Mindfulness Meditation in Western Society

By Richard Singer
Meditation has become extremely popular in western society in the recent years however; it has existed for thousands of years and has obviously passed the test of time in various other cultures. Meditation has in fact survived 4500 years of political upheaval and socioeconomic transition (Andreson, 2000). If meditation was not beneficial would it still be around and being practiced thousands of years later? Probably not.
The word meditation tends to cause confusion in many people due to it being unknown or regarded as somewhat metaphysical, new age, or associated with a special dogma or religion. Well as just discussed there is nothing new about meditation and I believe that the foundation for meditation in its purity is not confusing or complex. The very essence of meditation is simplicity, but as Ayaja states in his psychotherapy text, “simplicity is often the most complicated thing” (Ajaya, 1983, 126). I genuinely believe this statement to be accurate in especially western society’s way of life.
Life consists of simple principles, however human beings tend to complicate them within their minds rather than living and being from the soul. I know for my life, I choose to keep meditation and living as simple as possible. I think Stephen Levine says it best when he discussed meditation in his book, A Gradual Awakening, “meditation is for many a foreign concept, somehow distant and foreboding, seemingly impossible to participate in. But another word for meditation is simply awareness. Meditation is awareness” (Levine, 1989, 1). Now, this explanation is indeed workable and practical to an individual wanting to become involved in meditation.
Within this paper, I will offer a simple explanation of the process of meditation, its psychological, physiological, and spiritual benefits as well as a brief description of my personal experience.
There are several types of meditation, however Levine states that “differences in these techniques are basically due to the primary object which is concentrated on through the process” (Levine, 1989, 8). Thus, I will base this paper on mindfulness meditation (Vipassanna) which involves directly participating in each moment as it occurs with as much awareness and understanding as possible. In my opinion this is the simplest and most effective form of meditation and actually a very enlightened way to live your daily life. We live “now” right in this moment and that is what this type of meditation proposes. After all, as Goleman (1972a) states, “the goal of all meditation systems, whatever the ideological orientation or source…is to transform the waking state through the fruits of practice – to die to the life of the ego and be reborn to a new level of experience” (155).
As previously discussed, the focus of this paper will be mindfulness meditation rather than concentration meditation which is what usually comes to mind when the word meditation is mentioned. While concentration meditation focuses on the attention of a single object, mantra, or deity, mindfulness meditation includes a more dynamic inclusive field of observation. It is inclusive of the depth that surrounds us rather than shutting the world out, which is more practical for the average participant in western society (Tacon, 2003 ). It was also suggested by Kabat-Zinn (1994) that mindfulness may be beneficial to many people in western society who might be unwilling to adopt Buddhist traditions or vocabulary. Thus, mindfulness meditation is considerably more appropriate for our society than discussing the full range of meditation techniques from eastern traditions, due to its simplicity, practicality and perceived detachment from eastern philosophies and religions.
Rather than try to choose one definition to describe what mindfulness meditation is, I will present a variety of views from those familiar with this specific practice in order to get the point across more succinctly. First of all, mindfulness meditation is more specifically called “insight meditation” in Buddhist traditions, or vipassanna which is sanskrit and means “to see clearly.” Mindfulness meditation is a large part of Buddhism as well as Zen practice; however it can be successfully practiced detached from these traditions. As previously mentioned it is not necessary to be a practicing Buddhist to enjoy the fruits of mindfulness meditation (Levey & Levey, 1999). At this time I will present varied definitions or descriptions of what mindfulness meditation actually is.
Tacon (2003) describes mindfulness meditation as a “form of meditation that involves stimuli from the field of consciousness rather than the exclusion of stimuli, as in concentration meditation” (67).
Kabat-Zinn (1994) states that mindfulness meditation is “paying attention in a particular way; on purpose in the present moment and non-judgmentally.” (108).
Levey and Levey (1999) describe mindfulness meditation in the following way: “mindfulness liberates us from memories of past and fantasies of future by bringing reality of the present moment clearly into focus” (89). They also state that “mindfulness makes us more aware of life’s everyday miracles” (89).
Dunn, Hartigan, and Mikulas (1999) state that “mindfulness practice involves open receptivity and awareness to all stimuli, while evaluation, analysis or classification of those stimuli is suppressed” (p.148).
