Thursday, September 03, 2009
Take a mental vacation at Dharmapala Kadampa Buddhist Center
A Buddhist center offers a time-tested way to battle the effects of stress.
SAM DEAN The Roanoke Times
Andrea Mattioni participates in the noon meditation session at the Dharmapala Kadampa Buddhist Center in Roanoke.
Click the button above to see all of our community coverage, or go straight to your community's homepage with the menu below.
More community health stories
- Blood drive relies on team support
- Rocky Mount Lifestyle Health Center focuses on heart health
- Dozens of walkers brave the cold
- American Heart AssociationHealthy as a walk in the park
- Event offers support for survivors of suicide
Archive
Four people try to reach a state of mental equilibrium as they listen to chants, resonant drums and the melody of flutes and bells.
The music stops, but they keep their eyes closed.
"Meditation is the main cause of mental peace," says instructor Sam Golston. "If our mind is not peaceful, we will find it difficult to be happy."
Bronze figurines of the Buddha stand around the room. One window lets in natural light, and barely lit lamps and a few small candles help illuminate the dark area.
Golston instructs the lunchtime meditation class at the Dharmapala Kadampa Buddhist Center to sit straight. He asks them to focus on breathing through their nostrils.
"We're just becoming more aware of how busy our mind really is."
They meet from 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. every Thursday to take a break from hectic days and clear their minds. They learn about Buddhist traditions through meditation.
"It does not eliminate stress; it helps moderate the effects of stress," said Dr. Mary Williams, an osteopathic psychiatrist who is a member of the center.
"People who are stressed, they shut down, and they don't do the things that can actually help them," she said.
According to studies by Harvard Medical School, the practice of meditation activates neural structures involved in attention and control of the autonomic nervous system, which affects heart rate, digestion and respiration rate, among other areas. A University of Wisconsin study concluded that a short program in "mindfulness meditation" may change the brain and immune system in positive ways.
"You see it in a person's behavior," Williams said of people who meditate.
Although there are many ways a person can meditate, doing it in a group helps, she said.
Sandy Newman has been a member of the center for about five years. It started off as a curiosity, but now Newman spends at least an hour a day meditating.
"With a clear mind, my body will remain much healthier," Newman said.
The Buddhist Center is a member of the New Kadampa TraditionInternational Kadampa Buddhist Union, an international association of Mahayana Buddhist study and meditation centers that follow the Kadampa tradition. This form is a modern approach to Buddhism that has become popular throughout the Western world.
