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Meditation has been relatively slow to gain adoption into the modern medical mainstream, even though historians believe that it has been practiced since 3,000 BC.
But meditation has a tremendous number of health benefits.
Let’s look at a few of those benefits here…
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Mindfulness meditation is quite simple.
Initially, you’ll want to find a location where you can practice — ideally some place that is quiet and uplifting.
If you’re new to mindfulness meditation, start with 5 or 10 minutes at first.
Once you have learned the fundamentals, you can return to the practice and add more time.
Just follow along with these steps, and very soon you will become competent at the practice…
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The idea that there exists three separate energies within the being is perhaps best articulated by traditional Chinese medicine.
Traditional Chinese medicine calls these three energies the "three treasures."
The following are the three treasures, and I want to use a candle as an analogy to describe each one of them:
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Qigong, the ancient practice of adjusting the body, breath, and mind, has been largely ignored by the western medical system, yet continues to gain prominence through an increase in academic studies that prove its beneficial effects and tendency to relieve symptoms of disease and improve functioning in the human body and mind.
Originating in China as far back as 4,000 years, qigong is perhaps one of the simplest and easiest ways to increase health that does not require financial expenditure or access to any people, locations, or resources beyond ourselves.
So let’s take a more detailed look at why qigong is so great and how we can practice it…
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There are little things that each and every one of us can do to improve our health every single day.
One of the most important of those is actually quite simple, although I admit that it can be a little bit more expensive.
And that is... eating organic.
But today, I want to give you a handful of reasons why eating organic is totally worth it.
I also want to tell you which foods are most/least important to buy organic if you cannot afford to buy absolutely everything organic…
Read moreSetting is an important aspect of meditation practice because creating the right atmosphere can help establish consistency in the practice.
When you constantly sit down at the same place everyday, you are helping solidify the daily habit of meditation.
So let’s take a look at the components that help establish an ideal setting…
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Today, I'm going to tell you about how to set an intention for your meditation practice.
An intention is so utterly important to a meditation practice that I'm calling it a "special power."
If you have a firm intention for your practice, you'll be able to meditate day in and day out, without any hesitation over putting your butt in the seat.
So often, the reason people fail to meditate on a regular basis is not that they don't understand how to meditate — the practice is quite simple, in fact — but that they lack a firm intention.
Reference to intention is common in the yoga studio. You arrive in the room, sit down on your mat, in walks the instructor, and often he or she will say, “I want you to start by setting an intention for this practice.” In this way, the instructor recognizes that you are going to have to push yourself to get through the series of exercises, but that if you have a reason for doing so it will be easier.
According to the dictionary, an intention is an aim or a plan.
You could easily think of an intention as a blueprint that an architect creates for the building of a house. Without a blueprint the builder would not know where to start. The builder would have no basis for the cementing of the bricks, the laying of the planks, the hammering of the nails, the arranging of the windows, and the stapling of the shingles.
For this reason, you always start from a direction of abstract to concrete.
First you get your blueprint. This is the abstract portion of your endeavor. Without a blueprint, you could hardly begin.
Then you lay your foundation of bricks. This is the concrete portion of your endeavor. Without a solid foundation of bricks, the walls and roof of the house would collapse.
So just as you want a firm intention for the building of a house, you want a firm intention for the building of a practice — in our case, meditation.
And just as you want a solid foundation for the building of a house, you want a solid foundation for the meditation practice. The foundation of bricks is like the fundamentals of your practice — posture, technique, and breath.
So today, I want to talk about the 3 elements that help establish a incredibly firm intention for you practice, that way you never miss a session...
Before understanding how to meditate, perhaps even more importantly we need to understand why we should meditate.
I want to propose that we should meditate because it’s beneficial for us on several different levels…
Three levels, to be specific. And those are…
Personal, professional, and spiritual.
On a personal level, meditation will help us resolve a variety of issues – anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, among others.
On a professional level, meditation will help us be more successful. We will become more productive and creative as a result of our practice.
And on a spiritual level, meditation will help us deepen our connection to whatever beliefs maintain about presence here in the Universe.
While not everyone will meditate to fulfill all three of these levels, assigning importance to any one of them will help establish a more consistent meditation practice.
Meditation and mindfulness are practices that have been cultivated by people over thousands of years in many places, among various traditions, so naturally many different names have arisen for the various nuances of each of these fundamental practices.
However, we can distill all the different nuances of each practice into two simple explanations.
Let’s take a look…
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Patanjali, the ancient sage, articulated the classical system of yoga perhaps more succinctly than anyone. Born before 400 B.C., Patanjali compiled a set of roughly two hundred aphorisms that explained the entire process of yoga from start to finish.
