Meditation

 Meditation refers to a state where your body and mind are consciously relaxed and focused. Practitioners of this art report increased awareness, focus, and concentration, as well as a more positive outlook on life.

Most people typically identify meditation with mystics, monks, and other spiritual practitioners. To profit from it, though, you don't have to be a mystic or a monk. And you're not even required to be in a certain location to practice it. Even in your own living room, you may give it a try!

The basic principles of meditation are the same regardless of how meditation is practiced. The most crucial of these guidelines is to clear the mind of distracting, negative, and restless thoughts and fantasies while maintaining a strong sense of focus. This frees the mind of waste and gets it ready for a more worthwhile activity.

The negative thoughts you have those of noisy neighbors, bossy officemates, that parking ticket you got, and unwanted spam are said to contribute to the ‘polluting’ of the mind, and shutting them out allows for the ‘cleansing’ of the mind so that it may focus on deeper, more meaningful thoughts.

Some practitioners even shut out all sensory input no sights, no sounds, and nothing to touch, and try to detach themselves from the commotion around them. You may now focus on a deep, profound thought if this is your goal. It may seem deafening at first since we are all too accustomed to constantly hearing and seeing things, but as you continue this exercise you will find yourself becoming more aware of everything around you.

If you find the meditating positions you see on television threatening those with impossibly arched backs, and painful-looking contortions you need not worry. The principle here is to be in a comfortable position conducive to concentration. This may be while sitting cross-legged, standing, lying down, and even walking.

If the position allows you to relax and focus, then that would be a good starting point. While sitting or standing, the back should be straight, but not tense or tight. In other positions, the only no-no is slouching and falling asleep.

Loose, comfortable clothes help a lot in the process since tight-fitting clothes have a tendency to choke you up and make you feel tense.

The place you perform meditation should have a soothing atmosphere. It may be in your living room, bedroom, or any place that you feel comfortable in. You might want an exercise mat if you plan to take on the more challenging positions (if you feel more focused doing so, and if the contortionist in you is screaming for release). You may want to have the place arranged so that it is soothing to your senses.

Silence helps most people relax and meditate, so you may want a quiet, isolated area far from the ringing of the phone or the humming of the washing machine. Pleasing scents also help in that regard, so stocking up on aromatic candles isn’t such a bad idea either.

The monks you see on television making those monotonous sounds are actually performing their mantras. This, in simple terms, is a short creed, a simple sound which, for these practitioners, holds a mystic value.

You do not need to perform such; however, it would pay to note that focusing on repeated actions such as breathing and humming helps the practitioner enter a higher state of consciousness.

The principle here is a focus. You could also try focusing on a certain object or thought, or even, while keeping your eyes open, focus on a single sight.

One example of a practice would be to quietly name every region of your body while in a relaxed state of meditation and concentrate your attention on that area. You should be conscious of any stiffness in every area of your body as you do this. Imagine mentally letting go of this stress. It's a beauty.

Additionally, there are a lot of meditation CDs available that have been shown via research to change your brainwaves in a way that will facilitate deep meditation. Visit this page to learn more about meditation CDs.

Overall, meditation is a technique that poses few risks and offers rewards that are well worth the effort (or lack thereof—remember, we're resting).

Studies have demonstrated that practicing meditation has positive physiological impacts on the body. The medical community has also come to the conclusion that more research should be done on the consequences of such. Start meditating right away to create your own health and well-being!