History shows meditation as being a long standing tradition in mainly Asian countries, such as Japan, China and India, but it appears to be universal, appearing in cultures all over the world. The differences appear to lie in the goals, purposes and styles. Despite having a large religious background, meditation has become a part of many Americans’ daily routines. Socialites such as Russell Brand, Miranda Kerr, Willow Smith and many other names acknowledged by the general public practice meditation. But why is it so popular?

Meditation is viewed by a number of researchers as potentially one of the most effective forms of stress release.

A U.S. study by NIH showed that a short course of behavior modification strategies that included meditation led to significantly fewer visits to physicians during the six months that followed. The medical savings were estimated at over $200 per patient. A study of insurance statistics by http://nccam.nih.gov/health/meditation/overview.htm showed that the use of medical care was significantly less for those who meditate compared to non-mediators.

Buddhist monk Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo teaches meditation at local KPC (Kunzang Palyul Choling) temple in Poolesville, Md. She studied for 12 years, and because of the benefits she experienced, decided to teach others this  practice. The benefits of meditation shared by Lhamo are as follows:

It improves concentration                                                                   

“I’m more centered and focused in everything I do. I stopped finding distraction in unimportant and unproductive things,” said Lhamo, “meditation has been linked to a number of things that lead to increased ability to focus, [improvement in] memory. We’ve seen this at the level of the brain.”   “It connects you with your real source of energy,” she said, adding that it helps with multitasking.

It encourages a healthy lifestyle

“I tend to want things that are better for me because I’m fully aware how much everything you intake fuels your body. Since meditating regularly and committing my life to Buddhism, I have completely cut out alcohol and any other drugs. You just want to put good things in your body,” she said. “[Good things are those that are] closest to what’s natural. So if it doesn’t look like a tomato, I wouldn’t eat it.” Lhamo also gave up coffee, replacing it with tea.

The practice increases self-awareness.

Lhamo told a story she knew of a DC resident who began meditating in college, “He had a very short fuse – to the point,” he says, “of wanting to commit acts of violence. Meditation taught him to recognize his own anger and become more detached from it. It cleared his mind and calmed him down. For me, it makes me more comfortable in my own skin,” adds Lhamo, who does many types of meditation. “When you take more time to dive inside yourself, you are more comfortable showing who you are.”

The practice benefits cardiovascular and immune health.
Meditation induces relaxation which increases the compound nitric oxide that causes blood vessels to open up and in turn, blood pressure to drop. One study, published in 2008 in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, showed that 40 of 60 high blood pressure patients who started meditating could stop taking their blood pressure medication. Meditation also improves immunity. “I hardly ever get sick anymore,” Lhamo said. “I don’t think I’ve had a cold since I started this.”

The Different kinds of Meditation

There are several different kinds of meditation including mindfulness meditation, zazen, transcendental meditation, qi gong and many more. They differ in their origin and purpose although they all have similar effects.

Mindfulness meditation also called ‘Vipassana’ comes from Buddhist tradition and is seen as the most popular form in the western world.  “[It’s all about] being present, letting your mind run and accepting whatever thoughts come up, while practicing detachment from each thought.” said Lhamo.

Zazen is a modern Zen tradition often referred to as “just sitting”. It is a minimal kind of meditation, done for long periods of time usually with a concentration on a certain aspect of Buddhist scripture.

Transcendental meditation is the meditative tradition within Hinduism where you use a mantra or sacred word or phrase and repeat it in your mind while focusing on your breathe to change your state of being. This is another more popular form of meditation because this practice’s aim is for the mind to “leave the body”.  Quite literally bringing meaning to the phrase ” letting go of your mind”.

Qi gong is a form of Taoist meditation that uses the breathe to direct energy through the organs and energy centers of the body.

“You don’t have to be of a certain religion to try any kind of meditation,” said Lhamo. “It’s about your own body and where you want the practice to take you – what goals you are seeking with your experience.”

Lhamo had dedicated her life to the teachings of Buddhism and spreading that knowledge. However meditation can be done at any level of consciousness. Divya Parkash, for example, is a senior at Brewster High School in Brewster, NY and practices meditation daily. Despite being Hindi, her family didn’t participate much in religions traditions and she learned the practice of meditation from her sister who moved to California.

“I do it every day for at least 15 minutes, either in the morning or at night,” said Parkash. ” The effects it’s had on my life are amazing.”

Parkash started meditating three years ago in her sophomore year of high school after having a bad break up that affected her grades in school, thus making her even more stressed. She called her sister, who attended UCLA at the time, and she helped her through sending Parkash links of videos and guides on meditation.

Since then she has been hooked. She said that she can control any anger or negative emotion by simply silencing it away by either finding a positive side to the situation or realizing that her ego is what is making it a problem and through the realization that “the soul doesn’t need anything to be content.” As a result of ridding her mind of negativity, she’s been able to work through things that used to stress her out and as a result has become more productive.

“I feel like I can handle anything,” said Parkash. “I feel like I’m ready for college because I know any obstacle or challenge is something that my mind can handle.”

Parkash feels that her mind as been trained and see’s this new perspective on life as a tool.

“I truly think the practice of meditation should be taught in school; it’s been such a powerful force in my life,” said Parkash.

If you’re interested in learning the practice of meditation you can take a free class that is offered every Sunday at the nearby KPC Buddhist temple in Poolesville, Md. at  18400 River Road. All that is required is a donation of any amount and an open mind with a desire to learn.