Unit 5 CAM Project

CAM and the Power of Meditation

Course Syllabus
General Information
Instructor: Cynthia Evans
Email: cynthiaevans26@student.kaplan.edu
Course Meetings: Online
Credit Hours: 3 (Continuing Education Credits)
Course Description
This course will provide an overview of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
(C.A.M.) practices specifically, the mind and body connection along with the
power of meditation. We will look into various techniques and styles of
meditations, and touch on the scientific evidence available proving the
effectiveness of meditation.
Course Prerequisites
None
Course Objectives
1. An overview of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (C.A.M.)
2. Understanding the Mind/Body Connection
3. Understanding the Power of Meditation
4. Discuss various techniques
5. Learn several simple types of meditation
6. The Science behind meditation
Required Materials
No required materials
Recommended Materials
Those who wish to lay down during our sample meditations may want to bring a
yoga mat or blanket along with a small headrest or pillow.
Grading
This is a voluntary continuing educational credit class so attendance is the only
requirement for this passing grade.

Unit 5 CAM Project

General Course Outline Handout

Lesson One
Introduction Instructor/Class
What is CAM?
The Mind/Body Connection
How is the mind and body connected?
What is meditation?
How does it benefit the mind, body, and spirit?

Lesson Two
How to Meditation
Techniques of meditation
Forms of meditation
Tools and resource
Ethical and legality of meditation

Lesson Three
The Science behind meditation
Scientific research articles
Testimonies from various celebrities
Conclusion

Unit 5 CAM Project

Lesson 1 Lecture
Introductions:
Hello, my name is Cynthia and I am your instructor and welcome to
Complimentary & Alternative Medicine, known as CAM, and the Power of
Meditation. I graduated from Kaplan University with a BS in Health and Wellness
and I have been on my own personal health journey for over 13 years now. I
started this journey due to a tick bite, which left me with chronic Lymes
disease. During this long journey, I found health and wellness to be fascinating
and decided to obtain a degree within this field. I retired after 23+ years in
accounting as a senior budget analysis, prior to that, spent many years in
banking, so most of my adulthood has been in numbers. I believe health and
wellness comes from maintaining physical activity, finding internal balance,
and consuming whole foods can be preventive medicine. I have a strong belief
in CAM practices and enjoy sharing my passion with others.
Class Please give us your first name and let us know what you expect to learn
from this class.
Lesson Summary:
Today we will focus on an overview of CAM, what it is and how it relates to our
lives. We will look at the definition, how it connects the body, mind, and spirit. In
this class, we are going to take a closer look at how meditation can improve the
mind and body connection.
What do you think of when someone talks about CAM?
Response from Class
What is CAM?
CAM means Complementary and Alternative Medicine. It (CAM) has become
more popular today due to comsumer demand. More and more people are
becoming proactive in their own health, along with conventional medical
practitioners, through self-evaluation of their life style and making appropriate
changes to help improve their physical, spiritual, and mental wellness.
Do you think/feel that the mind is connected to the body? How?
Response from class

Unit 5 CAM Project

Lesson 1 Lecture Cont.
The Mind/Body Connection:
A healthy lifestyle incorporates all aspect of mind, body, and spirit, which
contributes to creating happiness, wellness, and wholeness. This mind-body
connection involves the practice of self-development of the inner and outer life,
which progress over time.
How is the mind and body connected?
Robert Ader, a psychologist, discovered that, just like the brain, the immune
system has the ability to learn. This led to a new medical field called
psychoneuroimmunology or PNI, which maintains extensive communication
between the mind, the central nervous systems, and the immune system. Studies
have proven that both positive and negative emotional states do have a dramatic
effect on our health, our happiness, as well as our ability to ward off illnesses
(Goleman, 2005).
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) practices consist of three main
areas consisting of biological, manipulative, and Mind-Body connection.
(Micozzi, 2011)
The biological practices consist of things such as; special diets, dietary
supplements of vitamins and minerals and/or herbal extracts.
The manipulative practices consist of things such as chiropractic, massage, tai chi,
and yoga, where the mind/body practices consist of meditation, biofeedback, and
hypnosis. For this class we will take a closer look at meditation.
What is meditation?
Response from Class
Webster defines meditation as the act or process of meditating; a discourse
intended to express its authors reflections or to guide other in contemplation
(Merrian-Webster Dictionary.com, 2016).
The Mind-body practices are distinctive practices, meditation, various uses of
biofeedback, and hypnosis. Those who are proactive in their own health have
known this for years, however, doctors and researchers are just now starting to
realize the importance of the mind-body connection. The consciousness may allow
the mind, body, and spirit to address emotional/mental issues, which manifest
physically within the body.

