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Methods of Meditation
Meditate on a lone cloud on a hill, floating effortlessly through space and time.
Imagine you are that cloud and with every inhale and exhale, you are blowing
yourself gracefully across the heavens, forgetting all sorrow, pain and worry of the
hills below…
The art of meditation takes many forms and titles. Meditation has been practiced for
over 5,000 years mainly in eastern religious traditions such as Buddhism and
Hinduism. Other religions that have used forms of meditation include Janism,
Sikhism, New Age, Taoism and Islam. Christianity and Judaism have forms of
meditation as well that are very different from eastern religions but still create
relaxation and peace in the body.
Techniques are used not only for spiritual purposes, but also health purposes such
as yoga meditation and secular meditation which fight against anxiety, stress and
chronic physical pain.
By clearing the mind, relaxing the muscles and focusing on deep breathing,
circulation, posture and concentration are improved. Yoga is deeply tied to eastern
religions and its goal is to improve health and well-being and reaching Moksha which
is the release from the cycle of life, death and rebirth and all the suffering
attached to it.
There are many different types of meditation techniques including: Mantra, Trakata,
Chakra, Vispanna, Raj Yoga, Zazen, and Nada Yoga. All of them include focusing on
breathing, entering into an alternate state of consciousness and focusing on a
strong sense of self. Beyond being conscious of one’s breathing, there is a wide
variety of techniques that help with reaching the developmental goal that the person
is aiming for which include:
“Upward” which acts to reverse the pull of gravity on the consciousness by lifting
the consciousness out of the body, “Mind-centered” in which the mind is a blank
slate, “Monastic” which involves exploring death’s mystery, “Observer” where you
watch your thoughts and emotions as they happen from an outside perspective,
“Passive” where the mind makes no judgment similar to daydreaming or sleep,
“Fantasy-based” where the person goes to an alternate place in his/her mind,
“Trance” which included rhythmic chanting, “Denial” or “Dualistic” where divisions
in the universe are realized and questioned, and “Religious” where one thinks about
an inspiring religious leader.
Transcendental Meditation was introduced in 1957 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, disciple
of the Indian spiritual leader, Swami Brahmananda Saraswati. Yogi developed programs
and initiatives to promote transcendental meditation and spent time touring the
world teaching what he had learned. The technique involves sitting with one’s eyes
closed for twenty minutes, twice a day and not contemplating but setting up a
framework for the mind to move inwardly instead of being flooded with different
ideas and feelings.
Music is a tool that is not only used for entertainment but for healing as well.
Certain tones and chords can stimulate brainwaves, produce deep relaxation, increase
the ability to learn, relieve stress, and even heal the body as a result of
listening and feeling the music. Almost everyone has experienced deep feelings from
a song a favorite artist plays or an experience at a concert.
Music can increase self-growth and fulfillment in certain areas of one’s life.
Meditation music is one of many forms of music that can accomplish this. It acts to
correspond with meditation practices to promote self awareness and relaxation as
well as deep connection. It is also used in spas during massages to help the patient
relax fully.
Introducing Healing Rhythms, the first biofeedback training program that brings together the most prominent leaders in the field of health and wellness - doctors Deepak Chopra, Dean Ornish and Andrew Weil. Wearing three finger sensors that track your body's energy levels, you move through enchanting and mystical landscapes using the power of your thoughts, feelings, breath and awareness. Wise mentors guide you throughout the realm, empowering you with yoga, breathing and meditation skills. What are the Different Types of Meditation? While there are many different types of meditation, there are two general
classifications: concentrative and mindfulness. In concentrative meditation, you
focus on clearing your mind to provide you with greater concentration, awareness and
clarity. In mindfulness meditation, you open your mind to become more aware of the
things around you, such as scents, sounds and thoughts.
The easiest way to engage in concentrative meditation is to sit quietly and focus on
your breathing. Relax and count your breaths as you breathe through your nose. Take
deep breaths, hold them and let them out slowly. This helps you to get oxygen into
the lowest portions of your lungs.
There are times when you mind may wander, but you refocus on your breathing to get
rid of your thoughts. You can also focus on an object when meditating or you may
want to repeat a phrase or a word. This is called mantra meditation in which you can
choose to repeat the word or phrase aloud or silently in your head.
If you are agitated or worried about something, your breathing will be short and
fast when you first start this type of meditation. As you start to relax, your
breathing will slow down and become regulated. As you focus on your breathing or on
an object, your mind will become absorbed with the regulation of your breathing and
all other thoughts will vanish from your mind.
Zen meditation is one type of concentrative meditation in which you concentrate on
the functioning of the heart. There are three main aims in this form:
The idea is that once you are able to rid yourself of the thoughts of everyday life,
you can reach that inner sense of peace that exists in everyone. It helps to calm
the mind and body to give you insight into the nature of your existence. You must be
patient and persistent in meditating in order for your mind to become clear.
Raja Yoga Meditation is another type of concentrative meditation. This form of
meditation helps you to gain control of your mind to enable to you to develop a
sense of peace. The life force of your body moves through the spine so that
awareness is able to move into the “Third Eye” which is a point between your
eyebrows.
Your mind is not passive and there can be many thoughts racing through it. You try
to free yourself of these mindless thoughts and focus on the real meaning of
meditating to achieve a pleasant feeling throughout the body.
Mindfulness meditation involves a passing parade of thoughts, emotions and images
through your mind. You sit in a meditating position and instead of trying to banish
the thoughts from your mind, you allow them to enter. You do acknowledge that they
are present but you don’t concentrate on them. This allows you to develop a calm
approach to your problems so that you don’t react quickly.
Instead of focusing on one individual thought or scene, you allow each though to
become part of the bigger picture. It trains your mind to meditate on things in your
life over which you have no control so that you have a heightened sense of inner
peace that will enable you to go on with your life in spite or extreme difficulties.
Brought to you by Wilddivine.com- Meditation, Relaxation, Guided Breathing.
