The Meditation Benefits of Quieting Your Mind

The meditation benefits of quieting your mind isthe reason for this blog in the first place, so occasionally I’ll select a post that is specifically about practicing meditation, even if some are a lacking in information bit simplistic.

All meditation is about quieting the mind. In the beginning a meditative practice is developed by practicing concentration, to become either, fully present without judgment (mindfulness) or using a vehicle of the mind, such as a mantra or a breath meditation (transcendental), to slip deep into the silence within.

The influence of the mind and our thoughts in conditioning the quality of the expression of our body is greater than the influence of the body in conditioning the quality of the expression of the mind. What is the nature of the human mind? What is consciousness? Where do our thoughts come from? Can we observe our thought processes? Can we think about thinking, per se? Is consciousness able to observe consciousness or mind itself? Is it possible to examine consciousness or mind with consciousness or mind itself? Or, better yet, is there anyone at home? If there is any one technique or skill that one can learn for the entry path onto the road to health, well-being and rejuvenation, it is meditation. Jon Kabat-Zinn states: “Meditation is simplicity itself. … It’s about stopping and being present, that is all.” The medical health/religious/spiritual aspects and foundations of meditation will be the topic of future letters. Let’s cut to the chase and go right to how to meditate. •Find aquiet place to sit, one with few distractions •Commit to a set amount of time. Two minutes is a start. You want to work yourself up to 20 minutes. Time yourself with a clock. •Sit in a comfortable position that you can maintain, with your back straight. •Initiates should close their eyes and relax. •Notice your breathing. Notice your breath as you inhale and exhale. •Slow your breathing down. That’s it; that’s all it takes. Easier said than done. It takes practice. But with a dedicated and carefree attitude, the benefits will literally blow your mind. The “quieting of the mind” is a unique process for every individual. As you gain in the practice of meditation, you find it easier to quiet the mind. And all those questions that I posed at the beginning become more real and curious, demanding more seeking and searching for the life force or inner essence that radiates from us during these meditation sessions. Your sense of time will expand, your sense of love and compassion will beenhanced. A deeper awareness of your spiritual life and experience will manifest itself. A 19th century Russian peasant summed up the journey of meditation as follows: “At first, spiritual practitioners feel the mind is like a waterfall, bouncing from rock to rock, roaring and turbulent, impossible to tame or control. In midcourse, it is like a great river, calm and gentle, wide and deep. At the end, its boundaries expand beyond sight, and its depth becomes unfathomable as it dissolves into the ocean, which is both its goal and source”.

This post on the meditation benefits of quieting your mind, opened with a quote by Max Planck, which I thought a fitting way to sum up this post.

“Science cannot solve the ultimate mystery of nature…because in the last analysis we ourselves are part of the mystery we are trying to solve.”ﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠﾠ         –Max Planck