Meditation

Meditation 17 is a contemplation written by John Donne. He is considered to be the foremost metaphysical poet. Born Catholic, Donne aspired in his youth to be a courtier. He was appointed to a higher position in the Anglican Church and he became a great preacher. At age twelve Donne studied at Oxford, because of his religion, he was rejected from taking a degree, so he went back to London to study he great seal. This position was the aw. Donne became the secretary of Thom -year-old Anne More without her father’s start of his career but in 1601, Donne married a sevente consent. Anne’s father had Donne jailed and dismissed from his position. Donne continued to write poetry church of Rome and became known as an in private and prose for the public. He wrote against important defender of the Church of England. Later his excellent sermons won him advancement in the Church and he rose to be dean of St. Paul’s. The opening of “Meditation 17” refers to the practice in Donne’s time of ringing church bells to announce the death of a church member. Donne writes on the significance of the tolling bells: “A therefore the bell that rings calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come; so this bell calls us all”. The tone of this sentence i ly. This meditation is about Donne’s a funeral, he observes that every contemplation on approaching death. Hearing a church bell death diminishes the large fabric of humanity. In this world we are all together, and we use the suffering of others to learn how to live better so that we are better prepared for our own death, which is merely a of this meditation is both metaphysical translation to another world which in this case tters and how to live life and cavalier because it is deep and profound and it talks ab Meditation 17 is based on several metaphors that develop the theme that everyone is part of a common humanity.

Humanity is a book and God is the author. Each person is a chapter in the book. When a person lies, his or her chapter is translated into the afterlife. By analyzing this meditation I gained a different type of way on seeing life because we are so discriminative and judgmental that we forget we are all the same. When Donne says: “All mankind is of one author and is one volume” he is telling us that we are all creations of God. All mankind are interconnected because God made us all. Also when he says that “affliction is a treasure” it causes men to grow and mature and make them gain wisdom from perceiving another’s suffering. I believe that no one is prepared for death but when death comes we have to be open in a way that we have no regrets and now that it is not the end because a new chapter begins in the afterlife. I have no opinion in which I can in which people always have ay death is something beautiful bec trouble going through it. When I was reading this meditation it felt like I was contemplating with it because I could relate with the lost of my brother. When God took my brother it felt like the end it felt like nothing mattered, all I asked is why? Then I figured maybe if my brother didn’t die I would have never known who my real father was. His death made me gain wisdom and made me realize that life is so short and we really have to live life to the fullest with no regrets.

SPC Mattadeen, Judy Corine Ms. Alexa Fernandez Effective Essay Writing January 26, 2010 STRESS AND NEGATIVITY IN OUR HUMAN MINDS Introduction Eliminating stress and negativity is the most important factor in our human minds. In general it is so powerful we almost feel like we can’t cope with it. Finding ways to fight stress and negativity is crucial to not only handle the ways of life but to really live a happier and more meaningful life. Stress and negativity is not a new agenda or a phenomenon. It has been a huge experience in mankind throughout history.

These feelings accumulate in our lives and in our soul over time. Although sometimes these experiences are unavoidable. There are ways that can be done to help go through the process of eliminating stress and negativity and feeding our human minds with a good and positive outlook in life. Having a positive mentality and eliminating the negativity of stress in ourselves is not going to just fall upon us. It’s really a choice we have to make. Being positive doesn’t necessarily come naturally. It’s our decision that we have to make daily. Is stress an enemy to us human beings?

Of course it is because you deal with so much negative energy. That alone merges to different type of problems that we encounter in our daily lifestyle. Be at work or at home, thus this type of emotions is everywhere. Now it is up to us on how we handle the situation that can either make us or one way to break us. We make the choice. (Melinda Smith, M. A. , Ellen Jaffe-Gill, M. A, & Robert Segal M. A. 2008) (http://helpguide. org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping. htm) Stress and negative feelings The stress of always feeling bad can lead to deep depression and medical disorder.

Our body and our mind are a continuum. In other words focusing too much on being angry, fear or having fear of failure is one of the contributing factor of self destruction and having such failure in achieving such goals that we human want in life. We can control all the stress and negativity we encounter by means of responding to new challenges by telling ourselves that we are capable of facing our fears and doing what is right. All this is a way of eliminating such negative thoughts and a turnaround of a positive spin. That is a good start of leading a better life.

