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Meditation Techniques

Anahana January 13, 2022

Meditation

There are many types of meditation based on both ancient tradition and modern science. Many meditation techniques and mediation programs can relieve stress, focus attention and calm a wandering mind. This wiki will provide a systematic review of types of meditation, the benefits of mediation, and mindfulness practice. It does not provide medical advice.

The History Of Meditation

woman practicing different meditation techniques People have been practicing meditation for thousands of years. Meditation techniques were historically utilized to deepen one's understanding of the sacred forces of life; however, it is now commonly used for stress reduction and improving mental well-being. No matter which meditation technique you practice, you will focus your attention and eliminate stressful thoughts crowding the mind, promoting physical and emotional well-being.

Meditation originated in the ancient traditions of Eastern countries. The earliest written records come from India's Hindu traditions of Vendatism from 1500 BCE. Other variations of meditation date back to the 5th and 6th centuries BCE within Taoist China and Buddhist India.

What Is Meditation?

Meditation is an ancient practice that promotes inner peace, enhanced self-awareness, and better well-being by teaching focused attention to help people live in the present. Here are some of the critical elements to meditation:

Focused attention: This is one of the essential elements of meditation. Learning focused attention by focusing on an object, image, mantra, or breathing during meditation can relieve psychological stress and worry.
Relaxed breathing: As you meditate, you will usually take deep, evenly paced breaths using the diaphragm muscles. The purpose is to slow your breathing to increase oxygen intake and calm the body.
Quiet space: You will need an area that is distraction-free if you are a beginner. Once you become skilled at the practice, you may meditate in stressful situations.
Comfortable position: Whether you are sitting, lying down, walking, or holding another position, you will want to be comfortable and maintain a tall posture.
Cheerful and open-minded attitude: Try to be judgment-free during practice as your thoughts come and go. If you notice your mind wandering, gently bring it back to your focus of choice.

The Health Benefits Of Meditation Programs

With regular practice, meditation helps with mental and physical health.

Reduces stress and improves mental health: Research conducted over the past two decades supports how practicing meditation benefits mental health. Meditating for just a few minutes a day can reduce stress, giving the mind a sense of clarity and improving cognitive performance.
Helps people live with chronic pain: One study synthesized evidence on mindfulness meditation as treatment of chronic pain in adults. It found that meditation is associated with decreased pain, demonstrating how daily meditation practice can help people live with chronic pain.
Cardiovascular risk reduction: Frequent mindfulness meditation practice helps improve cardiovascular health. Several peer-reviewed studies have found that meditation decreases systolic and diastolic blood pressure. This improvement is most significant in practitioners above the age of 60.

Relaxation Techniques For Mental Wellbeing

There are numerous meditation styles for relaxation. These three mindfulness meditation practices are good for anxiety, stress, and depression.

Focused meditation: Begin by choosing a target for your focus, such as your breath. Sit quietly in a comfortable position, relax your body, and begin taking deep breaths into your belly. Shift your attention to your focused target. If you have chosen to focus on your breathing, for example, pay attention to the external and internal sensations you feel as you inhale and exhale. Focused meditation will take time to perfect. The more frequently you practice it, the more beneficial it will be for you.

Benefits: Some of the benefits of focused meditation include reduced stress, enhanced self-awareness, and better anxiety control. It may also improve your attention span, creativity, and patience.

Body scan meditation: Begin by lying on your back in a comfortable position. Take a few deep breaths into your belly and relax your body. Begin the scan by bringing your awareness to your feet and taking notice of any physical sensations that may arise. Rather than fighting the pain, breathe through it. Breathe into any tension or pain and visualize it leaving your body. Gradually work your way up through all of your body parts until you have scanned your entire body.

Benefits: Body scan meditation promotes relaxation, increases body awareness, helps manage stress, and is highly effective for pain management. It allows you to reconnect with your physical body. The goal of the exercise is to retrain the mind to be open, aware, and accepting of sensory experiences. It will build your focus to be more present in your daily life.

Walking meditation: Pick a peaceful space without any obstacles or distractions. Once you have found a suitable area, anchor yourself by feeling grounded and stable through your feet. Begin slowly walking and focus on your legs and feet and the motion of your body. Walking meditation is done in a circle or back and forth in the same space. Maintain mindfulness as you walk and keep your pace slow. Walk naturally and relax your arms and legs while keeping your body upright and aligned.

Benefits: This type of meditation allows you to turn an everyday activity into a mindfulness practice. It gets the blood circulating if you have been sitting for a while and can allow you to experience additional insights. It will enable a unique sense of gratitude by feeling the earth's support as you walk. Other benefits include decreased anxiety and depression, improved digestion, better sleep quality, and more.

other styles of meditation include

Mantra meditation: Mantra meditation uses the repetition of a sound to clear the mind. Examples include a phrase from eastern religions, words, or sounds, such as “Om.”
Loving-kindness meditation: During the loving-kindness meditation practice, you will imagine yourself in a state of complete physical and mental wellness. As you meditate, you will repeat up to four uplifting and reassuring phrases to yourself to manifest this peaceful state.
Transcendental meditation: Transcendental meditation has you repeat a mantra in your head to clear your mind of thoughts so you can focus on the present moment.
Visualization meditation: This type of meditation will mentally picture images, symbols, ideas, or mantras to calm the mind and put the body into a deep state of relaxation.

