Template:Meditation

To meditate is to watch. Have you looked into your mind? Have you looked in the dark corners and closets of your mind where you keep the memory of your past traumas?
The cognitive dissonance in our mind and behavior often is both the source and cause of additional conflicts within our mind leading to depression and anxiety and other compulsive behaviors. Learn about Meditation.

Battling Enemies in all dimensions

Life sometimes seems to be a battle or a struggle. The book of Psalm mentions enemies more than any other book of the Bible. But before an enemy may be defeated we need to identify who or what the enemy really is.

Psalms also tells us to "be still" because the "LORD shall fight" those enemies for us.

"Be still, and know that I [am] God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalms 46:10

"The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." Exodus 14:14

"Better [is] an handful [with] quietness, than both the hands full [with] travail and vexation of spirit." Ecclesiastes 4:6

There are several different words translated into the word enemies in the Old Testament.

They are not all the same but they may be a form of an enemy. The most common root word in the Hebrew is ‘oyeb AlefYodBeit.

Some think of evil as a force against the good, like demons against angels. But good is equated with light and darkness cannot war against the light.

Just as the kingdom of God is within so also is the darkness from which evil is manifested within us. Darkness is the result of blocking the light.

Hate, anger, judgement, unforgiveness come from putting yourself, our vanity, our will before the will of the Creator.

Man usurps the will of God when he eats of his own tree of knowledge rather from the spirit of the tree of life from above.

This willful desire leads to usurp and ruling over others, putting "self" first and others second. It leads to oppression as we saw with Cain who "plowed the adhamah" to fill his altar.

Our battle with what we think of as evil is often only a battle with our own will, the darkness of our own heart that allows us to imagine our own self-righteousness to be righteousness.

We must learn to love the light that will show us the lies hidden in the garden of our own heart and mind.

Can we hear the whisper of love from the Holy Spirit of the LORD from above our the voices from the lord's of the dark recesses of our own heart and mind?

The flesh moves not the Spirit, but it is the spirit that moves the flesh and the flesh moves the world of men.

But what spirit moves our heart and mind? Is it from above or somewhere else?

"And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;" 1 Thessalonians 4:11.

The word study means to be "zealous" or "eager" or "strive". The word quiet Means rest from work, cease from altercation, am silent, live quietly from same hésuchios defined to be still, be silent. Our personal ego needs to be silent, forgiving the trauma that has hidden in the darkness so the truth and light may shine.

We cannot truly defeat the demons of any world without victory in spirit and truth. But do we have the patience of the saints who wait upon the Lord.

We cannot be free from the enemies of God unless we will receive the truth in our hearts and our minds. Without true humility about ourselves we will not benefit from the honor and power of the most High.

We must never take pride in our struggle, knowledge or accomplishments.

All power, honour and glory must be given to God. Any and all failure to keep the commandments is evidence of our need of repentance.

How do we know if we are tempting God with our hidden vanity or pride and envy?

Our imagination, if tempered with our own willful thoughts and pride, may bring our minds into the captivity of a strong delusion. Repenting is a changing of the mind but without the Holy Spirit, the comforter, we know not how or in what way that our minds should be changed.

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" 2 Corinthians 10:5

According to Proverbs we are to give drink to our enemy and according to Christ you need to love your enemy.

Proverbs tells us that giving in love to that hateful enemy will actually be to him like "coals of fire upon his head"

We are to be baptized with fire which is to bring the light of God into our own hearts so we may confess the truth and let go of the will that has become a stumbling block of recompense. If we are willing to see the whole truth about ourselves the light of the Lord may shine in us and before us like a fiery sword of His righteousness.

"Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me." Psalms 143:9

There is no greater enemy of the truth than our own unwillingness to see or hear the truth about ourselves.

"And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden." Genesis 3:8

If we are to know the voice of the LORD we need to still our own hearts and minds so that we may hear his still small voice.

"And after the earthquake a fire; [but] the LORD [was] not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice." 1 Kings 19:12

Contemplating in depth

There are many places in the Bible that tells us to be still so that you can hear God and learn what is righteous.

There are benefits of "meditation and mindfulness" but there are also side effects. There are many approaches to meditation and there can be a need for help during these processes. The kinds of help can vary even more than the kinds of meditations.

What would you see if you looked deeper, if you stared into the abyss of your own mind?

Genesis 24:63 "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels [were] coming."

Meditation may help you see things in the present by dealing with things of the past and letting them go through a process of admission or personal confession and of course forgiveness.

"Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred." Job 6:24

While meditation may bring you face to face with your mental baggage or even demons it may only bring you to a place of change but it does not make the choice for you.

Psalms 119:15 "I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways."

Meditation may be an exercise but also a lens. The view it produces will depend on your willingness see and ability to handle the truth without being distracted.

Psalms 119:148 "Mine eyes prevent the [night] watches, that I might meditate in thy word." for "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" Matthew 6:22-23

What is hiding in your mind that you have not yet seen?

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Jordan Peterson on the Practice of Meditation. Does he meditate? It's a good question which Peterson answers and further explains on this clip. He also offers valuable tips on how to meditate that aims for the highest good you can conceive of. Time 5:07

1 Timothy 4:15 "Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all."

Meditation

The word meditation, from the Latin word meditatio, originally meant every type of physical or intellectual exercise, and became to mean any form of "contemplation."

Meditation is often considered to be a spiritual activity, but in fact it is fundamentally a mental activity or exercise that has many physical effects. It also has many forms and can have a variety of purposes and outcomes depending on both form and intent.

What we are thinking may produce multiple physiological and biochemical reactions in the body that will in turn affect our thinking and emotions state. Observation of external events may produce neurotransmitters in your brain like noradrenaline, serotonin, or dopamine which can drastically affect both brain and bodily functions. Even rehearsing or recalling these events in the mind may re-release these chemicals which will affect the mind and the body.

Experts believe that many mental disorders are partly caused by an underlying problem with specific brain circuits or activities and the balance of these brain chemicals.

Meditations may produce a reduction in the activities of the mind. This reduction in mental activity maybe instrumental in producing a “decreased heart rate, decreased respiration rate, decreased stress hormones like plasma cortisol. At the same time there may be an increase in alpha brain waves associated with relaxation. With a reduction of activity in the nervous system and blood lactate levels the mind may become more alert producing quicker reactions, more creativity and greater comprehension. Meditation may produce these conditions four times faster than in pre-meditation resting.¹

What are the mechanics of meditation?

Every religion used forms of meditation.

All forms of meditation are not created or practiced equally. Just as physical exercise can do harm so can meditation. Good forms of meditation do not guarantee that good will result any more than exercising the body will produce virtuous people. It is not the form that gives life but the spirit.

According to Zen and all Buddhist typology meditation practices are the same, but their substance and purpose differ. While some use meditation for mental and physical quietude others use it to transcend the mental and physical state.

Altering the “mental and physical state” of the individual is as dependent upon technique as it is dependent upon the intent of the individual. Knowledge of that true intent may be as elusive as the “mental and physical state” the individual seeks.

The ordinary Japanese and Chinese meditation of bonpu is practiced for mental and physical well-being without any spiritual goal. Outside of Buddhist purposes there are those purposes of Hindu, Judaism, or Christian contemplation or even for the pursuit of supernatural powers.

There also may be a practice of meditation for the purpose of self-liberation from emotional bondage like phobias or syndromes, or even the release from the grip of emotional and physical habits in the hope of achieving a free state of soul and mind.

These basic purposes may be expanded to include self-realization for a higher purpose or benefit to all beings, or used as a path to the full realization or restoration of an individual created in the image of God to his original state.

There are thousands of meditation methods and numerous types and categories described. An extensive examination of the variation may be counter productive in seeking an understanding of the basics of proper or improper meditation.

In order to establish some frame of reference we will examine two types of meditation concentrative or focused meditation and what may be called mindfulness.

In concentrative meditation² you focus attention on an object like a part of the body or an external object. Some will focus on their breathing or a sound or group of sounds or tones. They can include a wide range of activities from simple tapping or rigid postures or positions, chanting and mantras but may even include physical penance or in the extreme self-torture and mutilation.

These practices are a lot more common in there simple forms and may be done naturally with no association with the idea of meditation. Everything from wiggling your foot to tapping your fingers to humming a tune or repeating the same phrase or prayer over and over are all forms of naturally occurring habits that have been associated in meditations.

These focused meditation may include some visualization. A focused attention meditation is often found among Buddhist and Hindu teachings in different forms. Some practitioners suggest that as you are able to deeply and consistently focus your attention in meditation that you are accomplishing the goal but in truth this may actually you are defeating the actual beneficial use of this technique.

