Raja Yoga the Royal Science of Meditation

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Arun_Kumar_Suri/37073] Arun Kumar Suri

The Indian scriptures unequivocally declare that every soul is divine and the ultimate purpose of human life is to experience that state of divinity. They advocate four different paths, which are not mutually exclusive for attaining this goal-the path of devotion (Bhakthi Yoga) the path of selfless service (karma Yoga), the path of intellectual inquiry (Jnana yoga) and the path of meditation (Raja Yoga).

Raja yoga takes us to this goal faster than other methods. This involves stilling the mind and the senses so that we cease to identity ourselves with the body mind complex and experience our true nature. We communicate with the external world through the five senses. The mind interprets the impulses from these senses. Mind is a bundle of thoughts and desires. It is an abstract entity. We cannot catch hold of the mind. How then do we still the mind?

Meditation through Yoga

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Craig_Hathway/18038]  Craig Hathway

"Stop and smell the flowers."  This old adage holds great truth and advice especially for the over-worked, over-stressed citizens of the modern world.  We fill our days with fast paced activities and chores that lead to frustration, increased weight, and depression.  Trying to cram too many activities in each day can have disastrous effects.  Many ask how they can ward off the ill effects of stress.  Besides reducing your activities you can look to the beneficial effects of meditation.

Qigong Standing Meditation

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Elizabeth_Reninger/24043] Elizabeth Reninger

Here's a wonderful ~ simple & powerful ~ Taoist meditation practice, which can be done either outside (in a beautiful natural setting is best!), or indoors. It's similar in many ways to Buddhist Shamata sitting meditation practice, but ~ and hence the name! ~ you're standing. (So, for one, it's less likely that you'll fall asleep ... J)

Begin by standing with your feet parallel and about shoulder-width apart. Take a couple of deep long breaths, saying "aaah" (either out loud or to yourself) with the exhales. Let go of any tension you find in your shoulders, neck or face ~ simply let it "melt" away, with the exhale ... as though that tension were a frozen river, being touched now by a warm sun, and flowing downward, like the gentle cascade of a waterfall, forming pools at your feet. Feel your energy, your awareness, settling into your feet & legs & hips & belly, connecting you strongly to the earth. Bend your knees just slightly ~ just enough to feel a softness at the backs of your knees.

Meditation and the 7 Steps to Inner Peace

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/L._Meyer/460698] L. Meyer

If you want to experience inner peace, you don't need to travel to exotic locations, study with a yogi or lock yourself in a room and chant endlessly. Finding inner peace is a matter of taking time for yourself to quietly reflect on the stillness within you.

We're all so busy rushing from one thing to another, occupying our precious time with things that don't even need our immediate attention.

Sadly, we seldom take time for ourselves to be at peace.

Truth is the idea of someone having 20 minutes of free time to do nothing could very well put them in a panic! Most people wouldn't know what to do with themselves. That's because they don't know inner peace.

Meditation: A Path To Inner Peace

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Gwen_Stewart/3196] Gwen Stewart

Throughout history, meditation has been an integral part of many cultures.  Records indicate that meditation was practiced in ancient Greece and India more than 5,000 years ago.  In the Buddhist religion, meditation is an important part of their spiritual practice.  Different forms of meditation are practiced in China and Japan, and Christianity, Judaism, and Islam have traditions similar to meditation.  The word meditation comes from the Latin 'meditari' which means: exercise, turn something over in one's mind, think, consider.  It is defined as "consciously directing your attention to alter your state of mind." 

    Meditation is one of the proven alternative therapies that in recent years have been classified under the mind-body medicine therapies.  It is continuing to gain popularity, as more and more health experts believe that there is more to the connection between mind and body than modern medicine can explain.  Meditation has been shown to aid the immune system and improve brain activity, according to researchers.  More and more doctors are prescribing meditation as a way to lower blood pressure, improve exercise performance, for people with angina, to help people with asthma to breathe easier, to relieve insomnia, and generally relax everyday stresses of life.  Many hospitals now offer meditation classes for their patients because of the health benefits.  All promote physiological health and well-being.

