MEDITATION PRACTICE FOR STRESS RELIEF IN WORK

Abstract

This academic article focuses on the practice of meditation (kammatthana) as a method for alleviating work-related stress, based on Buddhist scriptures and academic literature related to Dhamma practice and stress relief. It was found that kammatthana is a form of mental training or cultivation that calms the mind, leading to the development of wisdom capable of alleviating suffering. Regular mental training helps reduce turmoil and stress affecting both body and mind.                                                                                 Kammatthana is a practice aimed at achieving insight. It is something individuals should cultivate within themselves, as it serves as a method of mental management—keeping the mind anchored in the present, calm, free from distraction, and unagitated. When mental health improves, physical health tends to follow, without the need for costly treatments—only time, perseverance, and patience are needed to practice and learn to live in the present reality. Therefore, the practice of kammatthana directly contributes to the treatment of human stress. Maintaining good mental health and strong physical health helps balance the body, mind, and emotions, relieving tension, alleviating pain, treating depression, and improving sleep disorders.

Vipassana meditation, in particular, involves the development of insight, leading to a clear understanding of the Three Characteristics (Tilakkhana): arising, existing, and ceasing. This understanding fosters detachment and non-attachment to arising phenomena. It is a practice that promotes both mental and physical well-being, especially relevant in the context of today's stressful circumstances.