These aphorisms have influenced and inspired generation after generation of genuine seekers, each one of whom must eventually has to grapple with the terse sincerity of these statements.
The Yoga Sutras describe most importantly the process of yoga found within the school of Raja yoga. For a description of the other three traditional schools of yoga — karma yoga, bakti yoga, and jnana yoga — visit my article on them here.
The Yoga Sutras outline the process of yoga as a gradual process of refinement of the body and mind. Patanjali enumerates the process of Yoga into eight steps, often referred to as limbs, which are the following:
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I want to give you some suggestions that will help you better understand the mantra and how to use it.
A mantra is a sound, word, or phrase, often having no meaning whatsoever. Your mantra might be "Om," "I am," "So hum," "Om namah shivaya," or any number of different mantras that correspond to various teachers or traditions. For a detailed explanation of four useful mantras, visit my article here.
Your mantra is a tool, so let’s make sure it’s as sharp as possible.
The first important thing to understand is that mantras fall into two general categories, and one of the categories leads to the next. In other words, the two general categories of mantra present two distinct ways of using them. These are the two ways:
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With all the different diets circulating around the news, it can become overwhelming to determine what nutrition information is correct and what isn't.
But rest our souls assured, we need it! And if we discover the right types of it, it’s medicine, helping us live a long and vital life.
Nowadays, the internet provides us easy access to all the best information on food. The only caveat it that it also provides us quick access all the worst information on food.
So the process of finding the right information sometimes requires a little research.
That said, here are some considerations that will help us determine what nutrition information we should believe:
1. Look at the credentials of the author
If the author has an M.D., that's a far more credible sign than if the author has no credentials at all. And if an author has an N.D., M.S., C.N.S., or R.D. attached to the end of their name, in many cases they may know even more than an M.D., as they may be specifically trained in nutrition and adopt a more holistic approach.
2. Look at the sources within the information
If the information traces back to academic studies that are peer-reviewed then it's a very good sign. This means that the information has actually been tested within a real population, often through the means of randomized controlled trial, so we can know if it worked or not.
By contrast, if the information is heavily marketed and accompanied by something that the author is trying to sell, we should resist being immediately sold. I have personally purchased many nutrition related information products over the years, and some of
them have been outstanding, but I have never relied upon them as a stand alone resource.
3. Consider the broader audience
Looking at information that has been validated within broad audiences deserves more recognition than information that has been validated only within a small group.
As an example, I bought a book called The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted And the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, And Long Term Health. W hat made this book so fantastic is that it shares incredibly comprehensive research conducted across a large population over long period of time. Ultimately, what the study uncovered is that a vegan diet is the best approach to overcome the risk of disease and achieve radiant health.
4. Consider individual goals and needs
In order for a nutrition program to be successful, it needs to be highly personalized. So many diets promote a one-size-fits-all criteria, misleading many people with different genetics, body compositions, and goals into pursuing a nutrition program that is not suited for them.
I can remember following one diet in my early twenties, only to realize it caused me to lose too much weight. While adhering to the number of calories and ratio of macronutrients in that eating regimen may have been wonderfully well suited to some people, it turned out to be the wrong decision for me.
As I learned more about nutrition over the years, I came across the Indian system of Ayurveda, and the primary body types, the three doshas.
I came to realize I have a vata dosha, which is prone to anxiety and weight loss — and that consequently, I require a greater than average number of calories and predominantly cooked (not raw) foods. Those with the Kapha dosha, by contrast, are prone to depression and weight gain –– consequently requiring a less than average number of calories and predominantly raw (not cooked) foods. And those with the Pitta dosha, while not immune to their own set of issues, fall somewhere in between.
Keep in mind that cooked foods are better for grounding and stabilizing the body-mind, and raw foods are better for energizing and invigorating it. Figuring out where your balance lies on this yin-yang spectrum is ultimately the key.
5. Consider the macronutrients
Notice whether the nutrition information promotes a well-balanced and diverse diet. If a diet tries to convince you to eliminate an entire macronutrient altogether, be suspicious. Although the ratio of proteins, fats, and carbs will differ depending on the needs and goals of individuals, a certain portion of each of them should always be present.
Each of the three main macronutrients serve very important functions within the human body:
A. Protein
Eating protein helps you maintain your body tissues. But exactly how much protein we should consume remains a matter of debate.
