IS FAITH HELPFUL IN MEDITATION?

I have never been a faith based person. However there was something about meditation that created a faith that what I was doing was beneficial. This was a practice that has been around for thousands of years. I could not imagine that if it wasn’t helpful that it would continue to be so popular. The other key component of faith was observing personal change in myself from mediation that says this works!

– Phil Blustein

WILL WE LIVE FOREVER IF WE MEDITATE?

WILL WE LIVE FOREVER IF WE MEDITATE?

Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. Telomere length is decreased in chronic stress and depression. Telomere length is important for cell longevity. Scientific studies have demonstrated that meditation may protect telomeres by decreasing stress hormones and by increasing hormones that protect the telomere. If we meditate will we live forever?

WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?

WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?

Mindfulness is a unique way of how one relates to each moment. Normally we operate like robots controlled by unconscious habitual patterns. These come predominantly from conditioning from our parents and society. We want to feel loved and safe. We primarily function from the drive to grab onto something that we want or push away what we don’t like. Mindfulness cultivates being present in each moment with awareness, acceptance, non-clinging and non-attachment.

Attitude

Attitude

We are always trying so hard to get it right! We start off meditating with a goal in mind. I am going to maintain a fixed concentration on the breath. I am going to get this right! I will develop a constant awareness of the breath that will never waver. There is such striving in our practice. Meditation is all about making an effort without striving for an outcome. One is just trying to bring awareness to the present moment in a concentrated fashion. It is about ALLOWING what will happen to unfold as a consequence of your practice without expectation of outcome.
– Phil Blustein

Types of Meditation

Types of Mindfulness

One hears about TM or transcendental meditation, Insight meditation, Metta or loving kindness meditation, Zen meditation, Yogic meditation etc. There are so many choices. How does one figure this out? It may be easier to look at how the meditation is done rather than what it is.

There are 2 main types of meditation. Focused awareness and open monitoring. In focused awareness there isconcentration on one object. One could choose the breath, a saying, sound, body sensation, silence or visualization. No breath, body sensation, sound etc. remains the same. We are bringing our attention to one object that is constantly changing.

In open monitoring whatever object is dominant in one’s awareness is what one brings the attention to. It could be the breath, a sound, thought etc. We are bringing our attention to constantly changing objects. Ultimately the main purpose is to develop awareness of the present moment.

– Phil Blustein