Stressed? Well relax with Patricia Monaghan author of Meditation The Complete Guide.
Moderator: Welcome to WebMD's Live Program Health Focus. Today's discussion will be with Patricia Monaghan author of Meditation, The Complete Guide. WebMD members are encouraged to ask their questions and bring up any concerns they may have. This program will begin at 2pm Pacific / 5pm Eastern.
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Moderator: Hello and Welcome to today's Health Focus Program. I would like to begin by welcoming Paticia Monaghan, author of Meditation The Complete Guide to the program. Thank you for joining us here today. Can you begin today's discussion by telling everyone a little bit about your background and area of expertise.
Moderator: Can we begin today's discussion on Meditation by having you explain basically what it is. Then we will have followup questions.
Monaghan: Great idea. I'll start by saying that our definition of meditation is expansive and inclusive. There are some who will argue that only Zen is meditation, or only mind-emptying meditations--but my co-author and I started with a non-limiting vision of meditation, what might be called "functional meditation." Which means that, if it has the results that people are looking for from meditation, we included it. Most people who look for a meditative discipline are looking for one of several results: they are looking for greater peace and serenity in their lives; they are looking for help with some medical condition (stress, chronic pain); or, in a few cases, they are looking for performance enhancement. Much of today's interest in meditation has grown from recent studies that show that meditation does have a significant biophysical effect on the body/mind; meditation is now suggested as an appropriate treatment for chronic pain, for insomnia, and for high blood pressure. But even if someone is attracted to meditation because they prefer it over medication, usually there is some interest in becoming more centered and peaceful as well. Thus we define meditation as activities (or lack of activities!) that center the person in the moment, that free the mind from the continual rant of the inner dialogue, and that promote (although often rather slowly) a more peaceful and serene approach to life. Next.
Moderator: I've heard that meditation is a good type of treatment for chronic pain and cancer treatment, as you mentioned, but how does it help??? Or should I say how does it work??
Moderator: What are some of the different forms of meditation and can you talk about each one and share the differences.
Monaghan: There are many different forms of meditation--about 50 in our book. Let me start by breaking them down according to their history. Many of the forms of meditation that are well-known in the U.S. today are derived from Asian traditions--Zen sitting from Buddhism, t'ai chi from Taoism, yoga from the nexus of Hinduism and Buddhism. But there are western traditions as well, such as that of the Quakers in silent worship, neo-pagan candle meditation, Christian contemplative prayer and others. There are forms of meditation based in Islam, such as Sufi dancing. And what we call "creative meditations," which are based in artistic pursuits. Another way of dividing them is between various forms of meditation which are somewhat sedentary, and those which are active. Sitting and paying attention to your breathing is a form of meditation that appears in many ways, from Sufi breathing to yogic breathing to some forms of Zen. But this more quiet form is not the only kind of meditation that is possible. Some people meditate--focus their minds, relieve their stress, find peace--through action, whether that be a patterned movement like t'ai chi or something less structured, like gardening or needlecrafts. My own practice includes some of each--Zen meditation each morning, some reading meditation every day, and many activities such as qigong and gardening. next.
Moderator: Are there certain types of personalities that benefit from meditation versus others?
Monaghan: An interesting, and not very easy to answer question, because meditation is not just an activity but a way of life. Maybe it's a good idea to define beginning meditators from more advanced ones. For beginning meditators, it's good to start with something that does not run too much counter to your general approach to life. Thus very active people can find it extremely difficult to do a sitting meditation, whereas they may benefit greatly from a moving meditation like yoga or Sufi dancing. A more sedentary person might find it easier to get started with a simple breathing meditation. But as one grows as a meditator, it's often good to work against the grain, as it were--to try meditations that stretch the body/mind in new directions. So at that point a more sedentary person might take up yoga, and a more hyper person might learn haiku, the Zen writing meditation. Incidentally, another underlying principle of our approach is that one need not have one form of meditation only. There are reasons some people might feel uncomfortable with some forms--discomfort from their religious upbringing, for instance--but for both Teri and I, meditation is a gentle encounter with spirit, and not anything which is fearful in any way. next.
Moderator: Is meditation always spiritual?
Monaghan: Absolutely. There is no reason for people to think that meditation means they have to become a devotee of some specific religious orientation--or not. I make the distinction between "religion," which is an organized approach to spirituality, and "spirituality," which is the inner life of human beings. We all have some spirituality, even those who do not believe themselves religious. For those who are not interested in using a religiously-based meditation, there are many ways to experience the benefits of relaxation and serenity that comes with meditation. Crafts, for instance, have the kind of rhythmic movement that is common to meditations. Gardening, too--one of my prime forms of meditation. When I lived in Alaska, as I did for most of my life, some of my most meditative moments occurred when I was picking berries, as I did for hours and hours many summer afternoons. William James, the great philosopher of religion, defined states of timeless unity with the world as "mystical." In that sense, many people are looking for mystical experience through meditation. Not mystical in the "woo-woo" way, like having visions or anything. Mystical in the sense of knowing--not THINKING, not imagining, but knowing--that you are connected, in an ineffable and yet powerful way, with the universe. This serenity doesn't usually come immediately with meditation. It can, in fact, take years to attain. That's another thing I want to mention about most meditative techniques--they're not Magic Bullets. I've met people who say, "well, I sat zazen for two weeks, and nothing happened." Nothing is likely to happen in two weeks. But, over time, meditators report a great ease and facility with dealing with the natural stresses of life. And, occasionally-- although not every day, even for advanced meditators--there are those times of timeless connection that make everything make sense. next.
Moderator: At what age can one begin practicing meditation?
Moderator: Should you do meditation in a particular place or a particular time?
DebbieDavis_WebMD: Why do you think meditation has grown in popularity and do you think it's a lot of people getting on the meditation band wagon? What do true / purest meditators think of the rapid growth and popularity of their sacred ritual.
Monaghan: Very good question. There is a bandwagon about meditation right now, and many different forms of meditation are being taught. Some people who practice a specific form express anger at what they see as a diluting of their practice, which is precious to them. While I can appreciate the sense of desire that meditative traditions aren't sold like patent medicine--which they are not--I also feel that some people who present themselves as spiritual have other motives as well (or in addition) to aiding others spiritually. Whenever someone charges a great deal of money, has many levels of initiation which are almost impossible to attain, or otherwise makes wisdom secret and expensive, my personal belief is that it's not about spirituality anymore. I would advise against paying huge sums for learning a specific breathing technique, for instance. Most meditative breathing techniques are similar, though not identical. All that said, though, it's also important to realize that meditation is a commitment--if it's going to work. Dabbling in meditation isn't harmful, but it's not especially helpful. Once you've found a meditation that suits your lifestyle and beliefs, it's very important to keep it up, not to be casual about it. Daily meditation is like toothbrushing. You don't want to fall out of the habit. next.
Moderator: How often should you practice meditation to receive optimum benefits?
Moderator: You have mentioned a few benefits from meditation in our discussion, can talk a little more about what one gains by practicing meditation?
Moderator: We are almost out of time. Before we say good bye is there anything else you would like to add.
Moderator: Unfortunately that's all the time we have. I would like to thank Patricia Monaghan, author of Meditation, The Complete Guide for coming back on WebMD and being our guest speaker this afternoon. This discussion has been very informative. I encourage WebMD members to check the program schedule to see what other shows we have coming up. Thank you and have a wonderful day.
Moderator: This was a great discussion. Thank you so much.
Monaghan: You are most welcome!
Moderator: Have a wonderful day.