Meditation

Meditation history dates back to thousands of years that has been practiced in different religions. Initially practiced as a spiritual ritual, it has now been considered to carry numerous benefits in terms of physical and mental well-being. It is a complementary medicine used to tune out unnecessary thoughts and keep the mind relaxed and calm. It aims to achieve a state of heightened focus and concentration while mastering mental tranquility.

What are the different types of Meditation?

Although the goal of all types of meditation is to reduce stress and anxiety, different forms vary in terms of technique and practice. The following are a few of the most popular types:

○ Guided Meditation

○ Concentrative Meditation

○ Mantra meditation

○ Mindfulness meditation

○ Qi gong

○ Walking Meditation

○ Emotion-centered Meditation

○ Visual-based Meditation

○ Tai chi

○ Transcendental Meditation

○ Yoga

What are the benefits?

Meditation and meditation music can help you gain a state of inner calm by eliminating disturbing thoughts and raining your mind to be more mindful and focused on the present moment. The practice can help you by:

Bringing you a sense of calm, peace, and well-being

Helping you relax

Teaching you stress management

Changing attention and mindfulness for the better

Teaching you to deal with stressful situations more positively

Enhancing your self-awareness

Eliminating negative thoughts and emotions

Lowering blood pressure

Improving immunity

Enhancing creativity level

Improving the quality of your sleep

Reducing perspiration

It will not only positively impact your mental well-being, but it is also believed to bring positive changes to the symptoms of certain physical illnesses, such as:

○ Asthma

○ Cancer pain

○ Hypertension

○ Chronic pain conditions

○ Irritable bowel syndrome

○ Sleep disturbances

○ Migraines and headaches

What should I expect from a session?

While it can be done by an individual on their own, when you’re first starting out it will take lots of practice. You can choose in person sessions or online ones. The first session usually involves an introduction of you and your trainer. The trainer might ask you about what you already know about meditation and discuss all the available options for you.

Unlike yoga classes, a meditation session involves simple instructions and starts with mindful breathing. Your practitioner will ask you to follow a particular breathing pattern while keeping your focus on your breathing. The practitioner will ask you to divert your attention back to your breathing in case your mind wanders, which is a usual happening for beginners. Your practitioner can use meditation music to assist you in keeping your focus.

You will likely feel more relaxed and stress-free at the end of the session, although it will take a few sessions to get the hang of it.

Meditating at Home

Once you have learned the basics you can perform it at any time. Here is what you can follow while meditating at home:

○ Select a quiet corner of your home and turn off all the distractions like television and mobile phone. You can play calm and repetitive meditation music.

○ If you are a beginner, you can set a time limit of 5 to 10 minutes and further increase this limit as you get good at it.

○ Sit comfortably on a chair or the floor.

○ Take slow and deep breaths and keep your focus on your breathing.

○ It is inevitable for your mind to wander from time to time. Train yourself to bring back attention to your breathing whenever it happens.

Conclusion

It is an easy and inexpensive way to keep your day-to-day stresses at bay. It might not be as easy as it seems initially, but with enough practice, you can learn to meditate during your daily routine.

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