Ruth Baer states “mindfulness is the nonjudgmental observation of the ongoing streams of internal and external stimuli as they arise” (2003, p. 125).
Although each of these passages utilize different terminology to articulate what mindfulness meditation is; the overall consensus comes down to “being present in life.” In my personal opinion, this may well be the secret that all human beings have been searching for outside of themselves. Being present in the moment is very simple, yet profound. Most people will likely say, “There has got to be more to living than this.” Is there?Mindfulness meditation focuses on all areas of our being. Levey and Levey (1999) present a variety of these areas in their book, Simple Meditation and Relaxation. These elements of the human being include being mindful or aware of your sense without judgement, being aware of your emotions with acceptance, maintaining awareness of your thinking and allowing thoughts to flow by, just noticing. Another two vital areas include being aware of your breathing as well as what is going on with your body (pp. 95-97). What it comes down to is being aware of what is going on for you in each moment. To further articulate this I will provide various excerpts from a mindfulness meditation by Stephen Levine (1989).
• “Find a comfortable place to sit, with back straight but not rigid…”
• “Keep your attention at one precise point and note the sensation that accompanies each breath…”
• “Sounds arise. Thought arise. Other sensations arise. All background, arising and passing away…”
• “Sensations arise in the body, Thoughts arise in the mind. They come and go like bubbles…”
• “Don’t get lost. If the mind pulls away, gently, with a soft non-judging, non-clinging awareness, return to the breath…”
• “Moment to moment awareness of whatever arises, whatever exists” (pp. 32-36).
My hope is that these excerpts further clarify mindfulness meditation to the reader. Levine is a master when it comes to simplicity in one’s life as well as having the capacity to make meditation practical and efficient. Next, I would like to discuss a variety of interventions using mindfulness followed by research demonstrating the psychological, physiological, and spiritual benefits. Mindfulness meditation is truly a holistic application and this will be shown through the research findings discussed in this article.
Interventions
As previously discussed meditation has been around for thousands of years, however has only recently been integrated into psychotherapy in western society. The American Psychological Association, around 1977, suggested that “meditation could facilitate the therapeutic process” (Taskforce on Meditation, 1977, p. 3). Unfortunately, about 20 years later it still hasn’t actually become mainstream. However, we must be fortunate that some progress is being made. At this time, I would like to discuss four current interventions that are using mindfulness meditation as part of the therapeutic process.
The first intervention is the integration of mindfulness meditation in the general psychotherapy process. La Torre (2001) discussed it as an effective component of psychotherapy and stated that as meditation brings awareness to feelings and discomforts in the therapeutic process, psychotherapy can provide discussion and exploration of these insights. She also expresses that the ability to practice meditation in and out of the therapeutic session fosters independence and self mastery on the client’s part. La Torre (2001) concludes by stating, “That in most cases the incorporation of meditation into the therapeutic process has enriched therapy and given clients a greater sense of control and awareness” (p. 104).
In a separate case study by Boorstein (1983), he describes his integration of mindfulness meditation and bibliotherapy and its effectiveness with a depressed, agitated, and paranoid client. Boorstein integrated various readings with a transpersonal theme as well as mindfulness meditation in and out of session. Boorstein claims that the outcome was significant and included increased self-esteem, psychological and spiritual growth and relief of presenting symptoms. Boorstein conducted follow ups and stated that the positive outcomes were maintained and the client continued to focus on personal and spiritual growth in his life.
A second popular intervention and the most frequently cited method of mindfulness meditation intervention is the program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn called Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This program was developed specifically for chronic pain and stress related disorders. It is an 8-10 week course for groups which utilizes a unique combination of discussions related to stress, coping, as well as homework assignments and an intense instruction and practice of mindfulness meditation. The ability for clients to practice inside and outside of session in real life situations is again a benefit of this modality (Baer, 2003).Another intervention which is strongly associated with MBSR is Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). This intervention incorporates aspects of cognitive therapy that facilitate a detached or decentered view of ones thoughts including statements such as “Thoughts are not facts” and “I am not my thoughts” (Baer, 2003, p. 127). MBCT is designed to teach skills for previously depressed individuals to observe their thoughts and feelings