Meditation & Mindfulness

"Meditation brings the body and the mind into the same place at the same time." - Itai Ivtzan

The Retraining of Your Attention

“Meditation refers to a family of techniques which have in common a conscious attempt to focus attention in a non-analytical way and an attempt not to dwell on discursive, ruminating thought.” (Shapiro, 1982)

Meditation was created thousands of years ago along with spirituality and religion. Mindfulness was created within the past century as a way to cope with everyday life in the modern Western world, and utilizes meditation concepts without the spiritual or religious component. One approach is not better than the other, and it is important to understand the difference in context. 

Benefits of Developing a Meditation Practice

Cognitive, Behavioral, and Psychological Influences:

Physiological Influences:

Methods of Meditation

There are hundreds of methods and techniques found throughout many different cultures used to practice and enjoy the beautiful experience of meditation. 

A Few Examples:

Potential Stumbling Blocks

Getting in touch with suppressed emotions, falling into the trap of thinking there is just one "right way" of meditating, creating unrealistic expectations for your experience and outcome, misunderstanding the meaning of "non-attachment," and other pitfalls to be wary of when starting your meditation practice. Check out the resource links below: