What is meditation? Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
Meditation is a practice of observing and being self-aware in all ways: emotional, spiritual, physical or mental. It involves being detached from your thoughts and your being.
A meditative state can be attained by training your mind to focus and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state. Or in other words it is when one is free of all confusion and turmoil and reaches a state of inner peace.
Meditation is not evasion, it is a serene encounter with reality.
Thich Nhat Hanh
Benefits of Meditation
Meditation has been shown to have many benefits for physical and mental well-being. Some of the benefits attained through its practice are:
- It helps to reduce stress and anxiety.
- It enables the lowering of blood pressure and heart rate.
- It enhances our mental and emotional well-being.
- It helps attain a state of calmness and relaxation, thereby boosting our sleep.
- Regular practice improves our focus and concentration.
- It enhances our level of happiness.
- It boosts self-confidence and brings a sense of contentment.
Learn to be calm and you will always be happy.
Paramahansa Yogananda
Types of meditation
There are many different types of meditation, each with its own unique focus and technique, but they all share the common goal of helping the individual achieve a state of relaxation and lack of any turmoil. And leave the practitioner in a happy and peaceful state.
Mediation means dissolving the invisible walls that unaware has built.
Sadhguru
Some of the different ways to practice meditation can be done in a seated, lying down, standing or walking position. Some of the popular and commonly practiced methods of meditation are:
Concentration meditation
This type of meditation involves focusing the mind on a single thing. This focus could be on an internal thing such as our breath. Or we could use an external source such as focusing on a mantra, or a sound, or an affirmation or a candle light to improve focus and concentration.
Mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment. Being in the present without judgment or any kind of attachment. It aims to improve awareness and acceptance of sensations, thoughts and emotions.
Guided meditation
This form of meditation involves listening to a recorded voice or music that provides step by step instructions to be followed to get into a meditative state. These set of instructions usually involve bringing the mind and body into a relaxed mode by giving suggestions of visualization.
Yoga and Tai chi
Yoga is an ancient practice and can help one achieve a state of meditation. Yoga and Tai chi, these two forms together aim at combining physical movement and postures with breathing and concentration techniques to achieve a state of meditation.
White Light Meditation
White light is the space within the universe that is a power house of positive energies. White light can be called upon by anyone – healers, em-paths, the devout, and you too! for assistance, healing, and protection from negative vibrations. Read in detail about white light meditation.
Conclusion
Meditation is a personal practice. It can take time to find the right type of meditation that works for you. Using different approach may help you arrive at what works for you.
Start with short sessions and gradually build up the duration of your practice. Meditation is a skill that takes time and practice. Initially it is normal for the mind to wander. Be kind and compassionate to yourself as you learn and train yourself to acquire the skill of meditation.
When meditation is mastered, the mind is unwavering like the flame of a candle in a windless place.
Bhagavad Gita
Note that meditation is not about clearing the mind, but rather learning to focus and be aware of your thoughts, sensations and emotions. With consistent practice, meditation can become a powerful tool for self awareness and internal regulation. It will make you ready to deal with any adversity and failure. It will help you in attaining inner peace, contentment and happiness.
Read More:
You may also like to read about Gratitude and its benefits, about Practicing Gratitude, about how to find your path in times of multiple confusing options in Action is the Prescription to Overcome Confusion and about How to deal with heartbreak when one is paralyzed by the death of a loved one by the same author Crispy Maheshwari.
About The Author
Crispy Maheshwari is the Founder of FTEM (From The Experts’ Mouth).
She is very creative and multi-talented. She likes to write, paint and craft. Crispy loves to network, motivate people, teach and spread positivity.
Some of her work has been published in leading national newspaper, International Literary Journals and has also been translated to other languages.
She graduated from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, New Delhi and has dual professional qualifications – Chartered Accountant and Lawyer (Faculty of Law, University of Delhi).
Lucid and helpful.