Shannon McKay

Enc 2135

Whitney Gilchrist

9 April, 2017

Namaste: An Investigation on the Benefits of Meditation

Okay class, today we are going to start off with a writing exercise. But before we begin,

I want everyone to sit back, relax in their chairs, and close their eyes, Ms. Whitney says as she

turns of the lights. I am sitting in a small English classroom at the Florida State University at

precisely 12:30 P.M. on a Wednesday. It is hot outside (partially because it is a million degrees in

Tallahassee, and partially because I sprinted here from lunch at my sorority house a few blocks

away). I am sweaty and tired and already bored with my new classes, so obviously, I do not close

my eyes at first. In fact, I have no idea whats going on and feel slightly awkward. I want you to

get comfortable in your seats, lean back so that you are not stiff but not too far back. Place your

hands wherever feels natural. Now, take a few breaths and focus on the sound of your chest

breathing in and out. Ahhhhhh. Now I understand what is going on. We are meditating. Because

I am stubborn, I hesitate at first, but then I decide to suck it up and actually do what I am told.

Almost instantly I feel a sense of calmness fall over me. As I listen to the sound of my own

breathing and all of the little unique sounds in the room, my mind seems to quiet down until I am

not thinking about anything but the noises of life in the room. Then, Ms. Whitney asks us to pick

up our pencils and start writing. For some reason, it feels easier this time. I am not pressing my

pencil hard into the paper like usual, and I do not feel the routine sense of urgency to hurry up

and finish what needs to be done. I just write and let my mind focus and wander. I am very

intrigued by the meditation and how I feel, so I decide to research a little when I get home.
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Meditation is a relaxation practice commonly used to calm ones nerves and clear their

mind. For thousands of years, people have used this method to achieve an overall sense of peace.

Mindfulness meditation stems from a Buddhist practice called vipassana, a term which can be

translated as to see in a special way (Chavan qtd in Ong and Sholtes 1). Although the origin of

meditation derives from an ancient Buddhist practice, it does not necessarily have to correlate

with religion. In fact, it is now widely used as more of a daily routine than a religious tradition.

Denise Foley, a woman who struggled herself with diabetes and found satisfying results through

meditation, claims that commonly when people meditate, they sit in a quiet place, in a

comfortable position, and do a series of breathing exercises as a method of relaxation (1). They

sit like this, listening to the breathing patterns and focusing on the small sounds of life to clear

their mind.

There are three types of meditation: Extensive-mindfulness meditation, transcendental

meditation, and compassion meditation. Extensive-mindfulness meditation is focused on what is

happening in the moment, and accepting each moment as it is. Transcendental meditation is

focused on detaching oneself from distress and developing harmony and self-awareness.

Compassion meditation is all about loving others and treating others with peace and warmth,

while also feeling that love within yourself (Braboszcz, Cahn, Levy et. al 4).

Many people practice meditation because it is medically proven to improve health.

Meditation is beneficial for ones health because it can help lower blood pressure, reduce stress,

and promote restful sleep. Some find that meditation helps them feel an overall sense of healthy

calmness. Meditation can be used however one wants it to be used (there is not a particular

structure), but the main point is to get a sense of living in the moment, and quieting the mind.

Meditation is commonly practiced with these elements: no distractions, a relaxed posture and
 McKay 3

comfortable position, all attention centered on the present, and a very open and positive mind

(Horowitz 223). People also often use yoga as a form of meditation. Insomnia is an issue that a

large amount of people struggle with. Some people use meditation as a method to put them to

sleep. Jason Ong, a graduate of the Rush University Medical Center, worked with David Sholtes

to conclude that meditation can help improve sleeping conditions because it alters peoples initial

reactions of not being able to sleep. Instead of getting worked up and trying harder for sleep,

breathing exercises and relaxation methods are very efficient and have been said to be very

useful for people who have tried them (1176). Since sleep is an important factor in health in

regards to the ability to function on a day-to-day basis, this information could service those who

obtain unhealthy sleeping habits.

Believe it or not, Meditation plays a role in the medical field. There are various studies

that show that meditation has led to health improvements. PhD holder, Sala Horowitz, quotes:

In 1979, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph. D., now professor emeritus of medicine and

founding director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the Center for Mindfulness in

Medicine, Health Care, and Society (see resources) at the University of Massachusetts

Medical School, developed the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program

and the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, in Worchester. The MBSR group;

all subjects continued usual care. At 5 years follow-up, stress reduction in the TM group

was associated with a 43% reduction in risk for all-cause morality, myocardial infraction,

and stroke (224).