Five Unknown Facts about Meditation

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Deepayan_Choudhury/2446548]  Deepayan Choudhury

The Concept of Meditation:

Meditation has become a common term among the society right now. It has spread its roots deep down starting from the corporate world to the common mass. The number of yoga institutions has boomed recently and numerous terms for meditation practices are coined to attract people in this path. The categories of meditation are several in numbers. Some are listed below.

Classical: This is the generic one which doesn't follow any specific guidelines. It generally emerges from belief and personal trend.

Self Remains in Four States of Consciousness

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Premansu_Chand/10927] Premansu Chand

Presently most Yoga Masters teach Yoga just as a therapy or as a means to keep body and mind healthy. To keep body and mind healthy is not everything; it is the base of Yoga. The apex of Yoga is to realise the true self (atman). According to the Indian Scriptures Atman is Brahman, the Ultimate Reality. So practitioners should try to understand the 'self' first.

 Like all living beings, man has consciousness. For this he feels that he has existence. Dead matter has no consciousness and so it cannot know either its own existence or the existence of others. Since conscious man knows his existence, he has a Self. Self is intimately related to his consciousness. Consciousness awakens knowledge in him. This knowledge tells a man that he has a Self or has an existence in relation to others.

3 Miracles of Yoga and Meditation

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jeff_Smith/1642]Jeff Smith

For those of you still considering the advantages of yoga and meditation, let me share with you the incredible results I have experienced since sticking to a yoga and meditation regime of 3 times for 40 minutes each week.

1. Digestion - Acid Reflux.  I realize I am not alone in experiencing the painful effects of poor digestion, sometimes termed acid reflux.  I used to keep Tums and Rolaids antacids in business popping 6-8 just to get through a typical night. This was my reality ever since I can remember - even as a teenager.  In fact, this condition ran in my family - so I was resigned to never finding a treatment, let alone a cure.

Reflections on Meditation

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dr._Elliot_Lysyk,_DC./1802209]Dr. Elliot Lysyk, DC.

I began a daily meditation practice about 8 years ago. I very quickly realized how little time my mind spent in a state of stillness and non-distraction.

The hours of one's life can be so mired in worry. We worry about getting ahead, about making money and keeping up with the Jones.' As parents we worry endlessly about our children's health and development. We fret about our relationships with others, about our carbon footprint, about the pesticides on our apples. And all of these thoughts carry us directly away from the present moment.

My meditation practice began to open my eyes about how seldom I was actually present. For example, I would notice that while showering after a busy day, instead of focusing my attention on the sensory experience of the warm water of my skin, my mind would be replaying the day's conversations and formulating illusions of conversations to come. It was like the shower wasn't even happening; I was sacrificing my precious moments in the here and now while my mind danced in an illusion of past and future events.

Meditation 101

Meditation refers to a state where your body and mind are consciously relaxed and focused. Practitioners of this art report increased awareness, focus, and concentration, as well as a more positive outlook in life.

Meditation is most commonly associated with monks, mystics and other spiritual disciplines. However, you don’t have to be a monk or mystic to enjoy its benefits. And you don’t even have to be in a special place to practice it. You could even try it in your own living room!

Heal Mental and Physical Disorders with Yoga, Pranayam, and Meditation

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sudesh_Abrol/2057483]Sudesh Abrol

The population is increasing fast and the world looks more crowded. In spite of having tremendous achievements of modern civilization, today's human beings seem less happy and tranquil than before, because our lives are going out of balance. The fast and materialistic life, crowds and pollution, improper food, our over eating and munching all day long, irregular meals, lack of proper physical exercise and our negative attitudes are the reasons, which degenerate our health, disturb our minds and snatch our peace. With practice of systematical yoga, we can once again start living in a natural way.

The Art of Silence Meditation Techniques

In today’s fast-paced world, many people are seeking a way to get away from it all and relax. Meditation, which is essentially a method to obtain a level of deep thought and relaxation, is one way to find inner peace and tranquility. Many people think of monks or other spiritual types sitting in crossed-leg position and reaching states of bliss when they think of mediation, but there are many ways to meditate. While there are many ways to reach a meditative state, there really are no right or wrong ways to mediate (this would defeat the purpose), only practice and finding ways that feel right for you.

