When we think of meditation, we often imagine people sitting cross-legged and quieting their minds. What if I told you that the mind never stops, it slows down, but thoughts and chatter are always there. It’s about learning to not allow the thought to take over the mind. You don’t have to sit cross-legged either, but you can also lie down.
Meditation comes in many different formats, from guided meditation, music, frequency, yoga nidra, open eye meditation, chanting and silent meditation.
Meditation is about being in the present in the moment, about shutting out the world and just being. It’s about focusing the mind on one thing to help it slow down, such as your breathing, the guided voice, mantra or sound.
On a scientific level, the brain waves turn into theta brain waves.
Benefits of meditation include:
Stress management
Reduction of anxiety and depression
Reducing high blood pressure
Help with sleeping problems
Even 10 minutes a day can be helpful and can be done before bed
Let’s look at the different forms of meditation
Guided meditation
A great choice for beginners or if you want to change a certain type of energy. You may want to cut the cords with unwanted energy or bring more abundance into your life. It is important to find a voice that you enjoy listening to and it also helps you focus on the voice to slow down the thoughts. When the thoughts appear, return to the voice or breathing.
Yoga Nidra
A deeply relaxing cross between guided meditation and yoga takes 20-30 minutes, but you’ll be lucky if you last 10 minutes before falling deeply asleep. This form of meditation is used for people who have difficulty falling asleep. The reason it does this is because it puts you into a conscious sleep state. The small difference with normal meditation and Yoga Nidra is the state in which your brain waves move. During yoga nidra, the brain waves enter the delta (deep healing sleep state).
In this deeper sleep state, the pineal gland can release the hormone melatonin.
Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant. It can also help manage immune function, blood pressure and cortisol levels and induce restful sleep.
Music or frequency music
Another way to experience meditation is to turn on soft music or frequency sound, close your eyes and focus on breathing.
Meditation with open eyes
Often used in monasteries and can be considered mindfulness as it loosens the mind and becomes present.
While sitting, focus your eye on one spot, such as a photo or a dot on the wall. This exercise is often done while sitting. Without sound or other aids. In a place where you can’t be distracted.
You may find that this exercise can also be done in nature. On the beach while looking out over the waves.
Another way to meditate is to simply be aware or mindful of what you are doing, the environment, thoughts, emotions, or anything that comes to your attention at the moment.
Mantra meditation
A mantra is a syllable, word or phrase that is repeated during meditation. Mantras can be spoken, sung, whispered or repeated in the mind.
For some, it serves as a kind of mental protection against unwanted distractions or emotions, such as when battling insomnia or dealing with the anxieties that come with travel. For others, mantra meditation serves a deeper spiritual purpose
Can also include Mala beads as a form of chanting. Chants are often done in sand script
This form of meditation is done sitting or lying down.
Silent meditation
Sit with eyes closed or open and in silence, without distractions and without music, focusing only on breathing.
My recommendation as a beginner is to try open eyes, Yoga Nidra or guided meditation first.