Unit 5 CAM Project

Lesson 1 Lecture Cont.
How does meditation benefit the mind, body, and spirit?
Response from Class
Meditation benefits the whole person:
Mind
-

Reduces stress, anxiety & feeling of being overwhelmed

Clears the mind
Peace of mind turns off the mental chatter
Feel centered
Less reactive to stressful situations
More accepting of yourself & others (improved emotional well-being)
Allows you to be more focus

Body
-

Decrease in the thickness of their arterial walls, (Heart)

Reduction in blood pressure
Relaxes muscles throughout your body
Positive effect on the immune system
Improved brain function (cognitive skills, memory, processing, problem
solving, and focus)

Spirit
-

Growth of inner peace

Higher states of awareness
Greater intuition
Greater compassion
Greater connection to the divine

The psychology, physiology, complementary and alternative approaches to health

and wellness can be integrated together to improve everyones health. The
psychological aspect of health does not pertain only to the function of the brain,
but also the emotional intelligence, which connects the mind to the body. Goleman
(2005), calms Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the strongest indicator of human
success. EI is one being self-aware, personally motivated, has empathy, and the
ability to accept love from others and to give love. Emotions overwhelm the mind
and may cause the memory go blank, leaving people speechless and physically

Unit 5 CAM Project

Lesson 1 Lecture Cont.
frozen. (Goleman 2005) Meditation can therefore help train the mind, body, and
spirit to relax and over time give people more control over their Emotional
Intelligence, thus control over their actions and reactions to difficult situations.
Questions?
Conclusion
Next week we will discuss meditation, the different techniques and forms used,
meditation tools, resources available, and the ethical and legal issues that surround
meditation. For those of you who desire to try some of the forms of meditation
please bring a mat and small pillow.
References:
Goleman, D. (2005). Emotional Intelligence. New York: Bantam Dell.
Meditation 2016, In Merrian-Webster.com, Retrieved 07/11/2016 from
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meditation
Micozzi, M. (2011). Fundamentals of Complementary and Alternative Medicine,
4th edition. New York.

Unit 5 CAM Project

Lesson 2 Lecture
Lesson Summary:
This lesson will focus on meditation; how to meditate, the different techniques,
sample a few forms, the tools, resources available, and the ethical and legal issues
that surround meditation.
What do you pitcher when for yourself when thinking about meditation?
Response from class
Everyone can meditate, some easier than others but in time with training, you can
learn to meditate anytime, in any position, and anywhere, it is a matter of quieting
the internal chatter of your mind. Meditation can help you get to know yourself
better, help you find a calmness and give you a sense of feeling grounded.
So how do you Meditation
Meditation can be performed in any position.
- Sitting or laying
- Eyes focused on one object or closed
- Breath naturally
- Focus on empting the mind or on the type of meditation chosen
According to WikiHow, internets how to meditate for beginners breaks it down
into several steps:
1. What you want to achieve with your meditation?
2. Find a distraction-free area
3. Use a meditation cushion
4. Wear comfortable clothes
5. Choose a time when youre comfortable
6. Have a timer at hand
7. Sit on your cushion or chair with a straight back
(*Find a position that works for you*)
8. Dont fret about what to do with your hands.
9. Set your timer
10.Keep your mouth closed as you breathe
11.Focus on your breathing
12.Observe your breath, but dont analyze it
13.Bring your attention back to your breath if it wanders
14.Dont be too hard on yourself

Unit 5 CAM Project

Lesson 2 Lecture Cont.
Techniques of meditation
Now there are several techniques when it comes to meditation. Which one you
chose depends on what feels right for you and your style of meditation. Let us all
get comfortable, either sit in a chair or lay down on the floor with your mat, and we
will listen to a few different short meditations.
-

Guided/imagery meditation suggestive image or movement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41GqbdgYAmE
Musical meditation relaxation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftAOSYPXdTY
Subliminal underlining message being delivered
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ1AOA_UUDw
Transcendental meditation (TM) general no religion or philosophy used.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuoMXHhyMMs

How did you feel after each technique? Which one did you like best?
Response from class
Forms of meditation
Within these various techniques, there are 23 different forms of meditation
available; however, the different forms fall into only a few types.
-

Guided Mindfulness this is where a person speaks softly, instructing you

what to do with different types of soothing music in the background
Chants/mantra there are many different religions/chants
Visualization these can be guided or unguided
Guided Breathing simple breathing exercises, usually video or audio
Guided Walking simple empty the mind of thoughts, go for a walk while
maintaining a sense of your surroundings. These can be guided or
unguided.

