Awareness of one’s mental state is a quintessential requirement for improving the thinking, learning, and remembering processes that form the basis of our belief systems. Involuntary stray thoughts, however, are major impediments to willful control of awareness, but are genetically inherent in the human psyche. They often play an important role in creative thinking but can also give rise to obsessive (semi-conscious) beliefs that cause fatigue, especially if associated with unpleasant emotional states. Meditative methods, of which there are many, afford an effective means to break the clutch of discomforting mindsets.
Meditation comprises a mix of intentional and non-intentional mental processes that can be correlated gainfully with the natural autonomic rhythm of breathing environmental nutrients essential to life. A prime intent of meditation is to remove disconcerting mindsets by intentionally creating a relaxed state of awareness. An effective first step is to focus on the rhythm of one’s breathing, until annoying mindsets are submerged via this act of concentration.
It is possible then to shift awareness to simply observing the body's natural breathing rhythm. A troublesome task if the mind is being buffeted by emotionally charged feelings! Interrupting and removing discomforting mindsets can also be achieved by mantra-like (eyes closed) meditative breathing. One focuses rhythmically on an in breath and out breath for a sufficient, but not an extended time, which should permit a gradual shift into a natural breathing state of relaxed awareness. Very individual and not simple tasks, but very rewarding if successful!
On achieving (eyes open) awareness, one can progress to intentional thought tasks that set off a pleasurable meditative flow of mental activity. Meditation requires periodic practice in moving smoothly and quasi-simultaneously between rhythmic breathing and focus on pleasurable tasks. One must guard against drifting into an intensive non-flowing mental state that breeds mental fatigue. Meditation is best pursued by experimenting with either a visual or verbal flow of pleasant thought patterns. Potential creative elements may emerge if the flow evolves into a semi-intentional free wheeling sequence linked to a novel view of a task.
One of the benefits of meditation is its ability to induce sleep. One can set a natural base for transition to a sleep state, especially when tired, by concentrating solely on the rhythm of one’s natural breathing. This should permit a gradual drift into an unfocussed flow of pleasant thoughts and ultimately into a sleep state.
The ability to control thought and memory flow and to relax into simple awareness is indicative of successful meditation. Overall, meditative exercise serves to improve mental life and, as we shall document below, can defer the aging atrophy that results from lack of mental exercise; thus, senile dementia.
Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind#Meditative_control_of_thought_and_memory
