I would say so, as I have personally seen remarkable changes occur in my own life after starting a meditation practice of my own. As I move towards 49, I , like many women in America, are looking for a way to reduce stress while increasing vitality and longevity. A great diet, regular exercise and a large dose of meditation is just what the doctor ordered to stay young and vibrant as we move into our more "mature" years.
According to studies conducted by American physiologies, Robert Wallace, not only can mediation reduce stress and anxiety but it can indeed reduce aging. A study in England states that for every year of regular meditation it takes off roughly one year of aging. A typical 60 year old who mediates regularly five years or more would have the physiology of a 48 year old. A 1986 Blue Cross-Blue Shield insurance study based on two thousand meditators in Iowa showed that they were much healthier than the American population as a whole in several major areas of serious disease, both mental and physical.
Our friends at Integral Enlightenment have been offering guided online group meditation courses for the past two years, and found the impact on participants has been nothing short of life-changing. Many find that, in this supportive "collective field," they are able to gain access to a depth of meditation that has previously eluded them--often despite years or even decades of meditation practice. Silent meditation has always played a central role on the spiritual path. By allowing us to step directly beyond the mind and ego, authentic meditation provides us with both a direct experience of the "natural state" at the heart of spiritual life and an opportunity to ground our being in that primordial freedom.
Integral Enlightenment founder Craig Hamilton offers a free monthly meditation gathering online. It's called: Meditation for Evolutionaries. Find out more about how you can join our Charleston network of meditators as well as a worldwide network available every Sunday morning.
Looking for a place to practice meditation in a group environment locally:
Living Meditation at Seeking Indigo
Second Monday of Every Month
7pm
Interested in an in-depth opportunity to participate with world renowned Zen master Jun Po Roshi right here in Charleston:
Public Lecture on Mondo Zen in Relationships:The Unbreakable Heart. Saturday, September 10th from 7-9pm
{$30 per person for pre-registered guests or $40 at the door}
An Intimate Workshop on Relationships- Sunday, September 11th from 12-4pm
{$65 per person for pre-registered guests or $75 per person or $125 per couple at the door}
Private Sessions with Mondo Zen Master Jun Po Roshi on Monday, September 11th. Six sesshins with Jun Po Roshi and DR Mary Vicara will be available to book and the sesshins are 1 hour long.
{$200 per sesshin. Times available: 8-9, 9:15-10:15,
10:30-11:30, 1:00-2:00, 2:15-3:15, and 3:30-4:30}
Looking to connect with a global network to experience the power of numbers from Integral Enlightenment:
One Sunday morning each month, we'll gather from around the world
online and by phone to participate in this collective journey in
consciousness. Each 90-minute event will begin with a brief talk about meditation,
followed by a 45-minute guided meditation and a 30-minute Q&A
session during which you can ask your questions about meditation
and receive direct guidance from Craig.
More information: http://integralenlightenment.com/index.php
Seeking Indigo's 