Written by Suzannah Moss - FHG Staff Writer

More and more of us are learning to meditate to relieve stress and combat a range of physical and mental illnesses. The benefits on both a physical and psychological level can be profound.

People have been practicing meditation for thousands of years and it is an integral part of many religions, such as Buddhism and Hinduism. But you don’t have to be religious to meditate. In fact, non religious forms of meditation and ‘mindfulness based cognitive therapy’ - a combination of meditation and cognitive therapy - are enjoying a surge in popularity as aids to health and wellbeing.

The Principle

One feature common to all forms of meditation is bypassing the conscious  thinking mind, often referred to as letting go of your thoughts - in order to induce a state of complete calm awareness.

The Benefits

The idea that nothing happens when you meditate couldn’t be further from the truth. With the aid of advanced brain-scanning technology, researchers are beginning to show that meditation directly affects the function and structure of the brain, changing it in ways that appear to increase attention span, sharpen focus and improve memory A 2005 study used scans to compare the brains of people who meditated from 1-30 years and comparing them with non-meditators. The study found that meditation increased the thickness of an area in the cortex, a part that plays a key role in memory, thought process and language.¹

Several studies designed specifically to understand the beneficial effects of meditation have shown that meditation helps to reverse heart disease, reduce pain, lessen chronological ageing, reduce blood pressure, fight inflammation, decrease anxiety, and control asthma.

At a psychological level meditation helps to encourage positive thinking and develop patience and understanding, helping those who meditate to come to terms with ‘what is’ rather than fighting endlessly for ‘what should be’  or often ‘what should have been’.

At a physiological level meditation slows breathing steadies the heart rate, lowers blood pressure and shifts activity away from the right hand side of our brains, concerned with speaking, making judgements and logical thinking, to the more intuitive, non verbal left hand side.

Research has also found that meditation reduces the production of stress hormones like cortisol and increases the production of neurotransmitters that help us feel happy and relaxed.

What To Expect

You can learn the basic techniques at a dedicated meditation class or course, and many yoga teachers offer a short meditation at the end of their classes. A growing number of doctors and nurses also offer meditation training at their practices.

Different teachers all have different techniques and many will offer you a range of ways to attain a state of stillness, but all include first becoming physically relaxed. You don’t have to sit cross legged in lotus position to meditate - you can do it anywhere - on a bus, in your lunch hour, at your desk, in the park and you can do it anytime you need to take some time out.

In some meditative traditions, such as Tai Chi and Chi Gung movement or walking is used to harmonise body and mind.

Many meditative techniques encourage you to keep your spine strait to encourage the flow of ‘chi’ or ‘kundalini’ but in more prosaic terms to stimulate circulation. Some teachers will encourage you to close your eyes to shut out visual distraction while other may ask you to gently focus your gaze on a particular object.

There are various ways to achieve a meditative state. These include observing your breath as you gently breathe in and out, sometime repeating a mantra (a word), or contemplating a koan (a riddle) or simply focussing on a candle or flower or some other object.

Some teachers and meditation CD’s use guided meditations or visualizations which may involve imagining a particular relaxing scene such as a forest or beach or mountain. If your attention wanders you are gently encouraged to bring your mind back to the present moment. This may sound hard but with practice it does become easier.

How it Feels

You may feel very relaxed with a sense of calm and tranquillity. Many people report a sense of increased clarity and self awareness that continues into everyday life. Although most people experience only positive effects from meditation it can trigger the release of negative emotions. These can include anxiety, panic, anger, disorientation or a feeling of being very spaced out. This is why it’s often good to start with a good teacher with whom you feel comfortable.

Types of Meditation

Transcendental Meditation

• What is it: Introduced to the West by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and popularised by the Beatles in the 1960’s. TM is an adaptation of the Hindu techniques. Much of the medical and scientific research on meditation has been carried out on TM.

• How do I do it? Although you can pick up CD’s and DVD’s about TM the exact technique is a closely guarded secret. This can involve a ceremony where you are given your own secret word or mantra. You are asked to set aside 15-25 minutes per day for meditation.

Vipassana Meditation

• What is it? Sometimes called insight meditation, vipassana means to ‘see things clearly’. It has been used very successfully in prisons.

• How do I do it? Typically you will be encouraged to focus on your breath and are encouraged to see the impermanence of all things.

Zen Meditation

• What is it? Originating in Japan and China, this involves relaxing the body and mind to attain insight into the nature of your being. Zen teaches that the Ego will naturally resist so regular practice is vital.

• How do I do it? You sit in various positions including the lotus position, closing your mind to thoughts and images by counting your breath or focussing on the energy centre below your navel.

Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy

• What is it? Currently being researched at Oxford University, this combines combination of meditation and cognitive therapy teaches you to be aware of everything you do in your everyday life. It has been approved by the NHS to help people who have had three or more bouts of depression.

• How do I do it? Usually taught during an eight week course in which you will be encouraged to pay attention to the here and now through becoming aware of daily activities. If unwelcome thoughts or feelings start to arise, you are encouraged to recognise and accept them if you can, rather than trying to push them away.

What do Meditation Courses Cost?

There is a wide range of costs. Some meditation centres offer free practice, while others will charge anywhere between £10 and £60 an hour, depending on where you live and the centre you attend.

If you are doing it as part of a yoga class expect to pay between £5 and £12 an hour.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no set number. You can learn the absolute basics in one session, or you may prefer to go for regular sessions until you feel more comfortable.

Compatibility

Although not strictly speaking a ‘therapy’ meditation works well with orthodox medicine and other complimentary therapies. If you have a mental health problem you may want to consult your doctor or psychotherapist first.

Conditions Affected by Meditation

• Pain: There is a huge body of research work indicating that meditation can reduce chronic pain. One notable study conducted at the Texas Tech University found that meditation in conjunction with traditional medicine enhances the effectiveness of western medical treatment. In another study published in the Journal of Behavioural Medicine, patients suffering from backache, chronic migraine and tension headaches, were able to lessen or even stop their pain medication. 

• Anxiety and Depression: Since the early sixties, scientists have speculated that meditation improves mental functioning. Dr Benson reports that “meditation decreases oxygen consumption, heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure, and increases the intensity of alpha, theta, and delta brain waves” the opposite of the physiological changes that occur during the stress response.

• Infertility: An Italian team of researchers found that increased levels of stress are associated with infertility. Meditation, by stimulating the pituitary gland that is responsible for regulating female reproductive hormones, was able to help with infertility issues.

• Inflammation: Meditation has also been shown to slow the heart rate by sending signals through the vagus nerve. Those very signals, researchers speculate, can also dampen the immune response, helping individuals ease symptoms of inflammatory diseases like arthritis, asthma and eczema.

• Diabetes: Meditation also aids in controlling blood sugar levels. Researchers at the University of Virginia have shown that following meditation, the reduced stress levels correlate with a decrease in blood glucose levels.

• Hypertension: Besides its role as a stress buster, meditation also reduces blood pressure and contributes to the overall reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease.

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