Meditation
Presentation by,
Catherine Eichhorn
Meditation
 A self-directed practice for relaxing the body and
calming the mind.
 Origins in Eastern religious practices.
 Studies have found that regular meditation can:
 increase longevity and quality of life
 reduce chronic pain and anxiety
 reduce substance abuse and PTS in Vietnam
veterans
 increase intelligence-related measures
 lower blood cortisol levels initially brought on
by stress.
Medterms.com 2008
Types of Meditation
 Zen

Focuses on the background perception or
field, seeking a deeper understanding.
 Concentrative

focuses the attention on the breath, an
image, or a sound (mantra), in order to still
the mind.
 Mindfulness

Helps to gain a more calm, clear, and nonreactive state of mind, by focusing between
field and object.
Shapiro 1982
Buddhist Meditation
 Shamatha is often translated as calm abiding or
peacefulness; the development of tranquility.
 Vipashyana is clear seeing or special insight,
and involves intuitive cognition of suffering,
impermanence, and egolessness.
 Samadhi is concentration or one-pointed
meditation. It involves intense focusing of
consciousness.
Webspace.ship.edu 2008
Buddhism: a Brief Overview
 The Buddha, or
Enlightened One,
was born (approx)
in 566 BC as
Siddhartha
Gautama.
 He was a prince of
the Sakya tribe of
Nepal.
Suzuki 2006
 At age 29, Siddhartha sought the
meaning of suffering.
 Bodhi Tree = Buddha became
enlightened.
 45 years of wandering; died in 486 BC at
age 80
 Dharma = teachings
 Sangha = community of monks and
nuns
Suzuki 2006
The Buddha
At the time of his death, the Buddha spoke
these words:
Impermanent are all created things;
strive on with awareness.
Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai
Lama 2006
The Four Nobel Truths
 Life is suffering.
 Suffering is due to attachment.
 Attachment can be overcome.
 There is a path for abandoning
attachment.
Suzuki 2006
Eight-Fold Path
Prajña, or wisdom
 1. Right view is the true understanding of the
four noble truths.
 2. Right aspiration is the true desire to free
oneself from attachment, ignorance, and
hatefulness.
Suzuki 2006
Shila (Morality)
 3. Right speech involves abstaining from lying,
gossiping, or hurtful talk.
 4. Right action involves abstaining from
hurtful behaviors, such as killing, stealing, and
careless sex.
 5. Right livelihood means making your living
in such a way as to avoid dishonesty and
hurting others, including animals.
Susuki 2006
Samadhi (Meditation)
 6. Right effort Bad qualities should be
abandoned and prevented from arising again;
good qualities should be enacted and nurtured.
 7. Right mindfulness is adjusting thinking as
to overcome craving, hatred, and ignorance.
 8. Right concentration is meditating to
progressively realize a true understanding of
imperfection, and impermanence.
Suzuki 2006
Meditation Basics
 Remember to attend to your breathing.
 Sit with your back straight.
 Hands are placed loosely on the top of the
thighs, with the palms facing up. Place the
thumb and middle finger so that they are
touching.
 Head is upright.
 Eyes may be closed.
 Inhale, counting to 10; exhale with the same
count.
Webspace.ship.edu 2008
Mantra (prayer)
 To recite Om Mani Padme Hum, out loud or
silently to oneself, invokes the blessings of
Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion.
 It is said that all the teachings of the Buddha
are contained in this mantra.
 Spinning the written form of the mantra around
in a Mani wheel (or prayer wheel) is also
believed to give the same benefit.
Dharma-haven.org 2008
Om Mani Padme Hum
 Cannot be transliterated into a simple phrase or
sentence
 Is the most widely used of all Buddhist mantras
 Is open to anyone who feels inspired to practice
it
Reading from left to right the syllables are: Om
(ohm) Ma (mah)
Ni (nee)
Pad (pahd) Me (may)
Hum (hum)
Dharma-haven.org 2008
Variation of pronunciation is:
Om Mani Peme Hung

Om helps to achieve generosity

Ma helps to achieve ethics

Ni helps to achieve tolerance and
patience

Pad helps to achieve perseverance

Me helps to achieve concentration

Hum helps to achieve wisdom
Dharma-haven.org 2008
Can Meditation Help Me?
 Anxiety

Researchers at the University of MA. Medical
Center found statistically significant
improvements among 22 patients.

Aging
• Maharishi International University in Iowa,
found improvement in 73 elderly patients in
learning, cognitive flexibility and mental health,
as well as blood pressure and a 3-year survival
rate for participants.
Duke University 2006
Health Benefits
 GI Disorders

State University of New York found significant
reductions in symptoms of 10 patients for abdominal
pain, diarrhea, flatulence, and bloating.
 Psoriasis

1998 Study found in Psychosomatic Medicine reported
a faster heal rate for those patients who included
meditation with traditional methods.
 Stroke

2000 study found in Stroke published coronary
atherosclerosis was reduced, after 6 to 9 months of
meditation therapy.
Duke university 2006
Summary
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Meditation is easy to learn.
Meditation can be practiced anywhere.
Helps to relieve psychological disturbances
Helps to relieve a variety of medical issues
Does not need to be included with religion
Can be silent, focused or with music
Meditate for at least 15 minutes a day to keep
the doctor away.