. Buddhist meditation practices are techniques that encourage and develop concentration, clarity, emotional positivity, and a calm seeing of the true nature of things. By engaging with a particular meditation practice you learn the patterns and habits of your mind, and the practice offers a means to cultivate new, more positive ways of being. With regular work and patience these nourishing, focused states of mind can deepen into profoundly peaceful and energised states of mind. Such experiences can have a transformative effect and can lead to a new understanding oflife.

Over the millennia countless meditation practices have been developed in the Buddhist tradition. All of them maybe

described as mind-trainings, but they take many different approaches. The foundation of all of them, however, is thecultivation of a calm and positive state ofmind.

Each year thousands of people learn meditation with the Triratna Buddhist Community. We teach two basic meditations that were originally taught by the historical Buddha. These help develop the qualities of calmness and emotional postivity: the Mindfulness of Breathing and Loving-Kindness (Metta Bhavana) meditations.

The techniques of meditation are very simple. However, reading about them is no substitute for learning from an experienced and reliable teacher. A teacher will be able to offer you guidance in how to apply the technique and how to deal with difficulties. Perhaps most importantly, a teacher can offer the encouragement and inspiration of their ownexample.

At Triratna Centres, meditation is taught by members of the Triratna Buddhist Order, who are experiencedmeditators. Classes and courses are open to everyone: you need not be interested in Buddhism. Motives for learning meditation vary. Some people want to improve their concentration for work, study, or even sports; others are looking for relief from stress and peace of mind. Then there are people trying to answer fundamental questions about life. With regular practice, meditation can help all of us to find what we are lookingfor.

Meditation Courses are excellent contexts for learning.Meditation Retreatsoffer ideal conditions to take thingsfurther.

When you sit down to meditate you need to set up your meditation posture in a way that is relaxed but upright, usually sitting on a cushion and probably cross-legged. If this is not easy you can sit kneeling or else in a chair. Then you close your eyes, relax, and tune in to how you are feeling. It is important to be sensitive to yourexperience

because this is what you work with in meditation. It is a good idea to take some time to sit quietly before starting a meditation, to slow down and relax. Some gentle stretching can alsohelp.

There are lots ofresources availableto help you learn meditation or to take your practice deeper. And in our Online Meditators Group youcan now sit with others too,wherever you are in theworld!

Read an excellentmeditation posture guideby Bodhipaksa, fromWildmind.

You can find answers to somecommon questions about Buddhist meditationwithClear Visionvideo.

For a comprehensive set of free audio and text resources on learning meditation, seefree buddhist audios meditation pages.

Read more here:
What is Meditation? | The Buddhist Centre

What is meditation?

Meditation is a mental exercise that strengthens your capacity to remain connected to the present moment of experience. It does this by strengthening and stabilizing your attention. There are many different meditation disciplines. They all have in common:

Meditation is usually thought of as a mind-body contemplative practice, with an emphasis on breathing, posture, and self-awareness.

For many meditation traditions, the object is to develop a habit of mindfulness. Mindfulness can be described as an open or receptive and nonjudgmental awareness of and attention to what is taking place in the present moment. This observant stance of our own thoughts, feelings, and behavior creates space for us to choose our actions. And when we choose how we will react to events and our feelings about them, we are likely to be happier.

Different contemplative practices with a meditative component include:

Many meditation practices came out of Eastern spiritual traditions. In fact, every major world religion has some form of contemplative practice with a meditative component. However, meditation also can be practiced independent of a spiritual tradition.

People who practice meditation regularly report that the habit of open-minded attention carries over throughout their day, and they are able to be mindful during many of their activities. It also cultivates a habit of savoring the moment. Savoring is awareness of and conscious attention to pleasure. Savoring is a positive emotion that can contribute to increased happiness.

Psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky writes in The How of Happiness: People who are habitually mindful of their current experiences are more likely to experience frequent and intense positive emotions, to feel self-sufficient and competent, and to have positive social relationships.

Sources: The How of Happiness, by Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph. D. Full Catastrophe Living, by Jon Kabat-Zinn National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society

More:
Meditation | This Emotional Life

It can make your life much more enjoyable and balanced. Many people say this easy-to-practice technique has a transforming effect they report major benefits in reducing stress and anxiety, mood disorders, insomnia, and hypertension.

Chronic stress is harmful to health, happiness, creativity, and productivity. Over 380 published research studies on the TM technique have documented its effectiveness for stress and stress-related conditions, brain function, and more.

Its a simple, natural technique practiced 20 minutes twice each day while sitting comfortably with the eyes closed.

The TM technique is easy to learn and enjoyable to practice, and is not a religion, philosophy, or lifestyle. Over six million people have learned it people of all ages, cultures, and religions.

The TM technique allows your mind to easily settle inward, through quieter levels of thought, until you experience the most silent and peaceful level of your own awareness pure consciousness.

This introductory video provides a clear description of what happens during TM practice.

No problem. Unlike other forms of meditation, TM practice involves no concentration, no control of the mind, no contemplation, no monitoring of thoughts.

Anyone can do it even children with ADHD and soldiers with PTSD.

The TM techniques effectiveness is the same whether you believe it will work or are completely skeptical. Thats because it automatically and effortlessly allows your active thinking mind to settle down to a state of deep inner calm.

Imagine trying to learn a natural golf swing or the violin. You know how valuable it is for a good teacher to show you the proper technique.

The TM technique is easy to learn, but requires personalized interactive guidance. For this reason, its taught only through one-on-one instruction by a certified TM teacher.

There is no other way to learn the authentic TM technique and there is no evidence that anything else provides the full range of benefits documented in the published research on the TM technique.

Extensive peer-reviewed published research on the TM technique has found a wide range of wellness benefits including:

To learn more, contact your local certified TM teacher.

