When meditation and Integral Deep Listening are combined, the result is more transformational than either one by itself.
Meditation has been extensively researched for half a century. Many startling and unexpected benefits that have been reported in the scientific literature, including
Improved muscular strength, flexibility, balance and coordination.
Reduction in falls in elderly people.
Improved bone mineral density.
Improved glucose tolerance.
Improved cardiac reactivity related to work strain.
Decreased ischemic response to exercise.
Reduced responsiveness to stress hormones.
Improved lipid profile (decreased LDL and total cholesterol)
Improved pulmonary function.
Reduction in blood pressure.
Decreased mortality in hypertensive patients.
Decreased pain and pain sensitization.
Increased self-awareness, self-efficacy, and personal empowerment.
Decreased state of anxiety and neuroticism.
Effective adjunct to existing stress and anger management programs.
Reduction in medical and economic costs of psychological distress.
In addition, some meditators report other benefits, including:
Improved sleep.
Better dream recall.
Less stressful, confrontational, angry dreams.
Increased ability to apply dream group recommendations in their waking life.
Enhanced dream lucidity.
Heightened dream creativity.
Integral Deep Listening teaches an approach to meditation that integrates the two great meditative traditions of the ages: concentration and mindfulness. It does so by emphasizing the same tool that the Buddha used to attain enlightenment: pranayama, or observation of your breathing. It observes six different aspects of each breath and uses each aspect to help with a different challenge and opportunity that arises with meditation. In addition, it moves beyond a cognitive understanding of meditation to actual experiences of meditative clarity through identification with parts of yourself that are meditating right now. They are your best teachers. Are you listening? Are you following their recommendations? You can learn to observe your breathing while you are dreaming, lucid dreaming and in deep sleep.
IDL also teaches observation of the contents of your awareness, including your thoughts, feelings, images, sensations and state of consciousness itself. It does this through learning to name what comes up in your awareness. The power of this process is that it “uncouples” or “detaches” your train of thought. One thought, feeling, image, sensation or state does not lead to another. Instead, spaciousness, clarity, openness, and luminosity.
Integral Deep Listening begins where you are today and addresses those forces that tether you to the earth while strengthening your confidence in just how high you can fly. You will find that meditation will enhance your non-attachment to your life dramas, allowing you to move first beyond taking things personally and then beyond being a person at all!
Just as enlightened masters do not stop dreaming, so will you never outgrow your need to witness yourself, regardless of how much meditation you do. Consequently, Integral Deep Listening will continue its work of purifying and integrating your consciousness, regardless of your level of spiritual development.
For more information, see the chapter on meditation in Waking Up.
