Meditation

What is Meditation?

This probably sounds like a silly question, but what is meditation, really? It’s actually an ancient practice that dates back thousands of years. It’s a practice that has persevered through the ages though because it has benefits for the mind, body, and spirit.

In short, it’s a practice that involves clearing or focusing the mind. There are several different ways to do it. Some practices involve focusing the mind on a sensation, focusing on breathing or sound, a visual image, or mantra. Some forms involve maintaining attention and focus on the present moment, trying not to allow the mind to wander, and avoid making any judgements.

Meditating can be overwhelming as there seems to be a belief that you have to sit quietly for a long time with your eyes closed, in order to gain the benefits. This isn’t necessarily true, as meditation can take many forms, and may provide benefits with even the smallest amount of time.

Meditation may or may not be considered a religious practice as well. Some religions use forms of meditation in their practices or prayers, however meditation can be done in small groups, in counseling sessions, in yoga, etc., as a guided practice with no religious ties.

What does meditation do for the health?

With modern techniques, scientists have been able to study the health benefits of meditation.

There are billions of neurons in the brain that use chemical and electrical signals to communicate, make connections, grow, or change. Research on people who meditate has shown changes in their brain tissue, indicating that neurons are more connected and that their connections are stronger than the brains of people who don't meditate. This means that the brains of those who meditate regularly tend to be stronger, less prone to age-related dysfunction, and better equipped to deal with fear, anger, and grief.

Generally speaking, meditation has been shown to decrease stress, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, pain, insomnia, substance abuse disorder, PTSD, weight, ADHD, and have benefits associated with cancer and related treatments.

How to get started.

Do some research and see what you like! See what resources exist around you that can help guide you in the right direction. Nowadays there are so many aps (Insight Timer, Calm, Headspace, to name a few) and resources on platforms like YouTube where you can search for meditations online. One key element is making the time to meditate, and it doesn’t have to be a lot. You can start with 30 seconds, or even a minute, and work your way up from there! Meditation is also better, or more enjoyable, in a quiet and comfortable environment. Maybe that’s in your home, maybe it’s in a local library, maybe it’s outside while walking, maybe it’s sitting, or maybe it’s lying down. Also, consider meditation an addition to your current health routine. In other words, talk to your health care provider before you think about replacing a medication or other current plant of care with meditation.

Types of meditation?

There are lots of different types of meditation. Some of them include the following.

• Contemplation: concentrating on a question or a contradiction without letting the mind wander.

• Mantra: repeating aloud, or silently in your head, a phrase or sound.

• Body-centered: body scanning by focusing on the physical sensations you notice in your body.

• Movement: focusing on breathing, holding your breath, specific movements, or simply walking while focusing on what’s around you.

• Emotion-centered: focusing on a specific emotion like being happy, or kind.

• Visual-based: focusing on something you can see without letting the mind wander.

• Mindfulness: staying aware of what’s happening in the moment rather than thinking about the past or future

Give it a try!

Below is a short one-and-a-half-minute meditation for positivity. It is a guided meditation. Get yourself comfortable by sitting or lying down, or pop in your headphones and spend a moment in nature. Close your eyes or keep them open, whatever feels right for you! Take a few slow and deep breaths before you start and enjoy!

References

Cleveland Clinic. (2022). Meditation. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17906-meditation

U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2022). Meditation and Mindfulness: What You Need To Know. Retrieved from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation-and-mindfulness-what-you-need-to-know