Basic Techniques of Meditation

Meditation is a very simple way that can be done anywhere you are to relax both your mind and body. Meditation can actually make it easier for anybody to cope with problems and deal with stress in a more positive manner in order to weather challenging situations. There are many people who avoid meditating because they were wrongly led to believe that it was a complicated process that requires special training to accomplish. However, when it comes to meditation there are several very simple techniques that can help you get the most advantage from doing it.

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding the practice of meditation is that you must be able to get in a very difficult and awkward position before you can meditate. This is totally not true. All you need to do when you are ready to begin is to find a quiet, relaxing place and get in a position that is comfortable for you. However, you do need to be in a position in which you can have a straight and relaxed posture without any straining. If you have a comfortable chair where you can relax, that will work just fine.

Next, you need to make an effort to empty your mind of any worries you may be experiencing and clear your mind of all thoughts. Don’t expect to be able to do this during the first several attempts you try as it can be difficult to do. The main thing is that you do not get frustrated and give up. When a thought enters your mind, don’t get upset simply begin concentrating on emptying your thoughts to remove it again.

Concentrating on the rhythm of your breathing is very important and you need to make sure that you keep it slow and even. There are two main breathing meditation techniques that you need to learn. One is called counting the breath which involves counting each time that you inhale and exhale until you reach a certain designated count. The second breathing technique involves breathing from your diaphragm instead of your chest. Start by inhaling very slowly and deep using your diaphragm then exhale slowly.

After you have cleared you mind of all thoughts and have your breathing under control you are now ready to start focusing on the different parts of your body. Normally, you will start with your toes and then work your way up the body as you visualize the tension and stiffness leave your body. As soon as you begin feeling relaxed you then need to concentrate on limiting and controlling your thoughts. At the end of the session you need to repeat the process of focusing on all your body parts to wake them back up one by one.

When you first start out practicing meditation, it is best to begin with short sessions four or five days a week. After doing the meditation exercises for awhile, you can then begin to gradually increase the amount of time you spend on them. Eventually, you may want to make it a part of your daily routine especially when you begin to see all the benefits you can receive.

The 2 Types of Meditation

Meditation has been around for more than two thousand years and is clearly acknowledged as an essential part of just about every type of religion known to man and as a method to achieve a higher form of spiritual consciousness. When you decide to make meditation a part of your life you also need to decide which type of meditation would be best suited for you. There are two basic types of meditation that can help train your mind to focus and keep focused. They are called mindfulness and concentrative meditation.

The type of meditation is determined by the type of focus used during the session to help you meditate. In a mindfulness state of meditation, you focus on perception and experiences whereas in the state of concentrative meditation you focus on specific objects that you have selected even before you begin meditating.

To perform mindfulness meditation, you start off by finding a comfortable place to sit and begin focusing all of your attention on a specific action such as breathing or a visualization of some type. This is called open focus meditation because you allow your thoughts to wander from one perception to another. In other words, nothing that you think of is considered to be intrusive or interfering with your objective.

You learn to allow the different thoughts, smells, sounds, images and feelings to flow through you without dwelling on them and thinking about them in depth. You have to allow these sensations to pass through your mind without becoming sad, angry, worried or without having any other feelings. It is an opportunity to cleanse your mind of any and all things that bother you as it will help you have a clear and calm state of mind. When the session is complete you will return back to the present.

On the other hand, concentrative meditation is the type used in most religions to enhance spiritual experiences and awareness. With this type of meditation you have to stay focused on a particular event, thought, object, prayer, sound, breathing or an image. You need to eliminate all distractions or at least reduce them as much as possible to prevent interruption so you can put your complete focus on whatever you have chosen to meditate on.

Concentrative meditation allows you to clear your mind and enhance greater awareness that can help improve your life. You only meditate on the object or action that you choose at any given time. The simplest and easiest way to perform concentrative meditation is by focusing all of your thoughts and attention on your breathing.

Many meditation practitioners firmly believe there is a real and important connection between a person’s state of mind and their breathing. You will breathe in regularly with deep and slow breaths when you are calm and relaxed. Your mind and thoughts will be absorbed by the rhythm of your breathing and this will provide a natural focus point for meditating. It will also slow down your breathing, help you to relax and become more aware of your surroundings and existence.

Learning how to perform both types of meditation can be very beneficial and can help you to regain peace and harmony in your life. Not only can it improve your mental ability and emotional health but it can improve physical health as well. It is a great way to get the most out of each and every day while at the same time feeling better about your self in the process.