There is a burgeoning body of research, as well, that shows that self-care of the spirit – meditation – can have a wide range of profound therapeutic effects. Meditation has nothing to do with religion, spiritual dogma, or otherworldly phenomena. Meditation is a set of skills for becoming intimate with your own consciousness, your own heart. You might as well, since it is with you 24/7!
Interested in in training in the art of meditation? I was a Buddhist monk for over 10 years in Burma, and I also have training in the Japanese Zen and Tibetan Vajrayana traditions, and am happy to share what I learned from that experience.
You will become good friends with walking meditation and activity meditation, as contemplative practice does not just mean sitting. You will learn the applied psychology of meditation, because understanding what you are doing and why you are doing it makes contemplative practice a joy and an exploration instead of a chore or spiritual obligation.
– Non-sectarian. Nothing taught should conflict with your religious affiliation
– Please dress reasonably – loose & comfortable, not revealing
– Bring your own meditation cushion, or a limited number may be available for use
Currently, I am leading two meditation groups. Please join these Meetup groups to keep abreast of our activities:
Bergen:
Tranquility/Insight Meditation of Bergen & Orange County
Orange:
Tranquility/Insight Meditation of Orange County
LAN Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine
New Windsor, NY
Mindfulness Meditation Produces Positive Well-Being
Mindfulness meditation has been reported to produce positive effects on psychological well-being that extend beyond the time the individual is formally meditating. Over the last several decades mindfulness meditation practices have been increasingly incorporated into counseling, medical, and psychotherapeutic programs to take advantage of these benefits. A large body of research has established the efficacy of these mindfulness-based interventions in reducing symptoms of a number of disorders, Read more...
read moreMindfulness as Powerful Therapy
As research has burgeoned in recent years, mindfulness has migrated from spiritual retreat centers to counseling and medical facilities. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the largest scientific organization in the world dedicated to research on the understanding and treatment of mental illness, is getting serious about investigating mindfulness as a complementary treatment for a range of mental health conditions.Mindfulness helps to train individuals in bringing back the attention Read more...
read moreAcupuncture and Herbal Medicine Vanquish Insomnia
Researchers document that acupuncture and herbs are effective in the relief of insomnia. In a recent finding, investigators have discovered that combining acupuncture and herbs into a comprehensive treatment regimen greatly enhances the total effective rate. The controlled clinical experiment investigated three separate groups. An acupuncture group, an herbal medicine group, and a combination group receiving both acupuncture and herbs were compared. Acupuncture was administered at a rate of one Read more...
read moreAcupuncture Blocks Stress Hormone
Georgetown University Medical Center and University of Hong Kong researchers find acupuncture effective for the treatment of chronic stress. In a unique laboratory investigation, researchers discovered that electroacupuncture at acupuncture point ST36 “prevents the stress-induced increases in HPA hormones, and has potentially long lasting effects.” In addition, behavioral tests show electroacupuncture is an effective modality in eliminating “depressive and anxious behavior.” The researchers Read more...
read moreHerbs and Acupuncture for Insomnia
Researchers find acupuncture combined with herbal medicine effective for the treatment of insomnia. A randomized-controlled study of 200 patients, published in the Clinical Journal of Chinese Medicine, investigated the efficaciousness of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) herbal formulas combined with a protocolized acupuncture point prescription.Acupuncture, as a standalone therapeutic modality, achieved a total effective rate of 85%. The combined herbal and acupuncture therapeutic regimen Read more...
read moreParkinson’s Treated with Acupuncture
Researchers confirm that acupuncture and other Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) procedures are effective Parkinson’s disease treatment modalities. Specialized TCM procedures demonstrating efficaciousness include scalp acupuncture, moxibustion, and acupotomy. The researchers conducted a meta-analysis and concluded that acupuncture significantly improves the overall condition of Parkinson’s disease patients. Parkinson’s disease is a nervous system disorder characterized by tremors, Read more...
read moreAcupuncture Restores Function After Stroke
Scalp acupuncture enhances neurologic repair and reduces cerebral edema due to an intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), a type of stroke. Researchers conducted a laboratory experiment on laboratory rats and discovered that acupuncture improves neurologic functions following an ICH. Additionally, a biochemical analysis reveals that acupuncture regulates expression of MMP-9 (matrix metallopeptidase), an enzyme that breaks down extracellular matrix and is involved in tissue remodeling. Functional Read more...
read moreAcupuncture Treats Drug Addiction
Clinical trials are currently underway to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating drug addiction. Yet, there are still many unanswered questions about the basic mechanisms of acupuncture. Additional research using animal models is of primary importance in understanding the basic mechanisms of acupuncture. Chronic exposure to drugs of abuse produces a withdrawal state as reflected in increases in brain reward thresholds, and this change in reward threshold appears in be opposite Read more...
read moreAcupuncture Reduces Alcohol Cravings
Acupuncture reduces alcohol cravings in alcoholics. Researchers note that acupuncture is both safe and effective for reducing cravings in alcohol dependent patients. They add that acupuncture is an inexpensive modality of care for the treatment of alcoholism and “produces significant results.” Model with copper handle needles is shown here. This study breaks from other research on this topic. Prior research focused on National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) acupuncture point Read more...
read moreMilitary Uses Acupuncture for PTSD
The NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) reports that acupuncture demonstrates effectiveness in the treatment of PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder). PTSD is an anxiety disorder that may occur after violent assaults, military combat, disasters, or any incident in which severe physical harm is threatened. In a randomized controlled study, Dr. Michael Hollifield, MD, and his team at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, Kentucky; concluded that Read more...
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