Stillness is the absence of movement and sound. As described, stillness is extremely rare. That is if someone should look for it in humans. Suzanne Clores in her article The Benefits of Quiet for Mind, Body and Spirit writes that, “Doctors, preachers and teachers of most spiritual traditions agree that regular retreats from both outer and inner noise is essential for human health and happiness”. Just the idea, for most people, can calm nerves and slow breathing. Morgan Freeman once said, “Learning how to be still, to be really still and let life happen – that stillness becomes a radiance”. I am going to pass on information on stillness from a variety of experts on the topic, along with going in to detail about benefits and examples. In The …show more content…
This text presents examples of situations where practicing stillness would benefit reactions, patience, self-control and many other factors. Some examples would include things that were morally wrong, or things that would make some people uncomfortable. Those examples showed me a new side of stillness that added just another benefit to being mentally in tune with yourself. An example the book had was a person ran into a situation that is typically uncomfortable, but because the practice of stillness this individual was said to be steadier and in check with himself to make a decision that they would not regret. “As potent as mindfulness may be, it is neither unusual nor mysterious (Claxton, 1997). It may occur staring at the campfire fire or alone on a beach listening to the surf.” Clores mentioned in her article that people seek out stillness in places like lakes, forests, parks, etc. This is because nature has mastered stillness and humans have built on top of it with distractions. Mindfulness, going back to where it all started, how it is meant to …show more content…
Pico Iyer in the book, The Art of Stillness, talks all about stillness and what it is and why it is necessary for the never sleeping world. Iyer traveled all over the world to different places and people just to study stillness, how different people use to certain extents. Some of the people Iyer visit use stillness in different ways. One older man Iyer visited was especially avid believer of stillness. Pretty much separated from the world completely, living in a small cabin. The man talks about how many less problems he has and the patience and thought he has when everyday problems do arise. Iyer was particularly taken back by this experience and did learn a lot from the way the man lived and how he viewed problems as they arose. A quote Iyer has in his text refers to the hustle of everyday lives that a lot of people experience, “It’s almost as if all of us now feel like emergency-room physicians, perpetually on call and obliged to heal ourselves but unable to find our prescriptions amid all the data on our desk”. This quote also relates to a quote above when it talks about always being able to be reached, as if we are on-call physicians. The second part of the text is where Iyer refers to people being their own doctors. It is known that humans should not self-diagnose themselves when it comes to being sick because they obviously do
When we sit in silence, we tend to find a moment to reflect what has transpired. Then we regroup and reengage ourselves with what is in front of us
Concentration and mindfulness are also considered fundamental components in mindfulness meditation. Concentration is the ability to focus on an object be it external or internal, without interruptions. In simple terms, this can be achieved by literally forcing our minds from attaching to any one thought or sensation. Mindfulness is more of a gentle awareness of what is occurring in the present moment. In union, these two techniques allow the self to center in on the true nature of reality. Of course this is no simple task and requires a lot of patience, persistence, consistence, and mental
Another confusion people have about mindfulness is that it means emptying the mind, as if when people meditate, their mind somehow disappears. Notice it’s called mindfulness, not mind emptiness. Mindfulness is less about emptying the mind and more about filling the mind with clarity, peace, and happiness. It’s less about a lack of activity and more about having full moments of experiences and relationships by being truly present.
05 May 2014. Barbor, Cary. " The Science of Meditation.
Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, as a therapeutic technique. The M square, as I call it, which stands for Mindfulness and Meditation is making an impact on today’s society, as it has been used by more people with each passing day. They are starting to acknowledge the benefits, some of which are the improvement in both mental and physical health, acceptance of one’s self, lower stress and depression, and maybe more, but to mention a few. Not excluding these two great men: Dr. Martinez, a Biocognitive Psychologist, and Keith Mitchell, an ex-American football linebacker in the National Football League. Both Dr. Martinez and Keith are strong supporters and practitioners of meditation and mindfulness.
