Introduction to Meditation
(Page 3 of 3)
Dec. 31, 2008
By Michael Castleman
“The key to mindfulness,” Dr. Kabat-Zinn says, “is not what you focus on, but how you do it, the awareness you bring to each moment.” To teach mindfulness in his clinic, Kabat-Zinn hands each of his students a single raisin and asks them to eat it. Ordinarily, people would simply pop the raisin into their mouths, chew a few times and swallow, largely unconsciously. But mindful raisin eating is different. It begins with looking intently at the raisin, considering its shape, weight, color and texture. Next comes placing the raisin in the mouth, focusing on how it feels on the tongue as the mouth welcomes it with salivation. Then the mindful raisin eater chews the raisin slowly and thoroughly, focusing on its taste and texture. Finally, swallowing the raisin involves following it all the way down to the stomach.
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Of course, it’s impossible to live life entirely mindfully. But those who commit to some mindful meditative moments every day generally feel less anxious. Try ending phone calls mindfully. Instead of just hanging up, enter a mindful moment as you say good-bye. Appreciate your connection to the person. Take several deep breaths. Then proceed with your life. Once you commit to a mindfulness trigger — ending phone calls or sipping tea, starting the car or petting your dog — it’s not difficult to work a dozen mindful moments into each day.
Swami Satchidananda, the Indian meditation teacher, once told Dr. Dean Ornish, whose natural program reverses heart disease: “Life is measured not in years, but in breaths. No one can calm the ocean’s waves, but using the breath [and the other meditative techniques], you can learn to surf.”
Resources:
Mind-Body Medical Institute. Dr. Benson’s research institute at Harvard. www.mbmi.org
Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of the Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D. An exhaustive discussion of meditation. Available at Amazon.com.
Michael Castleman, of San Francisco, is “one of the nation’s top health writers” (Library Journal). Visit mcastleman.com.
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