Meditation, psychology homework help
Using annotated bibliography and references as a guide, write a rough draft of your Psychology Research Paper.
Your paper must be 3 pages in length, not including a title page and reference page. The paper must not only describe current trends within your topic area, but you should demonstrate how your topic relates to the broad field of psychology. It should contain a strong thesis statement supported by research from at least 3 different sources. Include both in-text citations and a References page in APA format.
My Topic Meditation
I chose the topic of meditation because I recently began experimenting with different
forms of meditation and mindfulness. A book by Sam Harris entitled Waking Up initially
sparked my interest. The ideas seemed believable, meditation seemed comfortable, and the
benefits seemed incredible. So, I tried meditating about a year ago. After a few days of 10-
minute periods of silent stillness and focus upon the rhythm of my breath, I felt no different.
Nothing. The present moment was no more profound than the prior moment. Meditation wasn’t
“working” for me; I felt deceived. I gave up the practice and thought I’d never look back.
Nevertheless, I came across a journal entitled 10% Happier by Dan Harris. He presented many
of the same basic ideas that I had admired in Waking Up. He wrote differently though; he wrote
with such brutal honesty that felt refreshing. That book made me realize that meditation wasn’t
easy. Meditation is also not a magic bullet that you can feel “working.” Meditation is a
discipline like most others, and it requires immense patience and practice. Mindfulness
meditation is an Eastern tradition that has flooded western civilization in the past few years.
Many people—myself included—are not ready for meditation; we live in a fast-paced,
immediate gratification-seeking culture that has no time for the present moment. I can now attest,
however, that meditation has the potential to be spiritually and mentally powerful. It never gets
easier, but nobody said it was easy.
References
Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion. (2014). Publishers Weekly, 261(32), 62.
10% HAPPIER How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge,
and Found Self-Help that Actually Works–a True Story. (2014). Kirkus Reviews, 82(5), 242.
GOLD, S. (2014). Atheist Spirituality Hits the Big Time. Skeptic, 19(4), 60-63. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.rasmussen.edu/e…60b76fef-3f90-42be-b35f-a9870f6893ac%40sessionmgr120