The purpose of meditation is to bring your focus into the moment as consistently as possible. Daily practice is also an effective way to experience less worry, more energy, more drive, and a balanced emotional state.
During your meditation, it is natural for thoughts to occur and your mind to wander, but by bringing your attention back into a focal point of the moment — such as your breath, an object, a sound, or a phrase that you repeat — you are practising meditation and strengthening the part of your brain that influences:
- your focus
- your intuition and creativity
- your emotional regulation
- your ability to make positive decisions
As you practice this focused attention with a daily meditation routine, many practitioners would agree, and science demonstrates that you become much more relaxed, clear-headed, less overwhelmed with your own thinking, and maybe even a little (or a lot) happier!
A simple practice of 10 to 20 minutes per day can produce some very significant mental, physical and emotional benefits that will influence all aspects of your life.
Here are some common attributes often associated with the benefits of effective meditation:
- A lot less prone to stress
- Better sex
- More energy
- Sharp focus
- Improved intelligence and ability to process information
- Better communication with others
- Wisdom and intuitive insight
- Sense of spiritual connection
- Stronger memory
- Joy and appreciation for life
- Less worry
- Stronger Metabolism
In today’s competitive and digitally stimulated world, it has become such an advantage to maintain a calm and focused state of mind.
This might be why we are hearing about people from all walks of life including professional athletes, musicians, artists, and even CEO’s of some of the world’s largest companies integrating various forms of meditation into their routines.
This practise has become very relevant for people living in today’s world as a way to cultivate energy, stay productive, develop inner peace, and experience states of flow much more often.
What is Meditation?
The essential purpose of meditation according to ancient philosophy is to reach a higher state of consciousness and realize the simple qualities of nature. In Zen meditation, this is referred to as the process of enlightenment.
In modern practice, meditation is a mental discipline that can help us experience an extremely better quality of life. The benefits of this practice are now being experienced by a wide range of people all over the world, less as a path to enlightenment and more as a powerful and effective tool to self-therapy, performance, and renewal.
Basic Meditation Techniques
There are many basic forms of meditation. A few common examples include visualization, mindfulness, mantra meditation, focused attention, or silent observation
The intention of meditation remains the same regardless of the approach. This is to achieve a state of pure awareness, which can also refer to as mindfulness.
The goal here is not necessarily to eliminate your thoughts but to become aware and eventually transcend the ordinary activity of your mind. It is from here that you can experience a stillness known as ‘zen mind’, or ‘Buddha nature.’ You are at a heightened state of lucid consciousness, where your mind, body, and soul can heal, balance, re-energize, and rise to a peak level of clarity.
During meditation, your mind will naturally wander — this is completely normal. The practise of meditation is all about bringing your attention back to your meditation and the sensations of the moment. The repetition of this process is what we call our ‘practice’.
Here are some ways that you can develop a rewarding meditation practice:
Poised Environment
The first step requires you to settle into a tranquil and comfortable location, away from any sort of distraction. A calm and stable ambience will provide you with a positive vibration, helping to enhance your ability to sink into a deeper state of meditation.
Choose an area that is free from any interferences or distracting noise. Make sure this is a place where you can feel comfortable and be at ease. This will become your meditation area.
If you’re interested in adding some vibe to your meditation spot, here are few things to consider:
- A cushion for sitting comfortably
- Candles
- Books that inspire you
- Incense
- Pictures that signify tranquillity
- Status
- Flowers or Plants (to signify the energy of life)
Suitable Time
It may not be possible to meditate anytime you desire. There are many responsibilities to be taken care of and managing time can often become a daunting task. Out of your hectic agenda, choose a suitable time when you can meditate effectively without any distraction.
You may choose any time of the day. Some practitioners love to wake up very early in the morning — rising with the sun while the rest of the world is still in bed. For you, it might be before lunch or late in the evening but make sure it is a specific time where you can follow through without interruption.
Start With Stretching
Most beginners will start their meditation without warming up. If the body is tense, however, this can lead to broken concentration. To meditate effectively, advanced practitioners know that it is better to warm up with some light stretching to help create some circulation and loosen up your rigid muscles.
