Meditation as medicine

 

Meditation as medicine

PEOPLE today are very much aware of the importance of maintaining their physical health. Various means have been suggested as keys to improving one’s wellbeing, but the fact of psychological stability is still too often down played, either because its importance is not fully recognised or because no way of strengthening that stability has been known.

    Numerous scientific investigations have undoubtedly proved that psychological stress can have a disastrous effect on

physical health. In diseases like hypertension, diabetes, peptic ulcer, bronchial asthma, psychological stress is one of the factors for causing or complicating the disease process and also disturbs the recovery with pharmacological treatment. Never the less, the knowledge of harmful effects alone does not help us much to lead a life free of worries, stress and tension. More significantly, there is evidence that a simple means exist which relieves stress and re-establishes mental harmony when practised regularly, and is thus a vital adjunct to any programme for maintenance and promoting health. That means is known popularly as Raj Yoga Meditation.

            PSYCHOLOGY OF RAJA YOGA

In 1791 Galvani was the first person to declare that nerves contain some intrinsic form of electricity. Since then there has been a great interest in measuring the electrical activity of the brain. Hans Berger made the first recording of electroencephalogram (EEG) in 1925.EEG is the measurement of rhythms of electrical activity originating in the brain.

    Biofeedback means sending back of biological information to the person whose body is producing the information. This study, research and application have blossomed only in the last 20 years.

    There are four types of brain waves that we      produce in different states of alertness:

Alpha Waves (8-13 per second):-

Moderately fast, high voltage waves, recorded when an individual is awake, eyes closed, and is a relaxed non-attentive state.

Beta Waves (More than 13 per second):

Comparatively faster, low voltage waves recorded when an individual is awake; eyes open, and are in an active or attentive state.

Theta Waves (4-4 per second):-

Slow, low voltage waves, predominant during drowsiness.

Delta Waves (0-3 per second)

Slowest waves, high voltages-recorded in deep sleep.

        Many investigations are conducted on individuals practising the different methods of yoga in order to assess their usefulness. One of the most recent studies involved a series of psychophysiological experiment, made in San Francisco California (USA) at the Langley porter psychiatric Institution. These included Zen, Tibetan, Tantric and Raj Yoga Meditation, taught by Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University.

        Most of the Meditators showed Alpha or Theta waves when they meditated. These waves are replaced by non-coherent Beta waves when they stopped meditating.

        The results were remarkably different in the individuals; practising Raja Yoga Meditation. It was Delta waves usually not longer than 50 microvolts, even while awake and solving problems. Normally, Delta waves are not produced except by a person in the deepest state of sleep.

        By subtracting eye movements from the graph, it was determined that the wave-pattern was not produced due to the movement of eyes. Other double checks were also made. No sign of brain abnormality was present either.

        In simple terms, through Raj Yoga, one learns how to detach the mind from its physical engagements with the sense-organs through the brain and nervous system. In this detached state, the body and brain are able to relax completely, while his consciousness is centred in his soul, not in his brain, continues to function at peak levels. The difference between consciousness apparatus of a Raj Yogi and that of ordinary people is that due to the high level of detachment, his cortex is no longer being ‘driven’ by sensory input and conditioned physically thought response patterns. His mind, in a state of liberation from physical attachment, allows the cortex to remain in its inherent Delta rhythm.

The above conclusion is supported by other experimental evidence as well. For example, when the brains of animals are cut(With the animals alive and conscious) so that cortex is isolated from the central region of the brain, Delta waves are produced. A Raj Yogi simply cuts the connection intellectually through re-rerouting his mental energy rather than through a physical operation.

The system of Raja Yoga meditation has now been so well analysed and clarified by Yogic researches at the Brahma Kumaris Spiritual University that beginners today can easily learn the effective technique to produce Delta or Theta Waves, mixed with Alpha, and also many other physiological and biochemical benefits even after only a week of practice. The subjective correlatives of such a brain-wave production are serenity, self-confidence and supersensuous joy.

 

HOW DOES RAJ YOGA HELP A PERSON TO RESTORE AND MAINTAIN HEALTH?

    Health is the birthright of everybody. It is the treasure which neither science nor wealth can buy and gain it most, people would give up everything.

    Health is not merely a precious possession but a resource in which the whole community has a stake. Although health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental social and spiritual wellbeing, and not merely absence of disease or infirmity, yet the Morden system of health-care looks after just the physical health alone

  If we study the attributes of health, we can see by even casual self-analysis that most of us are not healthy. The practice of Raj Yoga is the strongest foundation for building the stage of one’s mental and social health as well as a distinct advantage in maintaining the well being of one’s body. The practice of Raj Yoga Meditation helps one to keep his own personal and social life peaceful, harmonious and happy.

  Just a few minutes of Raj Yoga practice makes our mind peaceful and calm. In this state of tranquillity, our power of decision improves immensely. Many people have been benefited by this practice in improving the faculty of taking correct and quick decision. It also enables us to put our thought-process in the desired direction rapidly. Unwanted and unnecessary thought does not hinder deep thinking.

  Raja Yoga Meditation is a good adjunct to most of the modern therapeutic methods. It restores the normal sleeping patterns which are affected in many a psychological and psychosomatic disease and disorder. Combination of Raj Yoga Meditation with other therapeutic methods greatly enhances the rate of progress with many patients.

  Raja Yoga Meditation changes the individual’s internal physiological response to environmental circumstances, thereby allowing a more adaptive behavioural response to life pressures. It provides physiological and psychological rest, necessary for the body to replace chemical resources, depleted by fight or flight responses, excessive fear, anger and chronic distress. Thus, when Raj Yoga meditation is added to traditional approaches in the treatment of psychological and psychosomatic diseases- be they behavioural, psychoanalytical or psychopharmacological patients improve at a rate much faster than usual.

  In a number of incidences it is observed that diseases like diabetes and hypertension have been stabilized or treated much more quickly by regular practice of Raj Yoga meditation.

   Raja Yoga Meditation is very effective to overcome smoking, alcohol consumption and drug abuse. Raj Yoga offers even a beginner the experience of super sensory pleasure. Through the self-reinforcing nature of Rj Yoga, a patient’s mind will be pulled increasingly towards that activity and, very naturally his cognitive patterns will begin to alter. He will simultaneously experience a very subtle but significant increase in his level of will power so that at least he will be able to reduce the dosage that his addiction requires. This, in turn, creates self-confidence which, in course of time, inspires him to shed the old and unwanted habit entirely.

  In recent years, there has been growing recognition that prevention is better than cure. Medical scientists and health organisation are focusing much of their research effort on this goal of preventing the occurrence of diseases as far as possible. The practise of Raja Yoga by itself can prevent many diseases which are psychologically caused or precipitated. Raj Yoga not only strengthens the mind but exercises it to a level of great flexibility. This means the power of the mind to resist disease is increasing enormously for there is no weakness lurking in the subconscious any more to invite disease into the body and also it increases the will to get well.

  Though the practice of Raj yoga conclusively prevents many illnesses occurring primarily as a result of psychological stress, nevertheless a yogi is not totally immune to diseases, primarily resulting from congenital, mechanical or environmental factors.

  But the significant observation to be made here is that though a certain amount of sickness maybe unavoidable in the present circumstance of a polluted environment, a Raj Yogi learns to overcome the suffering which would otherwise accompany the illness. In other words, though the physical vehicle-the body may be malfunctioning, the soul within can continue to enjoy unbroken tranquillity of mind.