Meditation: Can sitting with your eyes closed improve your quality of life?
Author: Jim Malloy

What comes to mind when you think of meditation? People sitting on remote mountain tops in exotic lands? Lines of monks sitting on monastery floors in deep concentration? Ages ago, meditation may have been practiced only by a select few reclusive types. But today, millions of people from all walks of life are enjoying the many benefits of meditation. No longer shrouded in mysticism, meditation has emerged as a practical and valuable tool for relieving the stress of modern living, and improving our overall quality of life. How can practicing meditation improve your quality of life?

Before addressing that, it will be helpful to define meditation, and dispel a few common misconceptions. Meditation is "the act of directing your attention to one specific thing, in order to alter your state of mind." Meditation is simply about attention, and how you direct it. There are many ways to meditate... all of them depend on what it is you focus your attention on. For example, in some methods you direct your attention to a visual object, such as a candle flame, image, or symbol. While in others, you focus your attention on a specific sound or thought. Altering your state of mind simply means that the mind shifts from being very active and unfocussed, to a state of greater calm, clarity, and focussed awareness.

One of the main misconceptions I encounter about meditation, is the idea that it requires willfully turning off your thoughts... making your mind a blank. If you've ever tried to do this, you probably found it impossible to do for more than a moment or two. It's sort of like trying to force yourself to fall asleep... the harder you try to sleep, the more awake you seem to become. In meditation, the mind does become calm and quiet, but this is the result of the technique that's used, rather than the result of your own effort.

The main other misconception, is that meditating is difficult and requires years of training. This is definitely not true. Meditation can, and should be, very easy to learn and practice. The key to making it easy, is realizing that there is not one specific "state of meditation" that must be achieved, and that there is really no such thing as meditating successfully or unsuccessfully. Once you accept this, it becomes quite easy and enjoyable.

How Can Meditation Improve Your
Quality of Life?

Improved Health
Numerous studies have proven that meditation improves health. In one of the most recent studies, done by Harvard Medical School, meditation was found to produce "health benefits beyond what had been expected." Here are just two of the categories in which meditation was found to improve health.

1. Reduced heart disease: Meditation was found to lower high blood pressure in persons with hypertension, and normalize heart rate in persons with irregular heartbeat.
2. Strengthened immune system: Meditation was found to significantly increase the number of blood cells which kill bacteria and cancer cells.

Another study, which examined health insurance statistics, revealed that people over age 40 who meditated regularly over a period of several years, averaged over 50% fewer doctor's visits than non-meditators, and averaged over 50% less hospitalization time than non-meditators. 1

Greater Clarity of Mind
Meditation has also been shown to enhance concentration, and increase clarity of thinking. This results from meditation increasing the flow of energy to the brain. Energy is the "fuel" that the brain runs on... it is essential for healthy mental function. When the brain is getting sufficient fuel, thinking is clear, concentration comes easily, memory functions efficiently, and there is a general feeling of well-being. However, when the brain is not getting enough fuel, thinking becomes cloudy, there is difficulty concentrating, memory function drops, and one may tend to feel irritable and off kilter.

Increased Vitality
Vitality is more than just feeling energetic. When your vitality level is high, so too is your level of enthusiasm... your zest for life. Within each of us is an inner reservoir of vital energy. As a result of stress and the demands of day to day living, we tend to become cut off from this source of vital energy. The effects of this, are lowered energy, enthusiasm, and enjoyment of life. However, by turning your attention inward in meditation, you tap into this reservior of vital energy, thereby restoring its flow throughout your system. Those who meditate regularly will attest to feeling this increased level of vitality in their lives.

Improved health, clarity of mind, increased vitality... these are all major contributors to improved quality of life. This is why I can confidently say that regular meditation will enhance the quality of your life. What is meant by regular meditation? Ten to twenty minutes a day is all that is needed to begin experiencing the benefits of meditation. How do you learn to meditate? One of the best ways is to take a class in basic meditation. Classes are available in most cities. If there are no classes where you live, there are instructional books and recordings available in many major bookstores. There is also quite a bit of information on meditation now available on the internet.

A Simple Meditation Technique

For those of you who are anxious to try meditation, here is a very simple, universally practiced method.

1. Sit in a comfortable chair. It doesn't matter how you place your hands or feet, as long as you are comfortable and sitting upright.
2. Close your eyes.
3. With "relaxed effort", focus your attention on your breathing. Observe your breath coming in, filling you, and going out.
4. If you notice that your attention has drifted completely away from your breathing, it's ok... just bring your attention back, and continue observing your breathing.
5. Continue like this for about 10 minutes.

That's all there is to it. Simply follow the guidelines, and accept whatever occurs. Your experiences in meditation will vary from day to day... but if you meditate daily, you will begin reaping the benefits fairly quickly.








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Jim Malloy is a full time meditation teacher living in Northern California. Trained as a meditation instructor in 1973 by the International Meditation Society, he has over 25 years of experience teaching meditation. He has taught meditation classes throughout the western and southwestern United States and in England. Jim is the creator and instructor of the popular World Wide Online Meditation Center: http://www.meditationcenter.com

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