The Art & Science of Meditation by Dr. Sudhir Shah

1. THE ART & SCIENCE OF MEDITATION Dr Sudhir ShahMD DM Neurology Professor of Neurology – K.M.School of PGMR Head, Department of Neurology – VSGH, AHD Director of Neurosciences – Sterling Hospital Consultant Neurologist - Ahmedabad, INDIA India 3rd Jan 2010

3. Why Meditation ?

4. We exist in two forms : body and mind. : exercise.. (essay) • At some stage you realize that peace and happiness are not outside. • The cause of miseries : thoughts, aspirations, past & present and attitude • The quest for the god. • All great people have done meditation.

6. What is meditation • Exercise of mind to keep it healthy and clean, as we do for body. • A state of altered consciousness. • Fourth stage of consciousness. • Spiritual ecstasy with neurological manifestation. • Not really a Hallucination. • Caution.

7. Spirituality Meditation Philosophy Devotion Karmayoga RELIGION Charity Character Morality Rituals

8. What is meditation? Definitions • Stability of mind • Wavering of mind is stopped • Concentration on one target • Unified thought process • Thoughtlessness • Introspection • Lack of activity • To leave, to give away • Mental aerobics • Intentional self regulation • Dedication • Stay connected • Patanjali • Buddha • Narad

9. What is meditation? Definitions Definition : Thinking deeply or spiritually about a subject It is a complex cognitive task It is more than relaxation, concentration, contemplation or posturing Frees the mind from distractions and allows for communication with the “Master Within” The ultimate goal isILLUMINATION : ENLIGHTENMENT

10. Meditation : advantages • Physical, mental and emotional health. • Cure / control of psychosomatic disorders including high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, DM, asthma, rheumatism etc. • Stress relief. • Spiritual health. • Better concentration and sharpness. • Produces relaxation and reduces reactivity. • Improves Job performance. • Interpersonal relations.

11. Meditation : advantages • Brings change of attitude • Inner peace, patience and happiness. • Cultivates and promotes positive emotions and removes negative thoughts. • Helps in controlling anger and conquering fear. • Brings control over thought process. • Improves quality of life. • Intuitive knowledge, healing power, magnetic personality and occult powers.

12. Meditation is an antidote to stress • The neuro chemistry and neuro physiology of meditation is just the reverse of stress. Stress : Over activity of Sympathetic system. • Meditation: Over activity of Parasympathetic system.

13. Caution • However, it is not a push button system, you need patience. Hence there is a 90 to 95% -drop out rate. You need to have right guide, right method, correct understanding, appropriate place, constant practice, extreme faith and full conviction. • Please do not sleep. • Meditation industry is at height, because of commercialization, so one should be careful. • Not to make comparisons, All systems are great

14. Meditation is hard work. It demands the highest form of discipline which comes through constant awareness, not only of the things about you outwardly, but also inwardly. - J. Krishnamurti

15. The Real Purpose Of Meditation • Elimination of Ego • Elimination of Mind

16. MEDITATION : PHILOSOPHICAL PURPOSE • Philosophical self realization • God realization • Total bliss (total relief of pain) • Total liberation

17. Meditation techniques • Focus on Breathing • Focus on an object, light • Focus on a sound • Focus on a thought • Focus on sensual object • Focus on sensory perception • Imagery • Soul meditation

18. Meditation Practice • Choosing a place and atmosphere • Sitting Posture • Time of meditation • Importance of Consistent Practice • 4 purities : Mouth, Body, Place & Clothes • Mental attitude – “bare attention,” or neutral witness • Pure moment-to-moment awareness, or mindfulness Non-judgmental inner listening, equanimity -WARMING UP- • Prayer • Pranayama……… internet connection……... Broadband

19. Patanjal Dhyana Anapan Sati Smriti Upasthan Vipashyana Preksha Dhyana Jain Dhyana Spand Dhyana Mantra Dhyana Nabhi Dhyana Swapna Dhyana Nidra Dhyana Yoga nidra, Nyas Kriya Yoga Mrutyu Dhyana T.S Meditation Kundalini Kayotsarga Tratak Suryasamyam Adarshdhyana (mirror) Swaminarayan Dhyana Arup Dhyana Purnayoga Dhyana Atit Dhyana (past) Bhavidhyana (future) Sarpalanchan Dhyana Samarpana Dhyana Tathata Hoo-Dhyana (Dynamic Meditation) Sahaj Dhyana Your own system Meditation : methods All methods are great

