Benefits of Meditation
It’s been a heavy year for a lot of us. A worldwide lock-down adds an additional layer on top of our own individual challenges. During challenging moments remind yourself that everything is temporary. A feeling of sadness or anger isn’t ‘bad’ in itself, but holding onto that feeling can be. Let it in. Feel it. Learn from it. But then you have to let it go. Because holding onto what was can leave you unable to enjoy the present moment, or look forward to the future.
So how can we re-balance ourselves when it feels like everything is falling apart? One way is through meditation. Meditation slows you down, bringing you into the present moment. A consistent meditation practice promotes a sense of calm, a broader perspective and heightened clarity. Which aids you to stop reacting to a situation, rather you respond from a calm and centred place. The physical, emotional and spiritual benefits of meditation have been well documented for thousands of years. And yet, many of us still resist sitting our ass down and actually doing it!
Meditation by definition is the practice of concentrated focus upon a sound, object, visualization, breath, movement, or attention itself. To increase our awareness of the present moment, reduce stress, promote relaxation and enhance personal and spiritual growth. But don’t be fooled this isn’t just airy-fairy hippy stuff or reserved for Buddhists in temples. Studies show meditation lowers blood pressure, regulates heart rate, increases, self-esteem, improves sleep, reduces stress and anxiety. Regular meditators become more creative, are great problem solvers, and make balanced decisions with ease. Meditation truly is a beneficial practice for everybody.
When I first began my meditation practice I really struggled with sitting still and focusing my mind. My monkey mind would wander and my body felt restless. My housemate suggested picking one thing and focusing on that. She would light a candle and focus on the flame. While this method worked really well for her, I still couldn’t sit still! At the time my mind seemed to be more relaxed when I was moving, such as doing yoga or walking through nature. Meditation, like many things, has different styles and ways of approaching it. There’s no ‘perfect’ way to meditate, it’s just about finding what works for you. Here are a few different styles of meditation…
Focused attention: The use of our own breath to anchor the mind and maintain awareness. When you notice your mind is starting to wander (and it will) simply return to the breath.
Yoga meditation: Taking the time during each yoga pose to integrate meditation and gain the benefit from the yoga practice. Move slowly. Yin yoga is great for meditation because you are moving slowly and holding a single pose for minutes at a time. Alternatively, you could meditate during savasana, which is the last relaxing posture of a yoga session.
Sound bath meditation: Sound is a powerful way to shift energy. Just as one song can make you feel sad and another will have you dancing around the room. Sound can bring us into a calm peaceful state too. This technique uses instruments to create sound vibrations such as singing bowls or gongs. Another way is to play sounds of a specific frequency. 528Hz is the love frequency and 432Hz is the healing frequency.
Body scan: This technique is designed to sync body and mind. Start at the top of the head, and mentally scan all of your body from your head, to your toes. Notice (without judgement) any discomfort, sensations, tensions, or aches in your body. Sometimes I do this before I begin yoga to really tune into myself and how I am feeling. Then I can do a yoga practice that really focuses on what I need at that moment.
Noting: During meditation or in a quiet moment thoughts pop into our minds. “Noting” is when we take notice of what is distracting our minds. Take note (name it) of the thought or feeling. This creates awareness and helps us to learn more about our own patterns and conditioning. Then let it go to create space. I like to imagine it like a notification on my phone that has popped up, and I swipe it away.
Visualization: This type of meditation invites you to picture something such as your dream house, career or relationship. It’s a bit like dreaming except you are awake and mindfully telling the story. Visualise the scene as you would like it to be. Sit with it and really feel what it’s like to be there. This kind of meditation in combination with affirmations can be a very powerful manifestation technique.
Do you have a current meditation practice? What style of meditation do you find works best for you and why? Let me know in the comments section below.
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