There are a vast number of pharmaceutical ads on TV, selling drugs, that treat symptoms not causes of illness, that attest to this profit-making conclusion. Our medical doctors prescribe these “symptom treating” drugs, and, while they help us feel better, they must be taken on and on. There are increasing efforts in the conventional medical establishment to encourage us to practice preventable medicine, but these efforts are not sufficient to help us keep healthy. Our medical doctors all too frequently scoff at our efforts to use natural foods, vitamins, minerals and herbs for our health problems, because there are no “clinical trials” to demonstrate their effectiveness.

My philosophy is, if it works use it. And I know what works, from my own long-term, “street smart” use of natural foods, nutrients, vitamins, minerals and herbs. In my research articles I will provide a step-by-step plan for better health. Before embarking on this plan for general health, as well as, specific health problems, I will explain the infrastructure of good health in a simple, easy-to-understand description. This article focuses on the most important antioxidants. My additional articles will center on:

* free radicals
* specific sources of antioxidants
* natural super foods
* natural vitamin and mineral supplements

The Basic Body Infrastructure Overview

Every, minute, each day of our lives, there is a war being waged in our bodies. The combatants on the battlefield are antioxidants (our heroes), and free radicals (the villains).
Who wins the battle will determine how healthy we are, and how quickly we age. For so many of us, unfortunately, the villains – free radicals – are winning the battle, leading us into poor health, accelerated aging and premature death.

Who are these combatants, and how can we enlist more of our heroes – antioxidants – to enter the fray, so we can feel better and live a longer, healthier life? To better understand the war going on in our bodies, we will have to take a short trip through the jungle of medical jargon. But I will focus only on some of the most basic and important terms, which will serve to enhance our understanding of this issue.

Antioxidants

An antioxidant is any substance that retards or prevents deterioration, damage or destruction by oxidation. We age and experience poor health because oxidation is an ongoing process in our bodies. During normal respiration oxygen free radicals cause cumulative damage to our cells and organs, and ultimately led to our death. This is a stunning catch 22. We must breath oxygen in order to live, yet this same oxygen we must have to survive, leads to oxidation, poor health and ultimately our death.

Our body naturally produces antioxidants, including compounds that inhibit the production of free radicals or destroys them. Four of the most important antioxidants include, cysteine, glutathione, polyphenol, and anthocyanins.

* Glutathione is a very small molecule that is produced by the body and found in every cell. “It’s the body’s most potent antioxidant because it’s within the cell and protects fatty tissues from the damaging effects of free radicals. The antioxidant activity of glutathione is enhanced by the presence of cysteine which is an amino acid. The highest concentrations of glutathione are found in the liver and eyes. It is also in the cells of the immune system, which assists in fighting disease. As we age, the production of glutathione by the body declines, so we need to add it through supplements.
* A polyphenol antioxidant contains a polyphenolic substance, and there are over 4000 distinct species, that are instrumental in fighting oxidative stress. The main source of polyphenol antioxidants is nutritional, and they are found in most fruits, whole grains, and vegetables. This is why we hear, over and over, from our health gurus, that we must eat our fruits, vegetables and whole grains every day.
* Anthocyanins are antioxidant flavonoids, and 4,000 different flavonoids, from plants, have been identified. Of these, anthocyanin flavonoids have the strongest antioxidizing power, making them the most important antioxidant of the plant pigments. Here we go with fruits, vegetables and whole graiins again.

Other naturally-produced antioxidants that inhibit the formation of free radical molecules or destroy them, include two important vitamins. Tocopheral – vitamin E – which is fat soluble, and vitamin C, which is water soluble. The fat soluble vitamin E is important because most of the basic free radical damage in the body is to the fat molecules in cell membranes. The water soluble Vitamin C, is distributed to all parts of the body. These two vitamins are very efficient at destroying free radicals.