According to one study, while many emerging guidelines suggest that a range of 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight –– 98 to 130 grams of protein per day if you’re a 180 pound male –– is appropriate (especially among athletes) this is above the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI), which prescribes just enough to offset deficiency. There is simply no current evidence that such emerging recommended levels of high protein intake is essential, although it remains quite clear that roughly 20 to 25 grams of protein following a workout are quite important in maximizing muscle growth and recovery.
B. Fat
Eating fat helps your body absorb vitamins and is essential to the nervous system. Eating fat, contrary to expectation, does not necessarily translate to more fat on the body, as some fats actually protect the body against accumulation of bad fats. Whereas saturated fats and trans fats contribute to unhealthy weight gain, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats do not.
Some of my favorite monounsaturated fats come from almonds, avocados, and olive oils. And some of my favorite polyunsaturated fats come from walnuts, flax seeds, and chia seeds.
One meta-analysis revealed that intake of polyunsaturated fats especially correspond to improved glycemia, insulin resistance, and insulin secretion capacity — in other words, lowered blood sugar levels and less actual storage of fat in the body.
C. Carbs
Eating carbs has a number of benefits, as they are an invaluable source of energy and fiber. While subject to many a criticism among numerous popular diets, the right types of carbs promote lasting health.
Some of my favorite carbs come from quinoa, sweet potatoes, and lentils, which are far superior to enriched wheat flours that are prevalent in so many breads, cereals, and pastas.
One meta-analysis examined 17 studies, which looked at the association between low carb diets and mortality. The results of the study showed that low carb diets were in fact associated with a higher rate of mortality.
6. Consider the micronutrients
Just because we can follow our ideal prescription of calories and ratio of macronutrients at Mcdonalds doesn’t mean we should do it. Say you’re a man trying to build lean muscle. While it may be true that in a single day 3,000 calories, with a ratio of 450 grams carbohydrates, 150 grams protein, and 70 grams of fat, may be ideally suited for you –– not all calories are created equal. Most of the calories at McDonald's are empty calories, meaning they are devoid of any micronutrients. Not only that, many of these calories are harmful, as they are heavy in saturated and trans fat and high fructose corn syrup.
Micronutrients are the host of vitamins and minerals that are essential to radiant wellbeing. Here’s a list of them. Some of my favorite vitamins and minerals come from leafy greens –– such as spinach –– and berries, especially blueberries. Lack of certain micronutrients in the diet can lead to deficiencies.
7. Consider the long-term
Many diets promote quick-fix programs that may temporarily alleviate issues, but don’t promote long term health.
At the end of the day, it's important to adopt a well rounded diet that promotes good fundamentals and doesn't encourage any unsustainable extremes in how much food we eat and what types of food we eat.
If you cannot easily follow a diet over a period of 8 weeks, the odds are strong that it’s not suited for you over the long-term.
I want to suggest some categories of food that will help you stay healthy. Staying healthy is essential to the practice of meditation.
I've split these up into the following 12 categories:
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Many forms of meditation exist, ranging from the simple and easy, to the complex and difficult.
But while many traditions have their own names for the various styles of meditation, keep in mind that scholars often divide meditation into two broad categories:
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One of the most essential components of mindfulness practice is engaging your senses all day long.
Mindfulness is the practice of attending to all of your primary senses constantly throughout the day.
Read moreFor some people, a workout consisting less of cardio training and more of strength training is suitable.
Strength training is one of two essential components to muscle growth. I discuss the other component, nutrition, here.
Here are four aspects of strength training to consider so that you don't waste your time in the gym:
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Posture is perhaps the first aspect of your meditation practice that demands consideration, as learning to sit properly is one of the most essential skills of meditation.
A good posture is one that provides a balance between being comfortable and alert, and one that you could easily maintain over an extended period of time. The essence of good posture is the ability to sit upright, not too hunched over.
There exist a variety of poses that enable good posture for the meditator. Here are the four most basic poses:
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Whenever thoughts and images do arise, there is a corresponding reason. That's why I want to outline the five primary modifications, the five types of “mind chatter” or “monkey mind"…
Read moreThe way in which someone meditate depends much less on the two different styles —concentration and awareness — and much more on the object upon which someone meditates.
Therefore, I want to outline the six basic objects of meditation.
Keep in mind that when practicing awareness meditation, you expand your attention to include all six objects at once — or as many of them as you possibly can. When practicing concentration meditation, you isolate your attention to include only one of the six basic objects.
Here are the six basic objects of meditation:
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Breathing is such an important and fundamental aspect of what it means to be alive.
Yet so many people are unaware of their breathing.
Why should you be aware of your breathing? Because breath is the bridge between the body and the mind, and in order to maintain good health and transition into higher stages of spiritual development you must maintain harmony between your body and mind.
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