Meditation can be defined as a set of techniques that are intended to encourage a heightened state of awareness and focused attention. It is also a consciousness-changing technique that has been shown to have a wide number of benefits on psychological well-being, according to Very Well Mind.
Celestin Mutuyimana, a clinical psychologist at Baho-Ubudaheranwa Clinic, Gikondo, says meditation was first used for religious purposes. It was used as a way of self-reflection and true connection with God through conversion.
However, meditation does not have a uniform definition as it does not only mean going deep within oneself. Therefore, various dictionaries give both the original Latin meaning of "to think deeply about (something)” and the popular usage of "to focus the mind for a period of time”, "the act of giving one’s attention to one thing only, either as a religious activity or as a way of becoming calm and relaxed,” and to engage in mental exercises (such as focusing on one’s breathing or repeating a mantra) in order to achieve a heightened level of spiritual awareness.
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In psychology, meditation is known as a mind-body method. It is a practice that people use to find a better connection to their bodies in the everyday moments that often pass them by, and to create a greater awareness of how their feelings affect their behaviour.
Mutuyimana explains that researchers have categorised meditative techniques into two forms, those that emphasise "concentration” such as transcendental meditation (TM) and other mantra-based meditation programmes, and those that emphasize "mindfulness” such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT).
Benefits
Research shows that the strongest link people have between meditation and overall health is its ability to reduce stress, which can trigger or exacerbate several serious conditions, including heart disease, obesity, and even anxiety disorders.
Numerous studies have established the benefits of regular meditation. These can include decreased stress, improved concentration, lower blood pressure, and reduced symptoms of depression, and so forth.
Mutuyimana notes that as a mind-body method, many believe that meditation uses mental processes to affect physical function and promote health. The potential effects on function and health are said to be through the reduction of negative emotions, cognitions, and behaviours, the increase of positive emotions, cognitions, and behaviours, and the alteration of relevant physiological processes.
While some of these effects may be immediate (for instance within seconds of beginning meditation), the health effects are typically postulated to occur only after longer-term practice (like weeks, months, or even years).
Studies have shown that meditation techniques reduce emotional symptoms such as feelings of dissatisfaction and improve physical symptoms like pain and others.
"Meditation techniques like mindfulness have been shown to be good for people with heart disease because they lower blood pressure. Mindfulness can reduce age-related cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s disease because it has effects on memory, attention, processing, and executive functions. It can reduce cellular aging.
"Mindfulness can be a useful adjunct to addiction treatment by helping people better understand and tolerate their cravings, which can help them avoid relapse after they are safely weaned from drugs or alcohol,” Mutuyimana says.
According to American Psychological Association, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is an eight-week, group-based programme that incorporates mindfulness practices such as yoga, body awareness, and everyday tasks like eating or housework with full attention to what you are doing.
Psychologists advise taking time to meditate at least daily to get in touch with your soul. Meditation helps a person examine their positives and negatives and learn true wisdom from them.