ZEN MEDITATION
Philosophers and mystics of all eras agree that silence is the beginning of the highest knowledge.
Meditation is the discipline of practicing silence to calm the body, mind, soul and spirit. It is one of the most significant and important practices in the spiritual realm of the human being and one of those that can cause the most forceful and permanent changes in it at the level of cognitive consciousness.
Archaeologists have found figures and engravings in India that have been traced back to the year 3000 BC, which show figures sitting in the classic meditation posture – Lotus Flower – so it is believed that meditation has at least 5 thousand years old.
The origin of meditation is at the origin of the Zen concept, which refers to the transmission of the light of Buddhist wisdom that occurs in silence.
Around the 6th and 5th centuries BC different forms of meditation developed in Taoist China and Buddhist India. The exact origin of Buddhist meditation has not been perfectly defined, although the first texts referring to meditation appear in the Pali Sutras, where the formula for salvation was listed following the four basic rules: observance of the rules of morality, contemplative concentration, knowledge and liberation.
Meditation can be practiced individually or in a group. The latter is recommended for people who are starting to practice meditation. Group meditation is also practiced by people who are more advanced in their practice, who want to benefit from the great collective energy that is generated, since it enhances individual energies, giving rise to a different and very enriching experience.
“Meditation brings wisdom; Lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what keeps you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom” (Budha)
Some types of Meditation
The meaning of meditation is to be more awake and perceive life in general with greater clarity and breadth. Each person is a universe and it is clear that the same formula does not work in the same way for everyone.
There are many types of meditation, depending on the school or origin of it. In this section we will only refer to some examples of the most well-known types of meditation:
BUDDHIST MEDITATION
In Buddhist meditation, observation of oneself and the activity of the mind is practiced to learn not to identify with that whirlwind that takes the joy out of life in the present.
It has its origins in Chinese tradition. It is also known as Zazen meditation, which means “Zen Sitting” or “Sitting Meditation.”
VIPASSANA MEDITATION
The objective of Vipassana meditation is self-observation and inner knowledge to achieve Nirvana.
MINDFULNESS MEDITATION
It is a new Western current that tries to disassociate the practice of meditation from any ideological or religious connotation.
It consists of living with full attention to the present and achieving peace in this frenetic world, it is “mental training.”
MEDITATION WITH MANTRAS
Mantras are a series of syllables, words or phrases that apparently have no meaning, but which according to yogic tradition connect us with divine virtues or energies. During meditation, these mantras are repeated with the aim of focusing our mind and directing attention. Mantra is a word of Sanskrit origin and translates as “tool for mind control.”
TRANSCEDENTAL MEDITATION
Transcendental meditation is one of the types of meditation most studied by science for its innumerable benefits, but at the same time it is also one of the most criticized, perhaps because transcendental meditation is only taught in authorized centers that must have the approval of the Maharishi Mahesh Institute.
YOGA MEDITATION
Among the types of meditation, we must highlight those that are associated with the tradition and practice of yoga, such as Chakra meditations, Kundalini Yoga, Kriya Yoga, Tantra, Pranayama or Nada Yoga.
TAOIST MEDITATION
The characteristic of this type of meditation is the generation, transformation and distribution of inner energy. Inner silence is the basis of Taoist meditation. It is about the silence that appears little by little and subtly as you advance in the practice of meditation.
The silence that occurs between one thought and another is very healing for the body and mind.
VISUALIZATIONS
A type of meditation more suitable for beginners. It can help you understand a problem that resides in your subconscious. It is the way to bring to light what you want. There are many types of visualizations such as: positive thoughts, learning to forgive, discovering what you want, etc.
Benefits of Meditation
• By turning off your brain you recover energy.
• In the long term, it prevents the natural deterioration of the brain.
• Rivals in effectiveness with antidepressants and anxiolytics.
• Improves concentration and attention.
• Reduces anxiety (and social phobias).
• Develops an awareness of unity with the whole.
• Helps develop mental creativity.
• Decreases the selfish activity of the brain.
It is a natural healing system or technique for healing the spirit and therefore the body, through the channeling of vital energy with the hands.
Born at the beginning of the 20th century, its origin is in Japan, with the great Master Mikao Usui. Very little is known about his life. Most Reiki books tell a story of your life that is not based on real events but on a legend. In our Resources section you can find recommended bibliography.
Mikao Usui Sensei was born on August 15, 1865, in the Japanese province of Gifu. He married Sadako Suzuki and had two children. He died in Fukuyama on March 9, 1926. Throughout his life he held various official positions in his native country, Japan.
He was a person with great spiritual concerns. His interest focused on having a direct experience of the healing processes mentioned in Buddhist scriptures.
Mikao Usui Sensei understood that an enlightened or conscious person contributes a lot to everyday life and considered that: “if every house had a member who practiced Reiki, the world would be a different place.”
Traditional Japanese beliefs regarding health and wellness are very different from those in Western countries. For example, the Japanese term for being healthy “genki de” means being in the original “ki” (there is no literal translation, but the meaning is mind, spirit, soul or heart), which contrasts with the term for being sick “byôki” which means sick ki. Health is, therefore, a condition of the mind, and being healthy is the original state of the body.
Mikao Usui Sensei enunciated five principles or gokai that are actually universal behavioral patterns that help us on our path through life, guiding us and bringing us closer to spiritual evolution.
• Kyo dake wa Ikaru-na/ Just for today
• Kyo dake wa Shinpai suna / Let go of anger
• Kyo dake wa Gyo o hage me/ Leave the worry
• Kyodake wa Kansha Shite/ Do your homework with enthusiasm
• Kyodeke wa Hito ni shinsetsu ni/ Be grateful, be kind to everything
It is called the Reiki Method to improve mind and body. Any Reiki practitioner must integrate it into their life plan. A Reikist is a channeler of energy through his hands and delivers it to the person who receives it or to himself. Whoever receives this energy, receives the energy they need for their own healing.
Today the World Health Organization (WHO) presents Reiki as one of the multidisciplinary health practices valid for care at the community level within the Health System.
This practice is widespread in developed countries in the Northern Hemisphere, where there are not only many practitioners and teachers, but also patients who receive it regularly as part of addressing their health needs. In countries like Holland, for example, the health system considers and covers complementary or non-traditional practices such as Reiki.
Reiki has several levels, and those who study it must receive their education from a Master. Students can reach Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and even Master level.
Reiki is in itself a very complete healing system and has treatments for various types of ailments such as: functional disorders of the nerves, disorders of the respiratory system, functional disorders of the digestive organs, the circulatory system, blood metabolism and of the urogenital tract, surgical wounds and functional skin disorders, childhood diseases, women's diseases and also contagious diseases.
They are methods of traditional Chinese medicine that are quite widespread in the world. Traditional Chinese medicine is a precious legacy from five thousand years ago with a permanent projection in the present and maintains that the human body is a small universe united by channels of light through which Qi (energy) travels, and that considering that at When it comes to treating man for an illness, it is unavoidable to treat his affective, emotional and psychological factors, etc. That are affecting your illness. In Acupuncture, needles are inserted into certain points of these channels to restore balance to the body and try to cure and prevent diseases. The needles are selected based on the patient's conditions and are used to puncture the chosen points and stimulate them. According to some studies carried out, acupuncture can be effective for many ailments since:
• Stimulates fertility.
• Regulates hormonal imbalances.
• Relieves stress, anxiety and depression.
• Improves digestion and constipation.
• Counteracts the side effects of radiation.
• Relieves chronic pain such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, osteoarthritis, etc.
• Regulates tension headaches, migraines, migraines
• Could help with obesity.
• Improves general health and well-being.
The stimulation of the points can also be done with Moxibustion, which is carried out by burning artemisia (moxa). It usually includes two modalities: a direct one, in which cones of artemisia are applied to the selected points, and another indirect one, in which a rod of artemisia is kept at a certain distance from the surface of the body to heat the chosen area. The cones and rods are made from dry artemisia leaves. Moxibustion is recommended for ailments such as:
• Joint pain caused by osteoarthritis, rheumatism, lumbago, asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory problems.
• Weakness and tiredness.
• Chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting.
• Fluid retention and edema.
• Period pains.
Cupping Therapy.
Cupping therapy has a long history in China dating back more than 2,000 years and is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment. Data is found in ancient works from the Jin dynasty (265-420) in which applications with this method are already detailed. Its basic principle is the application of a suction cup on the skin, to which we will cause a vacuum effect, in order to improve the local vascularization of the area, thus allowing a greater flow of oxygen and nutrients in the affected area. Cupping can be used for any illness caused by cold wind and to stimulate the functionality of the autoimmune system. Nowadays it is also used aesthetically to reduce cellulite, fat and promote circulation that stimulates blood detoxification. Chinese cupping can relieve headaches, migraines, some skin problems (eczema, acne), the effects of stress, insomnia, or functional colopathies (constipation). Many patients who resort to this technique attest to its good results.
Definida como una disciplina que ofrece un tratamiento terapéutico de rehabilitación no farmacológica para diagnosticar, prevenir y tratar síntomas de múltiples dolencias, tanto agudas como crónicas. Se hace mediante el conjunto de métodos, procedimientos, implementos, de aplicación manual.
Physical therapy is a safe and conservative approach, it has a preventive nature and is recommended for all those who want to enjoy good health, through the use of various techniques and exercises.
The lesser-known benefit of physical therapy is that it helps manage age-related health problems by avoiding complex surgical procedures by preventing and controlling the physical deterioration of muscle strength, flexibility and joint mobility.
But it also helps us to have good internal body communication necessary to maintain good posture and know how to move appropriately in our daily activities.
Sabiendo ahora que la terapia física no solo sirve para la recuperación después de una lesión o enfermedad, sino aumenta el bienestar, la calidad de vida en general y contribuye a que te sientas mejor sin necesidad de tener un problema específico que corregir. ¿Te animas a incluirla en tu rutina preventiva de salud?