non-judgmentally and to see them as simply mental events that come and go rather than as reality or aspects of themselves (Baer, 2003).The final intervention that I will discuss that incorporates mindfulness meditation is a therapy termed Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). This specific therapy was designed to treat borderline personality disorder however it is currently being applied to a variety of different populations. DBT integrates mindfulness meditation training with cognitive behavioral skills in order to facilitate acceptance and change at the same time. Specific aspects of this intervention include emotional regulation, interpersonal skills, and distress tolerance skills (Baer, 2003). In my personal career I have had direct experience with this an addiction facility and found it to be quite effective. Residential clients embraced the mindfulness components in all aspects of their lives and appeared to truly benefit from practicing acceptance and non-judgment as part of their recovery. I genuinely hope that more interventions will become available and mindfulness meditation will eventually get the respect it deserves in the field of psychotherapy and life in general.Mindfulness meditation is a holistic tool for growth and self awareness. It benefits the mind, body, and soul as a whole, however for this papers purpose I will separate the components into the benefits related to psychological, philosophical, and spiritual elements of the human being. These will be based on the literature pertaining to mindfulness meditation specifically and what has been discussed in a variety of research studies.
Physiological Benefits
The literature discusses an immense amount of physiological benefits derived from mindfulness meditation. To list and discuss all of them is beyond the scope of this paper; however I will discuss some of the main physical benefits shown throughout the empirical literature. First, the physiological changes that have been noticed when practicing meditation such as decreased heart rate, breathing and the lowering of blood pressure has been termed the “relaxation response” by Benson (1975). These changes can of course be extremely beneficial to those individuals needing to escape the daily stress and chaos of society. However, the physiological benefits of mindfulness meditation transcend the momentary changes during the act of meditation. In Perez-De-Albeniz’s (2000) 75 study Meta analysis he discussed a vast array of benefits that were found in his perusal of the available research. These included increase cardiac output, muscle relaxation, increased serotonin and melatonin levels, and significant improvement in chronic pain. In addition mindfulness meditation was found to be beneficial for psoriases, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, and hypertension. This brief summary obviously demonstrates that mindfulness meditation can be effective for the body component of a human being. Lets explore the other two elements that make up human beings.
Psychological
Numerous psychological benefits of mindfulness meditation are mentioned throughout the empirical literature. Again, this is not an exhaustive review of the literature, but a brief articulation of outcomes reported regarding the practice of mindfulness meditation. La Toree (2003) explains the benefits of mindfulness meditation in terms of its emotional benefits concerning self growth. In her article she explains that overwhelming feelings are better able to be accepted as an individual is able to own these feelings and experience them with a greater sense of safety.
In Perez de Albeniz’s Meta Analysis of the literature the following were demonstrated throughout the empirical studies that were reviewed:
• Increased happiness
• Increased joy
• Increased positive thoughts
• Increase problem solving skills
• Enhanced acceptance
• Enhanced compassion
• Enhanced tolerance
• Increased relaxation
• Increased resilience
• Better control of feelings and personal responsibility
• Improvement in psychological well being
• Decreased anxiety
• Decreased substance abuse
Perez de Albeniz also discussed mindfulness meditation’s ability to help patients understand that there are no quick solutions in life which leads to development of patience in their personal growth journey. In addition, the promotion of a non-judgmental attitude as well as the ability to come to terms with what is rather than what could have been.
Finally I think it is important to mention a study by Shapiro, Schwartz, and Bonner (1998) in which MBSR was offered to medical and pre medical students. The application involved a 7-week intervention with a wait list control. The outcome of this study included reduced self-reports of overall psychological distress, including depression, reduced self-reports of state and trait anxiety and increased scores of empathy levels. Again, in the psychological domain it is obvious that mindfulness meditation has enormous benefits.
Spiritual