To sum Horowitzs argument up, essentially one can increase his or her life expectancy

simply with mind exercises. Meditation has also been proven to help conditions for people with

diabetes.
 McKay 4

A study of the effect of a sitting breathing meditation on 50 patients with type 2

diabetes (mean age, 63) in a primary health center involved 3 weekly visits, a patient self-

care education section after breakfast, followed by 2 sessions of meditation. The

meditation sessions resulted in a postprandial hypoglycemic effect and slightly reduced

systolic and diabetic BP. (Horowitz 224).

Considering those who struggle with diabetes, blood pressure is a very important matter

of their every-day life. Complications due to excessively high or low blood pressure is not an

uncommon struggle for diabetics. Therefore, this information about how people can control their

blood pressure with meditation could be ground-breaking. Horowitz then continues to claim that

this information could be carried into patient treatment. Another case, which was studied at

Georgia Health Sciences University, provided evidence that people who meditated on a daily

basis were capable of decreasing their hearts left ventricle density, which can condense due to

high blood pressure (Eliaz 52). This is another benefit of blood pressure improvement that could

occur due to meditation.

Despite the medical evidence, some still think meditation may be somewhat unreliable.

Some say that more research needs to be done to efficiently determine the true effects of

meditation, and if it truly leads to health benefits. These people believe that in the meditation-

based trials, there simply is not enough evidence to reach the conclusion that changes in health

are, in fact, due to meditation. Conclusions of health benefits resulting from meditation are

extremely hard, if not impossible, to determine because medicine is not involved and there is not

a clear-cut way to track the thoughts in ones mind. Therefore, naturally, skepticism is created. A

proposed solution to the inefficiency of medical evidence on meditation benefits is having trials

with larger sampling capacity and overall improved quality (Moyer 1).
 McKay 5

A lot of rehabilitation centers use meditation as a therapy to help suppress addiction. For

example, meditation helps with the early stages of crime addiction. In fact, over 100

rehabilitation centers have used transcendental meditation to help crime prevention (Hawkins

et. al 444). To translate, possessing a clearer sense of mind and self helps criminals nip their

cravings in the bud before they act out and commit crimes. Another addiction meditation is

known to help is alcohol abuse. Alcoholism commonly stems from people with psychiatric

instabilities, trying to become numb to these feelings with the aid of alcohol. However,

meditation is now being introduced in replacement of alcohol, with a similar effect: calming

these addicts down so they do not feel these instabilities as severely. Meditation is also helpful

towards the initial cravings created by addiction (Mariatt and Chawla 451). The heightened

state of present-focused awareness that is encouraged by meditation may directly counteract the

conditioned automatic response to use alcohol in response to cravings and urges, (Mariatt and

Chawla 451). In other words, the clarity and awareness that results from meditation can negate

the lust for alcohol. For example, one time, I was at my ex-boyfriends house, talking with his

mother, who was at the time a recovered alcoholic. I asked her how she was doing and if she still

had cravings, and she said that sometimes, she did have small cravings, but her routine of early

morning meditations helped this lust tremendously. Then, one day, sadly, she had a relapse. After

the relapse, she was confiding in me about how disappointed she was in herself, and I asked her

what had changed. She had been sober for so long; what made her snap? She told me that she

had stopped her morning meditations. Now, I am not saying that this change in daily meditation

routine directly caused her to relapse, but it is ironic that soon after she stopped her morning

meditations after so many years, she relapsed.

 McKay 6

Personally, I am not a huge believer in all of the medicine we are told to take. I think

there has to be some harm in putting all of those pills and formulas into our bodies, especially

when a lot of the time there are tons of horrible possible side effects. I think we owe it to our

bodies to at least try natural remedies such as meditation. Meditation is revealing many other

health benefits as well, other than the ones listed above. Michelle Andrews, who wrote for the

U.S. News and World Report, confirms, meditation and other relaxation techniques work in

cells, turning on and off genes that are associated with inflammation, cell aging, and free

radicals, all of which are associated with damage to cells and tissues (1). This information

almost sounds super human. Imagine all of the L.A. moms that could save money from plastic

surgery by instead doing meditation practices to slow the skin cell aging. Imagine all of the

athletes that could save money from going to the doctor by instead reducing inflammation with

the power of their mind! Again, it is insane that our bodies are capable of such things.

