Meditation
Our doubts will never vanish
through thinking,
Nor through theorising, Nor through speculation, Nor through discussion
Nor will doubts disappear by not
doing anything
All defilements will vanish through
developing the heart, Through right practice only
Oneself is master of oneself, who
else can the master be?
By the training of the self, One
finds a master hard to find
Damp shelters of our primitive ancestors, lit only by the flickering of a campfire, at day's end
there was a time for recollection and stillness that would help to fuel the next days events. Since the beginning of human history, the still point has served as the birthplace of all our activity.
Virtually every creature on this great earth practices the backwards steps of quieting down and entering this still point.
Birds, Beasts, Bugs, and fish all seem to find time in their daily
existence to relax and recreate- to bring forth the flower from what what Whitman man called the "sea of perfection"
For us humans, relaxation is much more elusive, and even though
It's benefits are widely known, they are rarely appreciated. In the field of science, studies have shown that when the body is relaxed and free of tension, and the mind is not grasping at Falls,
remarkably physiological and psychological transformations take place. During deep relaxation, a persons respiration, heart rate, Blood pressure, and rate of metabolism all slow down to a stable
resting place.
Since 1924, researchers have been able to measure the
electricity activity in the brain and have discovered that alpha waves are created when the brain activity is stabilised, as when a person is in a meditative state. Beta waves, on the other hand, are
present when a person is engaged in physical or mental activity. Though all this is now common knowledge, particularly interesting and relevant to us are the residual effects of these
waves.
While monitoring meditators, scientists found that Alpha waves
produced in meditation often continue on when activity is engaged. The energy to perform the activity is there, but not the tension
Meditation in a variety of forms has been present worldwide since
ancient times. A central spiritual practice for many of the great mystics, meditation has been used for both physical and spiritual restoration and as a potent preparation for strenuous
undertakings.
The warrior takes a moment to center himself as he gets ready for
battle, as does the athlete for competition, or the musician for a performance.
Meditation, in one form or another, has been intrinsic to most of
the great religions of the world. Some traditions may have developed it more than others, but its presence is widespread and undeniable.
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