Science.org
The body is a dancer’s instrument, but is it attuned to the mind? A new study from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that professional ballet and modern dancers are not as emotionally in sync with their bodies as are people who regularly practice meditation.
UC Berkeley researchers tracked how closely the emotions of seasoned meditators and professional dancers followed bodily changes such as breathing and heart rates.
They found that dancers who devote enormous time and effort to developing awareness of and precise control over their muscles — a theme coincidentally raised in the new ballet movie “Black Swan” — do not have a stronger mind-body connection than do most other people.
By contrast, veteran practitioners of Vipassana or mindfulness meditation — a technique focused on observing breathing, heartbeat, thoughts and feelings without judgment — showed the closest mind-body bond, according to the study recently published in the journal Emotion.
“We all talk about our emotions as if they are intimately connected to our bodies — such as the ‘heartache of sadness’ and ‘bursting a blood vessel’ in anger,” said Robert Levenson, a UC Berkeley psychology professor and senior author of the study. “We sought to precisely measure how close that connection was, and found it was stronger for meditators.”
Editor’s note: In Islam the five prayers, together with the movements involved in them, are designed to combine meditation, moral elevation, physical exercise and mind-body-emotions bond.
Categories: Health & Fitness, Meditation, Religion
I am sorry to say but Islamic prayers does not combined meditation. Islamic prayers are absolutely religious in nature. However some Islamic prayer postures appears as a yoga pose but its nothing to do about meditation or meditation effect. Nonetheless, Sufi songs are abl to generate (may be)similar effect on body and mind.
Meditation means awareness and focused attention, a cessation of the thought process. It describes a state of consciousness, when the mind is free of scattered thoughts. It is a state of relaxed concentration on the present moment (God in prayers).
The best known and most widely practiced example of meditation is prayer. In Islam, prayer (salat), is a meditation of the highest order if done right. Unfortunately, most muslims do it as a ritual or habit now, unaware of the fact that a salat (prayer) is to reaffirm and strengthen the bond between the Creator and creation for guiding the soul to the light of truth and for maintaining the feeling of peace (spiritual-5 times/day) in daily life activities (work, social, family etc).
Peace,
No, RJ I am sorry but, you’re wrong. Islamic prayer does incorporate a high level of meditation.
Definition of Meditation:
Meditation is a practice of concentrated focus upon a sound, object, visualization, the breath, movement, or attention itself in order to increase awareness of the present moment, reduce stress, promote relaxation, and enhance personal and spiritual growth.
Recent study of some individuals who spend long hours in meditation and prayer show similar changes in brain waves and brain formation (the study was of yogi’s and nuns if I remember correctly). Additionally, the easiest way to start this change in brain structure does not require crazy bouts of either meditation or prayer. Rather, the brain responds quite quickly to a routine that incorporates regular intervals of meditation or prayer. Another proof that Islam is the perfect religion sent by God Almighty himself for the betterment of mankind.
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FOR THOSE WHO SINCERELY WISH TO UNDERSTAND THE ISLAMIC WAY OF MEDITATION
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Meditation vs. Dance: Soofi Practices and Ahmadiyya Point of View
Backgrounder:-
Peace of Mind is believed to be the best State of Mind leading onto a better living with a positive attitude in personal and social life.
Since a peaceful mind is able to concentrate better, rationalize better and deduce better conclusions, it is considered to be the foundation of a Righteous Life Pattern causing no atrocities to one’s own self and everything beyond the self.
Existentialism and other philosophies (deep down in the core) mean to teach Rationale of Life and so does the Psychological Studies and Practices.
All “Religions” also mean to create the “Rationale of Life” in their own ways; and divides the entire human life into the following pattern or an equation:-
Right vs. Wrong = Good vs. Bad
The relative perspective being that life of a person is a square on its own and can sit in perfect harmony (90 degrees perpendicular) with the next square (life of other person) without disturbing its own space and peace and causing no “Adverse Overlap” on the neighbouring square. Just as below:-
No religion proclaims to have taught either a Wrong or a Bad (even in the most expanded of its terms).
Promised Messiah (pbuh) described it as that the Human is born in a neutral state and can live the same and similar to the (biological beings) animals; restricted within the realms of its INSTINCTS, if not adequately groomed. It is the religion that GROOMS the Human;
From – Instinctive Behaviour – to – Modest Living
From – Modest Living – to – Righteous Living
From – Righteous Living – to – Eternally Truthful Life
(Teachings of the Philosophy of Islamic Principles)
Peaceful Mind Helps a Human in Achieving the Eternally Truthful Life. That is why there exist the practices of varying kinds – Meditation, Yoga, Music and Soofi Dances, for example.
Islamic Point of View:-
One
The absolute foundation is Read the message of God (Quran) and ponder on its meanings, Read and Understand i.e CONTEMPLATE : (Tadabur) : MURAQBA.
Following are good Reference Books to the subject {ALL – by The Second Caliph of Ahmadiyyat Hadhrat Musleh Maud Mirza Bashir uDin Mahmood Ahmad, r.a} :-
1. Minhaj ul Talibeen
2. Zikre Ilahi
3. Taqdeere Ilahi
4. Haqeeqat ul Roya
5. Haqeeqat ul Malaika
6. Irfane Ilahi
Two
If you find its rationale to human life then, Accept them for your life, Believe : (Aamanoo).