Meditation has endless benefits. It is healthy for the mind, the body, the soul, the

mentality, and many other things. People have seen incredible results in medical capabilities and

addiction suppression as a result of meditation. I myself could have put meditation to use for

sleeping issues. For the duration of my life, I have struggled in the sleeping department. Most

nights, I would find myself staring at the dark ceiling, thinking about how tired I would be the

next day, and praying that I would be able to fall asleep. Some nights, I would break down into a

fit of anxiety-induced tears because I was so desperate for sleep, and it seemed as if the harder I

tried, the harder it was to fall asleep. After doing research of meditation, I am motivated to give it

a try and see how it affects my sleeping conditions; I may have finally found a solution to my

horrid sleeping habits. My diabetic grandmother would have also been intrigued by the possible

benefits of meditation. One memory that sticks out to me regarding my grandmothers health
 McKay 7

issues was on a family vacation in New York City a few years ago. My grandma had been acting

strange all day. She had been unusually giggly and seemed almost as if she was high. Later that

day, she passed out cold in her hotel room because her blood sugar was too low (she had

diabetes). It is interesting to discover that meditation can effect blood pressure, and she may have

been able to use that to regulate hers to prevent passing out. I know for a fact she would have

much preferred meditation practices than all of the medicines and pills that were prescribed to

her. Right of the top of my head, I alone am able to think of two people (including myself) who

could benefit from meditation. Imagine how many other people in the world could benefit as

well.

Works Cited
 McKay 8

Andrews, Michelle. "Meditate Your Angst Away." Ebscohost. The U.S. News & World Report.

149. 1 (2009) Print. web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=4&sid=cde00b62-b356-

41dd-9116-7d8fdf4f60ed%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=36885304&db=a9h>.

Boyer, Robert W., and Park Hensley. "Meditation as Transcending all Thought." Ebscohost. 14. 3

(2016) Print. owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/NeuroQuantology.

Braboszcz, Claire, et al. "Increased Gamma Brainwave Amplitude Compared to Control in Three

Different Meditation Traditions." 12.1 (2017) Print.

web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=23&sid=07f54b56-9ca6-4391-a7ec-

b08a6a6d0e46%40sessionmgr4007&hid=4104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=120932640&db=a9h Public Library of Science.

Eliaz, Issac. "Mind, Body, Heart." Ebscohost. 76. 2 (2014) Print.

web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=5&sid=07f54b56-9ca6-4391-a7ec-

b08a6a6d0e46%40sessionmgr4007&hid=4104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=93766838&db=a9h. Better Nutrition.

Foley, Denise. "Find Calm in the Chaos." Ebscohost. 58. 11 (2006) Print.

web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=8&sid=07f54b56-9ca6-4391-a7ec-

b08a6a6d0e46%40sessionmgr4007&hid=4104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=22854774&db=a9h. Prevention.

Hawkins, Mark, David Orme-johnson, and Christian Durchholz. "Re-Enlivening and Fulfilling

the Criminal Justice Rehabilitative Ideal through the Transcendental Meditation and TM-
 McKay 9

Sidhi Programs: Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Prevention." Ebscohost. 17.1 (2005) Print.

web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=25&sid=07f54b56-9ca6-4391-a7ec-

b08a6a6d0e46%40sessionmgr4007&hid=4104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=17124005&db=a9hJournal of Social Behavior and Personality.

Horowitz, Sala. "Helath Benefits of Meditation: What the Newest Research shows."

Ebscohost.16. 4 (2010) Print. web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?

vid=10&sid=07f54b56-9ca6-4391-a7ec-

b08a6a6d0e46%40sessionmgr4007&hid=4104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=52680827&db=a9h. Alternative & Complementary Therapies.

Khalsa, Sat, et al. Evaluation of Mental Health Benefits of Yoga in a Secondary School: A

Preliminary Randomized Control Trial. Ebscohost. 1st ed. Journal of Behavioral Health

Services and Research, 2012. Print. web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?

vid=13&sid=07f54b56-9ca6-4391-a7ec-

b08a6a6d0e46%40sessionmgr4007&hid=4104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=70325374&db=a9h. Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research.

