The benefits of meditation

By Jimmy Henderson hons (phil), M.A (psych) FRC 

 ‘Not to be able to stop thinking is a dreadful affliction, but we don't realize this because almost everyone is suffering from it, so it is considered normal.  This incessant mental noise prevents you from finding that realm of inner stillness that is inseparable from Being.’

Eckhart Tolle

   Due to the fast pace of life, as well as work stress and family demands, our minds are usually filled with a constant mental chatter. This persistent cognitive activity masks much of our self-awareness, as well as possible moments of intuition, and as a result, we never really stop and take the time to notice the subtle sensory cues (sensations, feelings and impressions) from our natural surroundings.

   Meditation is therefore a useful tool for self-introspection and a reintegration of the psyche and is recommended by psychologists as a form of de-stressing and for returning a sense of self-mastery and control. However, it does require commitment in terms of time and effort. 

During meditation we apply specific breathing and mental exercises to slow down our brainwave activity, which allows for a temporary detachment from normal thinking and produces a state of mindfulness and the ‘mental space’ ideal for self-introspection and increasing sensory awareness. This quiet state is also ideal for conscious imagery (visualisation).

   Regular meditation can raise one’s level of conscious awareness and perception by increasing activity in those areas of the brain involved in subjective and abstract thought, and also assists in the development of intuition by creating pathways which can bypass conscious thought. This results in a closer connection between unconscious and conscious mental processes. 

It is also useful for more advanced exercises in imagery which involve inner self-exploration, and when combined with special breathing techniques, can even result in trancelike states similar to lucid dreaming, in which one is able to access hidden areas of the psyche and attune with higher realms of the mind.  

   The basic steps involved in meditation have already been fully discussed in my earlier publication Multi-Dimensional Thinking (2007) as well as other articles on this blog.

 Jimmy Henderson is a metaphysician and the author of a number of books and articles on self-development. He has an Honours degree in philosophy (metaphysics) and a Masters degree in Psychology. He is based in Durban, South Africa. His books ‘Multi-Dimensional Thinking’ (2007) and ‘Multi-dimensional Perception’ (2010) are available on Amazon.com as well as his own website www.jimmyhendersonbooks.com