The benefit of focused meditation is not so much in developing the ability to force concentration but in the observation and perception of what is already in you that may distract you from that simple attempt at practicing a concentration exercise. By the recognition of those source of these thoughts that stir the imagination and keep us from quite observation we may come to peace within the mind and body. These feelings and thoughts that bubble up in us often come from unresolved events and issues from our past and may require forgiveness and recompense to resolve their emotional grip upon our mind and body.

Another type of meditation is Mindfulness³ or open observation or monitoring of all aspects of your personal experience as a passive unattached spectator. You simply step back from the experience and objectively observe all thoughts or feelings or even external sensations of sound or smell without reacting to them in each moment.

The practitioner quietly witnesses whatever goes through the mind, not reacting or becoming involved with thoughts, memories, worries, without judging these images or sensations. This produces a non-reactive state of mind with a broad rather than focused field. The intent is to rely upon looking into and observing things with clarity and precision the products of the fundamental reality within us without the bias that may be imposed upon our perception when we rely on our ability to reason or rationalizing an answer.

In open observation meditations you will hear ideas like ‘quiet repose’ or ‘empty the mind of self’ or ‘choiceless awareness’ or ‘access the divine consciousness’. These types of meditation techniques and their terminology are also seen in Buddhist, Hindu and even in some Taoist meditations.

The beneficial and detrimental mechanics of “meditations” may be found in a wide variety of human activities completely unrelated to what has become known as religion or even meditation itself.

There are obvious forms of mental exercises or practices listed or identified as meditation. There are many other activities and contemplation using the same mechanisms as meditation that are not immediately identified or related in our thinking to the term meditation.

Reciting the rosary may follow the same mechanics of a repetitious mantra type meditation but never considered the same as similar use of prayer beads used in Tibet. Focusing on the object of the Eucharist host at catholic benedictions may also be categorized as meditation upon an object. Statues may serve the same purpose, focusing attention. In truth, even the singing the star-Spangled Banner or pledging allegiance to the flag may all fall within the categories of meditation upon an object or idea in a ritual form of contemplation, dedication and quiet solemnity invoking the same mechanics of meditation seen many eastern or western religions.

All thought is Meditation

No matter where you go, nor how you meditate, your constant companion will be you.

When we awaken in the morning as we begin the day it is a common practice to stretch. This is a natural exercise of the body that begins the flow within the body and prepares it for more physical activity. We may consciously create a stretching and exercise routine with varying degrees of formality but all will include some of the basics of natural stretching.

Natural meditation will utilize both focused meditation and what may be called mindfulness. Again focused meditation is the concentrative observation of something and mindfulness is the detached or non-judgmental observation of what interrupts the original observation. In essence natural meditation is taking two steps back into self. It is a journey within to know yourself and is dependent upon your own intent more than upon the steps you take.

Without pure intent you will never arrive at a pure understanding but without taking the steps to see the truth you may never be able to forgive, and therefore release yourself from the impurity of your past or present intent.

Taking the first step

• An individual may sit down and quietly become aware of his or her hand in a moment of dedicated and patient contemplation.

We may experience this naturally after hours of intense work or physical exertion when we first stop to rest the hands or body still pulsing or vibrating from the days labor brings our attention to them in rest. Your attention, in the moment, is naturally focused in a state of acute contemplation on those natural sensations, producing a feeling of objective and detached observation or even euphoria. The work strengthens the body but in the rest the body is strengthened if it is allowed to return to a restful state.

This natural reduction in the activities of the mind and body produces that decreased heart and respiration rate which may decrease those hormones that deal with natural stress. The alpha brain waves may begin to generate a state of rest. But thoughts of the day or even of the more distant past may enter into the mind and keep us from a rest state that allows restoration.

Sincere and loving meditation with an unselfish and humble intent may help us reach the restoration. This is no different that physical exercise may assist the body and muscles. Meditation is simply a mental exercise as natural as stretching or walking. It is the intent of your soul and the humble conformity to the source of all life that will determine the outcome.

Many traumas of our past have been covered over by “mental or emotional caps” often produced by us or gleaned from the world around us to help us avoid the pain of the trauma or the pain we experience when we recall the trauma of the past. Confession is simply the bringing of that trauma into to the light of our own consciousness.

These past traumas live in our subconscious mind and body and will also bubble up to the surface of our mind as we attempt to rest or even just focus on our physical presence in the moment. Past traumas by their nature are at war with the peace and quiet of the moment.

