It is generally accepted that meditation is a term that came to many modern languages from Latin, which literally means "reflection", "contemplation". We find the earliest mention of "Dhyana" (meditation) in the Vedas (ancient Indian texts).
In most of our contemporaries, meditation is associated with some kind of spiritual practice, Indian yoga philosophy, Buddhist mantras, designed to free the restless mind from wandering in the darkness of ignorance, the flow of incoherent thoughts, and the soul from emotional and sensual ones that we cannot control. to make the smoothest and most harmonious transition to the subtle worlds (Indian philosophy), the "bordo" space (Buddhist cosmogony); having thrown off the protein body once, one can successfully incarnate in the next life, or, if one is very lucky, leave the "circle of samsara" altogether...
The observer consciously dissociates from the body and the influences on it from the outside world; without judgment, without desire, without putting forward hypothetical and emotional evaluations, without determining what is what, without naming (without assigning verbal codes), he is able to contemplate the very essence of things.
Meditation is an altered state of consciousness controlled by the practitioner, which is achieved by constant training of the mind, purposeful volitional effort, temporarily maintained by attention to the "object", inside or outside of one's biological organism, the result of which is the dissociation of the individual from his body and the acquisition of ability (perfection) the essence of things beyond time and space. - This is the "x" state.
A side effect of such training is the acquisition of the ability to control and manage one's mental reactions and the ability to significantly influence the biological processes of the protein body — a possible result, a "destination."
Scientific circles have not reached a single definition of meditation. It is not surprising, because the techniques and goals of practice differ depending on the religious tradition or philosophical school of the practitioner, and the meditator's state itself cannot be deciphered in detail.
Nevertheless, scientists all over the world state facts and indicators of electronic devices visible to the naked eye in experimental studies of meditators, - an increase in the density of gray matter in the parts of the brain that are responsible for self-control, self-awareness, joy, confidence, analysis and memorization of information, learning, attentiveness, creativity. On the contrary, a decrease in the density of gray matter in the parts of the brain that are activated during anxiety, fear, stress, panic, irritability, anger, and depressive states.
Thus, after a series of experiments at the University of California, Michigan, Madison and Johns Hopkins, researchers came to the conclusion that the practice of meditation calms the emotional background, improves mood, helps to get rid of uncontrolled anxiety states, relieves muscle tension; restores lost and actively forms new neural connections, which leads to a significant reformation of the quality of life, contributes to the adaptability of the individual, thus in cognitive-behavioral therapeutic practice it can and should be used for the treatment of mental, psychoneurological and psychosomatic ailments.
To date, the degree of effectiveness of the treatment of such ailments as chronic depressive state, postpartum depression, post-traumatic depression, hyper-anxiety syndrome, panic attacks, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, insomnia, alcohol and drug addiction, allergies, asthma, arthritis, in muscles and tendons, headache, premenstrual syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, obesity - a clinically proven and scientifically proven fact.
How does meditation therapy work?
Meditation is always self-control of the movements of the mind. The practice requires extreme focus and retention of inner attention to any one object, thought, feeling, emotion or action.
It is very difficult to keep a restless mind from chaotic jumping from object to object, to abstract from the flow of uncontrolled thoughts and external stimuli. Purposeful volitional effort, relaxation of the soma, and emotional balance are necessary.
Control over emotional, sensual, physiological, automatic reactions of the body not immediately, but through daily planned training of the "muscles" of consciousness. Over time, mental stability, emotional intelligence, the ability not to get stuck on unwanted images, thoughts, and feelings, but to switch and maintain attention on the chosen object, is developed.
In this "special state of consciousness" a person (patient) has the opportunity to feel, see, visualize, realize the root (causes) of his ailments, delve into and relive the traumatic events of the past. Consciously, independently or with the help of a therapist, reprogram the attitudes that interfere with a healthy life, transform limiting, dysfunctional beliefs into more effective and adaptive ones for a healthy, happy, joyful life.
Whatever techniques are used - passive contemplation of sensations in the body, active contemplation of an object, repeated thought, visualization of a feeling, projection of future possible events - all of them are able to reconfigure the human biological organism to the desired, automatically correcting the chemical composition of cells and supporting immune system. (Based on the works of Pyotr Garyaev "Linguistic-wave genome" and studies of the influence of thought forms, meditations and yogic practices by Harvard Medical School).
There are many techniques and tools for acquiring a "special state of consciousness". Yogic practices offer special types of breathing with concentration on the thought "I am not my body" and "I am not my mind", with repeated imaginary repetition of which dissociation with the physical shell is achieved.
Special "asanas" (body postures) with concentration of attention on certain points of the body give the same effect.
Vipassana combined with contemplative meditation deserves close attention from the public as a unique therapeutic tool capable of neutralizing stress, relieving anxiety, and treating depressive disorders with the same effectiveness and intensity as drug therapy with antidepressants. (Publication in JAMA Internal Medicine from research by Johns Hopkins University and independent research by the National Center for Bioinformatics).
Vipassana in combination with meditation can become indispensable if surgical intervention is necessary without the use of chemical anesthesia. Practitioners of contemplation meditation show a significant increase in pain threshold. (University of Montreal study)
Significant resistance to pain through the use of contemplation meditation was confirmed during the Baptist Medical Center experiment. Meditation has been found to have a stronger effect than morphine or other painkillers.
Trataka, the yogic practice of fire contemplation, is an excellent tool for training concentration, calming the dog and soma, which can have side effects such as improved vision, relief of mental and physical tension, a sense of calmness, and sound sleep.
There are practices of contemplation of water, wind, light, sound, color, image, feeling — all of them are handy tools for training the "muscles" of consciousness and gaining control over body reactions.
Meditation, by right, will be considered therapy for the soul. After all, it is able to save from loneliness, calm, give strength, adjust positively and optimistically, relax, please, activate thinking, creative abilities, reveal potential...
If you do not consider yourself a fully healthy person, suffer from psychosomatic disorders, would like to give up chemical or sedative drugs, subconsciously understand or feel that something is wrong with you, because it could be better... If you want to improve concentration, ability to study, to speed up operational and long-term memory, to expand consciousness, to balance dogs and soma... If you lack self-confidence, joy, are tormented by fears, do not sleep at night, your body is in constant tension, and you cannot relax - engage in mindful meditation.
For those interested in starting to practice meditation, it is better to contact a specialist who has proven himself to be a master, a therapist who can guide you. It makes sense to practice with a group of like-minded people, so by observing the meditators from the side, imitating postures, actions, listening to the advice of experienced practitioners, discussing and exchanging ideas about what has already been achieved and what is not yet understood, you will find the basis for further development in this in a shorter time directly
And still remember! The process of meditative practice is very individual. The main thing is to choose the right equipment and tools that suit you. And when you feel the confidence and strength that you have matured and are ready for individual experiments - do not be afraid to experiment.