Did you have a 2018 New Year’s Resolution?
If so, what was it & how did it go?
Mine was to explore meditation (an admittedly vague intention). I initially had no idea what form it would take— here’s how it all panned out:
The Journey Begins
After spending a few months reading about different meditation techniques, I was intrigued to learn more. Having heard about drop-in meditation classes held all over NYC, I searched for meditation classes in lower Manhattan near where I work. One of the options that appeared was Ziva meditation on Broadway just south of Houston Street. The location appealed to me as it is right between my Union Square and FiDi offices on a route I travel frequently. Rather than offering daily drop-in classes, they offer a monthly 4-day intensive designed so you leave the course with your own home practice. Plus there are monthly group mediations and advanced courses that you can choose to join at any point thereafter. I signed up for the course in September, and that is where my resolution fulfillment journey really took off.
Diving In
The course started out with an intro talk with Ziva founder, Emily Fletcher. Beyond the anecdotal evidence end historical basis of a tradition with hundreds of years of backing, the Ziva meditation program also takes into consideration observations from recent clinical trials on the scientific effects of meditation. For instance, research found that meditating an average of 40 minutes a day appears to make parts of the brain thicker [1, 2] and more active [3], including areas associated with attention, introspection, stress management, learning, memory, empathy, perspective, and compassion. The crux of the Ziva technique is to do 2 20-minute meditations each day, and I am happy to say that with the training I received in the intro course I’ve integrated meditation into my daily routine and reaped the benefits these last few months.
Meditation and Acupuncture
It wasn’t until into few months of meditating that it occurred to me how seamlessly this 20-minute meditation duration fit seamlessly into how acupuncture is commonly practiced. If you’ve had an acupuncture session, you know that typically your acupuncturist spends some time speaking with you about your condition and how you are feeling, perhaps taking your pulse or feeling for any muscular tension if applicable to the treatment, then placing the acupuncture needles. At this point, we often let the patient rest for 10-30 minutes. The function of this time is to allow the circulation to come to the points, allow the muscle and connective tissue to relax, and also give the mind some time to observe these changes in the body during quiet reflection and mental rest. If you have a meditation practice, this resting period is a perfect time to use it!
Upcoming NYC Courses
For anyone wanting to explore meditation in 2019, you can view Ziva’s list of upcoming courses. As early as Tuesday, December 4th you can attend an intro talk, or sign up early for the January 15th one. With the self-improvement motivation that comes along with the new year, that one will be packed so RSVP using the link above soon!
Works Cited
[1] Luders E, Clark K et al. “Enhanced brain connectivity in long-term meditation practitioners.” Neuroimaging. 2011 June 6.
[2] Cromie, William J. “Meditation found to increase brain size.” The Harvard Gazette. February 2, 2006.
[3] Lutz, Antoine et. al. “Long-Term Meditators Self-Induce High-Amplitude Gamma Synchrony During Mental Practice.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 Nov 16;101(46):16369-73.
