| Meditation is widely recommended as a healthy | | | | There are so many different ways to meditate. I |
| way to manage stress. It provides many health | | | | will outline a few basic meditation techniques so |
| benefits, such as reducing symptoms of stress | | | | that you can understand how they differ from |
| and anxiety, can alleviate physical complaints such | | | | one another. |
| as headaches, and even boost your immune | | | | Focused Meditation Techniques |
| system. | | | | With this type of technique, you focus on |
| Meditation can be practiced in various ways. While | | | | something intently. You can focus on something |
| there are a number different meditation | | | | visual, like a statue or something auditory, like the |
| techniques, a commonality runs through almost all | | | | sound of ocean waves, or on your own breathing. |
| meditative techniques: | | | | Some people find this easier to do this than to |
| Quiet Mind | | | | focus on nothing at all as the mind tend to |
| When you meditate, your thinking mind becomes | | | | wander. So having a point of focus is helpful and |
| quiet. You stop focusing on your lifes problems, as | | | | allows you to slip into that altered state of |
| well as solving these problems. You allow that | | | | consciousness. |
| voice in your head be quiet. | | | | Activity-Oriented |
| Being In The Now | | | | This type of meditation involves a repetitive |
| All meditative practices involve focusing on the | | | | activity, or one where you can get 'in the zone' |
| right now or present moment as opposed to the | | | | and experience 'flow.' Here too this type of |
| past or the future. It's about experiencing each | | | | technique quiets the mind, and allows your brain to |
| moment and letting it go and experiencing the | | | | shift. Effective forms of activity-oriented |
| next. This takes effort and practice as most of | | | | meditation are things like practicing yoga, |
| us are continually thinking toward the future or | | | | gardening or creating any type of artwork. Due |
| have our heads in the past. | | | | to it's repetitiveness these activities are all |
| Altered State of Consciousness | | | | considered a type of meditation. |
| An altered level of consciousness that isn't a | | | | Basic Meditation |
| sleeping state but is neither your average wakeful | | | | This requires sitting in a comfortable position and |
| state, is a state you can achieve through | | | | just trying to quiet your mind by thinking of |
| maintaining a quiet mind and focusing on the | | | | nothing. This technique involves practice as it is |
| present moment. Meditation increases brain | | | | not always easy to sit and think of nothing. But a |
| activity in an area of the brain associated with | | | | good way to start is to think of yourself as an |
| happiness and positive thoughts and emotions. | | | | 'observer of your thoughts'. just notice what the |
| With regular practice prolonged positive changes in | | | | voice in your head says then let it go without |
| these areas can be achieved. | | | | judging. As thoughts pop up in your mind, just let |
| Meditation Techniques | | | | them go. |
| Researchers classify meditation techniques into | | | | Sometimes for the beginner meditation can be a |
| two different categories. Concentrative and | | | | little unnerving. Don't get too consumed the |
| Non-Concentrative. Concentrative techniques | | | | perfecting any one technique. The key here is to |
| require focusing on an object that's generally | | | | try to develop a routine and a regular time that |
| outside of oneself: a candle's flame, the sound of | | | | you meditate and start with something simple, |
| an instrument, or a mantra. Non-concentrative | | | | otherwise you could become frustrated with the |
| meditation can include a wider focus: the sounds in | | | | process. |
| one's environment such as one's own breathing. | | | | |