Meditation is a structured mental process that involves a moment-to-moment regulation of attention. One strives to become, in effect, an objective, non-judgmental observer of one’s mental activity. There are two primary forms of meditative practice — (1) Concentrative meditation and (2) Mindfulness meditation. In Concentrative Meditation, the emphasis is on restricting one’s focus to a specific word, thought, sound, sensation of breath, or a visual symbol, such as a mandala. Benson’s Relaxation Response instructs individuals to repeat a specific word, phrase, or prayer that has a special personal meaning. Similarly, TM, another form of concentrative meditation, uses the sound mantra as the central focus of attention. Mindfulness Meditation, of which Kabat Zinn is the primary exponent, entails a broadening rather than narrowing of awareness, in which the meditator learns to let thoughts or sensations come and go freely, without holding onto them, to promote a non-reactive state of mind. Many practitioners use a blended approach, in which concentrative elements (focus on breath) coexist with the more expansive kind of attention characteristic of mindfulness.

Content last modified on Mar 25, 2003