Marlatt, Alan, and Neharika Chawla. "Meditation and Alcohol use." Ebscohost. 100.4 (2007)

Print. web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=27&sid=07f54b56-9ca6-4391-a7ec-

b08a6a6d0e46%40sessionmgr4007&hid=4104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=24776560&db=a9h. Southern Medical Journal.

Meyers, Neely, Sara Lewis, and Mary Dutton. "Open Mind, Open Heart: An Anthropological

Study of the Therapeutics of MeditationPractice in the US." Ebscohost. 39.3 (2015): 1.

 McKay 10

Print. web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=15&sid=07f54b56-9ca6-4391-a7ec-

b08a6a6d0e46%40sessionmgr4007&hid=4104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=108541029&db=a9h. Culture, Medicine, & Psychiatry.

Moyer, Melinda. "Is Meditation Overrated?" Ebscohost. 25. 3 (2014) Print.

web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=17&sid=07f54b56-9ca6-4391-a7ec-

b08a6a6d0e46%40sessionmgr4007&hid=4104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=95539825&db=a9h. The Journal of American Medicine Association (JAMA)

Internal Medicine. Scientific American Mind.

Ong, Jason, and David Sholtes. "A Mindfullness-Based Approach to the Treatment of Insomnia."

Ebscohost. 66. 11 (2010) Print. http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?

vid=19&sid=07f54b56-9ca6-4391-a7ec-

b08a6a6d0e46%40sessionmgr4007&hid=4104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=54419665&db=a9h. Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Wills, brad, and Chris Sharma. "Find Calm Amid the Chaos." Ebscohost. 32. 1 (2017) Print.

web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=21&sid=07f54b56-9ca6-4391-a7ec-

b08a6a6d0e46%40sessionmgr4007&hid=4104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=119933747&db=a9h. Mens Health.

Shannon McKay

Whitney Gilchrist
 McKay 11

Enc 2135

9 April, 2017

Research Paper Proposal

My research paper is sort of a series of questions, all relating back to the main question

what are the benefits of meditation. I would like to cover small topics within this bigger

question, such as whether or not there is medical evidence that shows that meditation improves

your health, and if meditation can help cure or relieve an addiction. Also, I would like to find out

if there is a certain time of day and/or weather that is better for meditation, and discover if

meditation can help people with a psychological disorder. I would like to maybe mention the

opposing view and discover if there are people who do not believe meditation does anything. I

would like to talk about good ways to learn meditation, what role religion plays in meditation,

and see if people who meditate are actually generally happier?

A few possible title options I am contemplating are: why you should find your inner

peace or sit back, relax, and breathe or why meditation is quite the sensation and is

meditation a common thing for writers to use to clear their head? or something creative that has

to do with meditation

Basically, I want my project to explain all the theories behind meditation because it is

something that I have always wondered about, but know little about. I will be looking for a

mixture of medical evidence, facts and opinions on the benefits of meditation. Also, I will be

looking for cool tips from experts on meditation. Key terms I will be keeping my eye out for are:

relaxation, heart rate, breathing techniques, yoga, inner thoughts, and addiction.

Sometimes in class, Ms. Whitney would have us to some breathing meditation before

writing exercises. They seemed to calm me down and allow me to write without my head getting
 McKay 12

all jumbled, which interested me. It also reminded me of a time my ex-boyfriends mom told me

that she meditated every morning to help her alcohol addiction. Unfortunately, she started to

relapse and I asked her if she was still meditating every morning and she said no. I wondered if

this was something that caused her to relapse, so I wanted to look more into it. It seems like a

very interesting topic, and I wonder if it can help me with anxiety I get from being homesick and

stressed sometimes. Essentially, I hope to learn how to meditate and how I can bring that into my

life if I find that it is beneficial. I also hope to simply learn more about it in general because I am

intrigued by the topic.

I think the most trouble I will face in this paper will be the facts and the medical

evidence. I am already having a hard time finding these things in the databases, especially

because the full text of the databases are so long that it is hard to find key elements that I am

looking for. Also, I am worried about citations. I do not have much experience with this; I have

not done a research project in a long time so that is definitely something I am concerned about.