Visualization, this technique can be achieved by means of installing positive expectations and believe that we can do it. Therefore if we literally eliminate the old feelings and shadow it with the new and positive ways. We can achieve a good and healthy mind and soul. We are not meant to live a miserable and unfulfilled life. When we discover the path of visualizing what we really want to achieve in life. Then we can discover and start working in some realm associated with a positive attitude not negative and we all will thrive to the fullest of success. Critical thinking

Whenever we tend to catch ourselves being critical or even having a negative thought in mind is very stressful. Thinking negative of another person, circumstances or anything that can lead a negative reaction is a challenge. Make it a priority also to keep your well pure. If somehow in some points you’re being or if somebody is being critical of you or trying to lead you in a bad light. Recognize that there is a stone coming your way. We don’t need to dwell on it, or get upset and vengeful. When these stages occur the best thing to do is pull ourselves back and have this inner question “Can I take up such challenge to control myself”?

One way to look at our level in coping with these feelings is our human emotions. Our body alone is like a bucket of energy where we store pure energy alone. May it be negative or positive. We might want to declutter our world by human cleanse also. By means of letting your choice reflect your taste. Whether you let the stress and negative thoughts handle your life or fight the biggest fight. Motivation is one of the best key in life. Surrounding ourselves with positive individuals will help us move on to the right track. Keep pressing forward. The key to rising higher is to keep looking to where you want to go.

Keep a positive vision and see yourself accomplishing your goals and fulfilling your destiny. Meditation Relax and take a deep breath. Always let in a positive spirit to avoid negative thoughts. Personal power, acceptance, and inner love will help restore our boundaries to normal settings. Maintaining all these positive factors are guides us in removing old baggage and replacing it with the good ones. Let in a higher power. The answer to this is simply having God in our hearts. Let our choice reflect our taste and by then when we have that higher power restored in our souls. We are on the right track.

We all need to get in peace of who we really are. Dwell only on the positive, empowering thoughts towards ourselves. That’s when we realize that our faith is energized. Prayers are the best medicine in our everyday routine in life. Health and well being Maintaining a good and healthy balance mind and body will lead us to fight all the stress and unwanted negative that surrounds us in our daily lives. Exercise is also the best key. It releases such tension in due time and provides us with energy to handle anything that may come our way. One way also to eliminate stress and negativity is managing our time wisely.

We must always find a way to have our own me time. Have a habit of writing everything down on paper on what to do, where to go, what else needs to be done or etc. is a good way of managing your time wisely. Handle important task first and eliminate unessential task. Exercise and eating right is also a good factor in eliminating stress and the entire negative that surrounds us. If we are fit, and nothing else is really seriously wrong in our lives, than we can probably manage a fair amount of frustration, delay, unfairness, misfortune in whatever form.

Surrender and let in Instead of fighting and feeling negative about your thoughts that can lead to stress. Surrender to them and you will see that the negative feelings will quickly eliminate and lose its power over our human minds. When we are in a world of so much stress fight it by accepting it and try not to think too deep into it. Cause in some points there are stressors that are really not even meant to be paid attention too at all. We should always observe the feeling in our mind and body without labeling or either judging it by all means.

Self confidence is also one of the best tools for us to use to reach our goals and be happy in life. There is always room for improvement with our inner feelings to avoid accumulating stress by means of having faith in everything we do and encounter. Be realistic about life alone. Set realistic goals. Ask yourself questions before we even execute. Think positive thoughts. Know what you want and do what is right. Nobody can hold you down if you believe. For God alone does not focus on what’s wrong with us. He’s not looking at all our faults and weaknesses.

He’s looking at how far we’ve come along and how much we’re growing as a person. So we all need to focus on what’s right for us. (Henrik Edberg 2006-2010) Final thoughts Life alone is a major challenge. Everywhere we go we may encounter the good and the bad. Whether you may take the chance of absorbing the negative and deal with it or fight the toughest fight in dealing with stress alone. We all make those choices. Eliminating stress and negativity can be achieved by thinking positive. It’s time to unburden ourselves by receiving progress, initiative, inner peace, love, setting goal, prayers, and motivation.

