Meditation is a practice that can be easily learned and is a great way to help reduce stress and anxiety as well as restoring inner peace. It has been practiced for thousands of years and has deep roots in the development of a tiger level of consciousness that helps to promote a deep state of relaxation and a tranquil mind. The restoration of the balance of mind and body helps you to stay centered and keep inner peace which can bring substantial benefits to you physical and mental health. Some of the emotional and physical benefits of meditation include:
Lowering resting heart rate
Reducing negative emotions
Increasing patience and tolerance
Gaining new perspective on negative situations
increasing self-awareness
Improving sleep quality
Lowering blood pressure
Decreasing stress and anxiety levels
Meditation can also be very beneficial for managing medical conditions, especially those that are worsened by stress. Conditions like anxiety, depression, chronic pain, tension headaches, high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, and sleep problems can be improved by the practice of meditation.
There are different types of meditation including:
Guided meditation: A form of meditation where you focus on mental images that are calming. Often times senses like smells, sights, sounds, and textures are part of the meditation process. This form is often led by a guide.
Mantra meditation: A calming word is repeated silently to prevent distracting thoughts. Often times the mantra will lead the mind into a deeper state of consciousness that allows clarity of the mind.
Mindfulness meditation: This form of meditation is based on having an increased awareness of living in the present and of being mindful of the moment. Your conscious. awareness is broadened as you focus on breathing and observing your thoughts and emotions.
Qi gong: Combines meditation, relaxation, physical movement , and breathing exercises to restore and maintain balance. It is part of traditional Chinese medicine.
Tai chi: A gentle form of Chinese martial arts training using a series of postures or movements while practicing deep breathing.
Transcendental meditation: a simple technique where you silently repeat a personally assigned mantra (a word, phrase, or sound) in a specific way.
Meditation should be done in a quiet setting where you can focus your attention on your mantra, an object, or relaxed breathing that is deep, even, and diaphragmatic. Allow thoughts to drift in and out of your mind without judgement. Try to incorporate daily meditation into your routine as a way to develop the practice and be able to benefit from the deeper state of consciousness that meditation can bring. These benefits will help you to decrease stress and improve your overall health and well-being.