Reference no: EM132625633

A. The Power of Meditation

Lynn Blakes, 39, a language test developer, has had three bouts of depression and says meditation helps prevent a relapse.

"I first suffered depression 13 years ago following the death of my mother and it returned seven years ago when I was working as a teacher. It was a stressful job and I wasn't looking after myself. On both occasions I was prescribed antidepressants, which were effective, but I don't want to rely on drugs.

"I've always been interested in meditation and have used it to help me relax so I enrolled in a course in mindfulness meditation. I learned how to focus on my breathing and to spend time thinking about everyday things such as the sound of birds. You can even focus on brushing your teeth to help switch off. It becomes second nature."

The following should be discussed by having an abstract, introduction, body, and conclusion.

1. Lynn Blakes used meditation to treat her depression I place of antidepressant drugs. Why might both approaches produce similar results?

2. Why do you think Lynn Blakes was able to prevent a recurrence of depression by meditating regularly?

3. In what ways are meditation and hypnosis similar? In what ways are they different?

4. If meditation is simple, produces psychological benefits, why do you think more people aren't doing it? How would you explain the benefits of meditation to a friend?