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Migraine – Stress and Meditation
Migraine, stress and meditation
6th June 2012
By Abhijit Kamat
www.simplemeditation4health.wordpress.com
Migraine is a chronic disorder characterized by moderate to severe headaches, and nausea. Although some believe it to be a neurological disorder, there is no evidence to confirm this theory.[1] Migraines are about three times more common in women than in men.[2] ( ref Wikipedia).
This topic is to suggest meditation and emotion management for those who want to try it. This does not recommend patients to stop their medicines. Everybody has his/her own capacity to progress in meditation and emotion management. There are also some other factors that may be affecting the healing process. Infinite patience is required.
Why migraine:- Everyone has the habit of getting lost into thoughts, unfortunately most of the people think of either past or of the future and get entangled into emotional pains, however that has no present value. This article is to explain how this emotional pain, -ve thoughts may create migraine.
Why and What do people think?
a) When people think about the past, it’s some unwanted painful incidents, namely insults, losses, separations etc. where “Igo” had got hurt very badly. We generally don’t forget those pains and we love to cuddle our ego and the fire remains active deep inside our mind.
b) When we think of future, we imagine some bad things, starting from our own death, death of the near and dear ones, business losses, separations, health problems etc. This has as such no real value today, but we think and feel sad. It’s a habit.
c) Third category is day dreaming. We think of beautiful things and try to feel happy, those are not possible today. For eg. Income exceeding in multiples and from multi directions, extra marital affair, promotions, owning a big property- vehicles, having multiple girl/boy friends etc. After the dreaming is over when people come to reality, they feel sad.
d) These above mentioned thoughts are just examples to show where mind can swing. It has no limitations.
How these thoughts are related to migraine?
- There is a simple example how thoughts can create magic in body. During adolescence, boys often get erection with simple thoughts of sex or orgasm. The whole mind-body machinery gets activated for sex (In reality, the situation may be totally different or hopeless, but brain tricks the hormone secreting glands and they release hormones).
- Another example. When you are solving SUDOKU and you can’t complete it, it does not matter. But if that is a part of a contest and it’s winning is going to give your $5000 prize, then the whole mind-body would be under stress to achieve it anyhow. Under this situation, every simple thing may turn difficult. Your blood pressure may rise, fingers may tremble, mind may get confused over priorities. What will happen if the prize is now $1 million. More stress? that means when the stakes are higher it results into higher stress.
- Some people like to work in stress. They feel that there is more zing thing to complete targets on last moments. This zing thing is nothing but the effect of hormones released in stress and people are not aware what the long term effect would be.
- Now our topic, thoughts and migraine.
- Have you ever tried to drill down (analyze in detail with detached interest ) into headaches? For example, its intensity, orientation, timing and duration etc?
- Have you analysed what happened during that morning or previous day etc? what did you eat? What was your body’s reaction, when you had thoughts of helplessness, anger, shame or disgust and you could not express them.
- Every individual has a thinking capacity and when it is loaded with painful or awkward situations, brain may get flooded with many signals and trips, its circuitry gets over heated and we call it head ache. In computer terminology it is called “PC gets hung” when you try to run too many or heavy programs or type too many commands at one time.
- Some old, unknown mental pains ( or thoughts?) remain active in subconscious for years, that may bounce back occasionally on mind’s surface without our knowledge and we call the result as chronic migraine.
- Women are more emotional than men, Does this result into more women suffering than men. Pl. read again article from Wikipedia ( Moreover, fluctuating hormone levels indicate a migraine relation: 75 percent of adult patients are women, although migraine affects approximately equal numbers of prepubescent boys and girls. )
Self help:
Pl. read again, be comfortable, relax, try and start drilldown into your mind before reading on meditation.
Why meditation?
I recommend any specific meditation that would help in stilling your thoughts (or help in focusing mind in one direction), not only during the time when you sit for mediation but throughout the day. For eg. Buddhist call it “moment to moment awareness”, Mr. KD Belsare refers it as “anusandhan” in his various books on Naamsmaran.
The results are astonishing. Because ,…
- With the calm mind, when there are no sundry thoughts, there is no diversion of your mental energy ( and obviously physical energy). With frequent practice of stilling your mind, whatever old unwanted neurons (of thought patterns) are formed start disappearing.
- It is often referred by saints as “Body evolves along with changes in mind”( “मनासहित पलटे काया” संत तुकाराम). Sri Sri Ravishankar had referred it as DNA changes with the longer practice of meditation.
- Even if you get dragged into unwanted thoughts, you can retain balance and come back to normalcy.