When looking at various forms of meditation it can be difficult in understanding

the differences. In looking at visualization, guided imagery and meditation how are
they different? As noted earlier, Visualization meditation can be both guided and
unguided. Guided imagery has a person direct the meditation either with written
words or by someone on an audio or video. Whereas, general meditation focuses

Unit 5 CAM Project

Lesson 2 Lecture Cont.
the mind on awareness within the body or on a positive change to relax muscles or
calm breathing.
Tools and resource
Today information pertaining to meditation can be found almost anywhere. The
internet, retail stores, bookstores and yoga centers all sell various products and
various types of meditation CDs and merchandise such as mats, pillows, and
incents.
Websites for 10-minute meditation
Guided Transcendental meditation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oCJ1MIjEF4
Guided Mindfulness meditation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p_yaNFSYao
Chant meditation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoYrLM5rGX8
Walking meditation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYO7kedlfYw
Breath meditation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wFX9Wn70eM

Ethical and legality of meditation

Legitimate companies will list or record a full disclaimer stating these practices are
intended for support and not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or
treatments and recommend that you seek advice from your health care
professional.
Conclusion
Next week we will look at the science behind meditation and discuss various
scientific research articles, view some testimonies from various people and
celebrities.
Reference:
WikiHowto (2016) How to meditate for beginners, Retrieved 07/11/16 from
http://www.wikihow.com/Meditate-for-Beginners

Unit 5 CAM Project

Lesson 3 Lecture
Lesson Summary
This lesson focuses on the Science behind meditation. We will see various videos
and discuss various scientific research articles along with listening to some
testimonies from various people on their use of mediation.
The Science behind meditation
As discuss back in lesson one, Robert Ader, discovered psychoneuroimmunology
or PNI, which is the science that proves the communication between the mind,
central nervous systems, and the immune system. For many years, science did not
want to accept Aders finding. However, over the years various studies proved that
both positive and negative emotional states dramatically affect our health,
happiness, and our life span. (Goleman, 2005)
CAM practices such as meditation have proven scientifically to dramatically affect
our health, happiness, and our life span through the mind-body connection.
Let us look at a few YouTube videos that discuss the science pertaining to
meditation.
Dr. Deepak Chopra: The Science Behind Meditation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCnzZaYKsqw
The Scientific Power of Meditation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw71zanwMnY
Transcendental Meditation: A Scientific Perspective by Quantum Physicist John
Hagelin, PhD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ6zUzm16JM
Scientific research articles:
An article, Psychoneuroimmunology Finds Acceptance As Science Adds Evidence
written by Steven Benowitz (1996) published in The Scientist Magazine discusses
powerful new molecular techniques allow scientists to detail links between stress
and disease immunity, pinpointing changes in hormones flow and immune system
cells (Benowitz, 1996). This article provide evidence to what Robert Ader was
saying all this time that the mind does affect the physical body.

Unit 5 CAM Project

Lesson 3 Lecture Cont.
Another article, listed in The Washington Post written by Brigid Schulte in 2015,
interviewed a Massachusetts neuroscientist, Sara Lazar, pertaining to her physical
discovery of how meditation reduce stress and changes the physical brain. Lazar:
We found differences in brain volume after eight weeks in five different regions in
the brains of the two groups. In the group that learned meditation, we found
thickening in four regions (Schulte, 2015).
Testimonies
Hugh Jackman and Howard Stern discuss Transcendental Meditation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-xk7QrO0n8
Cameron Diaz Describes Her Transcendental Meditation Experience
video 6 min - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uPqj3JaNNE
David Lynch interviews Paul McCartney about Meditation and Maharishi
video 3 min - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9CzJkxKKd0
Conclusion
CAM allows both practitioners and patients to work together on tackling all
aspects of psychological, physical, and spiritual health and wellness. Science
proves that focusing on calming our internal self is essential to our health,
happiness, and psychological well-being. Thank you.
Questions
Response

Unit 5 CAM Project

Lesson 3 Lecture Cont.

Reference
Benowitz, S. (1996) Psychoneuroimmunology Finds Acceptance As Science Adds
Evidence, The Scientist, Retrieved from http://www.thescientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/18020/title/PsychoneuroimmunologyFinds-Acceptance-As-Science-Adds-Evidence/
Goleman, D. (2005). Emotional Intelligence. New York: Bantam Dell.
Lutz, A., Slagter, H. A., Dunne, J. D., & Davidson, R. J. (2008). Attention
regulation and monitoring in meditation. Trends in Cognitive
Sciences, 12(4), 163169. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2008.01.005
Micozzi, M. (2011). Fundamentals of Complementary and Alternative Medicine,
4th edition. New York.
Schulte, B. (2015, May 26). Harvard neuroscientist: Meditation not only reduces
stress, heres how it changes your brain. The Washington Post. Washington,
D.C., USA. Retrieved July 11, 2016, from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2015/05/26/
harvard-neuroscientist-meditation-not-only-reduces-stress-it-literallychanges-your-brain/