Pop appeal seems to steer clear or underestimate the elusive, seemingly invisible effects meditation could have on the body, mind, and dare I say, soul. For those of us using pills as our ammo against the lifelong battling with HIV, there are other, silent, but wonderfully effective ways of dealing with the illness and its ill-effects. This way is certainly closer to the preachings and teachings of the likes of Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.
Watch this video from asapSCIENCE, run by two incredibly amazing (and sane sounding) gay men:
What stood out for me was the fact that meditation has a scientifically reported positive impact on one's immunity. Just 10 minutes of meditation could go a long way in making your body feel and heal better!
If one wanted to go deeper into the metaphysics (and science of 'why', not just 'what')- it basically comes down to the one denominator for every single atom (or subatomic particle) in this impossibly, unfathomably, immensely huge universe : energy.
Meditation opens up our (third) eye to the interchange and play of energy within our body. There is a universe that exists in all of us, and this universe within is in many ways a summed up, abridged version of the universe without.
Much before we begin to 'see' how this energy moves between and among the areas within and around our bodies - much before we consciously begin to acknowledge the positive effect of meditation on us - our bodies begin to heal! This elusive, seemingly invisible power that we call god, famously claimed to be residing in all of us, begins its work on our bodies, then mind, and then finally, something deeper, something beyond and yet within our bodies. Perhaps, dare I suggest, the consciousness of energy itself... the realm untouched by most, but available to each of us... the magic of this one palpable entity that traverse between the many dimensions of the many universes, many existences, the many realities.
What to expect when one finally comes to acknowledge the beyond and within? Here is the first level of understanding you will begin to 'see': You will begin to see the interchange, interplay and exchange of energy within your body and its surrounding. It will come in the form of developing a deeper sensorial understanding of body and mind. The body experiences the play of energy in the form of expansion and contraction, mostly circular in motion... called 'Chakra' in Sanskrit.
The word ‘Chakra’ is derived from the Sanskrit word meaning ‘wheel’. Its literal translation means ‘Wheel of Spinning Energy’. A chakra is like a whirling, vortex-like, source of energy which exist in our subtle enteric body, the non-material energetic counterpart to our physical body. Each chakra is associated with a certain part of the body which it provides with the energy it needs to function. Additionally, every chakra corresponds to a specific aspect of human behavior and development.
The 7 Major Chakras:
Crown Chakra "Sahasrara"
Third Eye Chakra "Ajna"
Throat Chakra "Vishuddha"
Heart Chakra "Anahata"
Solar Plexus Chakra "Manipura"
Sacral Chakra "Swadhishtana"
Root Chakra "Muladhara"
They are charged and recharged through contact with the stream of cosmic energy in the atmosphere, along with what we eat, where we live, people around us. They regulate the flow of energy throughout the body. Sometimes chakras become blocked because of stress, emotional or physical problems. If the body’s "energy system" cannot flow freely then it is likely that problems will occur. The consequence of irregular energy flow may result in discomfort or a sense of being mentally and emotionally out of balance. This imbalance of energy is what we constantly battle with and experience: thanks to HIV (sarcasm alert!)
This diagram above is a toned down version of the many aspects of 'spirit'. And it is a journey of healing, HIV poz or not.