Spiritual benefits are also demonstrated in the practice and application of mindfulness meditation. In the Shapiro et al study (1998) it was also found that there were increased scores on the measures of spiritual experiences, which basically meant that following the mindfulness introduction, participants had a greater conviction of the existence of a higher power as well as an increase in the internalization of a personal intimate relationship to a higher power. In Perez de Albeniz (2000) it was noted that mindfulness meditation helps a patient or person to trust their inner nature and wisdom. Finally, Walsh (1983) expresses in his article that meditation is “available as a tool for those who wish to plumb the depths of their own being and explore the nature of mind, identity, and consciousness. It’s a tool that can be used from the beginning to the end of the spiritual quest” (45). Obviously, there are many other spiritual benefits of meditation, including the obvious, Nirvana; however I merely supplied the reader with a summary. Perhaps, it may motivate some to enter this journey of awareness and explore the many additional gems along the path.
Personal Experience
Henry Miller said “the aim of life is to live, and to live means to be awake, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.” This is what mindfulness meditation has brought to my life. By all means, do not think that I sit in meditation continuously and detach from the world. Mindfulness allows me to feel every moment of life within my entire being. It allows me to live life rather than just existing and the application of this practice throughout the past five years of my life has transformed who I am. I have tapped into my genuine being and united with the energy of the universe. Simply by cultivating awareness of the moment through mindfulness I have been able to transcend my ego and travel each day on the path of self-actualization. I have experienced the pure essence of mindfulness meditation. Each moment of my life allows continuous practice and application of this essential skill that genuinely gives life. Each human being on this earth has the innate ability to tap into the perfection and precision of mindfulness meditation. Go and experience the bliss that it offers.
Finally, throughout this paper I have discussed what mindfulness meditation is, provided a variety of description by the experts in this practice, and given the reader examples of the process of mindfulness meditation based on writings by Stephen Levine. It was concluded, that simply mindfulness meditation is being aware of life, which obviously can be practiced in any setting. Mindfulness mediation is extremely practical in the west and has been utilized in a variety of therapeutic interventions with much success. Additionally, it has been shown to have physiological, psychological, and spiritual benefits by the research thus far. In short, mindfulness mediation is a great tool for the whole person to utilize toward personal and spiritual growth. Mindfulness is genuinely living life in this very moment. Go truly live in the now and experience the true essence of life without the deluded impediments caused the thinking mind.
References
Ajaya, S. (1983). Psychotherapy East and West, Honesdale, Pa:The Himalayan International Institute.
Andreson, J. (2000). Meditation meets behavioral medicine. Journal of Conciousness Studies, 7(11-12), 17-73.
Baer, R. (2003). Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: a conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 125-143.
Benson, R. (2003). The Relaxation Response, New York, NY: Morrow.
Dunn, B. R., Hartigan, J. A., & Mikulas, W. L.. (1999). Concentration and Mindfulness Meditations: Unique form of consciousness?. Applied psychophysiology and BioFeedback, 24(3), 147-165. Goleman, D. (1972a). The Buddha on meditation and states of consciousness, Part I: A typology of meditation techniques. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 4(1), 1-44.
Kabat-Zinn, K. (1994).Wherever you go there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. New York: Hyperion
La Torre, M. A (2000). A holistic view of psychotherapy: Connecting mind, body, and spirit.. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 36(2), 67-68. Levey, J & Levey, M. (1999). Simple meditation and Releaxation . Berkeley, CA: Conari Press.
Levine, S. (1989). A Gradual Awakening. New York, NY: Anchor Books.
Perez-De-Albeniz, A. (2000). Meditation, concepts, effects and uses in therapy. International Journal of Psychotherapy, 5(1), 49-58.
Tacon, T. M. (2003). Meditation as a complementary therapy in cancer. Family and Community Health, 26(1), 64-73.
Taskforce on Meditation. (1977). Position statement on meditation. American Journal of Psychiatry, 134, 720.
Richard A. Singer Jr. is a practicing psychotherapist living in theCayman Islands. He is formerly of Pennsylvania and has a Master’sDegree in Clinical Psychology and is currently working on his Doctorate Degree in Psychology at Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center. His daily inspirations have been included as part of Chicken Soup for the Recovering Soul, from the best selling Chicken Soup series. His own recovery from addiction and depression impassioned him to help others find courage, determination and peace, and has made what some would call “work” the love and purpose of his life. To learn more about Mr. Singer and explore updated information, visit his Web site http://www.yourdailywalk.org. or E-Mail him at RAS9999@aol.com. In addition, please join the him for down-to-earth interactive discussions about the suggested monthly readings, daily quotes, meditations affirmations, and journaling sections of the book on his Amazon.com Blog.
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Learn The Ancient Art Of Healing Though Meditation