Another recent study focusing on transcendental meditation, published in the American Journal of Hypertension, focused on a young healthy population. It found that stressed-out college students improved their mood through T.M., and those at risk for hypertension were able to reduce their blood pressure.

See the rest here:
Meditation Techniques, How to Meditate | TM.org

Klaus Vedfelt/Digital Vision

Updated December 15, 2014.

Overview of Meditation:

Throughout the day, when we experience stress, our bodies automatically react in ways that prepare us to fight or run. In some cases of extreme danger, this physical response is helpful. However, a prolonged state of such agitation can cause physical damage to every part of the body. Meditation affects the body in exactly the opposite ways that stress does, restoring the body to a calm state, helping the body to repair itself, and preventing new damage due to the physical effects of stress.

The Benefits of Meditation:

The benefits of meditation are manifold because it can reverse your stress response, thereby shielding you from the effects of chronic stress. When practicing meditation, your heart rate and breathing slow down, your blood pressure normalizes, you use oxygen more efficiently, and you sweat less. Your adrenal glands produce less cortisol, your mind ages at a slower rate, and your immune function improves. Your mind also clears and your creativity increases. People who meditate regularly find it easier to give up life-damaging habits like smoking, drinking and drugs. Meditation research is still new, but promising.

How Meditation Works:

Meditation involves sitting in a relaxed position and clearing your mind. You may focus on a sound, like "ooommm," or on your own breathing, or on nothing at all. Its necessary to have at least 5 to 20 distraction-free minutes to spend. (Longer meditation sessions bring greater benefits, but sometimes starting slowly can help you maintain the practice long-term.) Its helpful to have silence and privacy, but more practiced meditators can practice medtation anywhere.

Many practitioners of meditation attach a spiritual component to it, but it can also be a secular exercise.

Pros Of Meditation:

Meditation is wonderful in that its free, always available, and amazingly effective in short-term stress reduction and long-term health. Benefits can be felt in just one session. An experienced teacher can be helpful, but isn't absolutely necessary; you can learn many effective meditation techniques from a book or from the meditation resources on this site.

The Cons of Meditation:

It does take some practice, however, and some people find it difficult to "get it" in the beginning. It also requires a little patience, and may be difficult for people with little free time (like some stay-at-home mothers who get little privacy from small children). However, the time and effort it takes to learn and practice is well worth it in terms of the benefits it provides.

How Does It Compare To Other Stress Reduction Methods?:

Unlike some medications and herbal therapies, meditation has no potential side effects. People with physical limitations may find it easier to practice than strenuous physical exercise for stress relief, plus, no special equipment is required. Unlike enlisting the help of a professional, meditation is free. However, it does take discipline and commitment, so some people may find it more difficult to maintain as a habit than methods that enlist the help of someone or something outside themselves for added motivation. Also, some people may find it more difficult to free their minds of the thoughts of the day, and thus find it more difficult than methods like journaling that involve focusing on these events, or methods that in themselves are distracting, like physical exercise or the use of humor.

Sources:

Bowen S, Witkiewitz K, Dillworth TM, Chawla N, Simpson TL, Ostafin BD, Larimer ME, Blume AW, Parks GA, Marlatt GA. Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. September 20, 2006.

Chan, Cecilia, et al. The effect of a one-hour Eastern stress management session on salivary cortisol. Stress and Health. February 20, 2006.

Davidson, Richard, et. al. Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation. Psychosomatic Medicine, 2003.

Pagnoni G, Cekic M. Age Effects on Gray Matter Volume and Attentional Performance in Zen meditation.. Neurobiology of Aging. July 25, 2007.

Paul-Labrador M, Polk D, Dwyer JH, Velasquez I, Nidich S, Rainforth M, Schneider R, Merz CN. Effects of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Transcendental Meditation on Components of the Metabolic Syndrome in Subjects with Coronary Heart Disease.. Archives of Internal Medicine. June 12, 2006.

Read more from the original source:
The Benefits of Meditation for Stress Management

Dougal Waters/Digital Vision/Getty Images

Updated January 06, 2015.

Mindfulness is a type of meditation that essentially involves focusing on your mind on the present. To be mindful is to be aware of your thoughts and actions in the present, without judging yourself.

Research suggests that mindfulness meditation may improve mood, decrease stress, and boost immune function.

1. Find a quiet and comfortable place. Sit in a chair or on the floor with your head, neck and back straight but not stiff.

2. Try to put aside all thoughts of the past and the future and stay in the present.

3. Become aware of your breathing, focusing on the sensation of air moving in and out of your body as you breathe. Feel your belly rise and fall, the air enter your nostrils and leave your mouth. Pay attention to the way each breath changes and is different.

4. Watch every thought come and go, whether it be a worry, fear, anxiety or hope. When thoughts come up in your mind, don't ignore or suppress them but simply note them, remain calm and use your breathing as an anchor.

5. If you find yourself getting carried away in your thoughts, observe where your mind went off to, without judging, and simply return to your breathing. Remember not to be hard on yourself if this happens.

6. As the time comes to a close, sit for a minute or two, becoming aware of where you are. Get up gradually.

Sources

Kabat-Zinn J. Mindfulness Meditation: Health benefits of an ancient Buddhist practice. Mind/Body Medicine, eds. Goleman D, Gurin J. New York 1993. Consumer Reports Books, 259-275.

Disclaimer: The information contained on this site is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment by a licensed physician. It is not meant to cover all possible precautions, drug interactions, circumstances or adverse effects. You should seek prompt medical care for any health issues and consult your doctor before using alternative medicine or making a change to your regimen.

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Mindfulness Meditation - How Do I Do It? - About.com Health