So, have you decided to start caring for your wellbeing with meditation?
There are many different types of meditations and they can all be beneficial to your mental, emotional, and physical health. While some meditation can only be practiced by an adult, there are some which can be easily done by as young as a seven-year-old kid.
Most meditation techniques are quite simple, ranging from easy breathing techniques to more complex ones. However, meditation is a very personal practice where it can be relaxing for some and distracting for others.
Initially, beginners might feel uncomfortable or hard to concentrate while practicing meditation. And it’s perfectly normal. Sitting for long periods may be stressful or physically uncomfortable for many. You can reduce the duration of the meditation session at the start, and slowly try returning to a normal routine. If you still have trouble, you can seek the help of the guided meditation of an experienced teacher.
If you have never tried meditation before then it can get a little intimidating initially. To make easier for beginners and novices, here are some of the most common meditation techniques to get started with:
Studies suggest that breathing techniques in meditation can make the mind sharper. It’s a technique that anyone can do. The breathing meditation practice involves using the breath as an object of focus.
Breathing practice allows you to focus on the moment and focus on breathing. Each moment that you spend focusing positive one less moment you spend thinking something negative. It’s a good thing though!
This simple meditation technique rejuvenates your nervous system and calms your body. Just like a tranquilizer!
The mindfulness meditation technique is all about being present in the moment and not getting distracted by thoughts about the past and or stressing about the future. In this meditation type, you focus on being intensely aware of what you are feeling or sensing moment by moment without judging or trying to interpret.
Practicing mindfulness includes mindful breathing, guided imagery, or a body scan meditation where you tune into your body.
In typical mindfulness meditation, you take the time to breathe deeply or even scan your body, working your way up from toe to head.
Mindfulness means doing something with utmost attention and focus, so you could even practice mindfulness while doing the dishes or taking a shower.
Basically, anything you do with all your focus and attention could be considered a form of mindfulness.
Mindfulness improves physical and mental health in a number of ways. It can help relieve stress, treat heart disease, lower blood pressure, reduce chronic pain, banish negative thoughts, feelings and so much more.
Focus meditation requires you to focus on an object like a candle or a flower and take time to examine it to the fullest extent. In fact, you can choose anything to focus that stimulates your senses. A focus meditation is all about paying attention to every little detail of something so much so that you don’t see anything else. The effectiveness of a simple meditation like this is really surprising!
Practicing focus meditation helps deepen your focus while you hold your attention.
Walking meditation is derived from Zen Buddhism and is also known as kinhin in Japanese. The challenge of this meditation is that you need to walk slowly and consciously with focus on each step.
In this healing meditation, the practitioner walks around the room while holding their hands in shashu holding one hand closed in a fist behind the back and the other hand closed within the fist. During the meditation each step is taken after each breath.
This is a great practice for beginners if you are one of those who are always on the go or find it uncomfortable and restless to sit still in a meditative pose. The great thing is that you can practice walking meditation anywhere. You can choose a place of your choice, it could be a beachside, a park, a garden, in your living room, etc. The aim is to involve in the act of walking to meditate.
Mantra meditation is one of the easiest meditation techniques for beginners.
Chanting is an age-old practice that has been practiced since ancient times in Hindu and Buddhist cultures. Mantras are simply sounds that correlate to a spiritual force or a deity. There are many mantras but ‘Aum’ is probably the most widely used mantra for meditation.
You can even use simple words such as peace and love. It helps gain focus and clarity.
The practice of Loving-Kindness meditation also known as Metta meditation has been passed down over 2500 years since the time of the Buddha. Many would prefer to start with this simple meditation technique, which is all about opening up the heart and cultivating selfless love and compassion for ourselves as well as others.
The practice of Metta Meditation starts with self, and once we attain that self-love and self-compassion, we can offer the same to others.
With this technique you experience self-compassion, increased focus and attention, and a deep sense of emotional strength. This beautiful, soothing practice opens up the world and your connection with yourself and with other living beings in a loving way.
No matter where you start, you should pick the practice that suits you best. By understanding what fits you, you should be able to notice and experience the benefits of meditation within a short period of time. There’s no denying that meditation is a key step towards cultivating a life of greater peace, happiness, and freedom.