The body also has naturally-produced antioxidant enzymes, which are highly active protein substances. Thousands of these different enzymes assist our bodies in the battle against free radicals. One of the most significant is the antioxidant enzyme, super-oxide Dismutase (SOD). It changes the dangerous superoxide free radical, and along with other enzymes breaks it down to water and oxygen. It is an enzyme that repairs cells and reduces the damage done to them by superoxide, the most common free radical in the body. SOD acts as both an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory in the body, but it’s levels drop, while free radical levels increase, as we age, so we need to supplement in order to keep the level of SOD high in our bodies.

However, progress towards meditation and meditative techniques have several benefits at the gross body or material level:

• Improvement of body luster and general health-When your mind focuses on a particular part of the body, the blood flow to that part increases and cells receive more oxygen and other nutrients in abundance. Today, many of the film stars and fashion models include meditation in their daily regimen.
• Improvement in concentration – Many of the athletes and sports professionals regularly employ meditation methods. Studies have found a direct correlation between concentration exercises (meditation) and the performance level of sports professionals. Meditation strengthens the mind, it comes under control and is able to provide effective guidance to the physical body to effectively execute all its projects. Psychological Exercises are a powerful way of improving concentration and improving mental strength.

Health benefits of Meditation:

Though meditation is usually recognized as a largely spiritual practice, it also has many health benefits. The yoga and meditation techniques are being implemented in management of life threatening diseases; in transformation of molecular and genetic structure; in reversal of mental illnesses, in accelerated learning programs, in perceptions and communications beyond the physical, in solving problems and atomic and nuclear physics; in gaining better ecological understanding; in management of lifestyle and future world problems.

Some benefits of meditation are:

• It lowers oxygen consumption.
• It decreases respiratory rate.
• It increases blood flow and slows the heart rate.
• Increases exercise tolerance in heart patients.
• Leads to a deeper level of relaxation.
• Good for people with high blood pressure as it brings the B.P. to normal.
• Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate.
• Decreases muscle tension (any pain due to tension) and headaches.
• Builds self-confidence.
• It increases serotonin production which influences mood and behaviour. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression, obesity, insomnia and headaches.
• Helps in chronic diseases like allergies , arthritis etc.
• Reduces Pre- menstrual Syndrome.
• Helps in post-operative healing.
• Enhances the immune system. Research has revealed that meditation increases activity of ‘natural-killer cells’, which kill bacteria and cancer cells.
• Also reduces activity of viruses and emotional distress.

Benefits of meditation on Women’s health and Pregnancy:

Identity of your own – besides daughter, wife, mother etc.-

Women begin life as someone’s daughter, and then someone’s lover, wife, someone’s mother. Yes, but who am I- who am I really? Not only does a woman need an understanding of her body but also needs to connect with the essence of her true self. A true self, which is an identity beyond everyday change- beyond gender, beyond fluctuations of hormones, beyond family expectations and other superimposed personality patterns. Discovering this true self is not as easy. Just when you know who you are , it all changes again.

The process of self discovery involves, stripping off false layers of identity, going back through all the conditionings , realizing- “I am not that, and not that, and not that”, an emptiness out of which arises the realization – “Ah ha! I am that”.

The place for this self discovery is not the psychiatrist’s couch, the matrimonial bed, the mother’s group, or even a yoga retreat, but within your own private meditation times.

Resolve Phobias -

Meditation can help to resolve the deepest of neuroses, fears and conflict which play their part in causing stress and ill health.

For mothers-to-be -

Meditation puts mothers in tune with their babies. Manta Japa is especially appropriate for pregnant women. After birth, daily meditation becomes a precious time to refocus and make sense of the many new thoughts and feelings which can be running through your mind, brought about by the events of childbirth and new motherhood.

The research, just published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, found that the group-based psychological treatment called Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) was as good or better as treatment with anti-depressants like Prozac in preventing a relapse of serious depression — and the non-drug therapy was more effective in enhancing quality of life. What’s more, the study concluded MBCT is cost-effective in helping people with a history of depression stay well for the long term.

