RUNNINGHEAD:Meditation Charitar1

Christine Charitar

Meditation for Peace

Psych 159e

Professor Hoffman

University of California, Santa Cruz

February 16, 2016

Meditation for Peace

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For several thousands of years, many parts of the world have known about the amazing

practice of meditation. Originally from the eastern part of the world, the span of meditation is

now a worldwide convention used by those who want to bring mindfulness and peace into their

lives. The benefits of practicing meditation range from stress reduction, increased concentration,

increase in happiness, and even the aid of immune health (Norris). There are also physiological

benefits that can come from the practice if it is done regularly. The simplicity of meditating

means that it can be done at just about anywhere at anytime. This project takes a look at the

differences between eastern practices versus that of western, and attempts to see if the variations

between the practice can bring inner peace regardless of contrast.

Further, achieving inner peace is an extremely important endeavor because with all that

goes on in the outside world it is important to have an internal balance. Often times it is easy to

get caught up in the stressors of daily life, but with the regular practice of meditation one can see

great changes. It is important to consider meditation because it has stood the test of time as a

viable practice for creating inner peace. There must be something to it if certain religions have

incorporated mindfulness into their traditions. Through this assignment I hope to find research on

whether the inner peace that is achieved by people may also be transferred into outer peace.

This project seeks to better understand the details of practicing mindfulness, so that the

website I create can be used as a guide. I would like for viewers who find my website to easily

have the ability to consider practicing meditation if they would like to. By creating the

differences between eastern and western traditions portion of my website I hope to give people a

way to find out what form of meditation they believe will work best for them. Through the

research that I have found, it is increasingly apparent that as long as you are doing something,

you are benefitting yourself.

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Some eastern traditions generally view mindfulness as a way of life. Various sources also

say that some western traditions practice meditation as a way to cope with specific issues or

simply to connect with with their gods. A key difference I recognized was the religious emphasis

that the west places on meditation. While of course there are a lot of ties to religion in eastern

cultures, it is not the main emphasis or point of practicing meditation. Mindfulness is an activity

that can be used to train your mind and better regulate your emotions. While some practitioners

in the west might be keen on using it for this purpose, it is emphasized in studies that westerners

mainly meditate for building a personal relationship with god.

Currently, my dropbox covers the general concept of meditation and some of the

differences around the world. It is my goal to find more sources that are descriptive about how to

practice meditation, because the descriptions given by general websites do not delve into the

specifics. Almost the majority of sources that write about meditation and mindfulness do not

actually explain how to practice it. While some people know that it is an easy thing to do, many

do not attempt to meditate due to their lack of understanding of why they must do certain aspects

involved with it. Depending on the method a person uses, it is also somewhat difficult to believe

that something so simple can create the plethora of positive benefits.

Ultimately, my project has a long way to go, but in the end I hope to create something

that is comprehensive and useful for those that are unaware of the peacefulness that can be found

in the practice. Everyone deserves to be happy and to live a life that they feel in control of.

Personal experience has shown me the great benefits that can come from self-acceptance and

contemplation, and I hope to enable others to join me in the practice. The amazing thing about

meditation is that it can be practiced in a multitude of ways, I hope this project can help others

find a form that they like and can consider using. In the words of the Dalai Lama, We can never
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obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves. I hope my project can help

at least one person find inner peace within themselves, so that we can become that much closer

to a peaceful world. The materials that I have chosen to use are all useful in a collective way. I

found an incredible guide that by Tara Brach, a psychologist and meditation guide, that simply

breaks down the process of meditation. Simply put, meditation can be summarized as stillness of

the mind. Although it sounds quite simple, it is easier said than done. Brach breaks down the

process step by step in a practical guide that makes the practice easy to follow. I decided to

incorporate this guide into my website and project because it is important to know how to do

what I am so fully advocating.

Moreover the road to inner peace is not an easy one. All too often it is difficult to find and

create awareness in daily life. Before I delve into all of the ways a person can benefit from

mindfulness I believe it is important to have a foundation and background in it. The Brach guide

that I chose to use will show a traditional perspective on the topic that will nevertheless be

beneficial. The goal of this paper is of course to compare eastern and western practices, but the

how to guide is generally based on eastern traditions. While this does create somewhat of a bias

in a sense, it is only supplementary to the main goal of the project so I do not find it problematic.

