Meditation
is a state of awake, alert awareness. It
is a way of being, rather than an act of doing.
There
are many approaches to meditation, including concentrating on a particular
object or word, bringing to mind a place or situation that gives ease or peace
( also called visualization), or noticing what is actually happening from
moment to moment in the body, mind and senses.
Meditation
of all kinds can support us in slowing down, noticing the busy-ness of the
mind, and stilling the body. While
people may think that meditating properly means stopping all thought, this is a
myth. Its just not possible to stop the
mind from producing thoughts. So
meditation helps us become more aware of the thoughts and see how they come and
go, and also how we get involved and interested in some thoughts. Meditation practices encourage us in training
the attention back to the present moment when we realize that the attention has
been pulled into the past or the future.
We can come to see that the present moment is the least stressful
moment.
Why
Meditate?
Meditation
reduces stress and burnout
Meditation
enhances concentration, memory and ability to learn
Meditation
supports the creation of harmonious, loving relationships with ourselves and
others
Meditation
improves creativity and problem-solving skills
Meditation
decreases depression, anxiety, insomnia and loneliness (www. meditate.org)
Meditation
is not:
Exercises
Loss
of mental or physical control
Trying
harder
Tricks
and techniques
Guidelines
to meditation
1. begin by
committing to 2 minutes a day
2. choosing a
time and quiet place where you won’t be
interrupted
3. choosing a
focus for your attention - it could be the breath, sensations in the body, a
word, or sounds
4. sitting in a
way that is comfortable, stable and alert
5. setting a
timer
6. for two
minutes ( eventually longer!) notice the sensations of breath ( or your focal
object)
7. when the mind
wanders (and it will!) gently, kindly return attention to feeling the breath
coming and going
Some campus resources on the Longmeadow campus
Spiritual Reflection Room located in the library, open the same hours as Hatch Library. This space is to be used for meditation, prayer, or other quiet reflection.
