Sunday October 10, 1999 Oakville Beaver Weekend 5 W i f e f e e ls l e f t o u t o f m e d i t a t i o n e x p e r i e n c e D EAR PATTI, M y husband has sta rted m editat ing. He gets up early every m orning and does his m editation p ra ctice f o r h a lf an hour. 1 adm ire his discipline, and he really seem s to be enjoying it. I have asked him a couple o f times to tell me what he gets out o f his m editation practice, and he says he c a n 't really explain it. I am curi ous. W hat is the p o in t o f m edita tion? How does it work? C u rio u s Dear C urious: M ed itatio n o rig in a te s as a Buddhist practice, but is also a part o f m any other religious traditions as well. Today, you can find books on C hristian m e d ita tio n , Jew ish M editation, and so on. In the sp iritu al context, m editation is a type o f passive prayer, involving listening to G od, rather than speaking to him. As w ell as having a sp iritual fu n ctio n , m ed itatio n has also becom e a popular health enhance m ent to o l. Dr. H erb ert B enson, author o f the popular book, The Relaxation Response, did research in the area o f stress m anagem ent, and discovered that m editation halts the stress response. M editation has becom e a standard com ponent in stress m anagem ent and in the treat m ent o f anxiety disorders. It is also useful in treating chronic pain, as well as a huge array o f m ental health problem s, in clu d in g g rie f and depression. M editation teaches that our thoughts are not us; they are ju st part o f us. Once we can observe and becom e aware of our thoughts, we get to know our "self-talk" better -- that persistent stream of thoughts and co n v ersatio n s that go on Patti en d lessly in Wilson ________________ , our m inds. A wareness of this self-talk is the first step in self understanding and personal growth, and can be enorm ously helpful in m aking changes and achieving goals in our lives. For exam ple, if you realize that you regularly tell your se lf that you "can 't handle it," you will be held back in life by your fears and self-doubts. By cultivating aw areness through m editation, you can also learn to not id en tify w ith your dark m oods. Instead, you learn to w itness or observe the feelings, w ithout attach ing to them . This gives you a differ ent view o f yourself -- a larger view, realizing that you are more than ju s t your thoughts and feelings. You begin to hear the sm all, still voice from deep within -- the voice o f your Self, your soul. M editation can help us to discover our true Selves, and to live more authentic, Story id ea? C all the Oakville B ea ve r at Ask Patti satisfying lives. The m editation experience is alw ays uniquely individual, and alw ays brings unique benefits to each person. So why not discover your own m editation process, and join your husband! Patti Wilson, M.A., M.Ed. is a counsel lor in private practice with Wilson Counselling Associates, Oakville, 3390111. Mail your questions to ASK PATTI c/o the Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Road, Oakville, O nt, L6K 3S4, or fax 3375567. 8 4 5 -3 8 2 4 . or fax: 3 3 7 -5 5 6 7 0050 A N TF IL M *L r A N Y T IM E C IN E P L E X O D E O N CINEMAGUIDE S him tim e s e ffe c tiv e O c t. 8 -O ct. 1 4 .19V9 OAKVILLE MEWS 1 7 1 S P E E R S AT K E R R 8 4 4 -4 8 4 0 ^ A M E R I C A N P IE (AA) Fri.-Thurs. - 7:30, 9:30 S TA R W A R S: E P IS O D E 1 - T H E P H A (PG) Fri., Tues.-Thurs. - 6:50, 9:20 Sat.-Mon. - (1:00), 6:50,9:20 T H E B L A IR W I T C H P R O J E C T (AA) Fri., Tues.-Thurs. - 7:20, 9:10 S a t.-M o n .-(1:20), 7:20, 9:10______________ IN S P E C T O R G A D G E T (PG) Fri., Tues.-Thurs. - 7:10, 8:50 Sat. - Mon. - (1:30), 7:10, 8:50 T H E IR O N G I A N T (PG) Fri., Tues.-Thurs. - 7:00 S at.-M on . -(1:10), 7:00 U N IV E R S A L S O L D IE R : T H E R E T U R N (AA) Fri.-Thurs. - 9:00 T A R Z A N (F ) Sat.-Mon. (1:40) U n d e r a c h ie v e m e n t? · A tte n tio n sp an is s h o rt · Difficulty o rg an izin g & co m p le tin g w ork Neuro feedback and learning stra teg ies can provide a la stin g im provem ent. Director: Lynda M. T h om p son , P h .D ., Co-author with Pediatrician William Sears of The AJ)J). Book: New Understandings, New Approaches to Parenting Your Child. ( 9 0 5 ) 8 0 3 - 8 Q 6 & .a d d c e n t r e . c o m 1999 n n c i F i c L i n e n G O IN G O a B U S H I v / W * * # * « « # * * * # O TrttI GALA I n Su pp or t of and omen's H ealth O a k v i i l e - T rafalgar emorial J M H ospital The OTMH Charitable Corporation Bid On the Spectacular silent Auction invites you to the 1999 OTMH Gala Presented by M errill Lynch Canada Saturday, N ovem ber 6th, 1999 6:00 p.m. Rattlesnake Point Golf Club Highway 25 (north of Highway 5) $25 0.0 0 per person LOWEST TICKETED PRICE Come and Enjoy in person "Legends of "Legends of the Past" the Past" INCLUDING THESE FAMOUS BRANDS! CANNON · WESTPOINT STEVENS Tina Turner, Marilyn Monroe, I ||| I Blade Tie R e fe rre d WAMSUTTA · MONARCH · MARTEX* ROYAL VELVET* CHARISMA & MORE! (Charitable fax receipt provided tor the portiono<ihheld) SELLING TO THE BABE WALLS! BED & BATH · KITCHEN TABLE TOP- ^BASIC & FASHION BEDDING DRAPERY & BORDERS · DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES & PILLOWS OAKVILLE TOWN CENTRE · OAKVILLE UPPER CANADA M A LL* NEXT TO TOYS"R"US NEWMARKET MARKVILLE SHO PPING CENTRE NEXT TO BOMBAY COMPANY O R IO N G A T E S H O P P I N G C E N T R E K E N N E D Y R D fa S T E E L E S A V E - B R A M P T O N Blues B ro th e rs ,! M e rriil L y n c h For Further m information Call 9 0 5 -3 3 8 -4 6 4 2 / T he Oakville B eaver ALL SALES FINAL · NO RETURNS OR LAYAWAYS · SELECTION MAY VARY BY STORE N O A D J U S T W N T S O N PR IO R P U R C H A S E S *C A S H . V IS A . M A S T f HOARD h DEBIT C A R D A C C E PT ED Ideal Graphics SALE CONDUCTED BY UNIVERSAL CAPITAL GROUP