Mindfulness Meditation Techniques
WHAT IS MEDIATION?
Meditation was originally used to overcome suffering, find a deeper meaning in life, and connect with your super consciousness. Today, it is practiced for personal growth and wellbeing.
Some people may get confused with the word ‘meditate’ as the meaning to think, contemplate, daydream or even to have no thoughts at all. However, meditation is neither of these.
Meditation is an exercise for your mind – a contemplative practice, using specific techniques to train the mind to achieve mental clarity and to be emotionally calm and stable adapting techniques such as mindfulness or focusing the mind on a particular object or thought. This exercise takes different shapes, usually involves Relaxation, Stillness, Inwardly Focused, Awareness and Concentration.
In meditation your mind is completely awake and alert, but your mind is not distracted on the external world or anything that may be happening around you. Instead, the mind is clear, relaxed and focused internally.
MINDFUL MEDITATION
Mindful meditation is a practice that trains the mind to slow down, let go of judgements and negative thoughts, and calm both your mind and body. It combines meditation with the practice of mindfulness, which brings your mental state to focused on “the present’. You will begin to identify your physical being as a vessel where you can acknowledge and accept your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgement. Bringing your mind, body and breathe to a state of unity.
When meditation is practiced continually and diligently you may find that you enjoy the positive results for your physical and for your mental health. Some of these include:
Reducing Stress & Anxiety
Improved Immunity
Boost Self Awareness
Increase concentration
Improves Sleep
Increase pain tolerance
Lower heart rate & blood pressure
TYPES OF MEDITATION
There are many different meditation and mindfulness practices. As a beginner try the three practices below:
Focusing on the Breath
Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Take three deep breaths in through the nostrils and out through the nostrils. The breath is soft, long, even and relaxed. Relax your body and keep it still throughout the meditation practice. After the third breath slowly close your eyes’
Bring your attention to the breath. Observe the flow and rhythm for a few moments. Try not to change it or control it. Simply observe it as it is.
Being to count the breath down from 10 to 1. Breathe in and at the end of the inhalation mentally say the number 10. Breathe out and at the end of the exhalation mentally say the number 10. Repeating this process for 9-9, 8-8 and all the way down to 1. When you arrive at 1. Repeat another cycle from 10.
As you count, let the thoughts come and go – try not to supress them or be distracted by them. Just let your attention stay with the breath.
When you feel ready, stop the counting and keep your attention on your breath for a few moments. Notice any changes in your breathing and your mind. Then gently start to move your fingers and toes, open your eyes. Keeping your gaze low before lifting them up.
Spend a few moments reflecting on how you felt during and after the meditation practice. You might even want to journal it.
Scenery
Sit in a comfortable position. Open your eyes and observe an object in front of you for 1 minute.
Close your eyes and try to visualise that object, in the same size and position, in front of your mind. Try to hold it there for 1 minute.
Repeat this process two or three more times. Each time adding more detail, colour, and sharpness.
Without losing the first visualisation, begin to add more objects into your mental field. Try introducing the objects next to the first one, or the background scenery.
Gradually compose a mental image of everything you see when your eyes are open.
To complete the practice, bring your attention back to your whole body. Observe your breathing for a few moments, then slowly come out of your posture and open your eyes.
Inner Silence
Sit in a comfortable meditation posture (try not to lie down for this practice). Take three deep breaths in through the nostrils and out through the nostrils. The breath is soft, long, even, and relaxed. Relax your body and keep it still throughout the meditation practice. After the third breath slowly close your eyes’
Become aware of the sounds you hear. Let every sound reach your ears. Don’t react to it. Don’t resist it. Don’t cling to any sound. Allow your attention to scan all the sounds you can hear.
Become aware of the sensations in your body. Notice if it is hot or cold, tenderness, tightness, lightness, soreness, tension or relaxation. Observe them as they are, without interpreting them. Don’t react to it. Don’t resist it. Don’t cling onto them.
Become aware of your breathing. Notice if the breath is deep or shallow, fast or slow. Are you breathing through the chest or abdomen. No reaction, no controlling the breath, just observe it.
Move your awareness to the mind and the thoughts, feelings, and images. Watch every movement as an observer. All that manifests is an image on the screen of consciousness: you are the screen. Everything is allowed to show up, whether it is positive or negative. Don’t react to the thoughts. Remain the passive witness of everything.
Be aware of what you are thinking and move from positive observer to active agent. Select one thought and think on that thought. Don’t let any other thoughts distract you or take your attention into unrelated thoughts. Think on purpose not randomly. After a few moments, let that thought go. Repeat two more times.
To conclude the practice, bring your attention back to your physical being and breathing. After a few moments gently start to move your fingers and toes, open your eyes. Keeping your gaze low before lifting them up.
Spend a few moments reflecting on how you felt during and after the meditation practice. You might even want to journal it.
Resources
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-benefits-of-meditation#12.-Accessible-anywhere
Meditation and It’s Practice by Swami Rama
Practical Meditation by Giovanni Diestmann
