What is meditation?

Meditation is an exercise in which one uses a technique – like mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular thing, idea, or activity – to upskill attention and awareness, and attain a mentally clear, emotionally calm, and stable state.[1] [2]

Meditation is the same for mental health as physical exercise for the body. The practice is done in a calm and undisturbed spot with a clear mind and eyes closed. It is a practice that involves focusing on using a combination of mental and physical techniques. [3]

The practice of meditation is thousands of years old and is practiced differently around the world. During the last few decades, modern science has only started studying this practice in detail. Some of the biggest leaps in scientific understanding of meditation have only been possible thanks to modern technology.

Externally, someone who meditates might not seem to be doing anything other than breathing or repeating a sound or phrase repeatedly. Internally in their brain, though, it’s a completely different story. Modern diagnostic and imaging techniques, like electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans, show that the effects of meditation can be positive on your brain and mental health.

Research around the world has found that meditation can be very useful in reducing stress and anxiety, improving focus and concentration, and increasing feelings of calm and relaxation.

Anyone can do meditation, and it’s a simple practice to be started with — but it will take exercise and consistency to feel the benefits.

How to do meditation?

Meditation is a plain and easy exercise available to all, which can help to lower stress, grow calmness and clarity and bring happiness. Learning how to meditate is very easy, and one can feel the benefits easily.

Environment For meditation: Environment plays a very important role in meditation. While meditation one needs to find a calm and noise-free environment for practice. A calm environment can help you to focus on the idea, object, or activity. Find a noiseless place for the period of your meditation. The space is not necessary to be large a chair, a bench or a sofa is enough for meditation as long as your environment is calm. To begin meditation, you need to do the following.
- Avoid external distractions.
- Turn off your Tv and other noise appliances.
- Switch off your mobile.
- Try to focus on your thoughts.
- If you are fond of music try to hear calm music and relaxing music.
Clothes for meditation: You can wear anything you’d like to meditate the most important thing is that you’re comfortable, if you’re relaxed. If you’re a man and you’re wearing a tie or if you’re wearing a scarf around your neck I recommend just kind of loosening that off a little bit.If you’re wearing a belt maybe loosen that, if your trousers a little bit too tight maybe loosen those just so you can breathe more freely. If you’re wearing high heels I suggest you can slip those off or you could you could wear nothing. At all whatever kind of feels more comfortable to you it really doesn’t matter you.
Decide how long you want to meditate: Effort and energy it’s like you’re watering your meditation practice and the meditation practice grows the benefits become open like a flower. So the question is how long and how often should you practice as long as possible, and as often as possible, but start small.Start with five minutes, everybody has five minutes to spare. Like check email, Facebook, sit for meditation meditate. A couple of times a week to start set three days a week is a good commitment. So Monday Wednesday Friday Tuesday Thursday Saturday set a specific amount of time, but over time meditation practice becomes so interesting. You want to go sit down so you’re going to find that you can increase the time and how often you practice and it will actually add to the joy and the benefits of your meditation practice. So start with five minutes increase it by let’s say a minute a day until you get to about ten minutes sit with 10 minutes for a while. Then start to increase it to about 15 minutes and a great benchmark for yourself is 20 minutes once a day.
Do some stretches before you start to prevent stiffness: There are three exercises that you can do every hours that can alleviate some of those symptoms and have a better day.The first exercise is going to be just crossing your fingers extend out in front of your person and flexing your body for you, repeat that several times. Another one is going into an extension posture. Because the loss are in a sustained flexion posture during the day, and just lengthen your fingers behind your neck, open up your elbows to open up your chest extend back as far as you can. Open it up your arms and chest, repeating that several times five to ten times.
The last one is . It would just simply rotate it and right to left again five or ten times every hour that’ll help make you have a little bit better day working.
Straighten your spine once you’re seated: Lift your head up, straighten your spine & avoid checking your phone every 10 minutes. Put it away while you’re in line at the store, in the elevator, in your car etc.… Instead, look at your surroundings. BE PRESENT. Check out LIFE in real time. Straighten your spine sideways. Spine extension Sitting causes a rounded spine & puts stress on the spinal discs Most people sit way too much Reduce the stress on your spine by spending time in extension daily Progress slowly: -Lay flat on tummy -Prop up on elbows –Straighten arms to full extension
Close your eyes if it helps you focus and relax: Close your eyes. Feel yourself sink Breathe out fully Listen to your heartbeat Stretch under the covers Twirl your wrists and ankles Wiggle toes and knuckles. Try to relax and put your phone down close your eyes and just breathe, if you need to cry let it out it helps. but try to breath focus on breathing and relaxing yourself. All you have to do is sit down, close your eyes and breath slowly. In through the nose and out through the mouth.
Follow your breathing: Be true to yourself as much as possible, follow your dreams, write about gratitude, pets, walking/ exercise, eat veg (yes mum), hobbies, stay young, nature, good breathing, have good, faithful friends. – Accept who you are. – Take a wider stance (It’ll improve your testosterone levels by 20% instantly). – Watch out for your breathing patterns (Breath deeply and hold your breath for a few seconds and take it out slowly). Exercise daily & follow a well-balanced diet. Avoid smoking. Get enough quality sleep. Manage stress by practicing yoga, meditation and deep breathing exercises.
Focus on mental images to guide your breathing: Do not feel guilty for your small joys (resting, eating, buying what you want, feeling the way you feel, prioritizing your mental health). Focus on resting or breathing first and then continue onward. Deep, focused purposeful breaths. Center your mind and try to only focus on the breathing. Anxiety is mental and turns physical. Calm your mind. Take your time regularly to observe your thoughts. Way of instantly becoming happier, stronger and more mindful with the help of 3 simple steps: 1 Have a straight posture 2 Smile – have a good, happy mood 3 Focus on your breathing.
Repeat a mantra to help you focus: A mantra can help you to focus your thoughts and quiet your mind. A mantra is any word or short phrase which you repeat so your mind can focus with less effort. Some people prefer listening to music or listening to the sounds of nature, The best one is to listen the sounds of pure nature around the flowing water, cheers of birds, blow of leaves, and the slow winds touching your ears. whatever resonates with you. Take some deep breaths and focus on the breath. Find a quiet place to sit or lie down, and allow yourself to relax. Look at nature and think about the creator of the beautiful nature around you.
Try concentrating on a simple visual object to relieve stress: Try to play games (Physically), Pray, Or try to engage yourself in your hobbies you like the most to relieve your stress, but instead of concentrating on the these activities, most of us start thinking about the worries that what will happened in the next day (exams, events, projects, or meeting etc.) . We’d wonder, what we are doing here? Just relax and focus on the present work, finished it properly and sleep tight, you next day would be wonderful.