Employees Well Being Week October 6-10, 2013

1. Employees Well Being WeekOctober 6-10, 2013 Topic: MEDITATION By: Mashrufa Bashar, Deputy Manager Marketing & Corporate Communications, BEIL

2. MEDITATION • A SHORT HISTORY:  The history of meditation goes back many thousands of years into antiquity itself. As part of the system of Meditation /Yoga the principles were divinely received by the Sages / Rishis’ (Spiritual Leaders of different caste / religion) as a means of self salvation, allowing man a path back to union again with his divine creator, ALLAH / God.

3. WHAT IS MEDITATION ? • SO… WHAT IS MEDITATION ? Meditation is a practice of concentrated focus upon a sound, object, visualization, the breath, movement, or attention itself in order to increase awareness of the present moment, reduce stress, promote relaxation, and enhance personal and spiritual growth.

4. How to get yourself started with MEDITATION... • PRAY:  Begin your meditation with a prayer. This will help you remember why you are meditating! You will also be inviting the Divine, or your Higher Self, to help you in your practice. SIT PERFECTLY STILL:  SIT PERFECTLY STILL Moving your body even slightly sends the energy into the muscles. The purpose of yoga is to withdraw that energy inward and upward, to the brain. Thus, any physical movement during meditation will counteract your meditative effort. To keep yourself from fidgeting, try to think of your body as a rock — solid and unmoving. Refuse to move for the first five minutes of meditation, and you will find that your body will grow calm of its own accord. Your physical and mental restlessness will subside the longer you sit still. A glass of muddy water will become clear in time if it’s undisturbed. The same is true for us! DO NOT CONTROL YOUR BREATH:  DO NOT CONTROL YOUR BREATH After the preliminary breathing exercises, you should cease any effort to control the breath. Let it flow naturally. You may notice that the pauses between the inhalation and exhalation are gradually becoming longer. Enjoy these pauses, for they are a glimpse of the deep state of advanced meditation. As you grow very calm, your breath may become so shallow, and the pauses so prolonged, that it hardly seems necessary to breathe at all. Do not be alarmed. This is good!

5. How to get yourself started with MEDITATION... • HOW LONG TO MEDITATE:  HOW LONG TO MEDITATE It is entirely up to you. Beginners should start with 5-8minutes. Make sure, however, to allow enough time after each “Technique”’ practice to sit still and enjoy the calm meditative state. WHERE TO MEDITATE:  • If possible, set aside an area that is used exclusively for meditation. In time it will become saturated with spiritual vibrations. A small room, a corner of your bedroom, or even closet can suffice, as long as it is well ventilated. Keep it simple. All you really need is a chair or small cushion to sit on, and perhaps a small altar. Face East if possible, and place a wool or silk blanket on the floor to insulate your body from the subtle magnetic currents of the earth. PROPER MEDITATION POSTURE:  • In addition to sitting on a straight-backed chair, there are other ways of sitting that are appropriate for mediation. You can sit on the floor in any of the several poses: cross-legged, half-lotus pose, or full-lotus pose. Two things, however, are essential: your spine must be straight, and you must be able to relax completely without slouching.

6. Sets & Meditationswith Prayer Technique • Set a time during the day (preferably early morning or evening). Sit in an Easy Pose, with a light crossed legs. • EYE POSITION: The eyes are fixed at the tip of the nose. (This meditation is not to be done with the eyes closed). • PRAYER / MANTRA: AL-LAH -HU

7. Prayer Practice: For Mental & Physical Well Being • BREATH ING PATTERN: • a) Block the right nostril with the right thumb. Inhale slowly and deeply through the left nostril. • Suspend the breath. Mentally chant the mantra AL-LLA-HU 16 times. Pump the Navel • Point 3 times with each repetition, once on AL; once on LLA; and once on HU for a • total of 48 unbroken pumps. • b) After the 16 repetitions, unblock the right nostril. Place the right index finger can also be used) to block off the left nostril, and exhale slowly and deeply through the right nostril. • c) Continue repeating a) & b) • TIME: for 11-31 minutes. Master practitioners may extend this practice to 62 minutes, then to 2-1/2 hours a day. • TO END: Inhale, hold the breath 5-10 seconds, then exhale. Stretch the arms up and shake every part of your body for 1 minute, so the energy can spread.

