[DrFrank]

Over six hundred ( yes,600) research studies have been conducted at more than two hundred and fifty (250 ) universities and research centers including Harvard, UCLA, and Stanford on meditation. To date these studies have been published in more than one hundred (100) journals. Here are some of the major benefits these extremely carefully conducted studies have documented :

MEDITATION HAS BEEN PROVEN TO:

* Increase flexible thinking
* Increase non-impulsive proactive behavior
* Improve decision-making
* Increase memory
* Increase focused attention
* Improve the ability to overcome substance abuse and addictions
* Improve ethical thinking and behavior
* Increase energy and vitality
* Create a better functioning cardiovascular system
* Create a more balanced physiology
* Create a stronger immune system
* Improve self-confidence and self-esteem
* Create feelings of safety and peace
* Create more compassion and empathy for others
* Improve interpersonal relations
* Increase feelings of happiness and optimism

Meditation has even been successful in treating difficult to cure diseases and medical problems like hyper-activity disorder because of its remarkable ability to decrease stress.

The primary reason that people do not meditate is because they just don't think they have the time for it.However meditation is so restful it actually saves time in its practitioners schedule by decreasing sleeping time.Specifically,30 minutes of daily meditation will decrease one's sleep requirements by about one hour.

Here are the very simple instructions to follow to successfully practice meditation:

1.Go in a room where you will not be distracted by people,pets or phones.
2.Sit in a straight back chair.Close your eyes,put your feet on the floor and your hands in your lap.
3.Take very deep slow breaths.Breathe in through your nose and then slowly out through your mouth.
4. Keep focusing on your breaths by trying to visualize the air going in and out of your nose in the form of a cold weather vapor cloud.
5.Continuously silently repeat a short, positive and therapeutic affirmation such as "I am a successful and relaxed woman".
6.Gently keep pushing out all other thoughts from your mind;try to concentrate only on your affirmation.

THAT'S AS SIMPLE AS IT IS !

To obtain the maximum benefit,meditate twice a day for 10-15 min.each time during those times of the day when you have time to be alone and are in need of some stress relief.However do not meditate close to your bedtime because it will remove so much of your tiredness that you may have trouble getting to sleep.

[Switch]

Hey DrFrank. Thanks for this. I've always struggled with meditation mostly because I never knew the "the right way". I'm going to try it the way you suggest and maybe I can finally keep up with it!

[BlondeFairy]

Thank you so much for posting this! I have been wanting to start meditating but wasnt sure how to go about it.

[gma45]

Thanks for the post. I like the idea of breaking it up twice a day.

[lancetrot]

Your collection is remarkable and one of the coolest much needed information for those who are all suffering to boost their hope by practicing meditation

[Suki22]

why does the idea of meditation brings me so much anxiety? everyone tells me to meditate, but the idea of slowing myself down makes me freak out?

that being said, I'm going to give it a try/overcome my fear of it.

[DrFrank]

"idea of slowing myself down makes me freak out" is an indication that you have thoughts that are frightening to you which you are covering up or excluding from conscious deliberation by keeping your mind occupied with thought busyness or even trivial thinking.Meditation will make these thoughts more apparent to you but the urgent importance of that is clear.If you are being victimized by frightening thoughts then you most likely will be suffering from severe symptoms,anxiety being the most apparent.Uncovering self-destructive thoughts so that you can in time eliminate them,may be the greatest benefit that meditation will give you.If you do encounter these thoughts,then it is best to discontinue meditation until you and your therapist have dispelled them.