The research team, which included British investigators from the Mood Disorders Center at the University of Exeter and the Center for Economics of Mental Health (CEMH) at the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College in London, looked at 123 people who had suffered repeated episodes of clinical depression. In a randomized control trial , the research subjects were assigned to one of two groups. Half continued their on-going drug treatment with anti-depressants and the rest participated in an MBCT course and were also given the option of stopping their anti-depressant medications.

MBCT focuses on targeting negative thinking and helps people who are at risk for recurring depression to stop their depressed moods from spiraling out of control into a full episode of depression. During the eight-week trial, groups of between eight and fifteen people attended meetings with a therapist who taught them a range of meditation exercises that they could continue to practice on their own once the course ended. The MBCT exercises were primarily based on Buddhist meditation techniques and helped the study participants learn to focus on the present, rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about future tasks.

Although the meditation exercises worked in a different way for each person, many reported more control over their negative thoughts and depressed feelings. Over the 15 months after the trial ended , about 47% of the group following the MBCT course experienced a relapse — but those who continued normal treatment with anti-depressant drugs experienced a much higher, 60 percent relapse rate. In addition, the group practicing the mindfulness meditation techniques learned in the MBCT program reported a far better quality of life, more overall enjoyment and better physical well-being.

In a statement to the media, Professor Willem Kuyken of the University of Exeter , who headed the research, explained that people treated with anti-depressants are highly vulnerable to relapse when they stop their prescription drug therapy. “MBCT takes a different approach – it teaches people skills for life. What we have shown is that when people work at it, these skills for life help keep people well. Our results suggest MBCT may be a viable alternative for some of the 3.5 million people in the UK known to be suffering from this debilitating condition. People who suffer depression have long asked for psychological approaches to help them recover in the long-term and MBCT is a very promising approach. I think we have the basis for offering patients and GPs an alternative to long-term anti-depressant medication. We are planning to conduct a larger trial to put these results to the test and to examine how MBCT works,” Kuvken said.

The results of the study, which was conducted at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee in collaboration with the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, were presented recently at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando, Florida. “Previous research on Transcendental Meditation has shown reductions in blood pressure, psychological stress, and other risk factors for heart disease, irrespective of ethnicity,” Robert Schneider, M.D., the study’s lead author and director of the Center for Natural Medicine and Prevention, said in a statement to the media. “But this is the first controlled clinical trial to show that long-term practice of this particular stress reduction program reduces the incidence of clinical cardiovascular events, that is heart attacks, strokes and mortality.”

The randomized controlled trial followed 201 African American men and women for nine years. The research subjects had an average age of 59 and all were diagnosed with narrowing of arteries in their hearts. The study participants continued taking their regular medications and continued other usual medical care during the study. But half were randomly assigned to a group that practiced stress reducing TM and the other half were placed in a non-meditating group that received health education classes covering standard cardiovascular risk factors.

In addition to a dramatic reduction in the risk of death, heart attacks, and strokes in the TM group, the researchers found a clinically significant reduction in blood pressure. Mediation also reduced psychological stress in a sub-group of patients who were experiencing high levels of anxiety and other signs of stress.

“This study is an example of the contribution of a lifestyle intervention — stress management — to the prevention of cardiovascular disease in high-risk patients,” Theodore Kotchen, M.D., co-author of the study and associate dean for clinical research at the Medical College, said in the press statement.

Two groups of African-Americans were assigned either to meditate or to make certain lifestyle changes. The group told to meditate was instructed to do so twice a day for 20 minutes. The other group was given instruction on traditional methods to reduce the risk of heart disease. After nine years, 20 incidences of stroke, heart attack, or death occurred in the meditation group while 31 incidences occurred in the health education group.

Dr. Robert Schneider, lead author of the study and the director of the Centre for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University, stated that the meditation group experienced an overall reduction in blood pressure as well as a significant reduction in psychological stress. Supporters of transcendental meditation claim that the study proves the long-term positive effects of the practice on those who participate in it.