Further, the first tabs of my website provide a historical background for the origins of

meditation. I have a few links that lead to articles which give a brief history for both sides of the

tradition. Before giving an in depth analysis and differentiating the types of meditative practices

that exist, I believe it is wise to have a strong general understanding of what is being promoted.

As you move deeper into my website there is a tab called Differences in Practice which

has two separate tabs under it with one separately labeled Eastern Practice and then Western

Practice below it. In these tabs I will further break down the cultural differences between
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practices. I believe this will also give viewers the ability to see if either tradition resonates with

them more than another, especially considering how different they are.

The website that I have constructed is relatively user friendly. It is incredibly interactive

because every picture on the site doubles as a link to an article that provides more information

about the subject of that page. In an effort to keep the site from being too repetitive I decided to

dedicate a different theme and subject matter to every page/tab. The ultimate goal with this is for

viewers to continuously learn more as they delve further into the site. From general knowledge

comes a specific how-to guide, then a page that discusses the reasoning for meditation, and

finally the differences between practices. I am hoping that viewers can walk away with a sense of

the differences between traditions, but also the general understanding that despite the variations

there is substance and peace to be found within the practice.

It is important to me to allow people to leave my site with the understanding that there is

no right or wrong meditative tradition to follow. Although the differences suggest that the east

has much more to offer, that is not the primary point. It is far more important to know that any

type of mindfulness can give a person benefits. The tab titled Peaceful Effects of Meditation

has the most information out of the entire site because the purpose of this project is to create the

possibility of action. The path to awareness is one that must be traveled alone, and it seems

logical to know where you are heading if one embarks on this journey.

Of course, understanding the differences between eastern and western traditions is

imperative to the assignment, however it is not what will make a difference in the lives of people.

Giving people a reason to pursue mindfulness is what will make the difference in the lives of

others. It is unlikely that anyone would pick up this practice without understanding the benefits,

and viewers can only create peace if they know why they should practice meditation. If you give
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a person a sound reason that will benefit them it is far more likely that they will take what you

say to heart.

Finally, the website will hopefully show people that inner peace is possible to attain with

simple changes. A person can experience numerous physical and internal benefits if they have

the desire to make a change and try. There is a reason the Eastern part of the world has been

practicing mindfulness for so many thousands of years. There is obviously something to learn

from them. If you look at many of these countries one can see that they live in a state of peace.

Whether it be inner peace or an extension outwards, the only way a person can reach a peaceful

state of being is by regular practice. Regardless of the tradition one might choose, the consistent

point is that it must be done. This is not to say that the just and correct way of achieving peace in

the world is through meditation, but history and countless studies show that it is easier to make

your way into a positive and happy place when you are at ease with yourself.

Now more than ever we need to focus on building a peaceful world. If we do nothing the

world will continue on in its path. Instead of being a bystander, it is important to be an active

participant in this world. A huge benefit of meditation is creating control over your mind and

thoughts. There comes a great deal of positivity and goodness when a person has the strength to

keep the problems of the world out of their head. Meditation will not get rid of the problems, but

it can put a person in the proper state of mind to productively deal with whatever is thrown at

them. Instead of allowing the world to affect your inner peace, a mindful person will work

through their issues with a clear head and heart. If we all saw the world without our egoes and

negative emotions I know that the world would be a better place. Meditation has the capacity to

get us moving in the right direction. I sincerely hope that those that view my site can see

possibilities that can come from adopting this worthwhile practice.

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References

Brach, T. (2007). How to Meditate. Retrieved from http://161i0b3ix3ry1ypy2o1m19u1.

wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/HowToMeditateForPDF.pdf

Chow, S. (2015, November 22). Meditation History. Retrieved February 18, 2017, from

http://www.news-medical.net/health/Meditation-History.aspx

Norris, E. (2015, August 06). Psychological Benefits of Meditation. Retrieved February 18,

2017, from http://thebrainflux.com/psychological-benefits-of-meditation/

University of Oslo. (2014, May 13). East/West differences in meditation:

Spirituality or technique.ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 18, 2017 from

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140513092401.htm