Meditation hailed as spiritual force

Develop an ulcer and one of the first things your friends may tell you is to meditate to relax.

While it’s true that many people find meditation a great way to unwind. Dr. Raul Llanos believes the true purpose of meditation is more spiritual

“Meditation can relax you but it’s a side effect,” Llanos said,“We meditate to have a human experience of who we are and to have a more productive lite, Meditation is a spiritual Journey”.

Llanos spoke to a group of about 25 area residents during a seminar earlier this month called “‘The Importance of Meditation “sponsored by Columbia Lakeside Hospital in Metairie.

Llanos said that about a year ago he learned about meditation and how to meditate from Deepak Chopra, a California endocrinologist and meditation writer.

During the seminar, Llanos gave an overview of the different forms of meditation. He said the most well know is primordial meditation.

Typically seated in the lotus position, a person repeats a mantra an imitation of the vibrational energy of the universe. Some of the vibrational energy of the mantra that you can hear as you meditate is the rush of wind or the flow of one’s breath.

Other energy you cannot hear, Llanos said, are such things as the earth rotating or plants sprouting.

Llanos said each person’s mantra is different because it is based on the time and place of your birth.

An obstetrician/gynecologist, An Llanos said that meditation can also aid in the healing process.

He also discussed mindfulness meditation, in which participants got comfortable, closed their eyes and paid close attention to the sound and feeling of their breathing.