My personal experience in life alone dealing with stress and so much negative alone is challenging. There are times where in I just can’t handle the situation that I’m in yet I pushed myself for the better by pressing forward, surrounding myself with positive people, and learn how to deal with stress by means of how to handle my emotions. This is one of the most significant aspects in coping. Overall by reading every word in this essay is a step in what are the ways in dealing with everyday stress and negativity in general. It is also a guide in improving our everyday life.

We can make the most of any experience or challenges that we go through by committing ourselves in change and grow. Expressing ourselves freely, fully and honestly is not going to lessen us the benefits of creating a positive meaning in life. Remember when our life or your life is full of rocks; don’t forget to throw bread back in return. Reference: How to reduce, prevent, and cope with stress (Melinda Smith, M. A. , Ellen Jaffe-Gill, M. A, & Robert Segal, M. A. 2008) http://helpguide. org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping. htm

Meditation is a mental and physical course of action that a person uses to separate themselves from their thoughts and feelings in order to become fully aware. It plays a part in virtually all religions although some don’t use the word ‘meditation’ to describe their particular meditative or reflective practice. Meditation does not always have a religious element. It is a natural part of the human experience and is increasingly used as a therapy for promoting good health and boosting the immune system.

Anyone who has looked at a sunset or a beautiful painting and felt calm and inner joy, while their mind becomes clear and their perception sharpens, has had a taste of the realm of meditation. Successful meditation means simply being – not judging, not thinking, just being aware, at peace and living each moment as it unfolds. In Buddhism the person meditating is not trying to get into a hypnotic state or contact angels or any other supernatural entity. Meditation involves the body and the mind.

For Buddhists this is particularly important as they want to avoid what they call ‘duality’ and so their way of meditating must involve the body and the mind as a single entity. In the most general definition, meditation is a way of taking control of the mind so that it becomes peaceful and focused, and the meditator becomes more aware. The purpose of meditation is to stop the mind from rushing about in an aimless (or even a purposeful) stream of thoughts. People often say that the aim of meditation is to still the mind. There are a number of methods of meditating – methods which have been used for a long time and have been shown to work.

People can meditate on their own or in groups. Meditating in a group – perhaps at a retreat called a sesshin or in a meditation room or zendo – has the benefit of reminding a person that they are both part of a larger Buddhist community, and part of the larger community of beings of every species. Meditation in Buddhism is a form of Bhavana, or self-development. The origins of Bhavana go back to ancient Indian spiritual exercises called Yoga.

Hindu Yoga consists of 8 stages:

• Making a conscious effort not to harm others and to establish good relations with them.
• Sitting postures and control of the breath.
• Withdrawing the mind from external things and looking inwards.
• Fixing the mind on a single object or thought.
• Meditation, allowing the mind to rise above ordinary though and be directly aware of reality.

These were taken up and developed by the Buddha. What Buddhists do when they meditate or worship may look very similar to the Hindu religion, but Buddhists do it in order to deepen the particular Buddhist view of life. There are two kinds of meditation: Samatha and Vipassana meditation.

Samatha meditation is translated as ‘calm meditation’ or ‘tranquility meditation’ etc. Samatha meditation helps to control the mind and to become calm, so that the mind is focused upon a simple object or idea. For example, if we have tendencies towards greed and selfishness we might take death as the idea to focus upon for meditation. We then begin to see that everyone must die whatever they may be or do in their life. We will realise that greed is futile in the face of death and knowing this will produce feelings of calm and dispassion in us.

Samatha meditation is practised to attain deep concentration of the mind only. The purpose of Samatha meditation is to concentrate the mind on this touching sensation or respiration. Whenever the mind goes out, the meditator brings it back on to the object of meditation, that is, the respiration or the touching sensation, because he wants to deeply concentrate the mind on a single object of meditation. When the mind goes out in Samatha meditation it must be brought back to the primary object, focusing the mind on the respiration. The Samatha meditator must not observe the wandering thought or thinking mind.

He need not realise any mentality or physicality. What he needs to do is attain deep concentration of mind on a single object, focusing the mind attentively, noting the in- and out-breathing. When the Samatha meditator attains to access concentration or to absorption concentration, when his mind is totally absorbed into the object of meditation, there is no mental defilement in that concentrated mind. At that time the concentrated mind is purified from hindrances. This is called purification of mind because there is no greed, hatred, ignorance, conceit, jealousy and so on.

