Throughout human history, almost every civilization and culture has described the positive effects of meditation on the mental and physical health. What’s more, research points out that meditation has the capacity to lower the blood pressure, improve the posture, strengthen the health of the heart, decrease stress and anxiety, and trigger mindfulness.
With certainty, this practice has profound benefits and its philosophies are nearly everywhere; the acceptance of meditation is becoming more and more common. In today’s world, there are around 30,000 different types of meditation, but they have four common elements or finding a quiet place to meditate, a specific posture, focusing the thoughts, and reaching a positive, open, and enlightened state of being.
Several Techniques of Meditation
Transcendental meditation
This is a meditation that explores the ability of sounds and vibrations to engage and enlighten one and this technique is centered on the repetition of specific affirmative sounds during the session. Some of these sounds were considered sacred and nowadays, instructors often guide personal or group sessions. The repetition of the words and sounds has the goal to increase one’s focus.
Concentration meditation
This meditation is characterized by a long silent focus on the physical sensation of breathing. Whenever the mind wanders off, the goal is to refocus the attention on the sensation. This gives an opportunity to the mind to let go off thoughts and get relief from the sensory overload.
Mindfulness
This practice requires being present in the moment and focusing on both internal and external experiences in order to appreciate and achieve calmness for life as it happens. The goal is to get rid of anxious thoughts of the past and future.
Walking
Believe it or not, not every meditation is practiced while in a sitting or standing position. It can also be done while walking. This moving meditation is similar to the concentration meditation, but the difference is in the movement. A lot of people find it much easier to focus while walking. What is important is to focus on the steps and proper breathing. You can do this in your favorite park or at the nearest beach.
Guided imagery
This meditation is perfect for newbies and it is a great mind exercise. A teacher or an instructor will walk the participants through sensory visualizations of various smells, textures, sounds, and movements. When the mind gets away from the guided images, one should refocus and concentrate.
Yoga
Though yoga and meditation are two distinct practices, a lot of yoga instructors include a brief mediation session either before or after the yoga class. Posture and concentration during yoga are pivotal for proper balance and focus.
Tai chi
This ancient practice is not a meditation, but it is centered on the spiritual and physical areas of life. It puts emphasis on the breathing, posture, and meditation in order to restore the life energy also known as ‘chi’.
Beginner’s Guide on Meditation
Choose the location
Find a calm setting to encourage concentration.
Choose a pose
Staying in one position is important during meditation so choose one that is the most suitable for you. You can opt for the popular cross-legged position or you can lie on the back with the arms at the sides and the palms up.
Breathe
Opt for full and calming breaths. Do not force improper patterns.
Keep the focus
You can achieve this by concentrating on a specific physical sensation like your breathing. Inhale and exhale through the noise and feel the lungs expanding and contracting. Do not allow your mind to wander and constantly refocus.
Repeat
You should begin with 5 minutes per day and as you become more used to the practice, increase the duration. Overtime, your mind will wander less and less.
Why Is Meditation Good for Us?
- Betters our mood– in a study with more than 1000 participants who meditated for 5 years, they experienced a significant reduction in stress and their mood was improved.
- Eases the coping with stress-according to a study, mindfulness was able to lower the response to anxious feelings and stress response during stressful challenges.
- Improves the skills for coping- a study with college students who practiced transcendental meditation, the results pointed out that their coping skills enhanced and the depression and anxiety levels decreased.
- Balances the blood pressure- numerous studies show that meditation has the capacity to balance the blood pressure and prevent hypertension.
- Alleviates menopause symptoms- research indicates that meditation was able to provide relief for some of the menopause signs.
- It assists in quitting smoking- in combination with yoga; meditation can help you put an end to this unhealthy habit easier.