Importance Of Meditation

Understanding meditation

Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. Meditation originally was meant to help
deepen understanding of the sacred and mystical forces of life. These days, meditation is commonly
used for relaxation and stress reduction.
Meditation is considered a type of mind-body complementary medicine. Meditation can produce a
deep state of relaxation and a tranquil mind.
During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may
be crowding your mind and causing stress. This process may result in enhanced physical and
emotional well-being.

Benefits of meditation

Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit both your emotional
well-being and your overall health.
And these benefits don't end when your meditation session ends. Meditation can help carry you
more calmly through your day and may help you manage symptoms of certain medical conditions.

Meditation and emotional well-being
When you meditate, you may clear away the information overload that builds up every day and
contributes to your stress.

The emotional benefits of meditation can include:
* Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations
* Building skills to manage your stress
* Increasing self-awareness
* Focusing on the present
* Reducing negative emotions
* Increasing imagination and creativity
* Increasing patience and tolerance
* Meditation and illness
* Meditation might also be useful if you have a medical condition, especially one that may be
worsened by stress.

While a growing body of scientific research supports the health benefits of meditation, some
researchers believe it's not yet possible to draw conclusions about the possible benefits of
meditation.

 

With that in mind, some research suggests that meditation may help people manage symptoms of
conditions such as:
* Anxiety
* Asthma
* Cancer
* Chronic pain
* Depression
* Heart disease
* High blood pressure
* Irritable bowel syndrome
* Sleep problems
* Tension headaches

 

Be sure to talk to your health care provider about the pros and cons of using meditation if you have
any of these conditions or other health problems. In some cases, meditation can worsen symptoms
associated with certain mental and physical health conditions.
Meditation isn't a replacement for traditional medical treatment. But it may be a useful addition to
your other treatment.

 

Types of meditation

Meditation is an umbrella term for the many ways to a relaxed state of being. There are many types
of meditation and relaxation techniques that have meditation components. All share the same goal
of achieving inner peace.

 

 

Ways to meditate can include:

* Guided meditation. Sometimes called guided imagery or visualization, with this method of
meditation you form mental images of places or situations you find relaxing.
You try to use as many senses as possible, such as smells, sights, sounds and textures. You
may be led through this process by a guide or teacher.

* Mantra meditation. In this type of meditation, you silently repeat a calming word, thought
or phrase to prevent distracting thoughts.

* Mindfulness meditation. This type of meditation is based on being mindful, or having an
increased awareness and acceptance of living in the present moment.
In mindfulness meditation, you broaden your conscious awareness. You focus on what you
experience during meditation, such as the flow of your breath. You can observe your
thoughts and emotions, but let them pass without judgment.

* Qi gong. This practice generally combines meditation, relaxation, physical movement and
breathing exercises to restore and maintain balance. Qi gong (CHEE-gung) is part of
traditional Chinese medicine.

* Tai chi. This is a form of gentle Chinese martial arts. In tai chi (TIE-CHEE), you perform a self-
paced series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner while practicing deep
breathing.

* Transcendental Meditation. Transcendental Meditation is a simple, natural technique. In
Transcendental Meditation, you silently repeat a personally assigned mantra, such as a
word, sound or phrase, in a specific way.
This form of meditation may allow your body to settle into a state of profound rest and
relaxation and your mind to achieve a state of inner peace, without needing to use
concentration or effort.

* Yoga. You perform a series of postures and controlled breathing exercises to promote a
more flexible body and a calm mind. As you move through poses that require balance and
concentration, you're encouraged to focus less on your busy day and more on the moment.

 

Elements of meditation

* Different types of meditation may include different features to help you meditate. These
may vary depending on whose guidance you follow or who is teaching a class. Some of the
most common features in meditation include:

* Focused attention. Focusing your attention is generally one of the most important elements
of meditation.

* Focusing your attention is what helps free your mind from the many distractions that cause
stress and worry. You can focus your attention on such things as a specific object, an image,
a mantra, or even your breathing.

* Relaxed breathing. This technique involves deep, even-paced breathing using the diaphragm
muscle to expand your lungs. The purpose is to slow your breathing, take in more oxygen,
and reduce the use of shoulder, neck and upper chest muscles while breathing so that you
breathe more efficiently.

* A quiet setting. If you're a beginner, practicing meditation may be easier if you're in a quiet
spot with few distractions, including no television, radios or cell phones.

* As you get more skilled at meditation, you may be able to do it anywhere, especially in high-
stress situations where you benefit the most from meditation, such as a traffic jam, a
stressful work meeting or a long line at the grocery store.

* A comfortable position. You can practice meditation whether you're sitting, lying down,
walking, or in other positions or activities. Just try to be comfortable so that you can get the
most out of your meditation. Aim to keep good posture during meditation.

* Open attitude. Let thoughts pass through your mind without judgment.

 

 

Everyday ways to practice meditation
Don’t let the thought of meditating the “Right” way add to your stress. If you choose to, you can
attend special meditation centers or group classes led by trained instructors. But you can also
practice meditation easily on your own.
And you can make meditation as formal or informal as you like, however it suits your lifestyle and
situation. Some people build meditation into their daily routine. For example, they may start and
end each day with an hour of meditation. But all you really need is a few minutes of quality time for
meditation.

 

 

Here are some ways you can practice meditation on your own, whenever you choose:

* Breathe deeply. This technique is good for beginners because breathing is a natural function.

* Focus all your attention on your breathing. Concentrate on feeling and listening as you
inhale and exhale through your nostrils. Breathe deeply and slowly. When your attention
wanders, gently return your focus to your breathing.

* Scan your body. When using this technique, focus attention on different parts of your body.

Become aware of your body various sensations, whether that’s pain, tension, warmth or
relaxation.

* Combine body scanning with breathing exercises and imagine breathing heat or relaxation
into and out of different parts of your body.

* Repeat a mantra. You can create your own mantra, whether it’s religious or secular.
Examples of religious mantras include the Jesus Prayer in the Christian tradition, the holy
name of God in Judaism, or the om mantra of Hinduism, Buddhism and other Eastern
religions.

* Walk and meditate. Combining a walk with meditation is an efficient and healthy way to
relax. You can use this technique anywhere you are walking, such as in a tranquil forest, on a
city sidewalk or at the mall.

* When you use this method, slow down your walking pace so that you can focus on each
movement of your legs or feet. Don’t focus on a particular destination. Concentrate on your
legs and feet, repeating action words in your mind such as lifting, moving and & placing
as you lift each foot, move your leg forward and place your foot on the ground.

* Engage in prayer. Prayer is the best known and most widely practiced example of
meditation. Spoken and written prayers are found in most faith traditions.

 

* You can pray using your own words or read prayers written by others. Check the self-help
section of your local bookstore for examples. Talk with your rabbi, priest, pastor or other
spiritual leader about possible resources.

* Read and reflect. Many people report that they benefit from reading poems or sacred texts,
and taking a few moments to quietly reflect on their meaning.

* You can also listen to sacred music, spoken words, or any music you find relaxing or
inspiring. You may want to write your reflections in a journal or discuss them with a friend or
spiritual leader.

* Focus your love and gratitude. In this type of meditation, you focus your attention on a
sacred image or being, weaving feelings of love, compassion and gratitude into your
thoughts. You can also close your eyes and use your imagination or gaze at representations
of the image.

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