So the meditator feels peaceful and happy. That is the benefit of Samatha meditation but when the mind is disengaged from the object of meditation, the concentration is also broken and the mind goes to many different objects. Therefore many thoughts come into the mind. When the mind is defiled with greed, anger or ignorance the meditator does not feel happy or peaceful. He has suffering. The Samatha meditator enjoys peacefulness of mind while his mind is deeply concentrated on a single object of meditation. As long as the mind is absorbed in the object, he feels peaceful calm, tranquil and serene.

One type of Samatha meditation that is suitable for everyone is where the subject of concentration is our own breath. The concentration of our own breathing includes feeling the air gently filling your lungs and then flowing out through the nostrils. As you concentrate on breathing you come to realise the value of it because we depend on it for life. Breathing becomes more delicate, and it may even happen that our breaths appear to stop; our thoughts become less and less, and peace and happiness arise within us. Therefore it will bring calmness and a greater awareness of yourself and your physical body.

There are many different possibilities of the ways to sit during meditation. The important thing is to feel comfortable and relaxed, but also to be upright and alert. The classical meditation position is ‘the lotus position’. This involves sitting cross-legged with the left foot on top of the right thigh and the right foot on top of the left thigh. While it helps for the body to be alert, relaxed and stable, meditation is really about the mind and the inner experience. Posture is a support to that but most Buddhist traditions do not regard it as an end in itself.

Brahma Vihara means ‘Sublime State’ and by meditating upon the Brahma Viharas a person develops feelings of love, compassion, joy and peace towards all living things. The four Sublime States are:

• Metta – This is usually translated as ‘loving – kindness’. In meditating upon metta, a person first of all wishes himself or herself well, and then spreads the positive and friendly thoughts outwards towards all other beings.
• Karuna – This means active compassion understanding the nature of suffering and sharing the suffering of others.
• Mudita – This is sympathetic joy in which the meditator shares the happiness of all other beings.
• Upekkha – This is a state of peace and serenity, in which, with a well-balanced mind, a person looks on all beings – whether friendly or not – with the same positive attitude of care and well-wishing.

Meditating on the Brahma Viharas may take the form of a visualisation. In the case of Metta Bhavana, or Meditation on Love, you would visualise the spreading of love from yourself to friends and family, to the community, and further on to the rest of the world.

For the Brahma Viharas thought is action; meditating on the spreading of love throughout the universe. The effect of meditating off the Brahma Viharas is like ripples on the surface of the water – gradually spreading outwards. Vipassana meditation is ‘insight’ meditation, it is realisation, seeing or right understanding. Vipassana meditation refers to a system of mental development that consists of looking inwards, looking at your mind as if you were an outside observer. In this way the meditator can break through the predictable workings of the mind to see things as they really are.

Vipassana meditation is practises to attain some amount of concentration and to realise these three characteristics, therefore removing all thoughts and to experience the ending of suffering. In Vipassana meditation, the purpose is to realise all mental states and physical processes in their true nature. In this concept, their true nature means the three characteristics which every mental state and physical process possesses. Any mental state or physical process may be the object of meditation. So the Vipassana meditator must not take only a single object but take many varieties of objects.

The Vipassana meditation is an important step on the path to enlightenment. In fact, it follows from the seventh step of the Noble Eightfold Path, Right Mindfulness, whereas Samatha relates to the sixth step, Right Effort. The Vipassana meditator follows the mind and observes it by making mental notes of all the movements and senses they observe such as the rising and falling movement of the abdomen and the hearing of a voice or of a distinctive sound. Due to these movements and sense they make notes within their mind, for example, when the abdomen rises the meditatior observes it, making a mental note ‘rising’.

When the abdomen falls, the mediator observes it, making a mental note ‘falling’. The meditator does this for every movement for the abdomen and makes mental notes – such as these – for everything he observes. The meditator observes and follows the mind because the purpose of insight meditation is to realise the characteristics of any mental state or physical process. Therefore to realise the three characteristics of a wandering mind, but the meditator has to observe it as it is, making a mental note as `wandering, wandering’, `thinking, thinking’ and so on until that thought has disappeared.

