What is meditation?
Introduction to TM
Meditation is a technique that has been used for thousands of years to help people develop awareness of the present moment.
It can involve practices to sharpen focus and attention, connect to the body and breath, develop acceptance of difficult emotions, and even alter consciousness.
Being a human being can be hard for all of us at times. Meditation has been proven to help us cope better and live more fulfilling and healthy lives.
In 2011, Sara Lazar and her team at Harvard found that mindfulness meditation can actually change the structure of the brain: Eight weeks of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) was found to increase cortical thickness in the hippocampus, which governs learning and memory, and in certain areas of the brain that play roles in emotion regulation and self-referential processing. There were also decreases in brain cell volume in the amygdala, which is responsible for fear, anxiety, and stress – and these changes matched the participants’ self-reports of their stress levels, indicating that meditation not only changes the brain, but it changes our subjective perception and feelings as well.
While many spiritual traditions include meditation as a part of their teachings and practices, the technique itself doesn’t belong to any religion or faith.
Though ancient in origin, it’s still practiced today in cultures all over the world to create a sense of peace, calm, and inner harmony.
You don’t need to ‘believe’ in meditation for it to work - and there isn’t a right or wrong way to meditate! You just need to find a practice and method that works for you.
Popular types of meditation practice include:
mindfulness meditation
spiritual meditation
focused meditation
movement meditation
mantra meditation
transcendental meditation
visualisation meditation
Not all meditation styles are right for everyone. Each practice requires different skills and a different mindset.
How do you know which practice is right for you?
It is basically what method feels most comfortable for you, and this may be different at different times.
Mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness meditation originates from Buddhist teachings and is the most popular and researched form of meditation in the West.
In mindfulness meditation, you pay attention to your thoughts as they pass through your mind. You don’t judge the thoughts or become involved with them. You simply observe and notice what you notice.
How to do mindfulness meditation
Remove all distractions from your room, including your phone. Lie down in a comfortable position.
Focus on your breathing. Inhale for 10 counts, then hold your breath for 10 counts. Exhale for 10 counts. Repeat five times.
Inhale and tense your body. Pause, relax, and exhale. Repeat five times.
Notice your breath and body. If a body part feels tight, consciously relax it.
When a thought comes up, slowly return your focus to just your breathing.
This type of meditation is good for people who don’t have a teacher to guide them, as it can be easily practiced alone.
Spiritual meditation
Spiritual meditation is used in nearly all religions and spiritual traditions.
A spiritual meditation is a meditation practice you undertake with the desire to connect with a higher power; the Universe; God; your Highest Self, etc…
Spiritual meditation can be practiced at home or in a place of worship. This practice is beneficial for those who seek spiritual growth and a deeper connection to a higher power or spiritual force.
Focused meditation
Focused meditation involves concentration using any of the five senses.
For example, you can focus on something internal, like your breath, or you can bring in external influences to help focus your attention.
Examples include:
counting beads
listening to a sound or gong
staring at an object
counting your breath
repeating a positive affirmation
This practice may appear simple in theory, but it can be difficult for beginners to hold focus for longer than a few minutes at first.
If your mind does wander, simply come back to the practice, and refocus.
As the name suggests, this practice is ideal for anyone who wants to sharpen their focus and attention.
Movement meditation
Walking meditation
Although most people think of yoga when they hear movement meditation, this practice may include:
Walking
Swimming (especially in cold water)
Gardening
Tai Chi
other gentle forms of movement
This is an active form of meditation where the movement guides you into a deeper connection with your body and the present moment.
How to do movement meditation
Begin your walk as slowly as possible, as if you’re walking in slow motion.
As you inhale, begin to slowly peel your right foot off the ground starting with the heel and working your way to the ball of the foot. Take your time before you fully lift the toes.
As you exhale, begin to lower the right foot back down in front of you. Allow the toes to touch down first, then slowly lower the ball of the foot and eventually the heel.
Most of us walk by placing our heels down first, so this takes some extra awareness.
Repeat from right to left for the duration of your walk.
Notice if you start to speed up or lose the connection with the sensations in the feet as they touch the ground.
Mantra meditation
Mantra meditation is prominent in many teachings, including Hindu and Buddhist traditions. This type of meditation uses a repetitive sound or phrase to clear the mind.
You can speak your chosen mantra loudly or quietly. After chanting the mantra for some time, you’ll be more alert and in tune with your environment. This allows you to experience deeper levels of awareness.
Mantra meditation works well for people who don’t like silence and enjoy repetition.
Transcendental Meditation
TM was founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and refers to a practice designed to quiet the mind and induce a state of calm and peace. It involves the use of a mantra which is given to you by a certified TM trainer.
Visualisation meditation
VM is a technique focused on enhancing feelings of relaxation, peace, and calmness by visualising positive scenes, images, or figures.
This practice can be guided by a third party and can involve invoking a strong memory or connection with a person or place.
How to get started with meditation
“You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes every day — unless you’re too busy. Then you should sit for an hour.”
—Zen proverb
The ambition is to sit in meditation for 20 minutes every day – ideally in the morning and evening.
You do not need to sit in any special way or place. Just sit upright (in a chair; on your bed..) and close your eyes.
Ensure you are somewhere comfortable and safe.
Start in small increments of time and grow from there. 2 minutes, 5 minutes…
To optimise your results, aim to sit consistently for 20 minutes a day and do this for at least 100 days without a break.
Let us know how you get on in the Hungry Artist Facebook Group.