Natural Meditation is a war with our past where we resist not the evil and pain of that past trauma but embrace the truth and reality with God’s forgiveness and recompense. We merely see what we refused to see before and wait upon the Lord of creation without personal judgment.

• The individual’s moment of dedicated and patient contemplation upon his or her hand may be interrupted by a variety of feelings, thoughts, emotions, images.

• Forgive the interruption. Do not judge the event or yourself for not concentrating.

• Gently return like the prodigal son to the quiet moment of dedicated and patient contemplation of your physical self.

Know this that the moment you caught your mind wandering was the moment of mindfulness and the choice to return was the second step of a natural process. Without the interruption there cannot be the second step.

When you walk forward one foot must always stop the forward progress while the other foot catches up and it is the same with Natural meditations. There must be an interruption to the Physical observation of yourself by your internal or subconscious self in order to make progress. That progress must be immersed in forgiveness to allow the giving of life.

Natural meditation must include letting go of judgment. We are fasting from the process of judging others and ourselves.

Steps in the world

Exercising the body to make the muscles stronger has little value unless we turn that ability into real work out in the world. We must take the strength and peace we may obtain out into the world and interact in a sharing and loving way with others so the true benefits of our exercises, whether physical or mental, may be realized. This interaction is essential to continue our journey. Contemplation in isolation does not bring growth which leads to life. In order to have life more abundant we must lay down our life as Christ did. Christ came to serve, not to be served. He told us not to put our light under a basket or in the dark cells of a cloistered monastery but to share in love what God has given us freely.

Historical Meditation

Tefillin (תפילין), also called phylacteries⁴ is a box often containing a scripture that is placed on the forehead with a leather thong that wraps around the arm to the hand. The ritual stems from references in the Bible⁵ from which detailed rituals and ceremonies are created surrounding meditation and prayer.

Tefillin was a meditation tool for relationships according to Rabbi Goldie Milgram. Jewish Meditation and the Kabbalah had a rich tradition of meditation with unique characteristics but over a long history there has been the unmooring of the purpose until the practice produced a mental state that made the word of God to none effect.

Some have divided these ritual and ceremonial practices into four categories. Most techniques that promote focused concentration bring in elements of our willful intent. Original separation from the pure mind of our creator was due to willful intent on our part.

Focusing on a particular scripture will bring in elements of private interpretation of that scripture.

Ultimately the true meaning, purpose and practices of meditation is simple. You are waiting upon the Lord and being willing to see the truth about ourselves instead of denying our willful disobedience and foolishness.

There are many quotes in the Bible that suggest the true attitude and intent for proper meditation that will help us seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Footnotes:

1How Meditation Works, Holisticonline.com. Research conducted by Benson and Wallace at U.C.L.A.

2(samma samadhi) focuses the attention to a selected thing or image (external or internal), an idea or sound (a mantra), or an event (breathing, tapping), with the intent of using the full awareness of the mind without distraction.

3Mindfulness meditation (samma sati) is observing a continuous passing procession of sensations, sounds, smells, emotions, images, ideas, without becoming involved in them.

4Phylactery is composed of the words ‘phy’ meaning “to cure or heal; to treat with or as if with medicine”, ‘lac’ from the word “lace, to fasten or tie with a string”; and ‘tery’ is “powerful”.

5 Exodus 13:9, Exodus 13:16,  Deuteronomy 6:8,  Deuteronomy 11:18

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Audio Meditation

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Meditation studies and immunity enhancement

Experienced teachers of meditation found a 65% increase in dopamine production after meditating for only 1 hour which may be attributed to what they call a "loss of executive control in meditation". This "loss of executive control" may be a simple surrender or relinquishment of your own willful or mental executive control during what we call meditation.

"Bipolar disorder has been associated with dysfunction of executive control processes." This is similar to the cytokine reaction produced by a runaway immune system which needs to be governed by the body.

By practicing a technic of a meditation exercise where our mental state is "thought to be organized in open loops subserving executive control" can the benefit of meditation be manifested?

What are we actually doing during proper meditation?

And what are these "loops subserving executive control"?

Are we "waiting upon the Lord" instead of eating of the tree of knowledge but waiting for the tree of life which is a metaphor for our spiritual resonance, revelation, or inspiration?

Are we allowing the spirit to govern or production of hormones and the functioning of the "immunoregulatory role" in "in disorders like schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease" and even "cancers".