Researchers noted, however, that among those in the health education group, very few followed the instructions and made any sort of significant changes in their lifestyles. Such lifestyle changes may have proven more effective if group participants would have followed the instructions in the same way as those in the meditation group did. For this reason, the study does not accurately capture the positive benefits of lifestyle changes apart from meditation.

Because transcendental meditation involves spiritual practices that conflict with the beliefs of various other faiths, some may wish to pursue other avenues of achieving better health and preventing the onset of heart disease without violating their convictions.

CoQ10, omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs), vitamin C, B vitamins, and vitamin D are a few of the many vitamins and nutrients that work to maintain heart health. Blueberries are an excellent source of pterostilebene, a compound identified by the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help prevent heart disease and type-2 diabetes.

Resveratrol, another powerful antioxidant found in the skins of both grapes and blueberries has received a lot of attention recently for its powerful effects in bolstering cardiovascular health. A Harvard Medical School study showed that high doses of resveratrol given to obese mice allowed them to live long, healthy lives despite eating diets high in fat.

The idea of meditation is to focus us in the present away from our worries and stresses and to quiet mind chatter that takes us into the past or future.  Sometimes the practice of just sitting quietly opens an even greater space for mind noise and it takes great discipline detach from it.  Dance movement brings our focus away from the mind to the body.  

Don’t confuse meditative dance with ballroom dancing.  In ballroom dancing each step is precise, patterned and counted.  The idea is to execute the steps correctly, and any deviation from proper form usually engages mind comments.  It is possible for ballroom dancers to be come so accomplished that they move beyond the thought process of accomplishing each step in the right way, dancing into a flow and ease that approaches the meditative.  

Meditative dance movements vary with the music.  The act of listening to music engages the brain in such a way as to stop the mind chatter and the body movement brings the practitioner present in the now.  

The music may vary in rhythm.  It may be soft and flowing; bold and territorial; patterned and trance like; lyrical or playful or even move into the quiet of stillness while moving from one rhythm to the other.  As the body moves form one rhythm to the other the experiences within the meditative state change.  Flowing, circling, rounded movements tend to connect one to more emotional experiences while fast repetitive, patterned movements promote a more trance-like state.  

Dance as meditation involves listening, feeling, moving all in the present moment, thus bringing the practitioner into a freedom from the cares and worries of the past or future. 

Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. Meditation originally was meant to help deepen understanding of the sacred and mystical forces of life. These days, meditation is commonly used for relaxation and stress reduction. Anyone can practice meditation. It’s simple and inexpensive, and it doesn’t require any special equipment. And you can practice meditation wherever you are — whether you’re out for a walk, riding the bus, waiting at the doctor’s office or even in the middle of a difficult business meeting.

Understanding meditation

Meditation, considered a type of mind-body complementary medicine, produces a deep state of relaxation and a tranquil mind. During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. This process results in enhanced physical and emotional well-being.

Benefits of meditation

Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that benefits both your emotional well-being and your overall health. And these benefits don’t end when your meditation session ends. Meditation can help carry you more calmly through your day and improve certain medical conditions.

Meditation and emotional well-being
When you meditate, you clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress.

The emotional benefits of meditation include:

• Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations
• Building skills to manage your stress
• Increased self-awareness
• Focusing on the present
• Reducing negative emotions

Meditation and illness
Many healthy people use meditation as a way to relax the body and reduce stress. But meditation also might be useful if you have a medical condition, especially one that may be worsened by stress.

A growing body of scientific research is supporting the health benefits of meditation. But many of the studies aren’t of high quality, and some researchers believe it’s not yet possible to draw conclusions about the possible benefits of meditation.

With that in mind, some research suggests that meditation may help such conditions as:

• Allergies
• Anxiety disorders
• Asthma
• Binge eating
• Cancer
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Pain
• Sleep problems
• Substance abuse

Be sure to talk to your health care provider about the pros and cons of using meditation if you have any of these or other medical conditions. Meditation isn’t a replacement for traditional medical treatment. But it can be useful in addition to your other treatment.

Types of meditation

There are many types of meditation and relaxation techniques with meditation components. But all share the same goal of inner peace.