This strategy will help you a great deal in sitting comfortably allowing you to become aware of your body’s subtle energy. Start with swinging your arms, followed by some light stretching, movement, and deep breathing.
Convenient Position
An effective meditation can only be encouraged if your mind and body are in sync. A good posture is steady and high like a mountain with your back straight to promote proper breathing.
Relax and focus your intention on being totally devoted to your deep insights without the scope of any external factors influencing them.
This will keep you from concentrating on whether you are comfortable or ot, while allowing your senses to be fully in touch with the moment. A good position will allow the subtle connections of the mind and body to promote a smooth energy flow.
Keep On Experimenting
Since there are numerous meditation techniques available to you, you may choose any technique that suits you the best. Do not restrict yourself to only one style; you may want to try various methods and choose the one that suits you the best at any given time. Experiments and experience will point you towards a meditation practise that you can call your own.
Binaural Brainwave Entrainment
Using binaural beats is one of the most powerful tools to help promote effective meditation as well as deep states of relaxation, altered states of consciousness, inner peace, creativity, and joy. These audio sequences are specially designed to influence powerful frequencies of the human mind in a very profound way.
As binaural meditation gains popularity, many people who practice meditation incorporate binaural brainwave entrainment to help guide an extremely effective meditation session.
Binaural Beats are becoming one of the most popular tools for personal and spiritual development. These tools make it very convenient and easy to meditate effectively. Just get comfortable, put in your earbuds and press play!
Free Flow Of Thoughts
Some people meditate with the expectation of achieving or gaining something. But, the truth is, the biggest reward of effective meditation is the meditation in and of itself. Meditating with an expectation in mind will never let you focus on the appreciation of your moment.
You may have a very solid motive for why you meditate, but while meditating, it is most effective to let your thoughts flow freely. Learn how to intentionally become the silent observer.
Concentrate on Repetitions
If you consistently hear a repetitive sound or frequency, you tend to concentrate on that particular thing while other thoughts seem to drift off your mind.
A sound of a chirping bird or the repetition of ocean waves will occupy your mind and allow the scope of hovering thoughts to lose strength and eventually dissipate.
Meditate On Your BreathAllow yourself to tune into the sensations of your body. Your breathing is your anchor to the moment. While meditating, put all your focus into your breath and become acquainted with the sensations taking place. Observe the process of breathing without trying to control it.
These sensations may come in the form as tense or negative energy but do not make your own assumptions, rather try to observe what is going on and absorb the experience without judgment — always bringing your attention back into each breath.
Meditation Without Aim
This kind of meditation requires you to simply sit with your eyes closed. The thoughts will hover in your mind and gradually flow out. Do not stop the flowing thoughts. Just observe whatever comes in your mind and be aware of them drifting by.
Our natural tendency is to cling on to every thought and follow them around. But you have the choice to let them pass through, allowing each thought to fade. This is an intentional awareness that takes practice.
Light A Candle
At times it gets difficult for beginners to focus while meditating. Object (or Tratak meditation) is one of the simplest and most accessible forms of meditation — perfect for beginners. Traditionally this involves lighting a candle to use as a focal point, but any object can be used effectively. It is believed that through this focused method of meditation, the eyes are used as a channel of communication to the soul and mind.
This strategy will help the beginner bring the mind into alignment, allowing excess thought energy to lose traction. There is nothing left except focused energy and the stillness of the moment.
Group Meditation
People sharing the same space provides a positive anchor to the present moment — you will experience a very high-quality meditation session in a content environment. When you have a group of people meditating along with you, it can be quite inspiring and unique.
It is important to set a few parameters in order to develop a clear intention. Meditating with a small group of friends that share an interest in meditation is a great way to share something special.
The best tip on how to meditate effectively is to dedicate a certain time each day and just start practising.
All you need to do is integrate the right technology into your schedule and get started on strengthening your practice. Within a short time, you will begin to experience a new and exciting change vibrating through your mind and resonating through the energy of your body.