Meditation
Meditation is a word that has been widely used over the years and has gained so many diverse meanings.Here are four definitions of meditation:
Meditation is a precise technique for resting the mind and attaining a state of consciousness that is totally different from the normal waking state.
It is the means for fathoming all the levels of ourselves and finally experiencing the center of consciousness within.
According to the cambridge dictionary, Meditation is the act of giving your attention to only one thing, either as a religious activity or as a way of becoming calm and relaxed.
It is a way of training the mind.
Brief history of Meditation
The word meditation stems form meditatum, a Latin term that means 'to ponder'. it is an ancient practice that is believed to have originated from india many thousand years BCE. Throughout early history, the practice was adopted by neighboring countries quickly and formed a part of many religions throughout the world. Although, the term Meditate was not introduced until the 12th century AD. In the ancient times, meditation was first recorded in india around 1500 BCE, however some historians believe it existed as far back as 3000 BCE. Between 600-500 BCE, there were records of other forms of meditation being developed in Taoist China and Buddhist India. The mediation hall was built in Japan by a Japanese monk, Dosho, who discovered Zen on a visit to china in 653 AD.
There are nine popular types of meditation practice:
Mindfulness meditation
Spiritual meditation
Focused meditation
Movement meditation
Mantra meditation
Transcendental meditation
Progressive meditation
Loving-kindness meditation
Visualization meditation
Just like almost everything in the world meditation is not a one size fit all. This various meditation practices are not right for everyone and require different skills and mindsets.
1. Mindfulness meditation: It originates from the buddhist teachings and it is the most popular meditation technique in the west.
When observing this type of technique, you pay attention to your thoughts as they pass through your mind. You don't judge the thoughts or become involved with them. you simply observe and take notes of any patterns. During this practice, concentration is combined with awareness. Some people find it helpful to focus on an object or your breath while you observe any bodily sensation, thoughts or feelings. This type is very beneficial for people who don't have a teacher to guide them as it can be easily practised alone.
2. Spiritual meditation: It is practised in eastern religions such as Hinduism and Daoism, and in christian faith. Its similar to prayer in that you reflect on the silence around you and seek a deeper connection with God or the Universe.
Essential oils are commonly used to heighten the spiritual experience. The most popular options are:
Frankincense
myth
sage
cedar
Sandalwood
Palo santo
It can be practised at home or in a place of worship. it is very beneficial for those who thrive in silence and seek spiritual growth.
3. Focused meditation: This type of meditation involves concentration using any of the five senses. You can use either internal concentration like focusing on your breathing or focusing on eternal influences like counting beads, listening to a gong, or staring at a candle flame.
Sure this seems very simple in theory but it has been found to be very difficult for beginners to hold their focus for longer than a few minutes at first.
If you find that your mind wanders, it is important to come back to the practice and refocus.
Just like the name suggests, this is a practice that is ideal for anyone who requires additional focus in their life.
4. Movement meditation: more often than not when people hear movement meditation they think yoga, but this practice may include walking through the woods, gardening, qigong, and other gentle forms of motion.
Its an active form of meditation where the movement guides you. It is good for people who find peace in action and prefer to let their minds wander.
5. Mantra meditation: This particular practice is prominent in many teachings for example, the Hindu and Buddhist traditions. This type uses a repetitive sound to clear the mind. It can be a word, phrase, or sound, such as the popular "Om".
Importance is not placed on how the mantra is spoken. You can choose to say it loudly or quietly. After chanting the mantra for sometime, you become more alert and in tune with your environment. This makes an avenue to experience deeper level of awareness.
Some people have preference for this type of meditation because they find it easier to focus on a word rather than just on their breadth. Other category of people that prefer this particular method of meditation are people who don't like silence and enjoy repetition.
6. Transcendental meditation: It is a very unique type of meditation and it has been the subject of numerous studies in the scientific community. This method is more customizable than mantra meditation, it involves using a mantra or series of words that are specific to each individual. This type of practice is for those who like structure and are serious about maintaining a meditation practice.
7. Progressive relaxation: It is also known as scan meditation. This practice is aimed at reducing tension in the body and promoting relaxation.
