Top 10 Mediation Masters in the World
Meditation is a practice that has been around for centuries. It is said that the first recorded use of the word meditation was in 8th century India. The word meditation comes from Latin and means to think deeply or to be absorbed in thought. Meditation has been used for many different reasons throughout history, but it was not until the late 18th century when it started being used as a form of relaxation and stress relief.
In recent years, there has been an increase in people practicing meditation due to its health benefits such as lowering blood pressure, reducing anxiety, improving focus and concentration, reducing depression and improving overall well-being. There are many different types of meditation; however, mindfulness meditation is one type that I believe can benefit everyone regardless of age or experience level. Mindfulness meditation helps you become more aware of your surroundings which can help improve your life quality by helping you reduce stress and anxiety levels as well as improving your concentration levels which can help with everyday tasks such as studying or completing household chores at a faster pace.
Harvard Medical School conducted two separate studies on mindfulness meditation and its effects on stress, anxiety and depression. The first study was a randomized controlled trial that looked at the effects of an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program on stress, anxiety and depression in adults with high levels of these emotions. The results showed that participants who practiced MBSR reported significant reductions in their symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression when compared to the control group who received usual care. This study showed that practicing mindfulness meditation can help reduce stress, anxiety and depression which is beneficial for people regardless of age or health conditions as it does not require any specific conditions or medications to benefit from it.
The second study was a pilot randomized trial that looked at the effects of an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program on patients with recurrent depressive disorder. The results showed that participants who practiced MBCT reported significantly greater improvements than those who received usual care or were treated with medication alone. This study also showed that practicing mindfulness meditation can help reduce symptoms associated with recurrent depressive disorder, which is beneficial for people regardless of age or health conditions as it does not require any specific medications to benefit from it either. These studies show how effective mindfulness meditation can be in helping people manage their mental health issues such as stress, anxiety and depression without having to take any medication or undergo any medical procedures such as surgery which could potentially have negative side effects attached to them such as headaches etc.
Top 10 Most Skillful Modern Meditation Gurus who Conduct Meditation Classes
01. Pema Chodron
American Tibetan-Buddhist Pema Chödrön was born on July 14, 1936. She is a former acharya of Shambhala Buddhism, an ordained nun, and a follower of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Chödrön is the head teacher at Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia and the author of numerous books and audiobooks.
02. Deepak Chopra
“The universe is not only a collection of objects, but also a field of energy and information.” – Deepak Chopra
Indian-American author and proponent of complementary medicine Deepak Chopra was born on October 22, 1946. He is one of the most well-known and wealthy figures in alternative medicine and a prominent figure in the New Age movement. His books and videos have contributed to this. His explanations of quantum healing have been criticized as technobabble, or "incoherent babbling strewn with scientific terms," which drives people who actually understand physics "crazy" and as "redefining Wrong.".
03. Jack Kornfield
Jack Kornfield is an American author and Vipassana movement teacher who was born in 1945 and practices American Theravada Buddhism. Ajahn Chah, a Thai forest master, and Mahasi Sayadaw, a Burmese monk, were his first teachers as he underwent Buddhist monastic training in Thailand, Burma, and India. Since 1974, he has spread mindfulness meditation instruction across the globe. Along with Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein, he co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, in 1975. He then established the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California, in 1987. In addition to organizing teacher trainings and presiding over international gatherings of Buddhist teachers, including the Dalai Lama, Kornfield has worked as a peacemaker and activist.
04. Kristin Neff
At the University of Texas at Austin, Kristin Neff teaches in the educational psychology department as an associate professor. The University of California at Berkeley awarded Dr. Neff a doctorate in her field of expertise, moral development. She conducted two years of postdoctoral research on the development of self-concept at the University of Denver. The Self-Compassion Scales are her invention. The long scale has 26 items, while the short scale only has 12. She is credited with leading the first scholarly investigations into self-compassion.
05. Emily Fletcher
A leading authority on using meditation to improve performance is Emily Fletcher. She is the founder of The Ziva Technique and Ziva Meditation. Emily's work has appeared in The New York Times, The Today Show, Vogue, and ABC News. Emily was a Broadway performer for ten years prior to founding Ziva in 2011, but after experiencing the profound psychological and physical advantages of meditation, she decided to leave the stage and enroll in meditation teacher training. The Ziva Technique has been scientifically shown to reduce stress and anxiety while also promoting deeper sleep, improved immune system function, higher levels of productivity, and exceptional performance in daily activities.
06. Satya Narayan Goenka
Indian Vipassan meditation master Satya Narayana Goenka (29 January 1924 – 29 September 2013). He moved to India in 1969 and began instructing meditation. He was born in Burma into a family of Indian businesspeople. His message emphasized the nonsectarian, all-encompassing, and rational nature of the Buddha's path to liberation. He rose to prominence as a teacher and was instrumental in launching Vipassana meditation centers that aren't for profit all over the world. In 2012, the Indian government presented him with the Padma Bhushan, a prize for outstanding service.
07. Andy Puddicombe
British author, speaker, and instructor of mindfulness and meditation, Andy Puddicombe, was born on September 23, 1972. He co-founded Headspace with Richard Pierson, a company that promotes digital health and offers users mindfulness and guided meditation instruction. Puddicombe is a former Buddhist monk who has a degree in circus arts.
08. Michael Beckwith
The Agape International Spiritual Center, a nondenominational group that was established in 1986, was founded by Beckwith, who also serves as its spiritual leader. The local community outreach programs of Agape provide food for the homeless, assist inmates, collaborate with groups that provide services in youth homes and schools, support the arts, and speak out for the protection of the environment. In addition, he and Arun Gandhi founded the Association for Global New Thought together, and they serve as co-chairs of the Season for Nonviolence.
09. Sara Auster
Sound therapist, meditation instructor, and author Sara Auster is well-known throughout the world. She has spent the last ten years introducing sound baths to various audiences and distinctive settings all over the world. Deep listening and sound meditation have become popularized by Sara, whose life-changing experiences and unique teaching style have made her a leader in the health and wellness industry.
10. Eckhart Tolle
In 1948, Ulrich Leonard Tölle was born in Lünen, a small German town in the Ruhr region, north of Dortmund. His father sent him to Spain in 1961, where he "refused all forms of formal education between the ages of 13 and 22 in favor of pursuing his own creative and philosophical interests.". A gift of the five spiritual books by the German mystic Joseph Anton Schneiderfranken to him when he was 15 "heavily influenced" him.