- Faith factor improves
References and links:
i. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migraine
ii. Articles on what is meditation?
iii. Guided body scan meditation.
iv. Stress and health problems of type A personality businessman
v. Breathing problems, stress and healing
vi. What is samkhara (mental conditioning)
PS- Pl. do provide your valuable feedbacks and blessings.
Abhijit Kamat
what is Dharma?
What is Dharma
Abhijit Kamat,
I enjoy reading and following some of the principles explained by Gautam Buddha 2500 years ago. They are logical and simple to understand. Here is some excerpt is taken from Buddhanet.net and as compiled by Mr S.N Goenka. This is really an eye opening on what is happening in today’s world under the name of Buddhism and Dharma.
Q. What is the connection between Vipassana and Buddhism?
SNG – Buddha never preached Buddhism. We have compiled 140 volumes of Buddha’s existing talks into a CD-ROM and found that the word Bauddha or Buddhism is not mentioned even once. Buddha talks of Dhamma (Pali for Dharma), not Bauddha Dharma. Buddha was against organized religion. It was his followers who later created a religion out of his talks. A person who identifies with a religious community can never attain Dhamma.
Dharma is nothing but a pure science, a super-science of mind and matter: the interaction of mind and matter, the cross-currents and the under-currents happening deep inside every moment. Things are happening inside every moment, but we remain extroverted, giving importance to things outside. Say somebody has abused me, and I don’t have this practice of observing what is happening within myself: I become angry and start shouting. What am I doing.
To observe anger as anger, or hatred as hatred, or passion as passion, is very difficult. It takes time. That is why the wise people, the enlightened people, the saints and seers of India advised: “Observe yourself.” Observing oneself is a path of self-realization, truth-realization; one can even say “God-realization,” because after all, truth is God. What else is God? The law is God, nature is God. And when one is observing that law; one is observing Dharma. Whatever is happening within you, you are just a silent observer, not reacting. As you observe objectively, you have started taking the first step to understand Dharma; the first step towards practicing Dharma in life.
Q. What is Dhamma (Dharma)
SNG:- What one’s mind contains, at this moment, is Dhamma. Dhamma is everything there is.
Let a beginning be made to understand Dharma. Dharma is free from all sectarian beliefs, dogmas, rites and rituals. Even sectarian names are not necessary. You may or may not call yourself a Hindu or a Muslim, but you should be a Dharmic person, a person living the life of Dharma. This means that your mind should remain pure. If your mind remains pure, then all your other actions, vocal or physical, will naturally become pure.
On the other hand, if you learn the art of Dharma, this means the art of living, and you stop generating negativity, you start experiencing peace and harmony within yourself. When you keep your mind pure, full of love and compassion, the peace and harmony that is generated within permeates the atmosphere around you. Anyone who comes in contact with you at that time starts experiencing peace and harmony. You are distributing something good that you have. You have peace, you have harmony, you have real happiness, and you are distributing this to others. This is Dharma, the art of living.
Dhamma is so simple, so scientific, so true-a law of nature applicable to everyone. Whether one is Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Christian; whether one is American, Indian, Burmese, Russian or Italian – it makes no difference; a human being is a human being. Dhamma is a pure science of mind, matter, and the interaction between the two. Do not allow it to become a sectarian or philosophical belief. This will be of no help.
The greatest scientist produced by the world worked to find the truth about the relationship between mind-matter. And discovering this truth, he found a way to go beyond mind-matter. He explored reality not just for the sake of satisfying his curiosity but to find a way to be free of suffering. So much misery in every family, in every society, in every nation, in the entire world. The Enlightened One found a way to come out of this misery.
– Shri S N Goenka
for details pl. log on to http://www.buddhanet.net/bvk_study/bvk21c.htm
What is meditation?
What is Meditation / Dhyan/ Chan/ Zen? – misconception & confusion.
11 February 2012
Why confusion on the correct method of Meditation? One of the confusions is getting the correct information on meditation. Many sects, cults and traditions have followed up various meditation methods for centuries. All claim that their method of meditation is correct. Whosoever is now following up his or her own cult/ method tries to pull others into his/her method. Many continue to progress with their methods and similarly many leave meditation dissatisfied. This dissatisfaction comes because of disinterest, lack of proper guidance, or selection of incorrect method. Many times , people use heavy complicated words in their reading (or religious) literature, those are beyond the understanding of a common person interested in learning meditation.
