There is no doubt that you have probably heard about meditation, but what exactly is this peaceful practice all about and what does it entail? Do you picture Zen masters sitting like statues on the edge of a towering cliff overlooking breathtaking and mountainous landscapes when you imagine meditation? While this is certainly one way to have an incredible meditation session that will send you into pure tranquility, the wonderful thing about meditation is the fact that it can be practiced anytime, anywhere.
What even is meditation? Meditation is the practice of calming the mind, heightening awareness, and integrating an increased sense of presence into one’s life through various techniques. Meditation can in fact be traced back to around 5000 BCE, and possibly even further than that. The practice has cultural ties to places such as China and Egypt, as well as religious connections to Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism – among others. Today, though, meditation is growing with immense popularity due to the incredible benefits it can have when regularly applied withing someone’s life. There are really no downsides when it comes to meditation, which makes it such a perfect habit to integrate habitually. There are endless options out there of different videos and apps that are available online that aim to guide people through meditations, which is especially helpful if you are new in this journey and are not sure exactly how to begin.
Meditation is just like any other exercise in the sense that the more you time and effort you put into meditating consistently, it will progressively become easier and something that you will start to crave after experiencing all the various advantages and benefits. Meditation is not about controlling the thoughts or forcing the mind to do something specific, but rather letting the thoughts come and go as they are and without judgement. There is no one “right” way to meditate, and different techniques continue to develop as time goes on. We have prepared a guide for you consisting of some of the latest meditation techniques and exercises, and we will go into detail about the different benefits that this age-old practice can have on mental health.
Common Meditation Techniques
- Guided Meditation
This digital age that we are living in has made assisted meditations incredibly accessible to anyone with a reliable internet connection. With guided meditations, you are peacefully led by an instructor that calmly talks you through your meditation by helping you mentally go inward. This is a great way to start out if you are a beginner to meditating and you are not sure how to go about it or stop your mind from racing away. The instructor in guided meditations has the aim to keep you focused on things like your breathing, and they may use imagery to help you detach from any thoughts you are having trouble letting go of.
- Breathwork While Meditating
A great way to amplify any meditation session is by integrating different forms of breathwork into it. There are many different styles of breathwork, for example breath of fire or alternate nostril breathing, so some may resonate better than others with you and your practice. Breathwork is great because it has shown to physiologically decrease anxiety, stress, and even your blood pressure. There are claims that breathwork can even have immune boosting effects and increase your overall sense of confidence. Focusing on something like the breathing instead of thoughts that may be speeding through your mind helps you go deeper into your meditation, which results in receiving more benefits out of your practice in general.
- Mindfulness Meditation
With mindfulness meditation, the main goal is to be as present as possible with the thoughts and the physical body. Mindfulness meditation brings all your attention to the here and now, and you will become deeply conscious of what physical sensations appear as well as what thoughts float by. This style of meditation aims to ensure that no judgement is placed upon your thoughts, because you will eventually learn that you are not your thoughts, but rather just the observer of them. When mindfulness meditation is utilized regularly, this trickles into the other moments throughout your days and allows you to be more present and aware even when you are not actively meditating.
- Mantras
A mantra is a certain word or phrase that can be repeated while you are meditating. A mantra can be of your choosing, or you can use one that is frequently used in meditation customs. Reciting a mantra either out loud or in your mind helps bring your focus to this, ensuring that you do not get lost in your thoughts. Mantras (such as “Ohm”) also create soothing vibrations that help relax the mind and body, which is why they are so commonly utilized. Choosing a word or phrase that resonates well with you and meditating with it can help rewire your brain and help you embody it more fully. For example, if you use the word “love” or “abundance” as your mantra, you will inherently start to represent it after meditating with it for some time, even if you are not consciously trying to do so.
- Walking Meditation
If sitting or lying down silently while you are present with your thoughts is not your cup of tea, that is no problem. Walking or active meditations are great for those who do not find solace in being still during meditation sessions. The aim during walking meditations is still the same, which is to bring the mind to the present and to be the observer of your thoughts and surroundings. A gentle exercise like walking while focusing on the present can have superbly soothing and calming effects, and many find that they are able to become more present this way than by sitting still with their eyes closed.
- Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental meditation is a very spiritual style of meditation that is characterized by integrating mantras into your practice, which aim to bring upon a very deep level of awareness. This type of meditation was introduced by a Yogi with the name of Maharishi Mahesh in the 1950s. The goal of the mantras is to form specific vibrations and energies within the body and mind that result in a more intense sense of self and consciousness. This is one type of meditation that needs to be taught by someone that is qualified to do so, but many have found transcendental meditation to resonate well with them. Many claim to experienced diminished stress, increased creativity, and a higher sense of self-awareness after being taught transcendental meditation.
- Journaling
A technique that complements any meditation practice phenomenally is journaling before or after (or both) you meditate. Taking the time to actively write down any thoughts before you meditate can make you aware of certain things and meditating on them can help process and transmute them. Journaling after a meditation can aid in bringing new realizations to light, and these realizations may stick with you more substantially now that you have written them down. Journaling is a therapeutic and cathartic way of releasing emotions and thoughts, which makes it such a perfect technique and companion to something like meditation. Plus, you can hold onto your journals for years to come and look back on them and see how much your perspectives have possibly changed over time.
