” The body benefits from movement and the mind benefits from stillness” – Sakyong Mipham
When we hear the word meditation, we automatically visualize a person sitting on floor in a quiet room, eyes closed, turned off from the outside world completely. And as soon as this picture comes to our mind, the very first thought that pops up is, ‘Nah! it’s not for me‘. But no, it’s not like that. In fact, meditation is for everyone. And all we need, is to find out the type which works best for us. And even before that we first need to understand what exactly is meditation by the way?
In simple words, meditation is focus. When you meditate you are letting go of distractions. And the distractions are not just the ambient noises, but also the noisy thoughts of your mind. That’s why regular meditation practice helps you feel more relaxed and less anxious.
Mindfulness in meditation
Mindfulness, that is being completely attentive and aware of the present moment helps to stay focused on what you are doing at any given time. That’s why mindfulness and meditation goes hand in hand. When mindfulness is combined with meditation you can reach a mental state where you are completely focussed on now. And regular practice can help you stay more present-focused. Mindfulness encourages you to just notice our surrounding without being judgemental towards them. Similarly, when you apply mindfulness in meditation, you observe your thoughts, feelings and sensations without judging or suppressing them.
Types of meditation
Meditation can take many forms. You need to find the one that is right for you. One that fits your life and makes you feel peaceful.
Focussed meditation
Also known as concentration meditation, focussed meditation is a technique where you focus your attention on an object, sound or sensation. Unlike classic meditation you aren’t trying to clear your mind here. Rather you are redirecting your mind to the focal point whenever it’s drifting. Object of focus can be anything, for example something to look at (painting, plant), or a sound (mantra, water fountain), or a sensation (breath). Idea is to bring your wandering mind to come back to the focus point to stay in the present moment.
Benefits
Focussed meditation helps in improving attention span. When we focus on one particular object, we learn to keep ourselves away from other distractions. Infact, this meditation technique is particularly helpful for those who are bothered by ambient noises like car horns, alarm or people arguing. Regular practice overtime help them feel less troubled by these sounds.
Focussed meditation is also helpful in emotional regulation. Just like you learn to stay present regardless of what noises are around. Likewise, you learn to observe your feelings without trying to fix them.
How to practice
You can start with a short session of a few minutes. Focused meditation can be done anytime and from anywhere, but still choose a place where distractions are minimum.
Get in a comfortable positions. Stay upright and stay relaxed. Next is to choose a target to focus. It could be an object on your table, sound of clock or if nothing else then just the sensation and sound of your breath.
Bring all your attentions to your target. Notice the details and sensation of sight, smell and sound. The idea is not to think but experience it.
Mind will wander, you shall be distracted in the beginning and that’s okay. Just bring your attention back to your target. Regularly practice makes it easier to maintain focus.
Finish your session by bringing awareness back to the surrounding.
Walking meditation
Walking meditation is basically taking a walk while being completely aware of your body as well as surroundings. Many of us do go for a regular walk, but we are often thinking about something else while walking. And walking meditation is to bring our complete awareness to the physical experience of walking. Which is paying attention to each step, your pace, breath and notice everything around as you walk without judging any of these. The idea is to get out of automated walking mode and cultivate mindfulness in your every day walk.
Benefits
Movement of any kind benefits mind and body. And you might have also experience it. Have you ever been in a stressful situation and felt better after taking a stroll in your neighbourhood? Walking meditation helps in improving mood and achieving mental clarity. And remember walking is an exercise too.
How to practice
It’s all about getting up and going for a walk. No equipment needed. Take slow, short and easy steps and notice your surroundings. Notice the sensation in your body as you take each step. As any thought starts to emerge, bring your focus back to how your feet feels and how your breath is changing. Continue this practice throughout your walk by observing the physical sensation in your body and paying attention to your surrounding.
Gratitude meditation
A conscious act of recognizing and appreciating things that you have in life, is gratitude meditation. To practice gratitude meditation, you need to set aside a few minutes and list down everything that you are grateful for. Just like any other form of meditation, you don’t need a specific time or set up to practice gratitude. Gratitude meditation can take many forms, you may just sit quietly every morning and be thankful or write down in your gratitude journal every night before going to bed. Or you can practice it in real time for something that you are grateful for while you are experiencing it.
Benefits
Practicing gratitude meditation increases overall sense of happiness and satisfaction in life. Which is an essential element of our well-being. Gratitude changes our outlook towards life, it helps us fight challenges and move forward.
Additionally, gratitude meditation improves sleep quality and calm your mind when you feel anxious. Gratitude shifts your focus away from what you do not have, which makes you enjoy your present thoroughly. Hence, you learn to spend lesser time worrying.
How to practice
To begin with gratitude meditation, you first need to set up a routine. Few minutes of your day either in the morning or before bedtime is all you need. Make a list of all the things that you would never want to trade. Think about how your loved ones take care of you and why they do it. Remember your hobbies and passion and be thankful that you are able to pursue them. Gratitude is an experience, which if practiced daily can become an attitude.
Metta meditation
Metta meditation, also known as love-kindness meditation is focused on cultivating love, compassion and kindness for oneself and for others. Rooted in Buddhist practice, metta meditation was taught by Buddha over 2000 years ago. Metta meditation aimed at feeling love for all kinds of living beings including yourself. Although it is good to practice Metta meditation regularly, it is especially beneficial when you are downhearted.
Benefits
To handle any difficult situation, the first thing you need to do is to have confidence in yourself. And to believe in yourself, it is important to feel unconditional love for yourself. Regular practice of Metta meditation helps you to build a better relationship with yourself. And when you love yourself, it’s easier to love others. It’s easier to appreciate and forgive yourself and others. Treating yourself with kindness reduces frustration, guilt and self-blame.
How to practice
Traditionally Metta meditation involve reciting love-kindness phrases. For example, ‘May I be happy’, ‘May I be peaceful’. But you may create your own phrases as well. First step is compassion towards yourself, moving on to someone you love; then you address someone who is neutral to you, for example your house help; next is someone who have conflict with and lastly these sentiments are send to the universe.
But as easier it may sound finding compassion may not be easy. You may not be able to take the first step. So work on loving yourself first; practice self-love and self-care for as long as it take for you to come at peace with yourself. Then you can move to other steps. Your goal is not to move onto next steps quickly, but to truly feel compassion for yourself and for others. So take as long as you need at each step.
Mediation might sound like an out of reach experience, but it’s not. Choosing the right one is the key and that depends on what you are looking for.
"You are only ten minutes and one meditation away from a good mood."