INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION

JOHN VARGO

John VargoFounder, Turn In

Firefighter/Paramedic (Retired), Chandler Fire Department

Certified Meditation Instructor, Chopra Center for Well-Being

Trained Coach, University of California San Diego Center for Mindfulness-Based Professional Training Institute

WHAT MAKES US STRESSED?

ANYTIME WE ENCOUNTER RESISTANCE TO THE FULFILLMENT OF OUR NEEDS AND DESIRES, OUR MINDS AND BODIES BECOME ACTIVATED. ANY THREAT TO OUR SAFETY, HAPPINESS, OR SELF-ESTEEM PROVOKES A CASCADE OF PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL REACTIONS. THIS RESPONSE IS KNOWN AS “FIGHT OR FLIGHT”.

Seeds of Stress

Change in Physiology: Leads to:

Increase blood pressure, heart stress Coronary heart diseaseIncrease stress hormones Anxiety, insomnia, addictionsIncrease blood sugar Diabetes, obesityDecrease circulation to digestive tract Digestive disturbancesDecrease growth, sex hormones Premature agingDecrease immunity Infections, cancerIncrease in sticky platelets Heart attacks, strokes

THE ANTIDOTE TO STRESS

Benefits of Meditationlower heart rate

lower blood pressure

perspire less

slow breathing

decrease inflammation

improve immune functions

change behavior patterns

Just be happier

Object referral - Looking outside ourselves for happiness, fulfillment, and approval. A state where we feel localized in the world of positions and possessions.

Self-referral - Through meditation, we turn our attention within to rediscover the self, which is the source of all creativity, peace and joy.

Forms of MeditationMantra/Primordial Sound

Body Scan

Awareness of Breath

Mental Noting

Box Breathing

Allowing Emotions

MANTRA/PRIMORDIAL SOUND-CHOPRA

IN PRIMORDIAL SOUND MEDITATION WE USE SOUND AS A VEHICLE IN THE FORM OF A MANTRA TO TAKE US FROM ACTIVITY INTO SILENCE.

Primordial Sound mantras are used silently; they move our awareness internally while having a soothing effect on our nervous system.

These mantras are primordial sounds, the most basic, essential sounds of nature.

Mental activity is perpetuated through the association of meaning. Mantras have no limited or conventional meaning and are used solely for their sound or vibration.

Because PSM mantras have no meaning, when we use our personal mantra during meditation, there is nothing to hold our attention at the level of activity; we can then slip beyond activity into the gap between our thoughts.

The practice of PSM, and use of the personal mantra, develop the power of attention.

BODY SCAN

Body Scan

Experience the body as a safe refuge during times of stress or anxiety.

Train the mind/body for greater interceptive awareness

If you think of the body as a musical instrument, the body scan is a way of tuning it.

AWARENESS OF BREATH

Awareness of Breath with Counting Practice

Establish the breath as an anchor to the present moment for a distracted mind and a safe refuge for an upset mind.

Deepen the participants capacity for focused attention and concentration on a single object.

MENTAL NOTING

Mental NotingCultivate the capacity for “Open Awareness”

To let go of controlling or directing experience and instead, allow the moment to reveal itself.

Develop the ability to “label” or “note” the various mind and sense experiences as they arise, observing them as objective rather than subjective experience.

“If you can name it, you can tame it”

BOX BREATHING

ALLOWING EMOTIONS

Allowing Emotions

To become aware of how emotions manifest in the body

To cultivate the ability to “have your feelings without your feelings having you”

THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION

Most thoughts have two aspects; a sound or vibration, and a meaning. When you think a thought the meaning holds your attention at the level of your mind or intellect. Mantras, however, are thoughts that have no particular meaning. Therefore, there is nothing to hold your attention at the level of the mind.

It’s important that you don’t expect your mind to go blank when you sit down and meditate. Thoughts are part of the process. They will come and go, so don’t struggle against them.

Don’t look for any particular experience in meditation and don’t judge the results of your meditation by your experiences, or lack thereof. Your meditation practice is best measured by the changes in your life.

We meditate for the results out of meditation- to enrich our lives.

What are all these thoughts and feelings I am experiencing?

Colors

Sounds

Visions

Light

Emotions

Memories

Tingling

Twitching

Falling asleep while meditating

Common; listen to your body

Sleep deprivation

Binaural beats

Sleep is restful dullness; meditation is restful alertness

DISTURBANCES AND EXPECTATIONS DURING

MEDITATION

Feeling the benefits

Don’t judge your meditation by the experiences you have in meditation.

Look for the changes in your life.

Over time you will strengthen your practice

THERE’S A HOLE IN THE SIDEWALK

BY PORTIA NELSON

THE CHOICES WE MAKE ARE WHAT DIFFERENTIATE ONE PERSON FROM ANOTHER. AND THOSE CHOICES, BASED ON PAST ACTIONS, CREATE MEMORIES AND THEN PROMPT FUTURE ACTIONS.

When you take action, this creates a memory

The memory creates a desire

The desire leads to another action

Action

MemoryDesire

Welcome to Meditation

Be gentle with yourself

Daily practice twice a day; 30 minutes is optimal

Practice gratitude

“You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day unless you are too busy, then you should sit for an hour.” - Zen proverb

FINDING PEACE AGAIN