Meditative practices were developed thousands of years ago, in countries like Tibet, China, and India. The various practices made their way West and eventually grabbed the interest of mind-body enthusiasts and psychologists. Today, meditation is gaining ground as perhaps the best overall non-medical practice for self-development and promotion of well-being.
Recent research from Harvard shows that practicing meditation regularly for as little as eight weeks can cause beneficial physiological structural changes in the brain’s grey matter. This is important because most of the brain’s neural cell bodies are found within grey matter, which itself encompasses regions of the brain that effect sensory perception (sight and sound), muscle control, memory, emotions, auditory functions and how we make decisions and apply self-control. In other words, this is amazing proof of the power of meditation to positively affect almost every aspect of your well-being.
Stress is a slow and silent killer. Pent up anger and frustration and anxiety wreak havoc on the body and mind, stealing joy and happiness from daily life and shortening life span. When we hold onto stress and tension it can lead to feelings of depression, but today’s exercise — an easy breathing exercise and stretch combination — will help alleviate that. It only takes a few minutes and can be done in your office, at home or at the park. Just a few moments of self-care can relieve stress and make your days much better.
Yoga and meditation practices have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, to quiet the mind and slow the breath, and to prolong quality of life. All of this, and more, is presented in this little gem of a book by my good friend, Datu Shishir Inocalla.
In the book Orasyon Meditation, which I am proud to bring back into print as a Tambuli Media edition, Datu Shishir merges his vast experience in Indian Yoga and Filipino Orasyon meditation into a program for developing as a peaceful warrior in mind, body and spirit. –Dr. Mark Wiley
by Datu Shishir Inocalla
Self-discipline, internal strength, peace of mind, fulfillment, self-realization or victory… this is the Warrior’s Path to Enlightenment. A warrior’s way is a shortcut to his/her destiny. By concentrating on one’s energy and continuously striving for victory, we make a path toward harmony, in spite of conflict. We attain peace through our struggle. For a warrior, the contest itself is the essence of life. Without struggle, there is no life.
Orasyon meditation is a discipline for every warrior, designed to strengthen and balance his or her body, mind and spirit, and to prepare for the lifetime “battles”. Internal discipline and fighting spirit will have to be desired, and, ultimately achieved. Martial Arts discipline has been the warrior’s path since time immemorial. The offensive and defensive movement, the foot work and the hand motions are symbols of the warrior’s ancient art. Of much greater importance are the mental strategies, the concentration and the orasyon meditation.
It is the spiritual dimension that ultimately creates a true warrior. “Never stop until the goal is reached. Continue to fight until there is life. Move forward and never retreat. Use your body… use your mind… use your spirit. Conquer the enemy within yourself. There is only one goal… that is to find harmony and peace.”
There are many forms of meditation to consider, including Zen, Bulong, Orasyones, Dasal, Yoga, Tibetan and Christian, Taoist and relaxation meditation, to name just a few. We will certainly become confused, if we attempt to follow all the different forms of meditation or even begin to read about meditation as a complete subject. It is only through practicing a single form that we will come to understand and appreciate the benefits of meditation.
The process itself is simple. It is a matter of disciplining ourselves to meditate, practicing regularly, two times each day, for a period of 20 to 30 minutes. However, at the beginning, we may find this difficult. This book has been written to assist all meditation practitioners in the path of Martial Arts, the warrior path. Hopefully, this writing will clarify the mystery of meditation / orasyon, and will make things easier for both the beginner and the advanced practitioner.
