Meditation: An Introduction
Learn what is meditation, what are the benefits of meditating regularly, the different types of techniques, and more.
Meditation: An Introduction
Meditation is the process of exploring the heart and mind and experiencing the richness of awareness. Practicing it is not about eliminating unwanted things and habits you don’t like about yourself or becoming a better person. In fact, it helps you to see that you are already a complete person and enables you to get in touch with your true nature.
Meditation has three basic aspects. The first is recognizing your true nature or spiritual revival for yourself to connect to the infinite. The second aspect is to submerge your mind into deep concentration through chanting, mantras, and various breathing exercises for a particular reason. The third aspect of meditation is living with mindfulness in thoughtless awareness until it transforms your life completely.
Origin of Meditation
In the Indus Valley, evidence of meditation has been discovered by archaeologists in wall art dating from approximately 5,000 – 3,500 BCE. Different images on the rock wall depict people sitting in various meditation postures.
For example, you can recognize the figures sitting on the ground with crossed legs, hands resting on their knees, and their eyes slightly closed. Various descriptions of meditation techniques are also found in Indian scriptures from around 3,000 years ago.
Origin of Meditation in West
Meditation first began in the West in the 1700s, when some of the Eastern philosophy texts, containing references to meditation techniques and practices, were translated into different languages. Essentially it was brought to the West by gurus and yogis.
With the passage of time, western meditation teachings have tended to divide along the lines of religion, culture, spirituality, and science. Depending on the beliefs and preferences of the learners, they choose the style that resonates the most with their beliefs.
Benefits of Meditation
The benefits of meditation are uncountable and varied and supported by science. People mostly start meditating to manage their stress, reduce anxiety, change addictive behaviors, improve sleep, and get peace of mind. But there are thousands of studies documenting other less-known benefits of meditation that may have a positive impact on mental, physical, and emotional health.
Types of Meditation
There are hundreds of meditation methods encompassing practices from different cultures, religions, traditions, spiritual disciplines, and beliefs. You can simply not entitle any type as the best or most effective type of meditation, rather, it is your personal preference that helps you choose which technique works best for you. Here’s a breakdown of some of the popular types of meditation for your easy understanding.
This is the primary form of meditation. You can practice it in silence and a peaceful place while focusing on your breathing. Most meditation guides use this type of meditation in combination with mindfulness.
Body scan, also known as progressive relaxation, is sometimes combined with breathwork. Guided meditations often suggest people this type of practice, which requires you to scan your body from head to toe for points of tension. The most effective way to scan your body is to start with your feet and move up towards your head, flexing, tightening, and then releasing your muscles.
This form of meditation is a little different than other common types and you can practice it anytime, anywhere. To practice mindfulness, you just need to be aware of your present moment. For this you don’t need to clear your thoughts, instead, focus on what is happening around you or inside your mind.
This type of meditation uses breathing to transcend to a different state of being. It allows you to settle inward to a profound state of relaxation with the purpose of achieving inner peace without concentration or extra effort. In transcendental meditation, personally assigned mantras, such as a word, sound, or small phrase, are repeated in a specific way. You can practice it 20 minutes twice each day while sitting comfortably with the eyes closed in a peaceful place.
Also known as Loving-Kindness Meditation, is the practice of directing well-wishes toward others. In this method, you recite specific words and phrases meant to evoke warm-hearted feelings. You can practice it while sitting in a comfortable and relaxed position. After a few deep breaths, you recite the following phrases slowly and steadily in your own languages, “May I be happy and peaceful. May I be fine.” After a few moments, begin to picture a family member or loved one and repeat the phrases, but this time replace “I” with “you.” This type of practice helps you open yourself up to be more kind and loving as a person. No matter what kind of meditation you decide to practice, you need to do it regularly for the best results. Even practicing it for only five minutes every day could be enough. If you have a hectic routine then wake up a few minutes early in the morning to practice meditation.
CBD with Meditation
Over the past many years, meditation has been used to significantly lower stress and regulate emotions. When you combine meditation with the soothing effect of CBD, you give yourself an amazing arsenal to fight negative emotions and take your meditation sessions to a whole new level. In recent years, researchers confirmed that CBD can have a considerable impact on your emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing. That is why an increasing number of brands have included hemp compounds in their products. Incorporating CBD into your meditation sessions, you may finally be on your way to overcoming stress and anxiety, especially if you find it challenging to meditate deeply. CBD might be particularly effective for you if you are new to meditation. With regular practice, you will be able to achieve a sense of inner peace and clarity, and able to focus on the real things in your life.