Raja yoga, mindfulness and guided imagery
Technique: Raja yoga
Tradition: Hindu
Based on traditions thousands of years old, raja yoga combines day-to-day moral living with sessions of concentration and controlled breathing to help the soul become free of physical distractions, and thus achieve complete union with God.
The specific techniques take years to master and are usually only taught to serious students, but raja yoga practitioners begin by learning to sit absolutely still, concentrating on breathing and emptying the mind of all feelings, thoughts and perceptions to experience the true "Self," the divine soul within. "Along the way, these various yoga techniques do help, slowing down the breathing and the heart," says Brother Brahmananda. "You're living a very moral life, and that puts you ahead physically, mentally and spiritually."
For more information:
Go to the Self-Realization Fellowship website or read Raja Yoga by Swami Vivekananda.
Technique: Mindfulness
Tradition: Buddhist
Considered one of the most accessible techniques for Westerners, mindfulness "puts distance between you and your thoughts," says Joseph Emet, a Dharma (Buddhist) teacher in Montreal. "It's a bit like self-knowledge." The first step on the path is to empty your mind, by focusing on your breathing. "Then the mind and body are doing the same things," says Emet. Once in this state, the practitioner deliberately takes note of thoughts and feelings that arise -- but from a removed point of view. "It's like being a witness to your thoughts, rather than allowing them to take over," says Emet. "Instead of being angry, think, I am witnessing anger. Then, you observe with a keen mind what is happening, what emotions and sensations you have with detachment. You can get over your gut reactions, open your mind and have insights about yourself and what causes others to act as they do."
And that, he says, is the key to improving your health. "The Buddhist approach to health is that you can control your addictions and if you develop love for others and yourself, you will care for yourself."
For more information:
Guided Mindfulness Meditation CD (Sounds True, 2005) by Jon Kabat-Zinn. To locate a mindfulness instructor near you, go here.
Technique: Guided imagery
Tradition: Modern psychology
Looking for a meditation technique not based on a spiritual tradition? Consider guided imagery -- psychology's modern angle on an old idea.
It's simple: Close your eyes and breathe deeply from your diaphragm. With every exhalation, release anxiety. Once relaxed, envision you are in a tranquil environment -- on the beach, floating in a warm bath or relaxing by a fire. Involve all your senses, so you can hear, smell, feel, even taste your surroundings. Let your vision relax you deeply. (If this is difficult to manage on your own, an instructor or a meditation CD can direct you.)
When you're ready, count backward from 10 or 20 and return to alertness. "It's like taking a mini-holiday," explains Sandra Pickrell-Baker, who teaches touch and energy healing techniques and makes guided imagery CDs in Halifax. "Women in particular are so ‘other' focused, we forget to take care of ourselves. But this is fundamentally the best gift for others, to care for ourselves."
For more information:
Staying Well with Guided Imagery (Warner, 1995) by Belleruth Naparstek. Or feel free to contact Pickrell-Baker at spb@accesswave.ca or (902) 401-7936.
Click to continue...
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Tradition: Hindu
Based on traditions thousands of years old, raja yoga combines day-to-day moral living with sessions of concentration and controlled breathing to help the soul become free of physical distractions, and thus achieve complete union with God.
The specific techniques take years to master and are usually only taught to serious students, but raja yoga practitioners begin by learning to sit absolutely still, concentrating on breathing and emptying the mind of all feelings, thoughts and perceptions to experience the true "Self," the divine soul within. "Along the way, these various yoga techniques do help, slowing down the breathing and the heart," says Brother Brahmananda. "You're living a very moral life, and that puts you ahead physically, mentally and spiritually."
For more information:
Go to the Self-Realization Fellowship website or read Raja Yoga by Swami Vivekananda.
Technique: Mindfulness
Tradition: Buddhist
Considered one of the most accessible techniques for Westerners, mindfulness "puts distance between you and your thoughts," says Joseph Emet, a Dharma (Buddhist) teacher in Montreal. "It's a bit like self-knowledge." The first step on the path is to empty your mind, by focusing on your breathing. "Then the mind and body are doing the same things," says Emet. Once in this state, the practitioner deliberately takes note of thoughts and feelings that arise -- but from a removed point of view. "It's like being a witness to your thoughts, rather than allowing them to take over," says Emet. "Instead of being angry, think, I am witnessing anger. Then, you observe with a keen mind what is happening, what emotions and sensations you have with detachment. You can get over your gut reactions, open your mind and have insights about yourself and what causes others to act as they do."
And that, he says, is the key to improving your health. "The Buddhist approach to health is that you can control your addictions and if you develop love for others and yourself, you will care for yourself."
For more information:
Guided Mindfulness Meditation CD (Sounds True, 2005) by Jon Kabat-Zinn. To locate a mindfulness instructor near you, go here.
Technique: Guided imagery
Tradition: Modern psychology
Looking for a meditation technique not based on a spiritual tradition? Consider guided imagery -- psychology's modern angle on an old idea.
It's simple: Close your eyes and breathe deeply from your diaphragm. With every exhalation, release anxiety. Once relaxed, envision you are in a tranquil environment -- on the beach, floating in a warm bath or relaxing by a fire. Involve all your senses, so you can hear, smell, feel, even taste your surroundings. Let your vision relax you deeply. (If this is difficult to manage on your own, an instructor or a meditation CD can direct you.)
When you're ready, count backward from 10 or 20 and return to alertness. "It's like taking a mini-holiday," explains Sandra Pickrell-Baker, who teaches touch and energy healing techniques and makes guided imagery CDs in Halifax. "Women in particular are so ‘other' focused, we forget to take care of ourselves. But this is fundamentally the best gift for others, to care for ourselves."
For more information:
Staying Well with Guided Imagery (Warner, 1995) by Belleruth Naparstek. Or feel free to contact Pickrell-Baker at spb@accesswave.ca or (902) 401-7936.
Click to continue...
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