Meditation in Amsterdam - Physical health and meditation
In my Amsterdam Meditation sessions I have experienced several physical sensations during meditations, especially when they exceed 15 minutes, and some of these are due to physical condition so I though to share some thoughts on the topic.
Meditation is essentially a mental activity.
Even though many contemplative traditions include activities such as dancing, chanting, special movement and breath, at the end of the catharsis, a period of quiet introspection follows, which is often difficult to attain. This is the period of real meditation while everything else just precedes.
Yet it is often difficult to attain the meditative state without some of these physical movements and preparation. Certain gurus like Osho are of the opinion that when the mind is not quiet enough, the act of sitting and expecting it to become still can be akin to torture, since the mind will do the opposite, and all kinds of thoughts and feelings will rush in.
So even though Meditation is a mental activity, the body plays a crucial role in creating the conditions so that it happens.
In Yoga, the word "asana" which refers to the practice of physical postures, can be translated both as sitting, or placing the body in a certain way. It's believed that the complete practice of asanas is designed to bring the tone, flexibility and vigor to the body, that is required to sit perfectly still in order to meditate.
Yogis believed that the attainment of higher states of consciousness was not possible if the body was plagued with weakness and illness. Hence great effort going into creating a clean and well functioning vessel, including intense work in postures, correct eating, and also the performance of a number of cleansing rituals called kriyas.
To the uneducated eye, all this trouble is gone through as a way of creating perfect physical health, and while this is a result of the yogic practices, the real objective is to aid in the practice of profound and effective meditation.
This is one of the aspects that in my opinion, make the eastern practice of Yoga, far superior than the formal religions and even the medicine of the west. The ability to view the mind-body entity as a single whole and the nervous system as a two way communication highway has profound implications.
It means that someone who meditates (mind), can rejuvenate his or her body through that action, and someone who feels OK in body will more easily experience peace of mind. It is a positive self reinforcing loop, but also requires discipline and dedication from the part of the practitioner.
I head it once said that every food is hallucinogenic to one degree or another since it alters our mood and therefore our perception of the world. The same can probably be said of illness and bodily discomfort.
So for my Amsterdam Meditation sessions I always adhere to the frequent practice of kriyas, asanas and minimizing "satvic" and "rajasic" foods that have a negative impact on my state of mind. More details on those terms in future posts.
Namaste
Pablo Bran
www.meditationamsterdam.com
Meditation is essentially a mental activity.
Even though many contemplative traditions include activities such as dancing, chanting, special movement and breath, at the end of the catharsis, a period of quiet introspection follows, which is often difficult to attain. This is the period of real meditation while everything else just precedes.
Yet it is often difficult to attain the meditative state without some of these physical movements and preparation. Certain gurus like Osho are of the opinion that when the mind is not quiet enough, the act of sitting and expecting it to become still can be akin to torture, since the mind will do the opposite, and all kinds of thoughts and feelings will rush in.
So even though Meditation is a mental activity, the body plays a crucial role in creating the conditions so that it happens.
In Yoga, the word "asana" which refers to the practice of physical postures, can be translated both as sitting, or placing the body in a certain way. It's believed that the complete practice of asanas is designed to bring the tone, flexibility and vigor to the body, that is required to sit perfectly still in order to meditate.
Yogis believed that the attainment of higher states of consciousness was not possible if the body was plagued with weakness and illness. Hence great effort going into creating a clean and well functioning vessel, including intense work in postures, correct eating, and also the performance of a number of cleansing rituals called kriyas.
To the uneducated eye, all this trouble is gone through as a way of creating perfect physical health, and while this is a result of the yogic practices, the real objective is to aid in the practice of profound and effective meditation.
This is one of the aspects that in my opinion, make the eastern practice of Yoga, far superior than the formal religions and even the medicine of the west. The ability to view the mind-body entity as a single whole and the nervous system as a two way communication highway has profound implications.
It means that someone who meditates (mind), can rejuvenate his or her body through that action, and someone who feels OK in body will more easily experience peace of mind. It is a positive self reinforcing loop, but also requires discipline and dedication from the part of the practitioner.
I head it once said that every food is hallucinogenic to one degree or another since it alters our mood and therefore our perception of the world. The same can probably be said of illness and bodily discomfort.
So for my Amsterdam Meditation sessions I always adhere to the frequent practice of kriyas, asanas and minimizing "satvic" and "rajasic" foods that have a negative impact on my state of mind. More details on those terms in future posts.
Namaste
Pablo Bran
www.meditationamsterdam.com
Comments
Post a Comment