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36 “НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ВЕРЕСЕНЬ 2011 POSITIVE THINKING, MEDITATION, AND HEALTH Ihor Magun, MD, FACP Contrary to what most people may believe, we have more power over our own health than we realize — the power of positive expectation. This concept is now garnering credibility in medicine and is opening up a new frontier. Some of the research about the power of positive expectation is fueled by funding from the National Institutes of Health, which have allocated over one billion dollars to this research over the past decade. At first glance, this is a tremendous sum of money to support something many people h ave never even heard of; in reality it may be a very small price to pay for something that may prove to be universally helpful and healing. There appears to be a complex relationship between the human mind, belief, and expectation. The interactions among these three are notoriously difficult to explain, but the more data that is collected, the more there is to be said about mind - powered healing, particularly with a tie - in of meditation. Is all of this simply the product of a release of endorphins, or is it something vastly more profound? Studies aimed at understanding the medi - cine behind the effects of positive expectation are, to date, inconclusive. Research that includes placebo medications suggest there may be some thing to it. On the other hand, some v iew the effects as a prompted response from gullible patients who are predisposed to think this medication will do what researchers say it might do. Nonetheless, there is growing interest in this concept and especially active interest in its potentially b eneficial effects. If, for example, we were somehow able to harness this power, how wonderful would that be? What positive changes in health and well - being might occur? Most of us won’t be enrolling in any placebo trial or study on this subject anytime so on (or ever), but one easy way to prompt the positive effects described about is meditation. Stress puts us at risk for medical problems; meditation works in an opposite way. It restores tranquility, allowing the body to heal itself. At the same time, it c an prevent new or more damage. Unlike medications (or even herbal therapies), meditation requires no prescription and produces no harmful side - effects. It is also free and available on demand. You can meditate anywhere and anytime you want; mediation requ ires no special equipment, and even individuals with physical limitations can take full advantage of approach to healing. So what is meditation? Most people have some vague understanding of the process, mostly impressions acquired from watching TV or hear ing others talk about their meditation experiences. What they see or hear may all seem too easy even to be useful, but this is a classic case for the “don’t knock it till you’ve tried it” philosophy! Meditation has helped many, many people feel better (and better about themselves) because it has alleviated both physical or mental stress in these individuals. Practicing meditation involves sitting in a relaxed position (no special position or seat) with the intent of clearing your mind. A good way to begin i s to allot five to twenty minutes of distraction - free time in an atmosphere of silence. Begin by seeing yourself as an “outside observer” of your thoughts. Focus. You can focus on a sound (like the "ooooommm" you’ve seen on TV), on something spiritual, on things you find peaceful (an ocean wave, a mountain peak, or a sunset), or on nothing in particular. The trick is to focus on something because that will help circumvent commentaries from your conscious mind. Just like physical exercise, meditation takes some practice, discipline, and commitment. Proper (i.e., useful) meditation requires focusing on the current moment , not on past issues, current problems, or future projects or plans. As you meditate, your brain activity increases and can bring on positive thoughts and emotions. While research with positive thinking - placebo effects is still in its infancy, why not try medit ation for yourself? The attempt can be a first step to a better you. Meditation is not a means to an end. It is both the means and the end . – Krishnamurti. Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
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