One way of combatting stress and living a peaceful and calm life is by practising meditation. Nevertheless, the benefits you can get by meditating doesn’t just stop there. Several studies also show evidence of how meditation can help in fighting chronic illnesses, including depression, heart disease, and chronic pain. If you are still unsure about this practice, you can start with reading about the different types of meditation and how it is done.
Different Types of Meditation
There are different types of meditation. If you are interested to start meditation, check out the list of some of the best- known ways to meditate.
1. Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation teaches us how to be totally present with whatever is happening. It helps us be more aware of where we are and what we’re doing. Some research even shows that we are remodeling the structure of our brain when we train our brains to be mindful. Also, studies found out that 8 weeks of mindfulness meditation also changes our brains, rewiring them towards more positive thoughts and emotions.
Mindfulness meditation is the most popular meditation technique in the West. Its popularity has been supported by researches that show how it reduces stress and anxiety, improves attention and memory, and promotes self-regulation and empathy. With the regular practice of mindfulness meditation, the area of our brain responsible for emotional regulation, planning, and problem-solving, increases. the same thing happens on the cortical thickness, which is responsible for learning and memory. On the other hand, the amygdala, which regulates how we feel stress, fear, and anxiety, decreases in size.
This type of meditation can be done on your own, anytime and anywhere.
2. Spiritual Meditation
Spiritual meditation is the practice of connection to God or any other greater being than yourself, depending on your faith and belief. This type of meditation increases our awareness and spiritual confidence that enables us to be a blessing to others.
At one point in our lives, we come to the realization that there is someone who is the greatest and the most powerful of all. Mostly, that’s what encourages us to embark on a spiritual journey.
To experience spiritual awareness through meditation, you have to do it successively. You won’t feel the benefits overnight, but when you do, it will surely change your life.
The first thing you need to do when you practice spiritual meditation is to acknowledge and accept who you really are, flaws and all.
“It is unconditional compassion for ourselves that leads naturally to unconditional compassion for others. If we are willing to stand fully in our own shoes and never give up on ourselves, then we will be able to put ourselves in the shoes of others and never give up on them.” – Pema Chödrön
3. Movement meditation
Most types of meditation encourage us to stay still, movement meditation, on the other hand, allows us to move provided we do it in a mindful and slow pace.
You can try movement meditation while doing different things, but for starters, you can do walking or running meditation. While making movements, be mindful of your muscles as they move or how your feet feel against the surface as you move. Pay attention to your body when moving, and notice every detail about it that you used to ignore.
4. Focused Meditation
Focused meditation allows us to focus our attention on an object, sound, or sensation wholly. This practice is calming and centering which can be useful in relieving stress.
We can only hold focus probably for only 10 to 20 minutes until our mind starts to wander anywhere else. It’s not your fault at all, it’s normal. The thing about focused meditation is you can calmly bring yourself back to your object of focus again, as many times as needed, without judgment or anger toward yourself.
5. Visualization meditation
This type of meditation combines the practice of meditation with the technique of visualization. Instead of focusing on your breathing, you shift your focus on a mental image.
Loving-kindness exercise is the best way to start visualization meditation. Headspace.com gives an example of how to practice this type of meditation.
Think of someone for whom you harbor positive feelings and/or love. Imagine them sending love your way and take a moment to bask in it. You can picture the love as a bright, white light around your chest and heart, and growing throughout your body. Now, reverse the roles and imagine yourself sending love to that person. You can visualize this love as the white light flowing from your body and into the other person. Do your best to imagine the light reaching this person. Visualize the person’s face smiling and their posture becoming relaxed.
After you have completed this exercise with someone you feel positively about, you can try the same practice while thinking about an acquaintance who you don’t know very well, and then finally about a person you may have challenging feelings about.
6. Chanting Meditation
Using mantras while meditating is widely practised by many teachings, including Hindu and Buddhist traditions. It was said that specific sound vibrations have been said to bring the mind to a state of calmness and peace. A study actually confirms that chanting helps to free our mind of background chatter and calm our nervous system.
You can use a word, phrase, or sound, like “om”, when doing chanting meditation. You can speak it loudly or quietly, depending on what you regard as comfortable.
From the list above, you can use any types of meditation that are applicable and helpful to you. Start doing it today and you will notice its benefit in the future.