Meditate for a Higher Consciousness

A person's mind is constantly buzzing with activities. At work we deal with deadlines and our boss, at school we deal with assignments, at home we deal with family matters, and almost everything deals with money. The mind of the modern man is overloaded and cluttered with too many things, even modern leisure activities like watching television, playing video games and listening to songs can provide a lot of work for the brain.

We rest when we get tired and we sleep when we are drowsy. However, the quick-paced progress of this modern society required most of us to cut down relaxation times and sacrifice our sleep. The current pace will only accelerate, and despite advancement of technologies, we are getting busier than ever and the fact would remain true for centuries to come. Stress levels are skyrocketing and productivity will gradually diminish no matter how much we want it to increase.

To deal with this problem, we need to go back to an ancient technique - meditation. Meditation, at its deepest level , have far higher restorative powers compared to sleep. Even when you sleep, your brain is still working, fabricating dreams, consolidating information and forming new neural connections. Meditation, on the other hand, brings the brain to peaceful retreat and rest. The healing powers can be truly profound. It is analogous to cleaning up the mess in our mind, pushing away all stress, thus bringing forth the potentials of the mind and connecting you to your subconscious mind, so that more of your intellectual faculties are at your disposal.

Mediation exists in many forms, despite the notion and common beliefs that meditation is about sitting in the lotus position and can only be performed by Tibetian monks and Indian yogis. The truth is, meditation is for everyone. Any activity that promotes relaxation and the peace of mind is meditation. Take gardening for example, it can serve as a form of meditation because it brings you entirely in the moment and takes all the worries away. Proper meditation can be as simple as practicing mindfulness, such as focusing on your breath. Below is a simple way to meditate.

1. Find a place absent of distractions. It can be any place that you will not be disturb by anything. Your bedroom can be a good place.
2. Sit or lie down in a position you feel comfortable but not too much that it can make you fall asleep. You can choose to sit on a chair or cross legged, or just lie flat on the floor with your face up. Keep your spine straight to allow natural channels or energy to flow. You can lean onto the wall if you want to.
   
3. Begin noticing your breath. Pay attention to the depth of your breath, the way your ribcage expands and contracts, feel the smoothness of the air you inhale and feel it reaching inside you. Experience the richness of your breath and gradually breath deeper.
   
4. Remove all thoughts and worries from your mind. If you must, deal with the problem such as writing it down or do it first. Do not try to block the thoughts in your mind. Simply ignore it or allow it to arise and watch it dissipate. Let them come and go before you return to your breath.
5. You can say 'in' and 'out' in your mind during inhalation and exhalation in order to keep you on track.
6. Make an effort to practice daily for at least 10 minutes or more if you have the time.

Meditation can also enhance you mental faculties and brainpower. Researchers found that the hippocampus (an area of the brain associated with learning and memory) of people who meditated regularly is noticeably bigger than an average person. Selected study participants were also quicker in processing new information. In other studies, students who undergo meditation training show an improved in focus and concentration, leading to significantly higher scores in intelligence tests. Undoubtedly, meditation is a key aspect to the evolution of the human brain.