Source of meditation:
With the spread of Hinduism and Buddhism their meditation methods also spread out of ancient Indian boundaries. It is said that the original Sanskrit word “Dhyan” when went to China, it was named as “Chen” and later when it went into Japan, it converted into “ZEN”. ( ref:- http://www.shaolin-wahnam.org/zen.html) . With the advent of time some methods were modified, made suitable to local conditions. However, the basic purpose, remained same, that is “to concentrate your mind”. However, in today’s world people are looking for fast track solutions with the help of meditation.
Three stage of Meditation: This concentration is developed in three stages. For a beginner, Dhaarana is about concentration and involves fixing attention on one thing to the exclusion of everything else. Dhyana is a level of mastery of total concentration and deep meditation. Samadhi, the highest level, is total absorption. (These are the various stages of altered states of consciousness in other words).
There are various methods of meditation. A simple meaning of meditation is nothing but anchoring your mind on a single thought ( or thoughtlessness – Shunyata). Where to concentrate? Primarily, any of these six senses. 1) skin (sensations), 2) ears (listening to the own chants of Divine name, phrase, paragraphs), 3) eyes (internal, external focus), Tongue (chanting Divine name, phrase, paragraphs), Nose (focus on breath, Yogic Exercises of breathing), pl. See next paragraphs….
Purpose of all Dhyana (or meditation) methods:- The longer the duration of this altered state of consciousness the better. It is said that the enlightened saints don’t have thoughts, its only awareness, a connection to the universe & staying in present.
So, how to begin with a single thought or no thoughts? Who guides us? It is said that a person goes to (or pulled to) the Guru of his own at the right time to learn the method that he/she practiced last birth. Some experts say that Guru is not required. You can get the required knowledge on your own.
It is important to study the teacher, his work, methods before accepting him (her) as your Guru. (Fake Gurus is not today’s problems. Shri Ramdas swami wrote it in his spiritual book- Dasbodh in 16th century that, “There are plenty of so called Guru’s available in the market at throwaway price, check them, test them before accepting from your heart” ref:- http://www.archive.org/details/Shri.Dasbodh.of.Shri.Samartha.Ramdas.Marathi)
What happens when you follow someone else’s method/ Guru? So, to end this , I can only say that, you check your inner voice which method/ Guru you would like to follow, else, this may cause a spiritual indigestion. You can try a method and if you are happy, stick to it. Don’t go by trial and error every time, this will leave you nowhere.
All meditation methods give relaxation to mind and body if followed correctly. Because, when there are no thoughts, there are no emotions and emotions are the reasons for your mental energy to drain. All meditation methods give the same effect. It’s your choice to select the method you love. Pl. refer my article on Fight or Flight response. There is a science behind it.
Summary of mediation methods and techniques**
(with the useful links wherever possible for further reading)
|
SITTING MEDITATION |
||
| using the Senses/ organs- |
Method description |
Narration |
|
|
||
| skin | Focusing on body’s sensations – Vipassana | Developed by Gautam Buddha by 480 BC |
| Ears | listening to the Chanting of the Divine name, mantra, Divine sound (Naad Brahma),it is a part of Bhakti Yoga, | To begin with, person gets interested and starts listening to the preaching from the Holy books, attending to the sermons etc. This is not meditation but a simple beginning to it. He needs to develop concentration. |
| Eyes | Focusing with the open eyes:-Visual concentration- trataka, God in visual forms of idols, gazing at the burning incense tip or single point,Focusing with the closed eyes:- Focusing on the Divine face or status of GOD, holy saints. Gazing in between the eyebrows, light (that appears after closing eyes) | This can be combined with chanting. |
| Tongue | Chanting the Divine name.This method is present in almost all religions. People chant Divine name with the help of rosary (some believe in totaling the daily count). The choice of the “Divine Name” is yours, Jesus, mother Mary, Raam, Dattatreya, Allah, Wahe Guru, and many… | However, the most important point is getting immersed into the Divine name to the extent of forgetting time and space. Then it becomes a habit of chanting in the subconscious mind throughout the day (& night). Mind remains focused on Divine Name. |
| Nose | Focus on breath, breath exercises as given in various Yogic methods/ exercise. Sudarshan Kriya, Kriya Yoga and others. It is a part of Raja Yoga. | Varies from simple focusing on breath (so-hum or ham-sa) to the various breathing ratios (inhale-hold-exhale-hold). Mind remains focused on breath. |
| Mind | curtailing thinking process, watching the mind and thought itself. Thoughtlessness or Shunyata meditationThere is another method of getting immersed in logical- philosophical thinking. Here mind gets anchored into one thought. Compassion or karuna meditation- single thought on compassion by Buddhist. | Watching own thoughts, be alert. Philosophical thinking like the purpose of human life, existence of God etc. |
|
DYNAMIC MEDITATION |
||
| Action oriented | Dynamic methods like walking meditation or Tai-Chi fall into this category. However I personally feel that this method works well as an exercise prior to sitting meditation. It helps in removing lethargy. | Mind remains focused on the subtle changes in body during actions. (request to study in details about fake advertisements). |
| Tip: 1. ** with my little and limited knowledge I have tried to summarize these methods. If anything is missing, Pl. let me know for update/ addition/ correction.Tip: 2. There are plenty of quacks who pretend to be expert and demand extraordinary things (exorbitant money or Sex etc etc ) as a fee for teaching meditation.Tip3: You follow the method you like with sincerity and devotion, you will be guided at the right time to the right people. | ||
YOGA:
4 common Yogas: (karmayoga, Jnanayoga, Bhktiyoga, Rajyoga). pl. find an important link for more info. Explanation to all yogas by Swami Vivekananda http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Complete_Works_of_Swami_Vivekananda
Divine Chanting- Naam-smaran by Dr Kashalikar http://www.archive.org/details/TotalStressManagementsuperliving
What is my method? I follow Bhakti Yoga- chanting The Divine Name. In addition to this, some Yoga exercises to keep body agile and fit.
Thanks for your patience to read this lengthy explanation. Pl. feel free to ask, reply your valuable feedback.
warm regards
Abhijit Kamat
http://stressguru.co.in/training_programs
w3counter(59066);
guided body scan for relaxation of mind and body (stress management)
Guided Body Scan
(relaxation technique for stress management)
An ancient Indian Yoga technique, called Shavasana is used for mind and body relaxation. It literally means, lying idle by mind and body like a dead. The practitioner, must relax his / her muscles and maintain thoughtlessness. When there are no thoughts there is no stress and body is relaxed and rejuvenated.
As a beginner, this sometimes becomes really difficult as the mind starts sneaking out from grip or the swarm of thoughts occupy our mind. So, to control the swinging of mind, it has to be held over something and in this case it is our body’s sensations.
Method:-
Here, one is guided progressively from head to toes, piece by piece by means of feeling sensations on various body parts. In this process mind and body both gets relaxed. After practicing this technique for many days, one needs reduce dependence on cassette and start guiding his own mind. This is infact a part of Vipassana technique. (Some may like it, some do not.** see footnote.)
Pl. do not forget to give your feedback, suggestions with love and joy to the following emails.
Abhijit@stressguru.co.in Kamat_abhijit@yahoo.com
link for downloading (in English) http://www.archive.org/details/GuidedBodyScan
link for downloading (in Marathi) http://www.archive.org/details/BodyScanInMarathi
**Why some people like a particular meditation technique? What is the results of various techniques? Interesting analysis , See you in the next article. What next: in the next article, I will try to explain on various types of meditation techniques and common misunderstandings. (next link)
Warm regards
w3counter(59066);
Weak thoughts paralyses strong body
Weak thoughts paralyses strong body
I met an old friend of mine a few days back, and that reminded me of his strong muscles those were developed a few years back, by regularly exercising in gym. But this person, now has a changed look. On further probing, he revealed that he is not going to gym for the last 3-4 years.
He had financial difficulties 4 years back, as a result of collapse of share market. After that it took two years to rise to some comfortable level. Meanwhile he developed severe back pain, neck pain. When got cured out of back pain, joint pains started. Meanwhile, whenever he tried to do some regular exercises, backpain resurfaced and he had to stop it. Doctor advised him not to do exercises.
He now feels that since he discontinued regular exercises for almost 2 years, muscles are weak and not ready to take up the load. It took plenty of time to remove this self made assumption of weak muscles theory. Later he agreed that “People who never go to gym also has strong muscles, so what he has lost is confidence. Financial setback has changed some mental assumptions & priorities during the first 2- 3 years. These mental pains are still remembered by the body as a bad experience”. I gave him a few suggestions later.
In terms of electronic vocabulary, our thinking ability is a software and body is a hardware. When software of a computer is corrupted it stops communication with keyboard, floppy drive and other peripherals etc. though the other hardware are very much intact.
The same happens with our mind and body. We collapse before/during/ after the stressful event. Here the powerful mind weakens body with the weakening or negative thought well before the time.
Self help: we all keep on chattering many negative thoughts throughout the day. Identify and stop them and perhaps delete them before they weaken your body.
Abhijit kamat, www.stressguru.co.in
Yoga, Meditation and Emotional Intelligence for health 