8. BENEFITS of the Prayer Technique • This is one of the greatest meditations you can practice. It has considerable transformational powers. The personal identity is re-built, giving the individual a new perspective on the Self. It retrains the mind. • It balances your mental projection, and gives you the positive power of health and healing. It establishes inner happiness and a state of flow and ecstasy in life. It opens your inner universe to relate, co-create, and complete the external universe.

9. More Benefits… • This meditation balances the Teacher aspect of the mind. It acts on all the other aspects like a mirror to reveal their true nature and adds corrections. You act as a human being not just a human doing. If the Teacher aspect is too strong, you risk a spiritual ego, which becomes too attached to the ability to detach and to be above normal struggles. When the Teacher aspect is too weak, you can misuse your spiritual and teaching position for personal advantage. • When balanced, the Teacher aspect is impersonally personal. It starts with absolute awareness and a neutral assessment from that awareness. The Teacher uses intuition to know directly what is real and what is a diversion. You respond from the Neutral Mind beyond the positives and negatives. You are clear about the purpose and the laws of each action. A complete Teacher is not an instructor. The Teacher is the expression of Infinity for the benefit of all. You master non-attachment so that you are simultaneously in all your activities and not of them. • Treat the practice with reverence and increase your depth, dimensions, caliber, and happiness. It gives you a new start against all odds.

10. Essential Benefits: To be noted!! • Treat the practice with reverence and increase your depth, dimensions, caliber, and happiness. It gives you a new start against all odds. • This meditation cuts through all darkness. It will give you a new start. It is the simplest meditation, but at the same time the hardest. It cuts through all barriers of the neurotic or psychotic inside-nature. When a person is in a very bad state, techniques imposed from the outside will not work. The pressure has to be stimulated from within. The tragedy of life is when the subconscious releases garbage into the conscious mind. There is no time, no place, no space, and no condition attached to this prayer / mantra. Each garbage point has its own time to clear. If you are going to clean your own garbage, you must estimate and clean it as fast as you can, or as slow as you want. Start practicing slowly, the slower the better. Start with 5 minutes a day, and gradually build the time to either 31 or 62 minutes. Maximum time is 2-1/2hours for practice of this meditation.

11. Relaxation Techniques: For Stress Relief Finding the Relaxation Exercises That Works for You • For many of us, relaxation means zoning out in front of the TV at the end of a stressful day. But this does little to reduce the damaging effects of stress. To effectively combat stress, we need to activate the body's natural relaxation response. You can do this by practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, rhythmic exercise, and yoga. Fitting these activities into your life can help reduce everyday stress and boost your energy and mood.

12. Relaxation Techniques for Stress Relief How do you react to stress? • Do you tend to become angry, agitated, or keyed up? You may respond best to relaxation techniques that quiet you down, such as meditation, deep breathing, or guided imagery • Do you tend to become depressed, withdrawn, or spaced out? You may respond best to relaxation techniques that are stimulating and that energize your nervous system, such as rhythmic exercise • Do you tend to freeze-speeding up internally, while slowing down externally? Your challenge is to identify relaxation techniques that provide both safety and stimulation to help you “reboot” your system. Techniques such as mindfulness walking or power yoga might work well for you too.

13. Relaxation Technique 1: Breathing Meditation for stress relief • With its focus on full, cleansing breaths, deep breathing is a simple, yet powerful, relaxation technique. It’s easy to learn, can be practiced almost anywhere, and provides a quick way to get your stress levels in check. Deep breathing is the cornerstone of many other relaxation practices, too, and can be combined with other relaxing elements such as aromatherapy and music. All you really need is a few minutes and a place to stretch out. • Practicing deep breathing meditation • The key to deep breathing is to breathe deeply from the abdomen, getting as much fresh air as possible in your lungs. When you take deep breaths from the abdomen, rather than shallow breaths from your upper chest, you inhale more oxygen. The more oxygen you get, the less tense, short of breath, and anxious you feel. • Sit comfortably with your back straight. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. • Breathe in through your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise. The hand on your chest should move very little. • Exhale through your mouth, pushing out as much air as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little. • Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale. • If you find it difficult breathing from your abdomen while sitting up, try lying on the floor. Put a small book on your stomach, and try to breathe so that the book rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale.

14. Relaxation Technique 2: Progressive muscle relaxation for stress relief • Progressive muscle relaxation involves a two-step process in which you systematically tense and relax different muscle groups in the body. • With regular practice, progressive muscle relaxation gives you an intimate familiarity with what tension—as well as complete relaxation—feels like in different parts of the body. This awareness helps you spot and counteract the first signs of the muscular tension that accompanies stress. And as your body relaxes, so will your mind. You can combine deep breathing with progressive muscle relaxation for an additional level of stress relief. • Practicing progressive muscle relaxation • Before practicing Progressive Muscle Relaxation, consult with your doctor if you have a history of muscle spasms, back problems, or other serious injuries that may be aggravated by tensing muscles. • Most progressive muscle relaxation practitioners start at the feet and work their way up to the face. For a sequence of muscle groups to follow, see the box below. • Loosen your clothing, take off your shoes, and get comfortable. • Take a few minutes to relax, breathing in and out in slow, deep breaths. • When you’re relaxed and ready to start, shift your attention to your right foot. Take a moment to focus on the way it feels. • Slowly tense the muscles in your right foot, squeezing as tightly as you can. Hold for a count of 10. • Relax your right foot. Focus on the tension flowing away and the way your foot feels as it becomes limp and loose. • Stay in this relaxed state for a moment, breathing deeply and slowly. • When you’re ready, shift your attention to your left foot. Follow the same sequence of muscle tension and release. • Move slowly up through your body, contracting and relaxing the muscle groups as you go. • It may take some practice at first, but try not to tense muscles other than those intended.

15. Progressive Muscle Relaxation Sequence • The most popular sequence runs as follows: • Right foot* • Left foot • Right calf • Left calf • Right thigh • Left thigh • Hips and buttocks • Stomach • Chest • Back • Right arm and hand • Left arm and hand • Neck and shoulders • Face * If you are left-handed you may want to begin with your left foot instead.

16. Relaxation Technique 3: Body scan meditation for stress relief • A body scan is similar to progressive muscle relaxation except, instead of tensing and relaxing muscles, you simply focus on the sensations in each part of your body. • Practicing body scan meditation • Lie on your back, legs uncrossed, arms relaxed at your sides, eyes open or closed. Focus on your breathing , allowing your stomach to rise as you inhale and fall as you exhale. Breathe deeply for about two minutes, until you start to feel comfortable and relaxed. • Turn your focus to the toes of your right foot. Notice any sensations you feel while continuing to also focus on your breathing. Imagine each deep breath flowing to your toes. Remain focused on this area for one to two minutes. • Move your focus to the sole of your right foot. Tune in to any sensations you feel in that part of your body and imagine each breath flowing from the sole of your foot. After one or two minutes, move your focus to your right ankle and repeat. Move to your calf, knee, thigh, hip, and then repeat the sequence for your left leg. From there, move up the torso, through the lower back and abdomen, the upper back and chest, and the shoulders. Pay close attention to any area of the body that causes you pain or discomfort. • Move your focus to the fingers on your right hand and then move up to the wrist,  forearm, elbow, upper arm, and shoulder. Repeat for your left arm. Then move through the neck and throat, and finally all the regions of your face, the back of the head, and the top of the head. Pay close attention to your jaw, chin, lips, tongue, nose, cheeks, eyes, forehead, temples and scalp. When you reach the very top of your head, let your breath reach out beyond your body and imagine yourself hovering above yourself.  • After completing the body scan, relax for a while in silence and stillness, noting how your body feels. Then open your eyes slowly. Take a moment to stretch, if necessary.