Ways to meditate can include:

• Guided meditation. Sometimes called guided imagery or visualization, with this method of meditation you form mental images of places or situations you find relaxing. You try to use as many senses as possible, such as smells, sights, sounds and textures. You may be led through this process by a guide or teacher.
• Mantra meditation. In this type of meditation, you silently repeat a calming word, thought or phrase to prevent distracting thoughts. Transcendental meditation is a type of mantra meditation in which you achieve a deep state of relaxation to achieve pure awareness.
• Mindfulness meditation. This type of meditation is based on being mindful, or having an increased awareness and acceptance of living in the present moment. You focus on what you experience during meditation, such as the flow of your breath. You can observe your thoughts and emotions but let them pass without judgment.
• Qi gong. This practice generally combines meditation, relaxation, physical movement and breathing exercises to restore and maintain balance. Qi gong (chee-kung) is part of traditional Chinese medicine.
• Tai chi. This is a form of gentle Chinese martial arts. In tai chi (TIE-chee), you perform a self-paced series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner while practicing deep breathing.
• Yoga. You perform a series of postures and controlled breathing exercises to promote a more flexible body and a calm mind. As you move through poses that require balance and concentration, you’re encouraged to focus less on your busy day and more on the moment.

Elements of meditation

Different types of meditation may include different features to help you meditate. These may vary depending on whose guidance you follow or who’s teaching a class. Some of the most common features in meditation include:

• Focusing your attention. Focusing your attention is generally one of the most important elements of meditation. Focusing your attention is what helps free your mind from the many distractions that cause stress and worry. You can focus your attention on such things as a specific object, an image, a mantra, or even your breathing. Don’t fret when your mind wanders. Just return to your focus of attention.
• Relaxed breathing. This technique involves deep, even-paced breathing using the diaphragm muscle to expand your lungs. The purpose is to slow your breathing, take in more oxygen, and reduce the use of shoulder, neck and upper chest muscles while breathing so that you breathe more efficiently.
• A quiet location. If you’re a beginner, practicing meditation may be easier if you’re in a quiet spot with few distractions — no television, radios or cell phones. As you get more skilled at meditation, you may be able to do it anywhere, especially in high-stress situations where you benefit the most from meditation, such as a traffic jam, a stressful work meeting or a long line at the grocery store.
• A comfortable position. You can practice meditation whether you’re sitting, lying down, walking or in other positions or activities. Just try to be comfortable so that you can get the most out of your meditation.

Everyday ways to practice meditation

Don’t let the thought of meditating the “right” way add to your stress. Sure, you can attend special meditation centers or group classes led by trained instructors. But you also can practice meditation easily on your own.

And you can make meditation as formal or informal as you like — whatever suits your lifestyle and situation. Some people build meditation into their daily routine. For example, they may start and end each day with an hour of meditation. But all you really need is a few minutes of quality time for meditation.

Tips to practice meditation on your own
Here are some ways you can practice meditation on your own, whenever you choose. Take a few minutes or as much time as you like to practice one or more of these meditation methods:

• Breathe deeply. This technique is good for beginners because breathing is a natural function. Focus all attention on your breathing. Concentrate on feeling and listening as you inhale and exhale through your nostrils. Breathe deeply and slowly. When your attention wanders, gently return your focus to your breathing.
• Scan your body. When using this technique, focus attention on different parts of your body. Become aware of your body’s various sensations, whether that’s pain, tension, warmth or relaxation. Combine body scanning with breathing exercises and imagine breathing heat or relaxation into and out of different parts of your body.
• Repeat a mantra. You can create your own mantra, whether it’s religious or secular. Examples of religious mantras include the Jesus Prayer in the Christian tradition, the holy name of God in Judaism, or the om mantra of Hinduism, Buddhism and other Eastern religions.
• Walking meditation. Combining a walk with meditation is an efficient and healthy way to relax. You can use this technique anywhere you’re walking — in a tranquil forest, on a city sidewalk or at the mall. When you use this method, slow down the pace of walking so that you can focus on each movement of your legs or feet. Don’t focus on a particular destination. Concentrate on your legs and feet, repeating action words in your mind such as lifting, moving and placing as you lift each foot, move your leg forward and place your foot on the ground.
• Engage in prayer. Prayer is the best known and most widely practiced example of meditation. Spoken and written prayers are found in most faith traditions. You can pray using your own words or read prayers written by others. Check the self-help or 12-step-recovery section of your local bookstore for examples. Talk with your rabbi, priest, pastor or other spiritual leader about resources.
• Read or listen and take time to reflect. Many people report that they benefit from reading poems or sacred texts silently or aloud, and taking a few moments to quietly reflect on the meaning that the words bring to mind. You can listen to sacred music, spoken words or any music you find relaxing or inspiring. You may want to write your reflections in a journal or discuss them with a friend or spiritual leader.
• Focus your love and gratitude. In this type of meditation, you focus your attention on a sacred object or being, weaving feelings of love and gratitude into your thoughts. You can also close your eyes and use your imagination or gaze at representations of the object.

Building your meditation skills

Don’t judge your meditation skills, which may only increase your stress. Meditation takes practice. Keep in mind, for instance, that it’s common for your mind to wander during meditation, no matter how long you’ve been practicing meditation. If you’re meditating to calm your mind and your attention wanders, slowly return to the object, sensation or movement you’re focusing on.

Experiment, and you’ll likely find out what types of meditation work best for you and what you enjoy doing. Adapt meditation to your needs at the moment. Remember, there’s no right way or wrong way to meditate. What matters is that meditation helps you with stress reduction and feeling better overall.

People who meditate say the practice restores their energy, and some claim they need less sleep as a result. Many studies have reported that the brain works differently during meditation – brainwave patterns change and neuronal firing patterns synchronize. But whether meditation actually brings any of the restorative benefits of sleep has remained largely unexplored.

So Bruce O’Hara and colleagues at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, US, decided to investigate. They used a well-established “psychomotor vigilance task”, which has long been used to quantify the effects of sleepiness on mental acuity. The test involves staring at an LCD screen and pressing a button as soon as an image pops up. Typically, people take 200 to 300 milliseconds to respond, but sleep-deprived people take much longer, and sometimes miss the stimulus altogether.

Ten volunteers were tested before and after 40 minutes of either sleep, meditation, reading or light conversation, with all subjects trying all conditions. The 40-minute nap was known to improve performance (after an hour or so to recover from grogginess). But what astonished the researchers was that meditation was the only intervention that immediately led to superior performance, despite none of the volunteers being experienced at meditation.

“Every single subject showed improvement,” says O’Hara. The improvement was even more dramatic after a night without sleep. But, he admits: “Why it improves performance, we do not know.” The team is now studying experienced meditators, who spend several hours each day in practice.

What effect meditating has on the structure of the brain has also been a matter of some debate. Now Sara Lazar at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, US, and colleagues have used MRI to compare 15 meditators, with experience ranging from 1 to 30 years, and 15 non-meditators.

They found that meditating actually increases the thickness of the cortex in areas involved in attention and sensory processing, such as the prefrontal cortex and the right anterior insula.

“You are exercising it while you meditate, and it gets bigger,” she says. The finding is in line with studies showing that accomplished musicians, athletes and linguists all have thickening in relevant areas of the cortex. It is further evidence, says Lazar, that yogis “aren’t just sitting there doing nothing”.

The growth of the cortex is not due to the growth of new neurons, she points out, but results from wider blood vessels, more supporting structures such as glia and astrocytes, and increased branching and connections.

The new studies were presented at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting, in Washington DC, US.

Meditation is an art that has been around since the dawn of the age of man.  This is not a statement to be brushed over.  After all, many many things about mankind have changed over time, but the profound art of meditation is something we have clung on to dearly.  This is because there is no substitute for meditation.  Nothing else, single handedly, bestows the many wonderful blessings that meditation brings… in fact nothing else even comes close.  In this article I will outline the top 10 benefits that meditation brings and hopefully it will inspire all to learn and practice this timeless art.