...distractions. Taking time to observe and analyze the silence can bring something to the surface that could never be confronted in any other way. We need to embrace silence presented throughout life, for we will come out with more definitive, powerful voices.
As psychological field of study advances with its technologies to investigate changes in the mind, using such technology to look at effects of mindfulness meditation would strengthen its argument and understanding of the mechanisms in the brain, to change meditators into the new awaken state. This essay will reveal the evidence of mindfulness meditation making an impact on the mind. First, this essay will present the studies which found physiological functional differences in the body for those who did mindfulness meditation. Second, this essay will present the studies which found functional differences in the brain for those who perform mindfulness meditation. Third, this essay will present the studies which found structural differences in the brain for those who performed mindfulness meditation.
Meditation is an age-old practice that has renewed itself in many different cultures and times. Despite its age, however, there remains a mystery and some ambiguity as to what it is, or even how one performs it. The practice and tradition of meditation dates back thousands of years having appeared in many eastern traditions. Meditation’s ancient roots cloud its origins from being attributed to a sole inventor or religion, though Bon, Hindu, Shinto, Dao, and later, Buddhism are responsible for its development. Its practice has permeated almost all major world religions, but under different names. It has become a practice without borders, influencing millions with its tranquil and healing effects.
As human beings we are very active creatures. It is very rare we sit absolutely still with no movement at all, in fact to do so would be considered strange in most social contexts. These movements are not however sporadic, they are in fact highly controlled, practiced skills. Even when remaining relatively still, for example, to rest or sleep, we have still been taught the required skills to do so, whether it’s how to sit on a chair or lay on a bed, these are very ordinary, everyday techniques that we take for granted and perceive as something natural, but often they are technique’s we have been taught to do.
In order to have tranquility, you need to find a place to be alone where is clam and peaceful. For example, if you want to study for a major test, you would want to be in a place where there is quietness and that you are able to concentrate. According to Seneca, He states “seeking how the mind can follow a smooth and steady course, well disposed to itself, happily regarding its own condition and with no interruption to this pleasure,
It provides the necessary tools for you to be successful in listening to your inner self and in becoming more aware of the moment you are in without passing judgement on yourself or others. It is not a “one size fits all” book. It offers a variety of tips and techniques that even the worst skeptic of mindfulness may find beneficial. Authors: S.J. Scott & Barrie Davenport have produced this book in an instructive format. Each mindfulness step begins with the reasons why it is important and the benefits one may receive from practicing it.
Hence, what is mindfulness meditation? Mindfulness refers to the state of being attentive to and aware of what is taking place in the present with no judgment. Whereby, meditation is a spiritual and introspective practice involving components of both analysis and concentration as a part of a process of becoming aware of the present surroundings and the mind (Gordon et al., 2013). Meditation can also be defined as the practice of revolving your attention to a single phenomenon, which include focusing on the breathing,
Meditation is not a time devoted to thinking or reflecting about oneself, but a time to redirect one’s thoughts and emotions away from the outside world and onto something simple, such as the wind or one’s own breathe. By learning how to meditate, an individual can learn how to react appropriately to “the circumstances one finds oneself in, i...
Living in the present allows me to live and tend to my thoughts and emotions that I often suppress or ignore. Working as a school counselor, I think that I will use mindfulness to help students with anxiety, behavior problems, and depression. I hope to use mindfulness in the future as I teach students how to use mindfulness in their own lives so that they can exist in the present and connect their mind with their body. Through using mindfulness in sessions with students and possibly in the classroom setting, I will give them a tool to help manage and become more self-aware of the thoughts and emotions they experience so they can learn how to better tend, express and manage them. However, without practicing mindfulness myself I would not have understood its power in the work of my client’s
First, I will present the research of the physical effects that meditation has on our body’s major internal systems and other common physical chronic conditions. Secondly, I will discuss how meditation practices can impact one 's mental and emotional health. Lastly, I will offer a definition of spirituality and how meditation can bring positive spiritual results.