Chemical changes

There are detectable chemical changes in the body during the process of meditation besides circulation and breathing. Dopamine is a key hormone that regulates the activation of our immune system. A neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) can not only activate "naïve or resting T cells, but it inhibits activated T cells". Also "changes in the expression of DA receptors and their signaling pathways especially in T cells are associated with altered immune functions in disorders like schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease".

These effects and more suggest a strong "immunoregulatory role of DA"

This neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) activates resting T cells in absence of any additional stimulating agent it may reduce “cytotoxicity” which is a major source of medical complications resulting in death.

The immune system can essentially be fighting off chronic diseases including cancer by activating T-Cells and Natural Killer Cells as well as regulating cytotoxicity. But Tumors may "evolve different mechanisms that mimic peripheral immune tolerance in order to avoid tumoricidal attack.” Because there can be an increased presence of DA subtypes such as D1 D2, D3, D4 and D5 receptors including many others genes with interferon signaling can the ability of a tumor to "evolve different mechanisms" be overcome?

A study from the University of Florida, Indiana University School of Medicine, the University of Louisville and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center contributed to the research which appears to produce a robust activation of the immune system.

“People have always known meditation improves human well-being, but they didn't know how… we have shown that naturally you can boost your immune system by meditation… 220 genes also included 68 genes which were involved in interferon signaling… and try to attack the invaders, the virus and not only that interferon proteins also fight against cancer cells in the body... you can voluntarily activate your immune system without any medication... without any pharmaceutical you can activate your immune system.”

The executive control in your body and in your mind needs to be drawn near the executive of the Law of Nature which is seen in in the Right Reason of the Creator which is perceived in the "Will of God"?

Mushrooms and other shortcuts

When the Israelites left the bondage of Egypt in Exodus there were no short cuts.

Psychedelic Mushrooms commonly known as Psilocybin mushrooms, magic mushrooms or shrooms, are a polyphyletic, informal group of fungi from more than 180 species that contain psilocybin and psilocin. Studies have been completed evaluating its use in anxiety and fear in people with terminal cancer, serious depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), cluster headaches, and smoking cessation. Hallucinogenic effects are probably due to a release of serotonin (5-HT) receptors.

In general, dried mushrooms contain about 0.2% to 0.4% psilocybin and only trace amounts of psilocin. The typical dose of psilocybin used for recreational purposes varies, with peak effects occurring in 1 to 2 hours, and lasting for about six hours. There are a wide range of effects are reported to be produced by their use. A 'bad trip' can be unpleasant to even a terrifying experience. The effects can vary considerably depending upon mushroom type, method of preparation, and tolerance of the individual. Psilocybin works by activating serotonin receptors, most often in the prefrontal cortex.

If you want to produce serotonin in a natural and balanced manner in a truly natural way where your own abilities are increased through a comprehensive manner and practice without the danger of toxins proper meditation may be more desirable.

There is evidence for increased brain serotonin during meditation besides the increase in dopamine. Meditation can produce an anxiolytic effect. "The factors decreasing anxiety during meditation are an ... increased serotonin and decreased levels of the stress hormone cortisol." The approach to depression and stress with "Spiritual practices can have considerable antidepressant effects due to the associated increase in serotonin and dopamine."

Several control group studies showed from 24% to 27% decrease in cortisol among students who meditated rather than just rest." Together these results not only suggest that meditation can increase serotonin levels, but that these levels can remain elevated throughout the day and night."

Naturally metabolized Serotonin has been found at levels of 70% higher in meditators compared to non-meditators in studies.

"Melatonin levels increase in the evening and night as it is synthesized from serotonin." "Melatonin has also been shown to suppress the growth of some types of cancer." The mind and the body may produce or accumulate all the resources including all the subtle chemistry of health and well being if they are given the natural resources.

Phylactery or Tefillin

The so-called phylacteries but in the Hebrew text we see towphaphah was a box often containing a scripture written on something like a mezuzah that is placed on the forehead with a leather thong that is wrapped around the arm down to the hand. The ritual stems from references in the Bible detailed rituals and ceremonies which are created surrounding meditation and prayer.

We see it mentioned in Matthew 23:5, "But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,".

These words like borders or fringes, or breeches are like the word phylacteries and are symbols of ideas. The Greek word “phulakterion".

This phylactery is also called the Tefillin was supposed to be an article worn between the eyes, but the etymology: of Tefillin is related to the Hebrew word for prayer – t'phillah תְּפִלָּה. There is another word for pray and prayer in Hebrew, which is

This Tefillin was said to be a meditation tool for relationships, according to Rabbi Goldie Milgram.