Most times, it involves slowly tightening and relaxing one muscle group of the body at a time. In other cases, it may also encourage you to imagine a gentle wave flowing through the body to help release any tension.
This practice is used to relieve stress and unwind before bedtime.
8.Loving-kindness meditation: It is used to strengthen feelings of compassion, kindness, and acceptance toward oneself and others.
It involves opening the mind to receive love from others and in return sending a series of well wishes to loved ones, friends, acquaintances, and all living beings. Due to the ability of this practice to promote compassion and kindness, it may be ideal for those holding feelings of anger or resentment.
9. Visualization meditation:It is a technique focused on enhancing feelings of relaxation, peace, and calmness by visualizing positive scenes or images.
In this practice, it is important to imagine the scene vividly and use all five senses to add as much detail as possible.
Another form involves imagining yourself succeeding at specific goals, which is intended to increase focus and motivation. A lot of people use this method to boost their mood, reduce stress levels, and promote inner peace.
How to meditate
The easiest way for someone who is just starting is to sit quietly and focus on your breadth. A Zen once said "You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes every day - unless you're too busy. Then you sit for an hour."
On a more serious note, if you are new to all things meditation you might find it difficult to sit still for 20 minutes. So it is best to start in small moments of time, even 5 or 10 minutes and grow from there. In addition to that, having a brief 2-5 minutes of meditation throughout the day to break up the chaos,and you will soon be feeling the benefits".
Benefits of meditation
It helps to lower blood pressure
It helps improve the physical health of people by reducing strain on the heart. Meditation appears to control blood pressure by relaxing the nerve signals that coordinate heart function, blood vessel tension, and the flight-or-fight response that increase alertness in stressful situations.
It controls anxiety
When the stress level is decreased it leads to less anxiety.
When meditation is made an habit it helps to reduce anxiety and improve stress reactivity and coping skills.
It reduces stress
Stress are caused by the increase in of the stress hormone cortisol. This produces most of the harmful effect of stress, such as the release of inflammatory chemicals called cytokines.
This leads to disruption of sleep, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, fatigue and cloudy thinking.
Meditation has been found to reduce the inflammation caused by stress. It also rudyce symptoms in people with stress-triggered medical conditions.
It helps control pain
Humans perception of pain have been found to be connected to our state of mind, and it can be elevated in stressful conditions. Meditation helps to diminish the perception of pain in the brain. this can be very useful to supplement medicare orr physical therapy
It eases symptoms of depression.
It improves sleep
People that meditates especially those that practice mindfulness-based meditation have been found to be able to sleep longer because, they are more able to control or redirect the racing or runaway thoughts that often lead to insomnia.
It promotes emotional health
Practising some forms of meditation can lead to improved self image and a more positive outlook on life. they also reduce depression and negative thoughts. It may also decrease levels of inflammatory cytokines, which could contribute to depression.
It enhances self awareness
There are various forms of meditation and some may help you develop a greater understanding of yourself, helping you grow into your best self.
Self-inquiry and related styles of meditation can help you "know yourself." It can be a starting point for making other positive changes.
It lengthens attention span
Practising meditation, especially Focused meditation helps you to lengthen your attention span and memory
It may reduce age-related memory loss
The improved focus you are able to gain through regular meditation will help you boost your memory and mental clarity. these benefits can help fight age-related memory loss and dementia.
It can generate kindness
Practising Loving-kindness meditation also known as mette, helps you to develop kindness towards yourself and others around you.
It may help fight addictions
When you meditate regularly, you tend to develop mental awareness which can help you manage triggers for unwanted impulses. This can hep people recover from addiction, manage unhealthy eating, and redirect other unwanted habits.
Styles of meditation
There are two main types of meditation
1. Focused-attention meditation
This style involves concentrating your attention on a single object, thought, sound, or visualization. It involves ridding your mind of distractions. This style may focus on breathing, a mantra, or calming sound.
2. Open-monitoring meditation
It encourages broadened awareness of all aspects of your environment, train of thought, and sense of self. This style may include becoming aware of suppressed thoughts, feelings, or impulses.