Only after it has disappeared should he return to the primary object, noting as usual. However, the Vipassana meditator needs to realise impermanence, suffering and the impersonal nature of the wandering, thinking mind. He must observe the wandering thoughts, the thinking mind as it really occurs, noting `wandering, wandering’, `thinking, thinking’, `imagining, imagining’. When you note these thoughts, your noting mind should be more attentive, more energetic and somewhat quick, so that it becomes more and more powerful, more so than the thinking process or the wandering process.

When the noting mind becomes sharper, quicker and more powerful, it overwhelms the thinking mind or the thought process, which then stops in a short time. When the noting mind is weak, then it is overwhelmed by the wandering mind. The noting mind is dragged along by the thinking process the thought process goes on and on and the meditator can`t concentrate well. So to make the noting mind stronger, sharper and more powerful, the meditator notes the wandering, thinking mind more attentively, energetically and quickly. Then the thinking process stops and at that time the meditator notices thought doesn’t last long.

It arises and passes away. So here the arising and passing away of the thought is vaguely realised as impermanent, though not clearly realised. When concentration becomes deeper and deeper, the meditator comes to realise that these individual thoughts arise and pass away, one after another. A series of thoughts arises and passes away. Unless concentration is deep enough, the meditator is not able to realise it. The purpose is to realise these thoughts and their three characteristics. So, whatever thought arises in sitting or walking, the meditator must note them attentively, energetically and more quickly.

When thoughts are noted they become less and less, and concentration becomes deeper and deeper. If the thoughts are not noted, they increase and sometimes they persist a very long time. Then concentration is weak. In Vipassana meditation, the meditator concentrates the mind to a certain extent on many mental states or physical processes. Then he realises the true nature of mentality and physicality, their impermanent, suffering and impersonal nature. His mind is purified at that moment because he realises these three characteristics of mental states and physical processes.

He realises it, not through theoretical knowledge, not through learning scriptures but through his own personal experience of mental and physical experience, and this experience of the three characteristics is very deep and profound. This experience remains in the mind all the time though this insight knowledge of the three characteristics is also impermanent, suffering and impersonal. It occurs and passes away. The force of this insight knowledge remains in the thought process, in the process of consciousness, which continues for life.

Therefore even though the meditator leaves the meditation centre and goes home or back to work, he may sometimes recollect his meditative experiences of these three characteristics, and they appear in his mind as if he is realising them at that moment. Then the mind is purified and he feels peaceful and tranquil. The benefit of Vipassana meditation is not only in sitting but also in the whole life and the next life. Therefore it helps the mind to be purified at any time. That’s why the Vipassana meditator lives for peace to a certain extent.

If he has attained any stage of enlightenment, the first stage, the second stage, the third stage or the fourth stage of enlightenment, if he has attained in any of these four, his mind is purer because some of the mental corruption have been uprooted by the path knowledge. He has lost some of the mental corruptions which cause suffering and he can live in peace and happiness to a certain extent. However, if he is able to attain all the four kinds of enlightenment, his mind is completely purified all the time and liberated from all kinds of mental corruptions.

He will then live peacefully and happily. Zen is about living in the present with complete awareness. The word Zen is the Japanese equivalent of the Chinese Ch’an, meaning meditation. However, we have seen that many different schools of Buddhism place great emphasis on meditation as a means to enlightenment. All schools believe that all people have the ability to be enlightened, just as all people have the ability to be angry or sad. Zen therefore says that enlightenment exists within all human beings all the time. The aim of Zen practice is to become aware of one’s own enlightenment.

This is called Satori. One important aspect of meditation is that it enables us to sit still and do nothing. It is said that the aim of Zen is not to aim. The meditation practice of Zen is called Za-zen, or sitting Zen. Sitting in the lotus position is very important, for it allows the meditator to breathe easily and slowly. He will put his hands into the dhyana-mudra and keep his eyes open. This makes them become fully in touch with the true nature of reality. Different schools of Zen do Za-zen in different ways: Soto meditators face a wall, Rinzai meditators sit in a circle facing each other.