Meditation Practice for Sleep

Guided sleep meditations are effective in supporting a whole night’s sleep and helping people fall asleep faster when the mind is racing with stress and worry. Though there are many, you can find online and through applications, Yoga Nidra, also known as yogic sleep, is arguably the best meditation technique for rest.

Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation that brings practitioners into a deep state of relaxation where the body can rest while the mind remains conscious. It brings mindful awareness to each part of your body and includes aspects of guided imagery. A complete session of Yoga Nidra will reset the nervous system, energizing the body and mind. To learn more about this meditation and how it can help you sleep, read our article on Yoga Nidra for sleep.

Chakras Meditation

Chakras are part of a connected energy system within the body. The seven chakras include the crown chakra, third eye chakra, throat chakra, heart chakra, solar plexus chakra, sacral chakra, and root chakra. People practice chakra meditations to improve their mental awareness and emotional balance by targeting blocked or unaligned chakras through breathing exercises and imagery. You will align and activate the seven chakras during the meditation and visualize them vibrating at a high frequency.

Deep Box Breathing Chakras Meditation

You can practice several meditations that focus on activating and healing the chakras. One simple practice is chakras meditation which incorporates deep breathing and visualization.

Sit with your legs crossed at the edge of a meditation cushion or firm pillow to begin the meditation. Place your hands on your knees with your palms facing up. Once comfortable, you will cast your eyes downward or close them gently. Begin taking slow deep breaths, allowing your belly to expand as you inhale through your nose and contract as you exhale. Count to four for each inhale and exhale. Hold for an extra four counts when your lungs are full and again when they are empty. Repeat this several times. Once you are relaxed, you can return to your regular breathing and begin to picture each of your chakras gaining energy. Begin with the base of your spine (root chakra) and work your way up to the crown chakra, doing the same visualization practice for each. Allow all of your chakras to hum, spin, and vibrate with energy for several moments as you conclude the meditation session with three more box breathing cycles.

Risks And Contraindications

Although meditation has many benefits for brain activity, body and soul, some adverse side effects may arise. Daily practice can affect practitioners' emotions, sense of self, sensory perception, and social interaction. Although these changes are usually positive, there are some cases where they can be harmful. In rare cases, meditation can cause hallucinations, panic, reliving traumatic experiences, and a loss of motivation. If you experience any of these symptoms, it may not be suitable for you. This Wiki does not replace medical advice from a doctor or other professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to find your meditation techniques?

The best way to find what meditation technique works best for you is to start small with short exercises. Begin by sitting quietly in meditation for five to 20 minutes a day and grow from there. You can try different meditation methods and see which one works best. Changing the type of meditation you do each time will keep it exciting and help you figure out which style best suits you.

How to do meditation techniques for beginners?

Whether a beginner or an experienced practitioner, meditation is very beneficial. As a beginner, you will be retraining your mind to have focused attention and mindfulness. It is essential to remember that this takes practice and time. Try to commit yourself to regular meditation practice. Incorporating small acts of mindfulness into your daily routine through nature walks, journaling, or other mindful practices can reinforce a calm mind.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when beginning meditation:

Go into the practice without expectations and remain judgment-free
As a new practitioner, you should designate a time and space for the practice
Take a few moments before meditating to wind down and take some deep breaths
If you are having trouble focusing, try a guided meditation

How to practice mindfulness techniques?

Begin by sitting in a calm and quiet space and breathe deeply. Decide how long you wish to practice the meditation and the specific method you would like to follow before beginning. Make yourself comfortable, then shift your focus to your body and begin to feel your breath. Notice when your mind wanders, and gently bring it back to the present moment. Close the exercise with kindness and gratitude.

What is kundalini meditation?

Kundalini meditation is a spiritual meditation that is part of the Hindu tradition, involving breathwork, meditation, and chanting. It moves coiled energy, or chakra, from the base of the spine through the body to reduce stress levels.

What is zen meditation?

Zen meditation is a meditation technique that is rooted in Buddhist psychology. The goal is to regulate your attention. People often sit in a lotus position or with their legs crossed and focus inward. Some practitioners do so by counting their breaths from one to ten, while others do not involve counting in their process.

What is Japa meditation?

This meditation technique involves repeating a mantra either out loud or internally. A meaningful mantra will improve the effectiveness of the practice by manifesting the message. However, the process of focus and repetition without interruption occupies the superficial levels of our consciousness.