1. Enlightenment:  This is the one ultimate purpose of meditation.  To help you discover the True Non-Dual Nature of Reality.  To make you realize that your True Self is Divine and One with God.

2. Peace & Tranquility:  The mind of one who meditates is like the easy, leisurely flow of the Ganges River, as compared to the ordinary mind, which is like Niagara Falls.  In other words your mind is at peace, deeply silent and so you are at peace.

3. Wisdom:  Meditation opens up the channels of communication between all levels of your being.  What this means is that you have access now to the guidance that is coming directly from your Divine Self.  This link gives rise to the flow of intuition and wisdom.

4. Joy & Happiness:  Meditation strips away the layers of false identity that mask your True Self from shinning through.  Once you eliminate these false egos and stop catering to their nonsense you can reside in your True Nature.  This brings forth joy and happiness as it allows you to be at ease with life, existence and yourself.

5. Love & Compassion:  As meditation reveals to you the interconnectedness of all humanity a great sense of compassion and love will spontaneously emerge.  Knowing that deep within we are all divine in nature will change the way you view the apparent differences you see in others. This will also dramatically improve your relationships both intimate and casual.

6. Stress Reduction & Good Health:  This goes hand in hand.  As meditation teaches you the art of living in the present moment, anxiety and worry fade more and more into the background.  This state of relaxed awareness is most beneficial, to not only helping the body heal itself, but also for preventing illness and disease by eliminating the poison of stress.

7. Improved Brain Function:  All serious meditators know how much their brain function has been enhanced by meditation.  Now, empirical studies every day are indicating this link.  Meditation will undoubtedly increase your awareness and will significantly increase your intelligence.

8. Discover Your Purpose & Gifts:  As you start to drop those aspects of you that are artificial and pretentious you will get a chance to see the real you.  The parts that are not put on but are natural.  This will give you insight into who you really are and what you really love in life.  That is the secret of mastering the art of living and discovering your true talents, gifts and purpose.  That which you love, you do for its own sake without the need for reward of accolades.  Once this is discovered, life can be lived with passion, zeal and independence.

9. Yogic and Psychic Powers:  We currently use only about 10% of our brain capacity.  The practice of Yoga and Meditation awakens those regions of the Brain that normally lie dormant.  When these areas of the brain are activated the powers they hold are unleashed.  Such powers, used wisely, can be of benefit to others and of help to you in making progress on the spiritual path.

10. Magnificence:  Charisma, Confidence, Courage, Character and Balance are all brought about by meditation.  This leads to an individual who is immensely charming and magnetic.  Best word I could think of to describe the collective affects of these personality improvements was Magnificent.  Meditation will let your magnificence shine through.

The real miracle of meditation is a subtle transformation that happens not only in your mind and your emotions but also in your body. And, this transformation is a healing one.

You become what you think. Meditation allows you to think in a positive way thereby making you feel positive.

The benefits of meditation are enormous. It calms the body and mind. In these fast and frenetic times, it has the most important ability to replenish mental and emotional energy.
Meditation enables you to create new attitudes and responses to life, giving you a clear spiritual understanding of yourself.

Meditation is the process of re-discovering, enjoying and using the positive qualities already latent within you. Like any skill, meditation requires practice to achieve positive and satisfying results. By doing a little every day, it soon becomes a natural and easy habit, which generously rewards you for the little effort it involves.

Meditation energizes your awareness bringing both peace and wisdom to a busy mind. It expands your capacity to love and heals broken hearts. Also it dissolves many fears replacing them with lightness and freedom from anxiety.

Meditation is both the journey and the destination. It reveals the secrets of consciousness and the treasures of the soul. It develops the power to be more alert and effective in our interaction with each other and with our precious world. But perhaps the greatest gift that comes with meditation is the glow of inner peace that is both gentle and strong.

