The Art Of Meditation And How To Fully Understand Your True Self And Purpose In This Life Time.

Whether you’ve been living under a rock or just haven’t discovered meditation yet, you should know that it is the secret to a happy, fulfilled life. The practice of meditation has been around for thousands of years and has gained traction in the past decade or so. However, despite its growing popularity, there’s still so much mystery surrounding it. What exactly is meditation? How do we meditate? Should we listen to guided meditation or practice it on our own? And what the hell are those koans again? Let’s unpack everything you need to know about this wonderful stress-reducing activity.

What is meditation?

Meditation is the practice of focusing your attention and (voluntarily) letting go of any other thoughts or feelings that might be in your mind at that moment. You do this in a quiet space, either seated or lying down, and with particular attention on your breathing. There are many different styles of meditation but all of them focus on bringing your awareness to the present moment, without judgement. This is the way to let go of stress, anxiety, and the negative mental patterns we all have in our lives. With meditation, you’re training your brain to let go of the constant noise in your head and learn to focus your attention on what’s happening right now. It also trains you to be more empathetic and compassionate towards yourself and others. It’s a tool that anyone can use to improve their life in so many ways.

How to meditate

The best way to start meditating is to set aside a specific time for it each day. It can be as short as 10 minutes or as long as an hour. You can meditate while you’re walking, lying down, or even while you’re eating! When you first start out, it’s best to meditate in a quiet space with no distractions so that you can fully immerse yourself in the practice. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your meditative experience:

- Choose your location: Find a place to meditate that’s free of distractions and interruptions like a busy office or kitchen. A quiet, dark room is great as are outside spaces like a park or garden.

- Choose your position: There’s no one position that works best for everyone. You could sit on a chair with your spine straight, or on a meditation cushion with your legs crossed, or even lying down. The key is to find a position that allows you to fully relax and be present.

- Choose your focus: At first, try to stay focused on your breath as you meditate. This is called a mindfulness meditation and is helpful for beginners because it keeps them from wandering off into their thoughts. You can also focus on a sound or visualization to help you clear your mind and relax.

- Choose your length: Meditation is a practice not a competition. You can meditate for as short or long as you’d like. Some people like to meditate for only a few minutes while others prefer to do it for hours at a time. - Choose your tools: While you don’t need any special tools to meditate, they can definitely be helpful. Most people like to use a mantra, a sound or word that they repeat over and over again in their heads while they meditate. Others prefer to use visualizations, like a focus on a candle flame or a beautiful nature scene.

The benefits of meditation

- Reduced stress: One of the most common reasons people meditate is to reduce stress and anxiety, which it does by encouraging you to live in the present moment. When you’re stressed or anxious, you’re likely to get lost in your thoughts, ruminating on the past or worrying about the future.

- Better focus: Meditation also trains your brain to focus better, meaning you’ll be less distracted and less likely to lose your train of thought during important meetings or presentations.

- Improved creativity: Another common reason people meditate is to increase their creativity, and studies have found that it does just that.

- Improved emotional health: Meditation can also help you improve your emotional health by letting go of negative emotions that may be stuck in your subconscious.

- Improved sleep: One of the unwanted side effects of high stress levels is insomnia. Meditation can help you reduce those levels and get better sleep.

Types of Meditations

- Mindfulness Meditation: One of the most common types of meditation, mindfulness meditation involves focusing your attention on the present moment and accepting whatever is happening around you. This can be as simple as focusing on your breath as it goes in and out of your body.

- Guided Meditation: Guided meditation is a type of meditation where you listen to a recording that takes you through a specific visualization or meditation. This might be accompanied by a soothing voice or music.

- Mantra Meditation: In mantra meditation, you use a single word or sound to focus your attention. You can either repeat the word in your head or out loud. You can even use a sound from nature like waves crashing against the shore or birds chirping.

- Transcendental Meditation: Transcendental meditation is similar to mantra meditation in that you use a word or sound to focus your attention. However, the difference lies in the length of the meditation: mantra meditation is generally under 20 minutes, while transcendental meditation is much longer, usually around 40 minutes.

How to find your purpose with meditation

The beauty of meditation is that it can be used for so many things, not just stress reduction. For example, you can use it to find your life purpose, become more empathetic, or even learn new skills.

- Finding your purpose: Finding your life purpose can be a daunting task. One way to go about it is to journal and reflect on what you’re passionate about and what you enjoy doing. You can also try meditation! Once you’re in a meditative state, open up your mind to receiving any information or insights about your purpose in life.

- Becoming more empathetic: Being more empathetic towards others is a core benefit of meditation. If you’re interested in becoming more empathetic, try a loving-kindness meditation. During this type of meditation, you focus on sending love and kindness to yourself and then gradually expand that to include others.

- Learning new skills: Meditating while you’re engaging in an activity you’re interested in can be very helpful in learning new skills. If you’re trying to learn a new language, for example, try meditating while listening to audio in that language.

Summing up

Meditation is a great practice that anyone can do, no matter how hectic your life may be. You can do it in as little as 10 minutes a day, or even just for a few minutes at a time throughout the day. If you want to get the most out of your practice, don’t worry about doing it “right” or achieving a certain state. Just sit and be present with yourself, and let your thoughts and feelings come and go as they please.