20. PATANJAL RAJ YOGA • Yama : Nonviolence, truth, non-stealing celibacy and aparigriha (Non-collectiveness) • Niyama : Purity, Penance (Austerity) Satisfaction Spiritual learning Worship & dedication • Asana : • Pranayama : • Pratyaahar : • Dharna : • Dhyana : • Samadhi :

21. Meditation over an object, place or thought Chakra, Flame or Photo with eyes open or closed

22. Basic Instructions for Meditation Anapan Sati • To bring the attention to the breath, but not to control the breathing. It is not pranayama. • Give full attention to the feeling of the breath as it goes in and out. • Dwell in the present, moment by moment, breath by breath. • Observe your mind with moment-to-moment awareness.

23. Basic Instructions for Meditation • When attention wanders, note it and then gently bring awareness back to the breath. • Why breathing ? Truth, vital, secular, always with you, present tense, carrier of mind – Emotions, thoughts, and perversions • Continue to watch the breath, accepting each moment as it is for 1 hour. Not to loose single breath - The power of ‘NOW’ - The concept of ‘VOID’ • When breathing takes consciousness into each cell, there is a vital dance

24. Meditation-Techniques • Smriti Upasthan : Observation & awareness of thoughts Budhha, Krishnamurti Avoid conflict with mind The root cause of miseries is thoughts Study beginning, end, structure & content of thoughts. Pl. do not criticize Observe & know your thoughts Study movement of mind and feel separated This will lead to detachment with thoughts Becoming aware of one’s consciousness Observer will realize that himself is being observed • Purnayoga : Maharishi Aurobindo’s method of combination Yoga Empty your thoughts & know your mind

25. MeditationJaindhyana • Jain religion is Bhavadharma, so meditation is of utmost importance. • Dharmadhyana & shukladhyana… excellent remedy for all types of health. • Several types of meditations. • Samayik & kayotsarga are super meditations. • Preksha, vipashyana, granthibheda • Atmadhyana.

26. Atmadhyana • Meditating on the soul is one of the best meditations. • To remain constantly aware of the soul and its characteristics and its functions. To dissociate soul from the body at every moment and the sentinence – the application of knowledge is the ultimate meditation. • Samayam api ma pamayae GOYAMA !

27. Meditation-Techniques • Prekshadhyana : To see –To observe ( Jain Method-Lord Mahavir) Acharya Tulsiji – Acharya Mahapragyaji • Breathing (Shwas-Preksha) • Thoughts (Vichar-Preksha) • Body (Sharir-Preksha) • Mind (Anupreksha) • Leshyadhyana etc. Prerequisites : Mitahaar, Mitbhashan, Maitri, Pratikriya - Shunyakriya, Bhavkriya Truth, Non-violence, non-stealing, celibacy and non-collectiveness

28. Meditation-Techniques • Vipashyana : To see –To observe ( Buddha) Goenkaji through mahasi sayado Breathing : control of emotions & perversions Thoughts : detachment from thoughts Body and perception of sensations : control of Raga and Dwesha

29. Vipashyana Operation of the mind, by the mind • Calm and quiet mind • Awake and attentive mind • Equanimous mind

30. The Sound of Om in a Drop of Oil CHANTING MEDITATION To do chanting on mantra, its meaning and vibration

31. Effect of sound chanting

32. A Yantra is a graphic representation of the sound of Mantra

34. Mindfulness Practice • Observing the body and mind intentionallyLetting experiences unfold from moment to moment and accepting them as they are. • Observing thoughts without getting caught up in them.No effort to control anything except the focus and direction of the attention. Not a passive process, yet does not involve trying to get anywhere. • Eating meditation, sitting meditation, working meditation and meditation during each act is the goal of mindfulness practice.

35. Rule No. 1 • Wherever there is body, mind should also be there without any exception Rule No. 2 • Develop wakeful plain observorship (Sakshibhav or Drushtabhav) Rule No. 3 • Know your soul with your own soul.

