Meditation

Meditation encompasses a broad array of practices that are designed to empty and quiet the mind. When you meditate, you rid your mind of all of the distracting thoughts and competing stimuli that typically capture your attention. The anxiety you experience when listening to friends complain, watching the tragedy of the day on the news, or dealing with a heavy workload fades away. You become less moved by outside pressures and for the moment, at least, are able to focus your mind.

Why Meditation Works

Benefits of meditation include improved immune system function, reduced anxiety, lower blood pressure, and greater attentiveness. Studies have shown that people who meditate can control their brain activity to become more focused and composed. Beyond that, scientists even have evidence suggesting that meditation, when practiced over time, can change the brain’s circuitry and function. A professor at the University of Wisconsin examined the brain scans of long-term Buddhist meditation practitioners and found that their brains showed increased activity in the left prefrontal cortex, the site of positive emotions.

Types of Meditation

Meditation techniques take many forms, but most of them fall into one of two general categories: concentrative meditation and mindfulness meditation.

An act of stilling or emptying the mind by directing attention to a single object, such as your breathing, a mental picture, or a mantra (a word, a sound, or a syllable to repeat). Try this type of meditation by simply sitting still and breathing slowly, deeply, and reflectively. With practice, your breathing and your mind will move beyond the realm of random thought to become calm and tranquil.

How to Practice Mantra Meditation

Have a seat: Find a comfortable area in a secluded spot in your home. Sit quietly and with good posture on a chair, cushion, blanket, or whatever works best.

Choose your focus: Close or lower your eyes and, if you prefer, decide on a mantra to repeat. The Sanskrit word om is a common mantra popular across the globe. Some believe it is the primal sound from which the universe originates; others imbue om with their own meaning, such as love, peace, light, or joy.

Refocus continually: The greatest challenge for beginners is learning to refocus after being distracted. Other people, distant noises, and your internal monologue are all potential threats to your meditation. The key to this mental exercise is to redirect your attention to your chosen focus and keep seeking calm. Start by meditating for just a few minutes a day, then work your way up to 15 minutes a day.

Also called insight meditation, an “objectless” form of meditation in which the practitioner tries to raise awareness of passing thoughts, emotions, and sensory perceptions without directing them. While in this state, you observe sights, sounds, smells, emotions, and thoughts without reacting to or judging them. Your concentration is focused on the present, with complete objectivity. When a thought arises during meditation, simply acknowledge its presence without evaluating it. Then, gently refocus your attention on your meditation practice. This process of recognition, non-judgment, and refocusing is a mental exercise that strengthens your brain's ability to stay present. By viewing thoughts in this way, you can shift your perspective: rather than seeing them as distractions, you can see them as opportunities to build mental resilience and discipline.

Purpose

Numerous studies have concluded that MM can help individuals cope better with stress, improve focus/memory, and improve emotional functioning.

"Normal" Conscious Experience

Most people are constantly thinking either about the past or future. Additionally, today's technology produces frequent distractions (i.e., smartphones and social media) which reduces the ability to focus. This combination of persistent thinking and distraction can lead to emotional distress and an inability to concentrate. MM is the counterbalance to the "normal" modern day conscious experience.

Expectations

It is helpful to have realistic expectations of MM before starting the practice. First, it is not a powerful, fast acting elixir. Rather, it takes time (usually a few weeks) to notice improvement. When one initially begins the practice, it can become frustrating when your thoughts distract you from the practice. This is normal, and you should expect it to happen frequently. Therefore, it is helpful to develop an accepting attitude of all that occurs in your conscious experience. When you notice that you have become distracted during practice, simply return to the present moment.

Practice

Find a comfortable chair to sit in, or if you prefer, sit on a floor cushion in a non-reclined posture. Close your eyes. Begin by focusing on your breath. Notice the air coming in and out of your nostrils and/or your stomach/chest rising. Within seconds of doing this, thoughts will come into your mind. As stated earlier, this is normal and to be expected. Just accept the thought and shift your focus back to your breath. That is it! Repeat for 5 minutes. It may sound simple, but it is not as easy as it might seem. You may want to try to the following as a way to keep focused: count your breathes (breath in and silently think one, breath out and silently think one; continue counting to two, three, etc., with each full breath). You can also repeat a word with each breath: for example, you can repeat the word"Now" with each breath to remind you to stay focused on the present. Or you could repeat the word, "Nose" to keep your focus on breathing through your nose. Utilize this repetition for part or all of the practice. As your practice progresses, you may need to use counting/word repetition less often to stay mindful. Practice for 5 minutes a day until you feel ready to extend the time to 10 minutes per day, and increase up to the time frame that works for you (e.g., 30 minutes per day).

Experience

Here are some common things you may notice while meditating:

Remember, the practice of MM involves noticing/witnessing any of these experiences in the moment. Any outside noises like people talking should be accepted and viewed as an experience in the moment rather than an unwanted distraction from the breath. Focus on the breath is only one method of staying present. Noticing external sounds, sensations, feelings or thoughts is just as helpful as focus on the breath.

Become Aware of Your Body

This exercise will help you tune into your body, which can be one of your greatest teachers if you listen to it. By performing a body scan, you can observe and acknowledge the areas in your body that carry stress. Once you know which parts are most vulnerable, you’ll be better able to gauge your current stress level.

  1. Begin in a comfortable meditation posture.
  2. Close your eyes if you prefer.
  3. Observe your breathing.
  4. Acknowledge each inhale bringing energy to your body and each exhale releasing energy to others.
  5. Be mindful of your breathing for several minutes. It’s best to breathe through your nostrils for this exercise, if you can.
  6. Take one deep, cleansing breath in, then release it.
  7. With the next inhale and exhale, focus on your right foot. Is it relaxed or tense? Does it carry any pain or discomfort? Note it and acknowledge it.
  8. Now, with the next inhale and exhale, focus on your lower right leg. Is it relaxed or tense? Does it carry any pain or discomfort? Note it and acknowledge it.
  9. Continue this exercise with your upper right leg.
  10. Move on to the left leg. As before, focus on each part separately. What do you observe?
  11. Direct your focus to your abdomen. What do you observe? Spend as much time as you need here.
  12. Move through the right arm—hand, lower arm, upper arm.
  13. Repeat for the left arm.
  14. Move your focus to your shoulders and chest.
  15. Finally, move your focus to your neck and head.

How to Meditate on Fear

Fear often requires us to move. This is natural—when you experience danger, you instinctively move to a fight-or-flight response. Your body may respond with sweaty palms and a pounding heartbeat. Fear is energy. Through meditation, you can transfer the energy of fear to energy of peace. The following exercise is one way in which you may transform fear into a more positive emotion.

  1. Begin in a comfortable meditation posture.
  2. Close your eyes if you prefer.
  3. Observe your breathing.
  4. Acknowledge each inhale bringing energy to your body and each exhale releasing energy to others.
  5. Be mindful of your breathing for several minutes.
  6. Invite the fear you have felt into your body. Acknowledge it and observe it. Spend as much time as you need with it in this safe space.
  7. Now imagine that you are sitting beside a babbling brook. Imagine that you pick up a stone that is resting beside you. Hold the stone in the palm of your hand.
  8. Focus on this stone while transferring the fear you feel onto that stone. Spend as much time as you need with the stone.
  9. When you are ready to release your fear, picture yourself throwing this stone into the brook. Imagine the water washing away the negative energy you transferred to this object. In its wake is peace.
  10. Sit and observe the water flowing beside you. The water passing before you is always new. It never passes the same place twice. You, too, are no longer the same. Your fear has flowed downriver.
  11. Take three deep, cleaning breaths. Return to the present moment.