17. Relaxation Technique 4: Mindfulness for stress relief • Mindfulness is the ability to remain aware of how you’re feeling right now, your “moment-to-moment” experience—both internal and external. Thinking about the past—blaming and judging yourself—or worrying about the future can often lead to a degree of stress that is overwhelming. But by staying calm and focused in the present moment, you can bring your nervous system back into balance. Mindfulness can be applied to activities such as walking, exercising, eating, or meditation. • Meditations that cultivate mindfulness have long been used to reduce overwhelming stress. Some of these meditations bring you into the present by focusing your attention on a single repetitive action, such as your breathing, a few repeated words, or flickering light from a candle. Other forms of mindfulness meditation encourage you to follow and then release internal thoughts or sensations. • Practicing mindfulness meditation • Key points in mindfulness mediation are: • A quiet environment. Choose a secluded place in your home, office, garden, place of worship, or in the great outdoors where you can relax without distractions or interruptions. • A comfortable position. Get comfortable, but avoid lying down as this may lead to you falling asleep. Sit up with your spine straight, either in a chair or on the floor. You can also try a cross-legged or lotus position. • A point of focus. This point can be internal – a feeling or imaginary scene – or something external - a flame or meaningful word or phrase that you repeat it throughout your session. You may meditate with eyes open or closed. Also choose to focus on an object in your surroundings to enhance your concentration, or alternately, you can close your eyes. • An observant, noncritical attitude. Don’t worry about distracting thoughts that go through your mind or about how well you’re doing. If thoughts intrude during your relaxation session, don’t fight them. Instead, gently turn your attention back to your point of focus.

18. Making “Relaxation Techniques” a part of your life • The best way to start and maintain a relaxation practice is to incorporate it into your daily routine. Between work, family, social, and other commitments, though, it can be tough for many people to find the time. Fortunately, many of the techniques can be practiced while you’re doing other things. • With meditation, mindfulness requires being fully engaged in the present moment, focusing your mind on how your body feels right now. As you exercise, focus on the physicality of your body’s movement and how your breathing complements that movement. If your mind wanders to other thoughts, gently return to focusing on your breathing and movement.

19. REMINDERS: Tips for fitting “Meditation /Relaxation Techniques” into your life • If possible, schedule a set time to practice each day. Set aside one or two periods each day. You may find that it’s easier to stick with your practice if you do it first thing in the morning, before other tasks and responsibilities get in the way. • Practice relaxation techniques while you’re doing other things. Meditate while commuting to work on a bus or train, or waiting for a dentist appointment. Try deep breathing while you’re doing housework or mowing the lawn. Mindfulness walking can be done while exercising your dog, walking to your car, or climbing the stairs at work instead of using the elevator. Once you’ve learned techniques such as tai chi, you can practice them in your office or in the park at lunchtime. • If you exercise, improve the relaxation benefits by adopting mindfulness. Instead of zoning out or staring at a TV as you exercise, try focusing your attention on your body. If you’re resistance training, for example, focus on coordinating your breathing with your movements and pay attention to how your body feels as you raise and lower the weights. • Avoid practicing when you’re sleepy. These techniques can relax you so much that they can make you very sleepy, especially if it’s close to bedtime. You will get the most benefit if you practice when you’re fully awake and alert. Do not practice after eating a heavy meal or while using drugs, tobacco, or alcohol. • Expect ups and downs. Don’t be discouraged if you skip a few days or even a few weeks. It happens. Just get started again and slowly build up to your old momentum.

20. Rhythm: Flow of Meditation 1. Start your day with - Basic: “Prayer Meditation Technique”. 2. “Quantum Meditation Techniques” Tape is shared. You can listen & follow to get yourself started with it as instructed. For more info, visit www.quantummethod.org 3. Life FLOW Rhythm Tape is shared for you to follow the “Relaxation Techniques” through rhythm and meditation.

