Conversation With Scientist Over Meditation

A regular meditation practitioner Meenakshi Singh is a scientist at Mumbai-based Cancer hospital. She shares her stint with meditation--how this practice has deepen her journey towards higher self and at the same time, what changes it has brought out in various facets of life whether personal, professional or household. She firmly believes that an ancient morning regime of Surya Namskaras along with Yogasanas and mediation can do wonders to our body and mind. 

Superyogis: From how many days/months/years are you practicing meditation?

Meenakshi Singh: I was introduced to Reiki form of mediation around three years back. The experiment with meditation was successful and I started practicing it regularly thereafter.

Superyogis: How frequently do you meditate?

Meenakshi Singh: Initially it was 30 minutes per day. Then gradually I was meditating for an hour. From last one year I can say that I meditate all the time. Meditation is not limited to sitting in one corner and concentrating on the breath. It has become a way of my life.

Superyogis: How was your pre-meditation life?

Meenakshi Singh: I was stressed and anxious most of the time. Now I am more relaxed. I take everything in parts and bits as it come. Avoiding stress completely is not  possible but I am able to deal with the tense moments in a better manner. I can tide over the waves of stress now.

Superyogis: How long it took see the results of meditation practice?

Meenakshi Singh: I began to see small changes within a year. I could register  more energy in the body. Biochemical changes started happening in my body. When I realized that I could co-relate it.

Superyogis: Did you take guidance for meditation from somebody?

Meenakshi Singh: There was a Reiki teacher in our society, who introduced me to a Reiki form of meditation. She told me miracles happen with meditation. It changes everything in a best way. You will able to achieve more success and receive lots of joy. Your wishes will get fulfilled. Just to disapprove their claim, I adapted Reiki meditation. It is known as Narayan Reiki.  Reiki meditation is practiced with chanting mantras The chanting of mantras helps to activate chakras. The moment your chakras activated, they establish harmony with cosmic energy, which removes negativity from the body in the form of toxic emotions like anger, jealousy, fear, doubt or guilt. Get more details of seven chakras here: https://superyogis.blogspot.in/2016/05/seven-chakras-science-meets-spirituality.html

Superyogis: Could you see the colors of chakras without imagining?

Meenakshi Singh: Yes, I saw the colors of few chakras before reading about it in detail. I am able to see colors of only three chakras;  Third-eye Chakra (violet), Throat Chakra (blue ) and Heart Chakra(green). I tried to focus on navel chakra to strengthen it but I couldn’t see it though I can feel vibration there.

Superyogis: that means this chakra is active…

Meenakshi Singh: Yes, one day when I was sleeping in the night I could feel something travelled from my root chakra to crown chakra. Some light has passed. It was may be kundalini awakening. It has, however, never happened again.

Superyogis: What kind of difficulties you faced in the beginning during meditation?

Meenakshi Singh: You know thoughts keep on coming and going away continuously. Hence, focusing was very difficult. But I didn't give up.   

Superyogis: How meditation has helped you to strengthen your bonds with loved ones or how relationships equations has changed post meditation, is there more love and affection?

Meenakshi Singh: I am a sensitive and caring person. I would say because of meditation I have become more forgiving.

Superyogis: Do you experience any changes in your professional output because of regular meditation practice?

Meenakshi Singh: I have become more efficient.

Superyogis: Did you discover any hidden talent of yours? Something like eureka moment? Meenakshi Singh: Healing! 

Superyogis: Do you think one can learn meditation from someone else or it is a self-learned?

Meenakshi Singh: I think for a common man meditation has to be initiated by person/teacher and then from there it can be carried on.

Superyogis: How people react when they come to know that you are practicing meditation, particularly non-meditators? What’s your response to their doubts?

Meenakshi Singh: A good question. People who know that I am meditating some are apprehensive, few of them scornful too. There are others who are very supportive.

Superyogis: Have you done any kind of reading or research regarding meditation?

Meenakshi Singh: I wanted to explore it little further. I read about Reiki meditation and Japanese meditation. I did my Reiki levels and Pranic healing too.  I keep on updating my knowledge through online channels.

Meenakshi Singh:Would you like to share something? What exactly happen during meditation?

Meenakshi Singh: Wherever your chakras are sitting, your endocrine glands located very close to it. We are healthy when our all chakras are active which means all endocrine glands are functioning properly and secreting right balance of hormones. But at the same time your body produces cancer cells too. Our body, however, is very capable of removing those cancerous cells. Imbalance in hormones means immunity level is down. It acts as the invitation to disease cells including cancer cells. You are able to bring that balance back by practicing yoga and meditation which strengthens your immune system.

For example, your BMR (Basic Metabolic Rate) goes up with yoga practice as it stimulates thyroid glands. A boost in BMR naturally what you eat is digested in your body. Read how yoga can restore balance in your thyroid glands: https://superyogis.blogspot.in/2016/04/can-you-restore-balance-in-your-thyroid.html

Superyogis: Why there are so many cases of cancer nowadays?

Meenakshi Singh: Have you ever heard that our ancestors died because of cancer? They didn’t have facility of expensive medicine but they could live longer as they were close to nature--into farming. They were not even practicing yoga or meditation, except yogis and rishis. But Surya Namskaras  were part of morning regime of many. Apart from smoking, tobacco and gutakha, artificial food are also causing cancer. We choose gym exercises and aerobics over yogasasns as we feel that we can burn more fat with it than ancient techniques like Surya Namaskras.

(Note: We learn fundamental life lessons of ethics, morality and practicality during childhood through stories of Panchatantra, Birbal, Buddha and Ramayana. We love the lead characters from these stories as they face challenges with courage, patience and wisdom.  The nature of problems may have changed but one needs to tackle them with same panache of these heroes.  Conversations with individuals like scientists to whom we look up to, can work as the push to our motivation to do yoga or meditation.)