The Meme of Meditation

A meme is a unit of cultural information spread by imitation and there are many forms and forms of meditation by imitation. Meme or memetic theory explains the development of culture through the imitation of things: ideas, behaviors, and styles that are encoded as memes, so they can be easily imitated and there are thousands of ways to "meditate".

Jewish Meditation and the Kabbalah had a rich tradition of meditation with unique characteristics, but over a long history there has been the unmooring of the purpose until the practice produced a mental state that made the word of God to none effect.

In Deuteronomy 6:8 "And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes."

Some have divided these ritual and ceremonial practices into four categories. Most techniques that promote focused concentration bring in elements of our willful intent. Original separation from the pure mind of our creator was due to willful intent on our part.

Psychosis

Psychosis "is a severe mental disorder in which thought and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality".

The resulting delusion can form both with individuals but also with the Mass Formation of a Psychosis.

Our perception of external reality is directly affected by our willingness to perceive our own internal reality.

Man has been in a state of psychosis since he denied his responsibility of choosing to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

What impairs thought more than denial?

When our thought is impaired and our perception of the eternal reality is impaired we may appear to act or even be crazy. But are you crazy or just temporarily impaired?

What is seen as denial may merely be self-defense or trust issue or just plain fear? We often deny the truth because of trauma that is too painful to see alone.

What can help us overcomes denial more than admission and confession?

Meditation may allow the humble heart and willing mind to confront, admit and confess our own denial.

The truth shall set you free if you will receive the truth.

Warnings

One of the greatest factors contributing to the outcome of meditation is the reason why you are meditating. You may think you know why but you may not fully see the entirety of your purpose.

Are you meditating to improve your life, to gain an advantage, to obtain health or power? But why do you want more control of your life and more power? Do you want to do good for yourself or for others?

The list of reasons may be endless. Whatever you think your reasons are they are probably not pure because when you begin you do not know your full mind.

"...know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever." 1 Chronicles 28:9

Buddhism has the word "makyo" for challenging perceptions that may occur during meditation. The Japanese words for “devil” and “objective world” create this term "makyo" 

This can be because sitting still allows the mind to go through a cleansing process that releases or revisits stressful experiences in deep layers or dark places of the mind.

Jared Lindahl, a professor of religious studies at Brown University, stated once that “Just because something is positive and beneficial doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be aware of the broader range of possible effects it might have.” This is true of attempting to meditate.

Many unexpected experiences have been classified into seven areas:

1. cognitive,
2. perceptual,
3. affective (related to moods),
4. somatic,
5. conative motivation,
6. sense of self, and
7. social.

An unexpected experience may not be an unwanted experience. If it is unwanted we need to meditate upon why it is unwanted or even uncomfortable. Are you seeing what you do not want to see or are you seeing what hurts but you remain steadfast in your quest to know the truth, even though it is the truth about yourself?

Experiences have been described to them were:

1. feelings of anxiety and fear,
2. involuntary twitching,
3. insomnia,
4. a sense of complete detachment from one’s emotions,
5. hypersensitivity to light or sound,
6. distortion in time and space,
7. nausea,
8. hallucinations,
9. irritability, and
10. the re-experiencing of past traumas.

Transcendental Meditation refers to a specific form of silent mantra meditation called the Transcendental Meditation technique, and less commonly to the organizations that constitute the Transcendental Meditation movement.

The mentioning of different forms of meditation is not meant to advocate any of them. Meditation should be about repentance, a changing of the mind. How do you know what to change your mind to without a guide and how do you have the presence of mind to choose a guide?

Life is a journey and meditation can only be a part of that journey. It is best to begin all journeys with humility, forgiveness, and love, to benefit others and not only yourself. It is not about personal power or advantage but summed up in the statement:

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

Mind | Mysteries of the Universe‏‎ | Spiritual DNA and Gene Expression |
Cognitive dissonance | Care | Deaths of despair | Heroes |
Repentance | Recovery | Therapies | Meditation |
Bipolar | Capgras | Cotard | Schizophrenia |
Dendritic tree | Mysteries | Mystery Babylon | Eschatology |
Theology | Epistemology | Replacement theology |
Are you crazy | Autism | Depression | Bipolar |
Insane | Trauma | Narcissists | Trolls
Drugged | Vaccines | Health | Aid Addicts | Saul Syndrome |

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The Island Where People Forget to Die

Meditation outperforms psychiatric drugs

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