In terms of emotions, studies have shown that meditation can help reduce both anxiety and depression. By reducing anxiety and sadness, the person is less inclined to use drugs, alcohol or drug regulators affection, to modulate their emotions. Meditation helps to reduce the level of shock and silences the internal dialogue turbulence generator.

Our inner world of thoughts, feelings, memories and desires determines the quality of our life. For many of us, the idea of who we are depends on how comfortable we feel about our profession and our relationships. Sigmund Freud, the “father of psychoanalysis” said that “love and work are the cornerstones of our humanity”. We live in a constant dialogue with ourselves about our work and our relationships. Meditation serves to temporarily interrupt the traffic of thoughts that arise and allow new and different points of view that perhaps we had not considered previously.

When we understand the nature of mental activity, it is easier to value silence of the mind in meditation. If you notice your mind, you will notice that each of your thoughts is related to something that happened in the past or something that might happen in the future.
This leads to feelings of anxiety, anger, insecurity, etcetera, in your present.
In traditional writings on meditation in India, it is said that the mind is active through a continuous cycle of three stages. At one stage, the mind records an impression. Because of that, passed to a second stage in which it generates an intention to inquire a little more or a little less of that experience that gave rise to the impression. The intention leads to the third stage, which consists of an action or behavior. In Sanskrit, the action is karma, well-known term in the West. Because of the action, new impressions, give rise to new generated impressions and new intentions.

This cycle of action → Print → intention → action is known in the Vedic and Buddhist traditions as “cycle of karma”. It is the cycle that makes us always behave predictably in response to different situations, circumstances, people and things. It is at the root of all habits, favorable or unfavorable for life. To free yourself from habitual behaviors must free ourselves from the cycle of karma. This cannot happen only through conscious intention, because the impressions are deeper than the conscious mind level. The fuel that keeps alive the mental cycle is the meaning. The meaning we attribute to an experience, triggers memories and feelings, which generate associations and intentions. For example, imagine strolling through a park and see a puppy. The puppy reminds the dog that was in its infancy. The memories and feelings associated with the puppy activate other images of his childhood. That reminded of the time when his father, led by anger, kicked the dog for soiling the carpet. The feelings caused by the memory are bothersome, so he decides to stop at the bar for a drink on the way home. Impressions emanating desires, which in turn engender actions. Meditation interrupts mental cycle because it introduces an impression which does not contain any urgent meaning. Printing can be watching the breath, watching the flame of a candle, watch the free movement of forms or repeating a mantra. Regardless of the method used, the value of meditation is to temporarily silence the incessant activity of the mind. When the mind enters the space between thoughts, the body also relaxes. Experience is peace of mind and physical relaxation. It is the conscious rest. The subjective experience of conscious Sleep is a state of relaxation in wakefulness. When the mind is active, have a focus on internal or externally generated things. We can be aware of a thought, a feeling, a memory or a wish. We can be aware of a sound, a feeling, an image, a taste or aroma. These internal and external experiences absorb our attention and generate emotional reactions to the object of our attention.

During meditation, the mind is awake, and alert, but disconnected from internal and external stress. The rest of conscious experience brings peace of mind and tranquility to the body. More important is the fact that this balance is achieved in meditation is maintained during periods of activity. Meditators observed frequent greater stability during the day.

The repetitive thoughts that restrict our perspective and limit our creativity drive us to seek temporary relief through addictive behaviors. Meditation offers a technology to access some different points of view. A balanced mind free from anxiety and turmoil is more powerful and creative. When disconnecting the mind, we can gain access to freedom and creativity that resides in the space between the patterns of conditioned thinking. By switching activity with periodic immersion in silence, cultivate healing, creativity and balance. Peace obtained in meditation is manifested in thought, word and action.

OCTOBER 11, 2017