For that first one must understand the Bhavana technique and methods and its implications.
Applying 'attention' on the breathing.
When one practices Bhavana, this is what one is supposed to do. But the problem is whether one will be able to do this successfully is the question. If one has hypertension, he will definitely will not be able to do this. Even without hypertension, it may be difficult. But trying to do this practice of maintaining the 'attention' on breathing one will be able to discover the problems, which are the hindrances to the practice.
A person with hypertension will be able to detect, that there are thinking, that he is indulging in due to problems in life, such as conflicts in the work place, at home, etc. At work place there may be higher work demand or there my be conflicts with seniors or with colleagues. These thoughts may give rise to anger, fear, insecurity, etc. Or it may be issues at home. The partner may be thinking of getting a divorce, or one may contemplating a divorce on the partner. These issues cannot be overcome or solved by Bhavana, that is by paying attention to the Breathing. But when these thoughts and emotions rise up, one should clearly identify them and contemplate those issues, and try to find or imagine a solution for them, by taking a rest from trying to pay attention to breathing, while in the seated position of Bhavana .
Contemplation (Meditation).
The solution one come across may be to abandon the job and find a new one. Let the partner get a divorce. etc. What happens when one contemplates, while practising Bhavana, on the distracted thoughts and emotions, is contemplation, is Meditation. So meditation is the beginning part of the Bhavana. This meditation or contemplation will help to understand one's problems without, and to find a suitable solutions.
There may be issues and problems, which needs an answer. For instance, one may be contemplating, 'Why this happens to me?' or just 'Why this happens?', a question on some work problem or even in study problems. What one has to do here is to pose the problem to the mind, and feed all the data of the problem, to the mind, and without expecting an answer from the mind, one should continue on the practice. As a flash of understanding, the answer would come unexpectedly.
Most of these solutions which are arrived at by contemplation would involve, giving up the Desire or Anger for certain situation or a person. So a practitioner of Bhavana starts to give up many things, outside things, which are causing problems and sufferings. Some say, 'Let go', of the things which causes sufferings. But in this contemplations there is no such thing as 'Let go'. By contemplation one looks at the issues and understands himself the reasons for the problems and decides intelligently to abandon those 'reasons' which cause suffering.
Without understanding the 'reasons' by oneself, if one decides to do a thing like, 'let go', or on the advice of someone, it won't be a permanent solution, where one may come back to the same problems again.
This is the first step in the spirituality. abandoning the things outside, which causes suffering.
Then by the same contemplation one would discover there has to be some form of 'Abstinence' on many activities one does outside the Bhavana, which causes the Development in the Bhavana gained to go down. For instance, if anger goes down in the Bhavana, or desire goes down, then indulging in the same anger and desire outside, would reduce the gain achieved. Hence, one would find that 'Abstaining' from those activities of anger and desire, one can maintain and improve the development, in each session of Bhavana.
This 'Abstinence', which one discovers and adheres himself will be more than the 'Abstinence' expected. What is the expected minimum 'Abstinence' or 'Sila' for a practitioner of Bhavana?
If hypertension has already caused bodily changes and formations, these bodily formations would be a cause of hypertension, even if one understand the mental causes of the same, by Contemplation. Therefore one has to do physical exercises, balanced food, etc. apart from the 'Abstinence' (Sila) one discovers and the Contemplative Bhavana one does. It may be a little longer process in time to get oneself cured from these body formations of the ailment, hypertension.
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