By Hayley Jo-Anne Kenwright
Part One of Six
Course introduction
As a psychic, medium and qualified holistic healer, I often give guidance to those seeking a way of clearing stress and ‘back luck’ philosophies out of their lives. Regaining an optimistic, calm mind is by far the most beneficial way to combat such patterns of thinking, which is possible to achieve with intent that can be delivered through the practise of meditation. There are other reasons why people choose to meditate, it can be as simple as wanting ‘time out’ to more complex reasons such as achieving spiritual pinnacles. People also harvest the health benefits that come from meditation, such as lowering blood pressure. Unfortunately, there is still a high anecdote which suggests that meditation belongs only in Tibetan monasteries with mantra humming monks sitting in strange positions. It’s true, that is where meditation derives from, but the modern world has finally grasped the idea that we are more than mind and body, we are also spirit.
Meditation has a lot to offer us in this often frenzied and demanding world of today and thankfully, society is more accepting of practises such as meditation. We see evidence of this through the many classes’ like yoga and tai chi which are more frequently taught and learnt. Both of those relaxation techniques are a form of moving meditation, which is as its name suggests, is meditation that requires bodily movement. Many of us have heard of meditation of one type or another, yet still have no idea what’s really involved or how it can presumably help and it’s because of those people that I’ve compiled this guide. So let’s start at the beginning by answering your question of “Why should I meditate”?
So why meditate?
There are multiple ways to induce the medative state of mind and each technique is designed to achieve the same thing, to gain a balanced state of mind for inner reflection and a restful state of being. Sounds good, so let’s take away the mysticism and preconceptions that meditation has been shrouded in for many years and discuss why you may enjoy and benefit from practising meditation. For those who accept that we are more than mind and body will understand if I use the explanation of: Spiritual energies/vibrations rise within the medative state of mind, which induces a deep self reflection and understanding. That moment of ‘self’ will enable us to notice what we would'nt normally see. But for those of you who don’t yet fully accept or understand that we are mind, body and spirit just yet, all of that will sound like jargon. Since this is a guide for beginners a like, I’ve broken down the benefits into three categories, mind, body and spirit.
I promise to leave out all talk of spiritual energy. This should help give you a more compliant idea of why meditation has healing benefits. (We’ll cover exactly how our spiritual energy centres (chakras) are affected by meditation in a later lesson, when you’re more comfortable with the idea of the term ‘holistic’.)
Mind In each day we come across things that make us uncomfortable, stressed even. At that particular time, we don’t realise how much this actually affects us in the long run. The moment may seem small and insignificant at that time but if you look at the big picture, all those small incidents add up. Those thoughts, moments and memories could result in nights of strange dreams and built up tension. Meditation is an amazing release of such thoughts that tend to build up without our recognition, as we clear our sub-conscious mind of any negative thought patterns. Mediation is an excellent way to harness true relaxation, it’s even noted by most who meditate that a twenty meditation is 100% more effective to our state of mind and emotion than a typical half an hour relaxation and is also the equivalent to getting two hours sleep. Meditation is also believed to be far more effective than relaxation because it has the power to unlock these repressed emotional and mental influences, thus bringing forward a renewed energy flow, releasing stored negative and unwanted energies.
BodyWe know that being stressed can have a very negative effect on the mind and emotions, but did you know that the state of mind affects our physical health too. For example, raising our blood pressure, inducing headaches, being ‘run down’ and becoming susceptible to catching common viruses like the cold. So common sense would suggest to us that relaxation (the opposite of being stressed) would lower blood pressure and raise our immune system. Repressed emotional and mental influences can be stored in any part of our physical body so finding a way to release those stored energies must be a benefit, which can be achieved with the regular practise of meditation.
SpiritBecause we are actively paying attention to our mind, body and spirit, during meditation, we will inactively or actively pursue spiritual awareness. In simple terms, this means we are taking a holistic approach to our personal and spiritual attachment to this world. When our mind becomes separated from our bodies in this manor, it introduces freedom to seek and freedom from all the things that bring us down. It helps regain our spiritual strength to go on, not only that, it also gives us offers practice to clear our own thoughts from our minds, to bring our minds to stand still, to allow messages from spirit to be easier heard! To really know ones self, it is believed we have to look within. There are also good ways to envisage what our spirit guides might look like, or to search for answers in our own sub-conscious world of imagery. The possibilities of our own minds are endless and we can tap into that power and endless stored knowledge passed down from generations of our genetic and spiritual constitute through the practise of meditation.

