Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. Scholars have found meditation difficult to define, as practices vary both between traditions and within them.
Meditation has been practiced since antiquity in numerous religious traditions, often as part of the path towards enlightenment and self realization. Some of the earliest written records of meditation (Dhyana), come from the Hindu traditions of Vedantism. Since the 19th century, Asian meditative techniques have spread to other cultures where they have also found application in non-spiritual contexts, such as business and health.
Meditation may be used with the aim of reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and pain, and increasing peace, perception, self-concept, and well-being. Meditation is under research to define its possible health (psychological, neurological, and cardiovascular) and other effects.
Benefits of Meditation
Stress Relief
People who meditate on a regular basis experience less stress, typically their levels of the “stress hormone” cortisol is measurably decreased.
Increased immunity
Since your immune system responds to both negative and positive thoughts, meditation creates a positive mental environment for the immune system to flourish. This study showed a reduction of pro-inflammatory gene expression in older adults.
Lowered Blood Pressure
The regular practice of Transcendental Meditation may have the potential to reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure by approximately 4.7 and 3.2 mm Hg, respectively. These are clinically meaningful changes.
Better Sleep
Meditation teaches you to relax it also trains the mind to settle the attention on something, like breathing, and de-clutter the mind of outside thoughts. Guided meditations can help assist in promoting sleep.
Improved happiness and general well being
A study from the University of Utah shows that individuals who describe themselves as being more mindful have more stable emotions and perceive themselves to have better control over their mood and behavior throughout the day.
Types of Meditation
- Zen meditation, sometimes called Zazen is a form of meditation that can be part of Buddhist practice. Many Zen practitioners study under a teacher because this kind of meditation involves specific steps and postures.The goal is to find a comfortable position, focus on breathing, and mindfully observe one’s thoughts without judgment. This form of meditation is similar to mindfulness meditation but requires more discipline and practice. People may prefer it if they are seeking both relaxation and a new spiritual path.
- Transcendental Meditation is a spiritual form of meditation where practitioners remain seated and breathe slowly. The goal is to transcend or rise above the person’s current state of being. During a meditation session, practitioners focus on a mantra or a repeated word or series of words.
- Kundalini yoga is a physically active form of meditation that blends movements with deep breathing and mantras.
- Breath awareness is a type of mindful meditation that encourages mindful breathing. Practitioners breathe slowly and deeply, counting their breaths or otherwise focusing on their breaths. The goal is to focus only on breathing and to ignore other thoughts that enter the mind. As a form of mindfulness meditation, breath awareness offers many of the same benefits as mindfulness. Those include reduced anxiety, improved concentration, and greater emotional flexibility.
- Mindfulness is a form of meditation that urges practitioners to remain aware and present in the moment. Rather than dwelling on the past or dreading the future, mindfulness encourages awareness of a person’s existing surroundings. Crucial to this is a lack of judgment. So, rather than reflecting on the annoyance of a long wait, a practitioner will simply note the wait without judgment.
References
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159112001894
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18311126
https://archive.unews.utah.edu/news_releases/better-living-through-mindfulness/