21. Keep the faith & continue the process of MEDITAION with love in your heart & a positive attitude. Be in complete acceptance!!*Enjoy the articles in the next few slides* The World in a Bright Light: Be Grateful Everyday is a blessing, and in each moment there are many things that we can be grateful for. The world opens up to us when we live in a space of gratitude. In essence, gratitude has a snowball effect. When we are appreciative and express that gratitude, the universe glows a bit brighter and showers us with even more blessings. There is always something to be grateful for, even when life seems hard. When times are tough, whether we are having a bad day or stuck in what may feel like an endless rut, it can be difficult to take the time to feel grateful. Yet, that is when gratitude can be most important. If we can look at our lives, during periods of challenge, and find something to be grateful for, then we can transform our realities in an instant. There are blessings to be found everywhere. When we are focusing on what is negative, our abundance can be easy to miss. Instead, choosing to find what already exists in our lives that we can appreciate can change what we see in our world. We start to notice one blessing, and then another. When we constantly choose to be grateful, we notice that every breath is a miracle and each smile becomes a gift. We begin to understand that difficulties are also invaluable lessons. The sun is always shining for us when we are grateful, even if it is hidden behind clouds on a rainy day. A simple sandwich becomes a feast, and a trinket is transformed into a treasure. Living in a state of gratitude allows us to spread our abundance because that is the energy that we emanate from our beings. Because the world reflects back to us what we embody, the additional blessings that inevitably flow our way give us even more to be grateful for. The universe wants to shower us with blessings. The more we appreciate life, the more life appreciates and bestows us with more goodness.

22. As Blessed as you want to Be • The Power Of Staying Positive • Our thoughts are not simply ethereal pieces of information that enter our minds and then disappear. The words and ideas that we think can shape our lives and drive us toward success and happiness or failure and distress. How you think and feel can have a profound effect on your ability to recognize opportunity, how well you perform, and the outcome of the goals that you’ve set for yourself. When you maintain an optimistic outlook and make an effort to harbor only positive thoughts, you begin to create the circumstances conducive to you achieving what you desire. You feel in control and few of life’s challenges seem truly overwhelming because it is in your nature to expect a positive conclusion. An optimistic mind is also an honest one. Staying positive does not mean that you ignore difficulties or disregard limitations. Instead, it means spending time focusing only on the thoughts that are conducive to your well-being and progress. • Positive thinking dramatically increases your chances of success in any endeavor. When you’re sure that you are worthy and that achievement is within your grasp, you start to relax and look for solutions rather than dwelling on problems. You are more likely to imagine positive situations or outcomes and disregard the thoughts related to giving up, failure, or roadblocks. What the mind expects, it finds. If you anticipate joy, good health, happiness, and accomplishment, then you will experience each one. Thinking positively may sound like a simple shift in attention – and it is – but it is a mind-set that must be developed. Whenever a negative thought enters your mind, try immediately replacing it with a constructive or optimistic one. With persistence, you can condition your mind to judge fleeting, self-defeating thoughts as inconsequential and dismiss them. • It is within your power to become as happy, content, or successful as you make up your mind to be. Staying positive may not have an immediate effect on your situation, but it will likely have a profound and instantaneous effect on your mood and the quality of your experiences. In order for positive thinking to change your life, it must become your predominant mind-set. Once you are committed to embracing positive thinking, you’ll start believing that everything that you want is within your grasp.

23. Gratitude with a different perspective. It is easy for us to be in Gratitude when things go our way BUT having the same attitude of Gratitude when things do not go my way, would be truly being in Gratitude. This in turn will bring in abundance into our lives as by having this attitude we would actually be turning ,the so called negatives of our lives into positives! On this note, I would like to share what I came across – Article shared in the next slide.

24. Give Thanks Be thankful that you don’t already have everything that you desire, If you did, what would there be to look forward to ! Be thankful that you don’t know something, As it gives you opportunities to learn ! Be thankful for the difficult times, During those times you grow ! Be thankful for limitations, Because it gives you opportunities for improvement ! Be thankful for every new challenge, For each new challenge will build strength and character ! Be thankful for your mistakes, They teach you valuable lessons ! Be thankful when you are tired and weary, Because it means you have made your effort ! Be thankful for setbacks, it is easy to be thankful for all good things, Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they can become your blessings ! Thank You !