Three
If you deem them right then, Adopt them in your day to day activity, Do Good Deeds : (Amale Saleh): MUJAHIDA.
The entire PRACTICE OF ISLAMIC TEACHINGS starts with MURAQBA and ends with MUJAHIDA and the person performing them is called a SAALIK (the one who endeavours to achieve eternal truth).
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“Saalik” is the NOUN which has been most lovingly used frequently by The Holy Promised Messiah (pbuh) in attribution to his followers.
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(Sayings of the Promised Messiah –pbuh – Address to the First Annual Congregation – 1897 – Malfoozat – Volume One – Page 17)
When a Saalik steadfastly continues in his Mujahida, he devotes himself to the Will of God {FANAA} and achieves Truthfulness of the Eternity {LAQAA} – Hindus call it NIRWANA.
This is the stage where the endeavours (Mujahida of the Saalik ends) – (Teachings of the Philosophy of Islamic Principles).
This is when the Saalik stands accomplished to receive “Rid of the Sins” – {BAQAA} which is NAJAAT – Hindus call it MUKTI.
THE STATE OF PEACEFUL MIND IS ACHIEVABLE with Meditation, Yoga, Music, Dances, Hypnosis and Mesmerism – THEIR EFFECT IS SO SERENE AND LURING THAT IT IS EASY TO DEEM IT AS “THE FINALE” AND BE CONTENDED WITH IT – BUT – “none of them alone or together causes to get Rid of the Sins” – {AND – more than that is still achievable with Islamic Practices}. This is exactly where the religion steps in to help progress with MUJAHIDA and eventually get rid of the sins.
Islamic Practices:-
Although the Soofis proclaim themselves as Muslims but have limited themselves up to attaining the Peaceful state of Mind and thus remain short of LAQAA and BAQAA. Same stands good with Yogis and Rishis.
The Holy Teachings of The Promised Messiah (pbuh) emphasise to FOLLOW THE SAME PRACTICES as performed by The Holy Prophet of Islam Muhammad (saw); and those are:-
1. HALAL & SUITABLE EATING;
2. PROPER BODY WORK OUT;
3. ABLUTION & BATH;
4. CLEAN & MODEST DRESS;
5. FRAGNANCE;
6. CONTEMPLATION;
7. READING or LISTENING GOOD POETRY
8. REMEMBRANCE OF GOD; and
9. GOOD DEEDS
ISLAMIC MEDITATION:-
It is based upon “contemplation” – and keeping the mind focused upon seeking the “truth” in everything and always. The process opens as below:-
1. Sit in a quiet place (in the house or in a mosque).
2. Have the place adequately lit with light.
3. Read Quraan
4. Utter Names (Attributes) of God (Asma ul Husa)
5. Recite the Verses of Quran – which contain Commandments – ACTS REQUIRED TO BE PERFORMED and the ACTIONS TO REFRAIN FROM.
6. Contemplate on the Meanings
7. READ BIOGRAPHY of The Holy Prophet of Islam Muhammad (saw) and INVOKE PRAISE (Darood) for him.
8. READ or LISTEN to GOOD POETRY or PROSE; descriptive of the achievements made by earlier soofis.
9. Suggest yourself to (rationally) ABSORB & ADOPT the Attributes of God in your life ADEQUATE to the SITUATION.
An extremely comprehensive account of it is embedded in the TEN CONDITIONS OF ALLEGIANCE.
This is what a MUSLIM does in the SALAAT and is expected to be doing AT ALL OTHER TIMES as he may have for himself.
PROFOUND HISTORICAL EXAMPLES:-
ISLAMIC MEDITATION produces a SATURATED PEACEFUL STATE OF MIND; which is highly focused and clear of ambiguity.
EXAMPLE – ONE
The Fourth Caliph of Islam – Hadhrat Ali (karamUllah wajhoo) received a MULTI-PRONGED ARROW around his shoulder blades and was considered to be extremely painful if extracted and probably fatal.
He said, “I will stand to perform my SALAAT and the medics may then pull out the arrow” – and yes, the arrow was PAINLESSLY PULLED OUT.
EXAMPLE – TWO
In April 1954 – when The Second Caliph of Ahmadiyyat Hadhrat Mirza Bashir uDin Mahmood Ahmad, r.a; received his life threatening injury (He was stabbed at the hind of his neck with a knife by a miscreant standing for SALAAT behind him).
He adamantly refused the following:-
• Admission to a hospital’s surgical theater; and
• Use of any Anaesthetic (Chloroform – in those days)
(Late) Dr. Riyaz Qadeer Sahib performed the surgery in the living room of Qasre Khilafat, Rabwah without induction of anY Anaesthetic – without ANY Pain and Cries !
What Hadhrat Sahib; Mirza Bashir uDin Mahmood Ahmad, ra; did during the procedure is reciting the Holy Quraan + Zikre Ilahi and invoking Darood.
By the way; (Late) Dr. Riyaz Qadeer Sahib was a Lahori Jamaat Ahmadi and the son of Maulana Ghulam Qadir Fasih Sahib, r.a; a great scholar of the 19th century from Sialkot and a notable friend of The Promised Messiah Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, a.s. since before his proclamation of being the Promised Messiah.