Zen considers there to be five kinds of meditative practices which go deeper and deeper. Bompu is a very superficial form of meditation. Bompu means ‘ordinary’. Gedo refers especially to meditative practices of other religions. These practices may be useful, but do not lead to enlightenment. The word gedo means ‘outside way’. Shojo refers to Theravada meditation. Mahayana Buddhists often call Theravada ‘Hinayana’ or ‘small vehicle’ because they do not consider it to be capable of leading all people to enlightenment. Shojo is used for the same reason.

Daijo is Japanese for Mahayana, or ‘great vehicle’, and refers to meditation which leads to enlightenment. Saijojo is the purest form of daijo, the highest form of meditation. A Zen practitioner tries to experience each moment directly. They don’t let thoughts, memories, fears or hopes get in the way. They practice being aware of everything they see, hear, feel, taste, and smell. For example: when they eat they focus totally on the food and on the act of eating and prevent any thoughts in their mind. In Zen Buddhism the purpose of meditation is to stop the mind rushing about in an aimless (or even a purposeful) stream of thoughts.

People often say that the aim of meditation is “to still the mind”. Zen Buddhism offers a number of methods of meditation to people – methods which have been used for a long time, and which have been shown to work. Zen Buddhists can meditate on their own or in groups. Meditating in a group – perhaps at a retreat called a sesshin or in a meditation room or zendo – has the benefit of reminding a person that they are both part of a larger Buddhist community, and part of the larger community of beings of every species.

Yeats implies that ownership is futile as, with the inevitability of death, comes the inevitability that one day ownership will be lost when-as Yeats puts it-“the [master is] ride”. The fact that “mice can play’ once the “masters buried” brings together a new Idea of owning-or possessing-people and the Idea that through this ownership comes a hierarchy which leads to people being treated like “mice”. The fact that they can now “play”, now that the master has gone, Implies that the master oppressed them through his ownership of them. However this section of the poem where the “mice play” is linked to a previous section which talked of dreams.

They are linked through rhyme. In the previous section, which starts “Mere dreams, mere dreams! And continues until “As if some marvelous empty sea-shell flung”, has the rhyming scheme A. B. A. B. A. The fact that Yeats has also given the section, that Includes the mice playing, the same rhyming scheme, Indicates that this Is a “mere dream” and that the ownership is still present and needs to be relinquished before they can play. Walcott in particular references the idea that-through the idea that one human owns another-the humanity and the rights of the owned human can be stripped away.

This links to Walkout’s main theme of the slave trade. The line “some slave is rotting in this manorial lake” shows this idea the best. By describing the lake as “manorial” Walcott has linked the ownership of the lake to the death of the slave and thus Implements the owners In the Implied crime. This could lead to the desire to renounce ownership of the lake so as to escape the implementations associated with it. The line: “protecting the great house/ from guilt” shows that with ownership comes the need for pride in possessions-also shown in the Yeats poem with the “escutcheon’s ours”.

However, Walcott also makes reference to the idea that the mice can play once the “masters buried”. Walcott has been described by critics as a “poetry pirate” from other poets and uses them for his own purposes. This is the most obvious way Walcott challenges the idea of ownership. He takes these lines-such as “Part of the continent, piece of the main”- and uses them ironically for his own meaning. It is often ironic as the original meaning of the lines is normally the opposite of what Walcott uses them for.

This contrasts to Yeats-who implied that the idea that the mice can play is a dream-as Walkout’s ‘poetry piracy is an example of the mice playing. Indeed it links with the Yeats line: “And maybe the great-grandson of that house… ‘s but a mouse. ” Walcott, a descendant of slaves, is this mouse and-by taking ownership of lines that others own-he is playing. This shows how the shackles of ownership, set upon the slaves in Walkout’s poem, have been relinquished by the inevitability of the loss of ownership and by “the leprosy of empire. “

First “in-class” Meditation have meditated before, but never in class. It was quite an experience! When I meditate, I tend to think a lot. Trying not to think about anything and focusing on my breathing is very hard for me. But know it will take some practice. My mind runs a mile a minute, but repeating “In and out” to solely concentrate on my breathing definitely helps. I can tell that was still a little distracted.