Transcendental Meditation

Since 1958, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has trained more than 40,000 teachers in the practice of Transcendental Meditation or TM. These teachers have taught more than six million people worldwide this simple, natural procedure which allows its practitioners to gain deep rest and contact their inner reservoir of creativity, energy and intelligence. This information comes from the official Transcendental Meditation website at www.tm.org.

Ayurveda and Yoga, Ancient Sister Sciences

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Vishnu_Dass/5718]Vishnu Dass

Ayurveda and yoga are sister Vedic sciences that have been united for thousands of years for the sake of healing body, mind, and consciousness. Generally speaking, Ayurveda deals more with the health of the body, while yoga deals with purifying the mind and consciousness, but in reality they complement and embrace each other. 

The ancient rishis (seers) were the original masters of all Vedic sciences. They understood that good health is a great asset on the path toward Self-realization. If the body is neglected it can easily become an obstacle to spiritual practice. Anyone who has practiced meditation for any length of time would agree to how difficult it can be to sit still for long periods of time without feeling discomfort and fatigue. Both yoga and Ayurveda are mutually supportive and offer many ways to prevent and heal various disorders as well as to cleanse and rejuvenate the body.

Becoming Whole Again With Meditation

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dee_Williams/2392887]Dee Williams

The mind is restless and you may find it challenging to sit for meditation. This is normal when you first start a regular meditation practice. The highly-charged world of action that we live in everyday constantly calls upon us to react and respond to all kinds of external stimulus. The most important thing to understand when starting to meditate is be patient.

Meditation techniques vary, but they all have the same goal, peace of mind; a state in which you see things more clearly, and guide your life in a direction towards peace and happiness. Some people meditate to become more calm during periods of stress. Other people meditate to find out more about themselves. If life is pulling you in many different directions you could return to the feeling of being whole by developing a regular meditation practice.

Yoga Nidra For Stress Reduction & Deep Relaxation

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sara_Avant_Stover/543951]Sara Avant Stover

Pause for a moment and ask yourself: does stress really affect my health? If your answer is "No," think again. Medical researchers estimate that up to 90% of illness and disease is stress-related. Something as slight as a cold to the more crippling ailments of heart disease and cancer can be stress's accomplices. Some claim that no matter what you do-whether you work too much or not at all-you still accumulate tension at the physical, mental, and emotional levels. While certainly yoga can help, stress and tension run deep and may require more attention.

Still Not Meditating? Here Are 9 Science Backed Reasons to Start Now

 By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Rajiv_Agarwal/763620]Rajiv Agarwal

         

If you haven't started meditating yet, or think meditation is for the hippy dippy, touchy feely types, think again. In the past few years, science has thrown up a mountain of evidence proving the benefits of regular meditation. Meditation is inexpensive yet very effective. It improves our physical, mental, and emotional well-being and might just be the key to a healthier, happier life.

Yoga - An Elixir for Mind and Body

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Onkarnath_Singh/2277377]Onkarnath Singh

The Method of Kundalini Jagran

The Kundalini Jagran (release of the dormant energy) is achieved via physical and mental exercise. Physical fitness is achieved by the Yoga Asanas. They are a series of postures for exercising and stretching the body. Mental balance is achieved by Pranayama (Breathing Exercise) and Dhyana (Meditation). The Jagran of Kundalini is just the process towards the goal of self-enlightenment. The Bhagwad Gita the ancient book of knowledge and spirituality defines yoga as a means to achieve union with self. When the state of union with self is achieved the mind gets freedom from all desires and becomes absorbed in self. This helps to understand the true nature of life and the environment around.

Benefits of Meditation for Heart

Meditation is an antique practice – often using quiet contemplation, deep breathing or sustained focus on a phrase, color or sound - that helps an individual let go of stress and feel peaceful together with maintaining a relaxed state of mind.