Words to think about until our next lesson: “Inner exploration is to find a way to be more optimistic and less influenced by the negative people in your life, change the way you think and how you view things with true honesty and pure reflection.”
Hayley Jo-Anne Kenwright, Psychic, Medium and Holsitic Healer.
Having now contributed articles to leading magazines such as Rainbow News, Chat Its Fate and PS magazine, Hayley Jo-Anne has been interviewed on the radio about her spirit and healing work and even has her own psychic column with the exciting new woman's magazine 'Skylar'. Embracing her ability to see auras and Chakras, with her professional qualifications in this field, has enabled her to become a very effective and sensitive energy healer, psychic and spirit worker. For more information please visit the following site http://www.exorcisms.co.uk (team member Hayley Jo-Anne) and http://www.myspace.com/hayleyjoanne
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A Relaxing Way of Schooling

By Cathy Taylor
Yoga, which is more than 5,000 years old Indian tradition, has become immensely popular in the United States of America. Americans have discovered the art of relaxation through yoga.
Since its popularity is soaring by the day, a number of “yoga schools” have mushroomed all over the USA to provide the advantages of yoga to the millions of Americans.
A number of yoga classes are conducted through adult education programs and at various yoga centers located in different states. You can get information about yoga centers on the internet. There are many private yoga teachers who conduct classes to give you personal attention.
Though you may be very keen to do yoga exercises the key is enrolling in a right yoga class which has an expert yoga instructor who will look into your personal needs. It is also important that you must know your limitations and goals.
Though the advantages and disadvantages of yoga are well known, very little is known about the yoga instructors. Therefore, before plunging in to yoga classes you have to find the right yoga instructor for it is his/her handling the yoga exercise(s) that either benefits you or may harm you in the long run.
There are a number of important aspects that you should look for in a yoga instructor. The instructor should at first glance identify whether you are doing the right yoga pose and if not he/she should be able to modify or correct the pose. He/she should warn the students which yoga exercise should be done and not to be done depending upon your physical and mental condition. Yoga exercises which are uncomfortable and causing excruciating pain to you should never be done. An instructor should encourage the students to know their limitations and advise remedial measures for improving them.
It is extremely important that you check the credentials of the instructor over and over again, as a wrong choice may cause you more harm in doing yoga exercises which the instructor himself may not know. Look for a qualified yoga instructor.
You should find out the number of students in your yoga classes that you are going to select. A class with less than 30 students is preferable so that the instructor can give you personalized attention.You may join a class on experimental basis to gauge the expertise of the yoga instructor before deciding on the choice of yoga exercises.
There are different types of yoga classes and if you are a beginner in yoga you must look for a beginner’s class. Do not ever start with advance yoga classes. You should also look for the type of yoga classes that are being conducted which are suitable for stretching and relaxation.
You need to know where you want to take yoga classes. If you are looking for fitness through yoga then you can join a yoga class held at a fitness facility. If you are looking to be a yoga expert yourself then you should look for a place which is solely dedicated to yoga classes only and possibly teaches the "higher" or mental yogas.
If you are having any physical handicap or respiratory problem it is advisable to get yourself medically examined. Even if you are not having any disability, medical check up is advisable before undertaking any yoga classes.
Cathy writes frequently on mid-life issues for women and men as well as other health-related topics including yoga and fitness. A copy of her book can be found athttp://www.howtoconquermenopause.com and her yoga website is http://www.yoga-4-everyone.com

