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Namah An integral exploration of the benefits of meditation

system kicks in, activating a fight, flight or whatever undesirable momentary mental
freeze reaction. We might start trembling, the state, immediately deflates the intensity of
heartbeat starts racing and we perspire, as we the moment and allows us to experience the
experience these primal emotions. The mind event from a broader, calmer, more accepting
is a powerful link in the process and through perspective. We are no longer in the grips
the mind, we can alter, redirect and calm these of the troubling present moment but rather
emotions. This knowledge, coupled with the the observer to our own drama, an act that
fact that there is a symbiotic relationship creates an immediate shift.
between mind and body linked by the breath,
as referred to earlier, makes meditation a very While rather simple to describe, the ability
practical and effective tool in dealing with the to master this state can be quite challenging,
life challenges that are thrust upon us. We yet awareness meditation, with its focus on
have in essence, at our disposal, a practical undivided attention to the present moment,
and effective tool, on demand, for emotional can elicit cathartic inner states of insight, joy
rebalancing, something that can restore us and wisdom.
back to a calmer and clearer emotional state.
6. Awareness meditations — unblocking
5. Awareness meditations psychological dynamics

The transformative power ascribed to self- One of the most confounding mysteries and
awareness meditation has been embraced by challenges facing us as human beings is that
many ancient spiritual traditions. In the Hindu- we are often strangers to ourselves. Often,
based Kriya Yoga tradition, it is known as behaviour, reactions and feelings that arise in
Shuddi Dhyana. In the Zen Buddhist tradition, the moment are provoked by ancient patterns,
it is referred to as Shikantaza. For Tibetan whether personal, ancestral or transpersonal,
Buddhists, there is Mahamudra and Dzogchen lodged in our subconscious and unconscious.
while Theravada Buddhists practise Vipassana or While a certain amount of self-denial may be
Insight meditation. These formless meditative self-protective and thus should be honoured,
practices, though known by various names, ongoing lack of self-disclosure makes for
vary only slightly in their techniques. What a life that feels disconnected, distorted,
is common to all of them is the presence of bewildering to ourselves and alienating to
an awareness-mind consciousness; a mind others. The power of self-awareness allows us
that is fully engaged in the present moment, to firstly garner insight into the cause of the
in the here and now, in a continuous flow. issue at hand breaking through into a deeper
This awareness state can be likened to taking intellectual, emotional and psychological
the position of the film director rather than understanding of our situation.
the actor. It requires that we rest in the place
of observation and resist the forceful pull to A case drawn from personal clinical experience
entertain whatever sense/mind distraction exemplifies this point. A patient had been
is arising in the moment. This simple act of hounded and bullied by an older brother as
mentally stepping outside of ourselves to a child, told he was incompetent, inadequate
observe the nature of our mind, caught in and a truant. Decades later, when this man’s

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