I’ve recently tried to start meditating for at least a little while every day. It’s usually during my kid’s afternoon nap, because somehow, I got them on the same napping schedule. My toddler is in her room. The baby is in his swing in the living room. I’m usually covered in cats in the recliner we have. I go to YouTube and find a guided meditation video. Sometimes, I just find relaxing music. I’m finding that these help my lack of sleep brain to function through the week. But not everyone can do it the same way I do, or for the same reasons.
There are several different meditation techniques to try, with different origins, and benefits.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness meditation started with the Buddhists but is now one of the most popular techniques in Western countries. Find something to concentrate on. It could be your breathing, an object, or even a candle flame. Take note of your thoughts and feelings. No need to dwell on anything in particular but acknowledge everything and move on. Great for people who don’t know where to start.
Spiritual
This meditation comes from Eastern religions, as well as some Christianity practitioners. Spiritual meditation can be much like prayer, or even Catholic confession. It’s used to reflect and gain a closeness to your god (or gods). Some places of worship will hold meditation together as a congregation, or some individuals do it alone. Either way, the main goal is to become closer to the Divine.
Focused
This is much like mindfulness, but focused meditation goes a step farther. Find something to concentrate on. Any time your mind starts to wander, bring it back to your focal point. It can be hard to master. However, if you learn to focus during meditation, you can learn to put your focus anywhere in your life.
Movement
The most well-known movement meditation is yoga. However, any activity that relaxes you will work the same. It should help you clear your mind. Just do your relaxation activity and let your mind wander.
Mantra
Hindus and Buddhists like mantra meditation. The idea of sitting cross legged comes from this technique. You hold your arms up with fingers positioned just so. Then, you repeat the word “om” continuously. The word (or phrase) is repeated to maintain your focus. It gives you heightened awareness of the world around you. Good for people who can’t concentrate in silence.
Transcendental
My understanding of transcendental meditation is that it is a more personalized mantra meditation. Instead of “om” or some quote or whatever generic mantra people may use, it involves a very special phrase. This phrase or word is personal to the practitioner. Studies are being conducted to explore its use for helping individuals with anxiety. Research indicates some percentage of benefit. However, they haven’t made significant progress with severe anxiety yet. If that interests you, do more research on it and watch for more studies.
Progressive Relaxation
Progressive relaxation is also called the “body scan” meditation. It involves concentrating on each muscle one at a time to release tension. Many people do this before bedtime. They tense and relax their muscles. This helps them learn where they hold their stress. It ensures that the stress is released for a good, sound sleep. This is more or less what I’ve been doing during the kids’ nap time.
Loving-Kindness
Loving-kindness is a meditation meant to promote love and kindness. Pretty self-explanatory in my eyes. You’re supposed to open yourself up to receive and feel love. Then, you can return some kindness or something like that. I don’t know, honestly this one strikes me as weird, but if it intrigues you go for it. Supposedly good for releasing resentment.
Visualization
Again, I feel this is self-explanatory. Visualization meditation is the act of visualizing a scene or picture with as much detail as possible. I like to find guided meditations for this, because it helps paint the picture and keep me from getting distracted. It can be a good way to ground yourself. It releases any negative feelings you may have. It can improve your mood.
There’s evidence that meditation can help lower blood pressure, ease anxiety and depression symptoms, and help fight insomnia. Many people recommend meditating for at least 20 minutes every day to reap the benefits it can provide. There are also spiritual benefits. You can gain a more intimate connection to deities or spirits. This is how many people also connect to past selves.
Do you meditate? What technique do you prefer?
