By Holly Glen Gearhart
Meditation is an ancient art of controlled thought, practiced throughout the world for centuries.
Sometimes in the form of prayer, song or guided imagery, meditation has gained respect as an important medical component in addition to traditional medical procedures. From cancer treatment to addressing PTSD, medical studies reveal that slowing the mind during treatment can and does enhance traditional medicine methodologies.
Simply put, meditation is a form of conscious and focused thinking, often directed with the use of music or spoken word.
Using controlled tests, Western medical doctors have found that the use of focused thought during treatments, "...can help with a host of health problems. Relaxing and quieting your mind by focusing on your breathing can reduce stress GÇô even the stress that comes with arthritic flares,GÇ¥ according to David E. Yocum, MD, director of the Arizona Arthritis Center in Tucson.
Dr. Yocum's patient studies concluded that those of his patients who set aside time for meditating had more productive responses to daily stressors. In addition, he found that this method proved to lower heart rates, "... better hormonal changes and improved immune function; and that meditation, in combination with traditional medicines, appears to help arthritis patientsGÇ¥ adding that, "People who meditate tolerate pain better.GÇ¥
Studies at the Mayo Clinic using biofeedback have proved that there is a tangible medical benefit for patients. They studied patients who needed to focus on making physical changes to achieve results such as reducing pain.
Stopping short of calling meditation a cure for illness, the Mayo Clinic states, "Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that benefits both your emotional wellbeing and your overall health,GÇ¥ adding, " Meditation can help carry you more calmly through your day and can even improve certain medical conditions.GÇ¥
They suggest that, through meditation, you can clean your mental slate of the have-tos of everyday life, which promotes emotional wellbeing. As a result you gain perspective and build skills to manage stress by focusing on the present which, in turn, reduces negative emotions. The Mayo Clinic suggests meditation as a complementary tool for traditional medical care.
Relaxation and bodily responses are not the soul benefit of taking time to "smell the roses;GÇ¥ there can be a spiritual function, as well. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Care Clinic of Seattle utilizes the services of reverend Stephen King, PhD, among others, in their chaplaincy services.
Using the findings from Making Health Care Whole, 2010, defined spirituality as, "the aspect of humanity that expresses and seeks meaning and purpose and the way (to feel) connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature and to the significant or sacred.GÇ¥
One of the positive outcomes from spiritual connectedness is a stronger relationship with God (or the God of your choice), seeking love and care from the same and working with God to seek healing.
In the United States, the practice of meditation grew enormously during the 1960s, perhaps in part because The Beatles studied transcendental meditation in India with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
Something as simple as ten minutes a day in quiet reflection is now an accepted way to begin a workday; some major corporations use meditation in team building. The onset of the technological revolution was part of this road to acceptance and may have found its way into corporate America after word spread that Steve Jobs was practicing meditation on a daily basis.
Some forms of meditation involve deep thought, breathing exercises and chanting. You don't have to spend a lot of time on the practice in order to see results. Your day maybe filled to overflowing with little time for reflection. However, spending as little as five or 10 minutes sitting quietly, paying attention to your breathing and embracing positive feelings can be a successful tool in your survival box.
Continued research on the benefits of meditation is, "...tipping the balance in favor of implementing these therapies in the medical world to improve the lives of patients, including those who are undergoing cancer treatment. Physicians and academic researchers finally have the science to understand the connection between the brain and the immune system, emotions and disease,GÇ¥ said Dr. Esther Sternberg, a National Institutes of Health senior scientist and author of "The Balance Within: The Science Connecting Health and Emotions.GÇ¥
The supporting evidence is coming from such places such as the Fred Hutchinson Center, where scientists are studying measurements and testing the value of meditative therapies.
These measurements are an important component, according to Dr. Karen Syrjala, head of Biobehavioral Sciences at the Hutchinson Center. "If we expect that psychological or behavioral strategies will have health outcomes, we must be able to show the pathway or mechanism through which that occurs,GÇ¥ she said.
In Monroe, meditation classes are available through Kung Fu Kwoon on Main Street. For more information, call ( 360) 863-6723.
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