36. Transcendental Meditation (TM) • Movement founded by Maharshi Mahesh Yogi of India.

37. T.S.MEDITATION

38. Sri Sri Ravishankarji • Sudarshan kriya • Art of living course has changed thousands of lives

39. SILENCE / CONTEMPLATION In the silence of the heart God speaks Let God fill us, then only we speak. Do small things with great love.

40. The fruit of silence…..is Prayer The fruit of Prayer….. is Faith The fruit of Faith……..is love The fruit of Love …….is Service - Mother Teresa

41. DHYANA YOGA • Perfect relaxation • Observorship • Non Decisiveness Dynamic Meditation

42. Purnayoga Aspiration Rejection Surrender

43. Patanjal Dhyana Anapan Sati Smriti Upasthan Vipashyana Preksha Dhyana Jain Dhyana Spand Dhyana Mantra Dhyana Nabhi Dhyana Swapna Dhyana Nidra Dhyana Yoga nidra, Nyas Kriya Yoga Mrutyu Dhyana T.S Meditation Kundalini Kayotsarga Tratak Suryasamyam Adarshdhyana (mirror) Swaminarayan Dhyana Arup Dhyana Purnayoga Dhyana Atit Dhyana (past) Bhavidhyana (future) Sarpalanchan Dhyana Samarpana Dhyana Tathata Hoo-Dhyana (Dynamic Meditation) Sahaj Dhyana Your own system Meditation : methods All methods are great

44. SwapnadhyanaNidradhyanaYognidraNyasa

45. MEDITATION FOR THE BEGINNERS First Practice Silence of body, speech and learn to get isolated Then, chanting, seeing an idol, inner flame, breathing etc.

46. Benefits of meditation • Oxygen consumption is reduced by 16%, even greater than the reduction of 12% in sleep • Neural structures that are intimately related to the control of the autonomic nervous system are activated • Diurnal, cyclic secretion of stress hormones (adrenocorticotrophic hormone, cortisol and beta-endorphin) is absent

47. STATISTICS • Physicians, Psychotherapists, and other Professionals are increasingly adding Meditative Techniques to their practice. • Over six thousand Physicians have begun the practice of Transcendental Meditation and regularly recommend the TM technique to their patients. • Many Physicians consider Meditation a key element of an Integrated Health Program.

48. Arthritis Allergies Asthma Hypertension Coronary Artery Disease Irritable Bowel Syndrome Heartburn (GERD) Constipation Tension Headaches and Migraines PMS and Menstrual Discomfort Menopause Pain of the Back, Hips, Knees Depression & Anxiety Substance Abuse Skin Disorders Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Overweight Sleep Problems Health Conditions in which Yoga may help heal or treat

49. Medical benefits of meditation Researching the Benefits of  on Meditation : • With 7 weeks of meditation, cancer patients decreased their degree of depression, anxiety, anger, confusion, and chest and stomach symptoms by 50% - and felt more vigor. • With 10 weeks of meditation, 2/3’s of chronic pain patients had a 30% reduction in pain, and half had more than a 50% reduction. • With 10 weeks of meditation, chronic pain patients had less pain, less mood disturbances, used less pain medication, and could be more active.  The benefits were still present one year later. • Three years after an 8-week meditation instruction, patients with anxiety and panic disorders still showed a benefit. • All patients with fibromyalgia who meditated for 10 weeks improved, and over half showed moderate to marked improvement in pain, fatigue and quality of sleep.

50. Medical benefits of meditation • Meditation has been found to be quite useful in most of the psychosomatic disorders including asthma, rheumatism, gut problems, blood pressure, diabetes etc. • With 6 weeks of meditation irritable bowel syndrome patients had less flatulance, belching, bloating and diarrhea. • Even though daily fluctuations in cortisol are unchanged, people who meditate don’t have the daily fluctuations in the cortisol-stimulating hormone (ACTH), or beta-endorphins, suggesting a change in feedback sensitivity. • People trained in and performing an imagery-based relaxation prior to injection, had less inflammatory reaction to chili pepper “extract” (capsaicin) injected under the skin.   • With 6 months of meditation, athletes had less increase in the CD8+ suppressor T cell response to strenuous physical stress, improving the immune system’s helper to suppressor cell ratio.  It also reduces post-traumatic stress.