Any goose that I heard brought me back to thinking, wondering what it was, where it was coming from. Once realized I was thinking again, I brought my focus back to my breathing, remembering “in and out”. I find it fascinating that you have to realize you a thinking sometimes it happens and you don’t even know what you’re thinking until you take a step back. The mind works in mysterious ways. I am intrigued to learn more about myself and mindfulness through mediation. /1/15 2. Youth: Nighttime Meditation Over the weekend I tried my best to take 5 minutes to myself to re-center and be present. Tonight I was having trouble winding down, so after my tea, I searched for “Nighttime Meditation” on youth. I meditated for about six minutes until I started to drift into sleep. I enjoyed the meditation because for those few moments of the day, was able to quiet my mind, relax, and become sleepy.

I feel that guided meditation works best for me; listening to he soft spoken words of the man from the video really helps me to smash all the irrelevant thoughts going through my head and really focus on what was going on in that present moment. I also enjoyed the part of the meditation where the man was guiding me to feel my body parts, from my feet up to the tip of my head. At this point, feeling relaxed, aware, and present began to doze off. Of course, my head told me “Hey! You’re dozing off! ” there I go thinking again, and I shut off the video and immediately fell asleep.

In the article “Is Music a Good Tool for Health” by Elizabeth Scott, M. S. , she states that music has a powerful energy and affects our body and mind. And music therapy is a benefit to patients. I agree with the author’s opinion. Research shows that our body will be affected when we are listening to music. Our breathing and heart rate will slow down. This means music can help us reduce stress and depression. After we calm down, we can begin to solve the problem. When I have a trouble, I always lose my head and I have no idea how to deal with it.

Then I sit down, and listening to music. After I calm down, I can think about the problem and figure out the way to solve it. Music therapy is a growing field of health care. Many hospitals have already begun to use music to help patients. According to the article, “Hospitals are beginning to use music therapy to help with pain management, depression, to promote movement, to calm patients, to ease muscle tension, and other benefits. ” As we can see, music is not only for relaxed, but also health. Many people like to listen to music when they are nerves and depression.

Most people will feel better after they listen to music. Some people will ask how music can affect our body and mind. There is other research that shows brainwaves can be synchronized by music with a strong beat. Different speed beats have different effects in our brain. According to the article, “Faster beats bring sharper concentration and more alert thinking. Slower beats promote a calm, meditative state. ” I think this is the reason why music can affect our body and we feel better after we listen to music. Music is a benefit to us, and music therapy will be growing in popularity.

Nowadays, more and more people are concerned about dealing with stress effectively. Stress is defined as a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life or work. Stress is also a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. Stress can come from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, nervous, or anxious. What makes people stress? There are many common causes of stress, such as major life changes, Jobless, relationship difficulties, financial problems,… c. In my opinion, stress is caused by the follwing reasons. Firstly, as we know that modern life is full of deadlines, and demands so you usually try to obtain everything. For example, in order to reach a higher position in career or to earn more and more money, you pay more hours in a day and more days in a week for work. The above demands and targets make you feel pressured. Secondly, life of modern people, especially life of those who live in big cities is built by a large number of plans and schedules.

It is ery well if everything happens smoothly. But in fact, your arranged plans or schedules do not happen as what you expect. Therefore, you may immediatly fall into the status of stress. There are many ways to reduce stress. It depends on the manner that you choose. Firstly, let’s start a new day in full of energy by a meditation exercise. Research suggests that daily meditation may alter the brain’s neural pathways, making you more resilient to stress. A few minutes of practice per day can help ease anxiety. Secondly, let breathe deeply.

Give yourself 5 – minute break from whatever is bothering you and focus instead on your breathing . Thirdly, pause thinking about work in a few minutes, sit down and have breakfast with your tiny family or your collegues. Talking some funny stories to others is the great way to reduce stress. Finally, let you be in present. You rush through dinner, hurry to your next appointment, race to finish one more thing on your agenda. Now try something different: Slow down. Take 5 minutes and focus on only one behavior with awareness.

Notice how the air feels on your face when you’re walking and how your fit feels hitting the ground. Enjoy the texture and taste of each bite of food as you slowly chew. When you spend time in the moment and focus on your senses, step by step, you can feel the tension leave your body. Totally speaking, stress is not good for our life. the method of reducing stress is various. You should choose the ways which is suitable with you and make you feel leisured. Stress and how to reduce it.