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Yoga as an Aid to Bust Stress

By Balajee Bashyaam

Stress is a physical and psychological condition that demands more from the body. Under these conditions a variety of changes happen in the body the increases the hormonal reactions to meet that demanding situation. A stress busting therapy should be able to cope up with the physical and the psychological needs of our body.

Yoga is the best remedy for beating stress in your daily life. Yoga has a lot of postures, breathing exercises and meditation that helps you to beat stress from your daily life. Lot of asanas are available in yoga for reducing stress. You can use these asanas to deal with stress. Yoga promotes self-awareness and during the process it helps you to deal with stress in your day to day life.

It was practiced traditionally in the eastern countries and now it is picking up in the western countries. Understanding the benefits of yoga, now many companies are sponsoring yoga courses for their employees. The workers who are practicing yoga are more relaxed and hence their productivity is increased. Moreover they are more healthy and creative. This has driven more and more companies to go after yoga for their employees.

The techniques in yoga that are used to relieve stress include controlled breathing, physical movement, stretching, mental imagery, and meditation. Combining all these in the yoga practices enables the person who is practicing it to beat stress. With regular practice of yoga you can unite your mind, body, and spirit. Although it is used in the earlier days for spiritual transformation, now you can use it to beat stress and have a good physical being.

There are many benefits of practicing yoga. Some of the benefits are reduced stress, cure from diseases, lowering the blood pressure, spiritual growth, sense of well being, reduced anxiety, increased flexibility & strength, relieved asthma and allergy symptoms, slowed aging process and sound sleep. It is sure that you get more benefit than the effort that you put in practicing yoga.

In practicing yoga there are poses that serve in the form of exercises and there are poses that are done for purely spiritual purposes. The poses can be done faster in some exercises, while in some they are done slowly with a breathing process in them. Both the types have their own benefits. Among the numerous benefits that you get out of yoga stress relief is just one.

You need to spend some time daily or on alternate days to practice yoga. You have to do them properly and for that it is better to learn yoga from a master who is good in yoga. Although it can be practiced on your own, we may not be sure about the correctness of the poses that we do. Hence initially it is better to learn from a master and then practice it at home when you find some time. Some people may have physical limitations to do some poses. Regular practice of yoga gives you an psychological edge over others who are not practicing it.

