Today we live a fast-paced life with many tasks, responsibilities, stress, and unexplained fears. There is a significant disparity between the thought process and the actions we tend to perform throughout the day. But when your thoughts and actions are a perfect match, you don’t feel the conflict or the stress and are genuinely focused at that moment in time. You are committed to living in the present moment. Also, you tend to feel more joy and are less fatigued after attaining a heightened level of spiritual awareness. Meditation is learning to work with the mind.
It isn’t about zoning out, having earth-shattering experiences, or even controlling the mind. Meditation, as a spiritual practice, is more about working with the mind and training in awareness. Simply working with the mind leads to an improved sense of presence, calmness, attentiveness, and an increase in valued human qualities such as empathy and patience.
Think about it: everything we experience is experienced by the mind. Without it, we’d be machines. Our knowledge, memories, joys, and sorrows; motor control, artistic abilities, anger, love… everything! But how much time do we devote to getting to know this mind? To training it? Meditation is just that: instead of always focusing on the external world like we usually do, we’re befriending the mind and training it to be aware and relaxed. And unveiling its mind-boggling qualities!
How do we meditate?
Let’s go back to the beginning: meditation is awareness. When we meditate, we are dedicating a certain amount of time and effort to being as mindful as we can. To do this, we choose a meditation object – the breath, for example – and pay attention to it. We may sit on a cushion or a chair, remaining upright and still, and simply settle our minds on the breath. Breathe in, we’re aware that we’re breathing in. Breathe out, we’re aware that we’re breathing out. Most of us find that the mind does not stay put! One moment we’re paying attention to the breath, or some other meditation object, and the next we are imagining booking a flight to Paris or telling a colleague what we really think of her. Now how did that happen?
That’s mind! It’s completely creative and wants to make itself heard. Giving it space to express itself is the first step to getting to know the mind and learning to harness its power. When we realize that we’ve wandered from our breath, we gently but firmly invite the mind to come back. And then the mind wanders off. And we bring it back, over and over again. This is the practice of being mindful, of meditation. With time, the mind catches on – we’ve discovered the peace and richness of remaining present, and it becomes harder and harder to pull us away.
Meditation teaches us that contentedness and presence are the true keys to happiness (even if society tries to tell us that the latest gadget is the key – it’s not).
Now that you have a better sense of the how what and why of meditation, please go online and enroll in a course in meditation. You will be surprised at how much change it can bring into your life. Below are some types of meditation to guide you on your journey.
1. Mindfulness meditation
In mindfulness meditation, you pay attention to your thoughts as they pass through your mind. You don’t judge your thoughts or become involved with them. You simply observe and take note of any patterns. This practice combines concentration with awareness. You may find it helpful to focus on an object or your breath while you observe any bodily sensations, thoughts, or feelings. This type of meditation is good for people who don’t have a teacher to guide them, as it can be easily practiced alone.
2. Spiritual meditation
Spiritual meditation is used in nearly all religions and spiritual traditions. The types of spiritual meditation are as diverse as the world’s spiritual traditions themselves; spiritual meditation focuses on developing a deeper understanding of spiritual/religious meaning and connection with a higher power. Examples include Christian contemplative prayer, Sufi dhikr (remembrance of God) Jewish kabbalistic practices. Spiritual meditation can be practiced at home or in a place of worship. This practice is beneficial for those who seek spiritual growth and a deeper connection to a higher power or spiritual force.
3. Focused meditation
Focused meditation involves concentration using any of the five senses. For example, you can focus on something internal, like your breath, or you can bring in external influences to help focus your attention. Examples include: counting mala beads, listening to a gong, staring at a candle flame, counting your breaths, moon gazing e.t.c. This practice may be simple in theory, but it can be difficult for beginners to hold their focus for longer than a few minutes at first. If your mind does wander, simply come back to the practice and refocus. As the name suggests, this practice is ideal for anyone who wants to sharpen their focus and attention.
4. Movement meditation
Although most people think of yoga when they hear movement meditation, this practice may include walking, gardening, qi gong, tai chi, and other gentle forms of movement. This is an active form of meditation where the movement guides you into a deeper connection with your body and the present moment. Movement meditation is good for people who find peace in action and want to develop body awareness.
5. Mantra meditation
Mantra meditation is prominent in many teachings, including Hindu and Buddhist traditions. This type of meditation uses a repetitive sound to clear the mind. It can be a word, phrase, or sound, one of the most common being “om.” Your mantra can be spoken loudly or quietly. After chanting the mantra for some time, you’ll be more alert and in tune with your environment. This allows you to experience deeper levels of awareness. Some people enjoy mantra meditation because they find it easier to focus on a word than on their breath. Others enjoy feeling the vibration of the sound in their body. This is also a good practice for people who don’t like silence and enjoy repetition.
6. Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a type of meditation that’s been the subject of numerous studies in the scientific community. It refers to a specific practice designed to quiet the mind and induce a state of calm and peace. It involves the use of mantras and is best taught by a certified TM practitioner.
7. Progressive relaxation
Also known as body scan meditation, progressive relaxation is a practice aimed at reducing tension in the body and promoting relaxation. Oftentimes, this form of meditation involves slowly tightening and relaxing one muscle group at a time throughout the body. In some cases, it may also encourage you to imagine a gentle wave flowing through your body to help release any tension. This form of meditation is often used to relieve stress and unwind before bedtime.
8. Loving-kindness meditation
Loving-kindness meditation is used to strengthen feelings of compassion, kindness, and acceptance toward oneself and others. It typically involves opening the mind to receive love from others and then sending well wishes to loved ones, friends, acquaintances, and all living beings. Because this type of meditation is intended to promote compassion and kindness, it may be ideal for those holding feelings of anger or resentment.
9. Visualization meditation
Visualization meditation is a technique focused on enhancing feelings of relaxation, peace, and calmness by visualizing positive scenes, images, or figures. This practice involves imagining a scene vividly and using all five senses to add as much detail as possible. It can also involve holding a beloved or honored figure in mind with the intention of embodying their qualities. Another form of visualization meditation involves imagining yourself succeeding at specific goals, which is intended to increase focus and motivation. Many people use visualization meditation to boost their mood, reduce stress levels, and promote inner peace.
How to get started
The easiest way to begin is to sit quietly and focus on your breath. An old Zen saying suggests, “You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes every day — unless you’re too busy. Then you should sit for an hour.” All kidding aside, it’s best to start in small increments of time, even 5 or 10 minutes, and grow from there.
Benefits of meditation include: lower blood pressure, reduced stress, better sleep, improved emotional regulation, increased focus, enhanced mood, reduced aggression, greater adaptability, a healthier aging process, and a greater sense of empathy and connection with others