- Visualizing
With visualizing during meditation, you can sit and turn your attention to specific scenes in your mind that are calming and help you detach from your thoughts. People often visualize themselves on a relaxing beach, in a tranquil forest, or in a minimalist space that promotes utter serenity. You can also visualize places or scenarios you would like to be in, as this has the potential to attract these outcomes into your life. With active visualizing, you think about the way it would feel in every sense to actually be in this moment. Consider how it would smell, what you would see and taste, how it would sound, and how it would feel overall to be here. Directing your attention on how it would feel to be in a certain place is great for those that do not find comfort or enjoyment in quieting the mind and just observing the thoughts. This way, the thoughts are still calmed, but the attention is concentrated elsewhere.
- Group Meditations
A meditation technique that is becoming more popular is the act of practicing with a group. This is often done in a class setting, and it has the opportunity to really level up the mental state during the meditation significantly. It may be easier to stay focused when you are in this state with others and with an instructor to help guide you, and the overall energy that can be felt during the meditation can sometimes be practically felt. If the group that is meditating together has a common goal or intention set, the effects can potentially be amplified quite considerably.
- Kundalini Meditation
Kundalini meditation is a form of meditation that works with the energy throughout the body’s focal points, or chakras. Kundalini is believed to be a serpent-like essence that rests at the base of the spine and rises and moves energy throughout the body during this style of meditation. This is a very ancient practice that dates back to around 1,000 BC. Kundalini meditation became more popularized around 1960, and it is now commonly practiced throughout the world. The benefits that can come from Kundalini include more energy, an increased sense of intuition, and a higher sense of self. Breathwork and mantras are often included in this form of meditation, as the goal is to utilize these exercises to more effectively move this energy throughout the physical body.
Meditation Effects on Mental Health
One of the many beautiful things about meditation is that it has the ability to absolutely transform the mental state in the very best way possible. Meditation takes you into a state into deep relaxation and presence, which immensely helps with melting all the stressors and troubles of the outside world away. An increased sense of self, confidence, and peace can come as a result from meditating on a regular basis. The most difficult and daunting part of meditation is typically the act of finally just taking the plunge and committing to it. Once all of the many benefits that come as a result of meditating are felt, it becomes even more difficult to avoid making any amount of time for this practice every day, since the benefits are so boundless.
- Decreases Anxiety
Consistent meditation has shown time and time again to decrease anxiety a significant amount, whether it is mild or more severe anxiety. It might seem way too intimidating to try and meditate if you experience anxiety, since this practice does rely on quietly observing the mind and thoughts that show up in a nonjudgmental manner. If sitting or lying down to meditate does not feel like a good fit, incorporating walking or another form of active meditation into your week might work best. One of the most prominent effects of meditation is how calm the mind and body feel as a result, and this can be felt for quite some time after the meditation is complete. The more this is practiced, the more the effects can be felt and for a longer period, as well.
- Lowers Stress
Something that goes hand in hand with decreased anxiety is lowered stress. Going inward and tuning out the noise of the outside world is remarkable in diminishing the stressors of everyday life. Meditation brings you into the present moment unlike anything else, which can make the big and small things that we are constantly worrying about seem much more insignificant. Stress comes with a lot of unwanted side effects like high blood pressure, anxiety, and headaches, so it’s wonderful that such a peaceful and harmless practice can significantly reduce these. The only time we ever exist in is now, and meditation helps us truly see and experience this fact firsthand.
- Aids in Treating Depression
With meditation, your thought patterns and overall mindset slowly but surely alters in astounding ways. If you happen to struggle with depression, you might often feel a sense of hopelessness and anger that is extremely difficult to shake. In meditation, we discover new was to observe the thoughts and feelings that arise without judging them. This allows us to change our perspective on these negative thoughts or feelings, and it can assist us in accepting them as they are – therefore accepting ourselves as we are. Numerous studies have shown that meditating can ward off depression notably, and not just temporarily, either.
- Diminishes Insomnia
If you find yourself constantly struggling with falling and staying asleep, meditation has the potential to considerably aid in this frustrating issue. Research has consistently shown that regular meditation can diminish insomnia remarkably, and energy and focus levels throughout the day typically increase, as well. Meditating is a relaxing experience that calms the mind and body, no matter what approach of it you decide to take. This stays with you throughout your day, and it will help you fall and stay asleep more easily. Anxiety can sometimes play a huge role in insomnia, which we already know is decreased by meditation.
Mental health concerns absolutely need to be taken seriously and not overlooked, and you should always meet with a professional in the field if you find yourself struggling with your mental state. Meditation is a fantastic and useful tool to integrate into your life, and it can perfectly complement most other approaches for improving mental health, as well. It is best to not rely on a singular facet when looking to overcome mental illness, but working meditation into your routine and pairing it with other forms of therapy or prescribed medication can be more effective than utilizing any of these approaches on their own. There are really no apparent mental health downsides when it comes to integrating meditation into your daily routine, just further proving it to be such a phenomenal tool available at our disposal.
Conclusion
Whether you are just starting out your meditation journey or have been incorporating this practice into your life for a while now, there is certainly always room to grow and deepen your practice exponentially. Hopefully you have gained a bit more insight into the world of meditation, and maybe you have even learned about a new technique that you can now incorporate into your life. The mental health aspects that come with meditation are also practically endless, and this is an area that every single person on the planet can benefit from in one way or another. There is a good reason that meditation has endured the test of time, and that is because it is something that so effortlessly brings us back home to ourselves and feels so incredibly natural and right. Remember that the only moment we ever have is now, and with habitual meditation, we can start embodying this in a more abundant manner.
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