There are pill and herbs available in the market that are used for stress reduction in a person. Although you can go for this option, yoga is the best method as it gives you other benefits when you do stretching exercises, breathing exercises, meditation and guided imagery. Moreover practicing yoga requires commitment and effort to do it regularly and to get the benefits out of it.

You can do yoga after a hectic day at office or after a busy weekend. This would relax you and relieve you off your pain. There are different kinds of poses in yoga that can be used to relax you. You can perform a simple search in the internet to locate the websites that give you information on the different poses that are used for stress reduction.

Books and videos for reducing stress through yoga are also available in the market. You can make use of these and practice yoga postures that are given in it. It is always better to find a teacher who can teach you the poses properly. You can find out a yoga studio in your locality using the internet. There are many sites that lists down the courses offered at different locations. You can use these websites to find out one that is near your locality.

To learn more about various yoga exercises and to stay fit visit simple yoga exercises to stay fit. Signup now at yoga beginners guide and get your free copy of the best selling ebook titled "A Beginner's Guide to Yoga".

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Answers from Acupuncture - The Ancient Tradition behind Emotional Freedom Techniques

By Ananga Sivyer

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a healing tool based on the theory that our emotions and physical symptoms are linked to the underlying energy system of the body. That energy system is the acupuncture meridian system known to the Chinese for thousands of years.

EFT was developed by Stanford Engineer Gary Craig, who discovered the basic theory in 1991 and continues to this day to develop and improve on EFT applications.

The underpinning theory of EFT is simple, yet sheds a whole new light on our emotional experiences and how we interpret them.

Gary Craig's EFT discovery statement asserts that: "The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body's energy system." He believes that "our unresolved negative emotions are major contributors to most physical pains and diseases."

How Does EFT Work?

Chinese Medicine and the ancient Indian Science of Ayurveda both support the concept that our emotional experiences, in particular resentments, hurts and anger, contribute significantly to the development of disease in the human body.

While the EFT theory that all negative emotions are caused by a disruption in the energy system of the body may sound odd at first, the idea is far from new. In fact, it's 5,000 years old and was more recently enforced by Albert Einstein who taught that everything is made of energy.

The reason EFT works so well is purely because it embraces the secrets of Eastern healing traditions that have been overlooked by the west.

Acupuncture is finally attracting interest, and research has been conducted to try and figure out how and why it works. Yet that research will always seek to put acupuncture in a box that makes sense to what conforms in the West. The impressive results of acupuncture have been called a placebo effect, when, in truth, they are due to an ancient understanding of meridian energy circuitry which runs throughout all living creatures.

EFT & Acupuncture

In acupuncture, points are carefully selected by practitioners trained to read the maps of the meridian system. EFT is based on a select few of these potent points known to excel in giving emotional and physical relief to anyone who simply learns where they are and how to use them. EFT doesn't require expert knowledge, or the use of needles, the points are simply stimulated by tapping on them with the fingertips.

We need only look to the fact that in China hundreds of people every day undergo heart surgery using nothing but acupuncture for anaesthesia, to realise that anything based on the solid healing foundation that acupuncture has to offer is worth exploring further.

Gary Craig developed EFT as an incredibly user friendly access point to the benefits of acupuncture and the healing potential latent within us all to deal with our physical and emotional pain. EFT’s track record for relieving negative emotions, anxiety and trauma has earned it the descriptive title of “acupuncture for the emotions, but without the needles.”

The EFT Challenge

There's an old saying that we should judge a tree by it's fruits. The fruits of EFT can be quickly and easily tasted by learning the basics and setting EFT to work on dissolving any negative emotion. EFT takes just 5 minutes to learn, and then you can put it to the test of your own direct experience.

Ananga Sivyer is a health writer for LifeScape magazine and author of the self-help EFT workbook: The Art & Science of Emotional Freedom Sign up for her ezine today, and get a FREE COPY of her Energy Balance e-book.

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