How to Meditate and Balance Yourself Within: 5 Different Ways of Meditating
Not many of us take time to sit and reflect on our inner voice. We are so caught up with the rat race that we forget to pause and listen to ourselves instead of listening to others all the time. The result? Stress, anxiety, depression and other mental disorders triggered by unbalanced minds. Meditation is one way of balancing your mind again. It is scientifically proven that mindfulness meditation has positive effects on the brain, such as lowering levels of stress hormones, increasing happiness and self-awareness, and reducing negative thoughts and emotions by focusing your attention on something simple like your breath or a mantra. With so many different ways of meditating available, here is an overview of some popular methods to find balance within yourself:
Breathing meditation
Breathing meditation is a great and effective way to start a meditation practice. The goal is to focus on your breath by observing your inhales and exhales as you are breathing naturally. Here are a few ways to do breathing meditation: - Observe your breath - Simply focus your attention on your breath as it enters and leaves your body. Notice how it feels going into your nose and down into your lungs and up through your throat and out of your mouth. - Count your breaths - Another way is to count your breaths from 1 to 10 and then start over again. You could also count 1-100 or even 1,000 if you want a really long meditation. The point of this is to stay focused on your breath and not get caught up in random thoughts that may come up. - Visualize your breath - You can also visualize your breath going in and out of your body. Imagine your breath as a colour or a sensation. For example, you could imagine a cool refreshing breeze coming in and warm relaxing air going out.
Body scan meditation
Body scan meditation is a mindful practice where you focus your attention on the different parts of your body one by one so as to cultivate a feeling of relaxation and calmness within. This is done by silently naming the part of the body you are focusing on as you pass your awareness across it. Here are a few ways to do a body scan meditation: - Start with your toes - Focus on the sensations of your toes and feet and name them. Then move to your ankles and shins and so on till the top of your head. This way, you will be able to feel a sensation of relaxation in any part of your body. - Focus on your breath - Another way to do this is to start by focusing on your breath. Then, move your awareness to a part of your body as your breath reaches it. This way, you will be able-minded to feel a sensation of relaxation in any part of your body. - Use a visual aid - Another way is to use a visual aid like a body scan meditation app or a guided audio track that helps you to focus on different parts of your body one by one.
Mantra meditation
Mantra meditation involves the repetitive chanting of a mantra. The word “mantra” comes from the Sanskrit word “man” meaning mind, and “tra” meaning “to liberate”. A mantra is a sound, syllable, word or phrase that is used to focus your attention on one thing as you repeat it over and over again. Here are a few ways to do mantra meditation: - Choose a mantra - Choose a mantra that is special and meaningful to you. It could be your name, a word that resonates with you, or the name of a deity. - Focus on your breath - Another way is to focus on your breath as you repeat the mantra in your mind. - Pick a phrase you like - Another way is to pick a phrase that has special meaning for you. - Visualize your purpose - Another way is to visualize your purpose for meditating as you repeat the mantra in your mind.
Walking meditation
Walking meditation is a good way to practice mindfulness when you don’t have time to sit still and breathe. This is especially useful for people who are new to meditation and have a hard time sitting still. Here are a few ways to do walking meditation: - Breathe slowly - While walking, focus your attention on your breath and try to walk slowly so that you don’t get too caught up in your thoughts or get sidetracked. This will help you to stay present in the moment. - Focus on your feet - Another way is to focus on your feet as you walk and feel each step. Imagine that each step you take is a step towards a better you. - Pick a mantra - Another way is to pick a mantra that you can repeat in your mind as you walk.
Dark-room meditation
Dark-room meditation is a form of meditation where you sit in complete darkness. The darkness helps you to tune in to your inner voice while the silence helps you to stay focused on your breath and get rid of all the distractions that you encounter in your daily life. Here are a few ways to do dark-room meditation: - Find a dark room - Find a room that is completely dark and sit there for 10-30 minutes. - Breathe slowly - Focus your attention on your breath as you breathe slowly and deeply. - Let your thoughts flow - As you sit in complete darkness, let your thoughts flow naturally and don’t try to control them. - Stay focused on your breath - Stay focused on your breath for the duration of the meditation.
Conclusion
Meditation is more than just closing your eyes and trying to calm your mind. It’s a practice that can change your life. You don’t have to be a special person, or go to a special place to meditate. It can be done anywhere, anytime with anyone. You just need to be willing to sit still and be still. You don’t need to be in a certain state of mind either. You could be happy, sad, angry, or any other emotion. Meditating doesn’t mean you need to get rid of your emotions. It just means you need to sit with them and make them your friend. Meditation is a practice that anyone can do. It doesn’t matter if you have 10 years of experience, or if you’ve never meditated before. If you want to benefit from meditation, then all you have to do is open your mind and let it in.