1. Physical Benefits of Meditation

• Deep rest, as measured by decreased metabolic rate, lower heart rate, and reduced work load of the heart.
• Lowered levels of cortisol and lactate-two chemicals associated with stress.
• Decreased high blood pressure.
• Reduction of free radicals- unstable oxygen molecules that can cause tissue damage. They are now thought to be a major factor in aging and in many diseases.
• Higher skin resistance. Low skin resistance is correlated with higher stress and anxiety levels.
• Improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing. This has been very helpful to asthma patients.
• Drop in cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is associated with cardiovascular diseases.
• Younger biological age. On standard measures of aging, long-term Transcendental Meditation (TM) practitioners (more than five years of practice) measured 12 years younger than their chronological age.
• Higher levels of DHEAS in the elderly. An additional sign of youthfulness through Transcendental Meditation (TM); lower levels of DHEAS are associated with aging.
• Meditation relaxes the body, mind and rejuvenates the flow of energy in order to more effectively face the responsibilities of the demanding and active life.
• Meditation helps to develop a more relaxed and positive view towards life.
• It develops a peaceful and more clearly functioning mind.
• It enables to tune into a creative inspirations for artistic expression.
• It enables one to get rid of addictions such as cigarettes, alcohol, narcotics and tranquilizers.
• A scientific study showed that meditation induces greater communication and interaction between the two hemispheres of the brain.
• Meditation is also extremely restful and rejuvenating for the heart.
• Another indication of the deep rest is that the number of breaths needed to be taken each minute during meditation drops significantly. Another indication of the deep rest produced by meditation is the significant drop in the blood lactate level. The lower the lactate level the more rested and rejuvenated is the muscle tissue.
• Deep physiological rest is shown by a distinct drop in the metabolism rate, as measured by the oxygen consumption by an individual in meditation, waking activity, sleep and hypnosis.
• Brain wave measurements during meditation show a higher incidence of alpha waves indicating a restful alertness. There is a sense of peace and yet a wakeful awareness in one`s environment.
• In the long run both the heart rate and breathing rate develop a slower pace as the body experiences less mental-emotional stress and learns to waste less energy. The body becomes more relaxed and more efficient.
• Persons who meditate experience much more stable health. They have fewer illnesses in general in their lives.
• Meditation reduces blood pressure in those with high blood pressure.
• Meditation significantly reduces the dependency on tranquilizers, alcohol or drugs.
• Meditation can reduce sleeping disorders.
• Meditation can normalize a person`s weight. An overweight person can lose weight through meditation and vice versa.

2. Psychological Benefits of Meditation

• Increased brain wave coherence. Harmony of brain wave activity in different parts of the brain is associated with greater creativity, improved moral reasoning, and higher IQ.
• Decreased anxiety.
• Decreased depression.
• Decreased irritability and moodiness.
• Meditation purifies one`s character.
• Improved learning ability and memory.
• Increased self-actualization.
• Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation.
• Increased happiness.
• Increased emotional stability.
• Meditation helps to develop will power.
• Meditation can make you build relationship with God.
• It helps to attain spiritual growth, soul consciousness and enlightenment.
• Studies have also shown that those who meditate regularly react more quickly and more effectively to a stressful event.
• Memory recall is also enhanced by meditation.
• Studies on high school students showed that those who meditated had a higher intelligence growth rate than those who did not.
• Meditators showed greatly increased ability to recover from psychosomatic illnesses.

The conclusion is obvious. Meditation increases whatever is good and life supporting in a person. It strengthens our immune system, harmonizes our endocrine system and relaxes our nervous system. It creates health and vitality.

On a mental level it develops inner peace, clarity, self-confidence, self-acceptance, creativity, productivity and eventually greater self-actualization. It makes our work environment more satisfactory, improves our relationships with co-workers, supervisors and subordinates. It makes us more creative, more responsible and more productive.
On a spiritual level it puts us in contact with our inner voice, with our inner strength, with our inner spiritual wisdom and love. Think now, what would happen if many people in our society meditated? How would it affect our society? Think what would happen if you meditated daily.