10 Types Of Meditation: What Type Is Best For You

Take care of your mind, reduce stress and anxiety, reduce sleep disorders, show kindness to yourself and to others. Mindfulness meditation is a practice with multiple benefits, which is for everyone. Discover the wise advice of our specialist, to learn to meditate and take care of yourself on a daily basis.

While this practice, which is the subject of many prejudices, may seem difficult to those who have problems concentrating, who present a high level of stress, or who simply have difficulty settling down and who have a restless mind, it is nevertheless accessible to all, and highly recommended! So, are we going?

However, if you meditate, you are doing something real and good for your health. Meditation is an umbrella term for a set of techniques that encourage an increased state of mind, and focused attention for the present moment.

Mindfulness meditation, mindfulness: what is it?

We could define the Mindfulness meditation as “deliberately bringing your attention to the present moment”, for example focusing on your breathing or physical sensations. A posture that allows you to position yourself as an observer and no longer an actor, of your mental functioning: what is happening in my mind? What are the sensations that I can observe, in my body, in my mind? What are these thoughts going on at this present moment? Meditation can help you to get rid of all phobias with which you struggle and have a more freedom in your life.

“We all have the ability to be in the moment, we all have the ability to discover this space of freedom that allows you to get out of automatic pilot: driving when coming home from work and not even remembering the turns that the we took, for example… But it’s valid all the time: cooking in the evening, doing one’s work or even saying hello!

Do not confuse meditation and relaxation

We often confuse meditation and relaxation, but it is not the same thing. In meditation, the objective is not to relax, nor to fall asleep, but to observe what happens… We will for example, observe that we are stressed this morning, afterwards, free to us to remediate. While meditating goes a long way in relieving stress, coming back to the present moment is not the primary goal. One could compare this practice to a “gymnastics, a stretching of the brain ” : we will train it, to be able to function well thereafter, and to benefit from the benefits in our daily life. There is a dimension of involvement in meditation, which there is not in relaxation.

Meditation is not thinking about anything!

Other misconception about meditation that comes up often: we think that meditating is to no longer think of anything, to create a vacuum in his head. On the contrary, in meditation, we are free to think about what we want, we let our thoughts pass (sometimes many!), We observe them, without feeding them, and little by little, these thoughts will move away. And maybe they will even come back, and in this case, in the same way, we let them “pass like a cloud”.

Why Mindfulness Meditation?

More than 8 out of 10 people have already tried to reduce their stress through the practice of a calming activity, such as meditation (for 43% of them).

The benefits of mindfulness meditation, called mindfulness in English, are multiple and have for some been scientifically proven. By training the brain makes it possible in particular to reduce stress, by learning to live better with it, to reduce anxiety, to improve sleep in the event of sleep disorders ( insomnia, for example).

This practice, accessible to all, allows you to gain peace of mind , but also to be more attentive, to improve concentration, because we are less dispersed, more in the present moment and less in anticipation, interpretation.

It also makes it possible to better connect with others, to be more in compassion, benevolence, altruism: mindfulness meditation allows you to accept yourself, and others, without judgment, without aggression. Good to know: this practice is for everyone, at all ages. In the event of severe psychological disorders, always seek the advice of a doctor.

How to start meditating

Like most good habits, getting started is the hardest part. But meditation itself shouldn’t be. If you are one of those people who thinks meditation involves “thinking about nothing”, you are wrong. We constantly have a flood of thoughts going through our mind. When meditating, one should focus one’s awareness on something specific – like one’s breathing. As thoughts and feelings come to the surface, they must be observed without reacting or judging. Rather, you have to refocus your attention. While this sounds both simple and difficult, the good news is that you get better with practice.

The most popular types of meditation

Mindfulness Meditation

Based on Buddhist knowledge, this practice involves paying attention to your body and thoughts by focusing on your breathing.

Transcendental Meditation

With this type of meditation, one repeats a personalized mantra – such as a word, sound or phrase – in order to silence one’s thoughts.

Walking Meditation

Meditating does not necessarily mean sitting and breathing; it can also be part of the movement. With meditation in full swing, or in motion, we focus on our body, often breathing at the same rate as our steps.

Benevolence Meditation

Also called metta meditation, this practice involves directing vows of benevolence while sitting down with a sense of gratitude and compassion.

Guided Meditation

This kind of meditation is guided by the voice of a narrator. This often involves visualization, which dictates the tone and mood for the session.

Focused Attention Meditation

This practice involves focusing on one element of one’s surroundings and blocking out any other distractions.

Spiritual Meditation

Practiced at home or in a place of worship, this meditation is similar to prayer. One can reflect on one’s spiritual development, or focus on one’s personal connection with one’s faith.

Kundalini Yoga

This form of meditation combines movements, mantra and deep breathing. It is often practiced in the classroom with an instructor. Like other types of yoga, Kundalini yoga builds strength and energy, reduces pain, and improves mental health by reducing anxiety and depression.

Zen meditation

Also called Zazen, this form of meditation is part of Buddhist practices and is often studied under the supervision of a teacher due to its specific stages and postures. It is similar to awareness meditation but requires more discipline and practice. The goal of Zen meditation is to find a comfortable position, then focus on the breath and focus on your thoughts without being judgmental.

Learn meditation

In a world where everyone is busy all the time, it can be intimidating to be alone with your thoughts. This is why many beginners often do not know where to start. There’s always the option of taking an online class if meditation is something you’re interested in. Make sure you take a course with a reliable reputation. Several universities offer meditation courses. This will help you to understand yourself better and even your dreams will be more pleasant.

Meditation for beginners

When you have found your way to meditate, start quietly. “You start with a 5 to 10 minutes and then gradually increase to 20 minutes. ” In order to develop the habit of meditating, it is advisable to set aside a period for practicing. Some prefer to meditate in the morning, before the day’s chores push meditation to the bottom of the to-do list. If you’re not a morning person, waking up earlier to meditate isn’t a routine that will last.

How to Meditate Correctly

We suggests another exercise for a feeling of mindfulness meditation. The exercise, very easy to do, involves taking a break in order to become aware of your 5 senses at a specific moment:

●Name 5 things you see.

●Name 4 things you can touch.

●Name 3 things you can hear.

●Name 2 things that you can smell.

●Name 1 thing you taste.

The primary goal of meditation is to focus on the present moment, and this last exercise can go a long way in becoming aware of the “here and now.” Anxiety is rooted in the future, whereas depression involves a constant gaze backwards. Staying focused on the present moment can reduce anxiety and the risk of depression.

20 Reason to meditate everyday

No matter where you are in life, your age, gender or religion, we all benefit from being a little more relaxed. Meditation in all its forms is a great way to stay focused, calm down, relax body and mind. Whether you are in your hammock in nature or in a meditation studio, there are different ways to go about meditating. By experimenting with a few types of meditation, you will be able to find the one that works best for you and that will improve mental, physical and general well-being.

●Reduces stress and improves mood

●Reduces anxiety

●Improves sleep

●Alleviates symptoms of depression

●Reduces blood pressure

●Improves heart health

●Relieves pain – even headaches

●Makes you a better person – more sociable, empathetic, promotes teamwork

●Helps you solve problems by staying calm physically and mentally

●Increases memory

●Makes more creative

●Increase your productivity

●Increase your concentration and cognitive skills

●Slows down brain deterioration caused by age

●Contributes to a younger biological age

●Allows better performance during training and reduces the sensation of pain.

●Less flu and shorter duration

●Keeps you from feeling exhausted

●Reduces bulimia

●Reduces the feeling of anger in crisis situations

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