The Benefits of Daily Meditation and Its Powerful Health Benefits

Although many people think of meditation as being a bit cosmic and out there, or that it's strictly a "spiritual practice" (and in some cases it is), daily meditation has a place in all of our lives and it's powerful side-effects regarding our health and well-being are immense. Meditation has been scientifically proven to combat stress and stress related disorders like hypertension, anxiety, some forms of depression, insomnia and heart related diseases.Benefits Of Daily Meditation

 

Meditation is something that is fairly easy to do with some practice and is something you will benefit from at any level. You don't have to become a Guru to enjoy the mind and body benefits. You are never too old or too young to practice meditation and you can do it at anytime or anyplace you see fit. It could be in the peaceful surroundings of your own backyard or bedroom, it could be a "driving meditation" while stuck in traffic or on the beach while watching the sunset.

 

There are two types of basic meditation, active meditation and passive meditation.

 

Active meditation is meditation in motion. It relates to having an inner calm while participating actions or activities of your everyday life. Yoga is a perfect example of active meditation. As is walking, hiking, exercise, even simple tasks such as doing the dishes or yard work can all be forms of active meditation if approached consciously.

 

Passive meditation involves taking time out to be seated, relaxed and focused on breathing. It is called passive meditation because it involves retreating into calm and stillness. The goal of passive meditation is to quiet the mind and leave all distractions behind.

 

For the purpose of this article, we will focus on passive meditation techniques, as this seems to be the area that people, particularly those just starting a meditation practice, need the most guidance.

 

Passive Meditation Sequence

 

1- Introversion: Involves seating postures and awareness on an object. This has the effect of calming the mind and making it 'receptive' to see what's inside.

 

2- Introversion leads to the free flow of thoughts, visions or mental snap shots. Here our passions, fears, doubts and desires surface and we are now in a position to observe these and remove the all negative and unwanted content from our minds. Allow your thoughts to come and go effortlessly.

 

3- Having observed the conscious mind, you are now at a point or place to explore the subconscious realms. It is here that real meditation starts. Our immeasurable, unlimited and inexhaustible energy and thoughts begin manifesting itself.

 

4- Detach yourself from your thoughts. Focus on your breath.

Release any thoughts that come into your mind and bring your attention back to your breath.

 

5- Self realization. As these higher stages are transcended, supreme enlightenment is achieved.

 

Meditation techniques and methods vary and there are endless ways for you to practice. Some take years of dedication and study to master while others are quite simple and highly effective.

 

For those of you new to the wonders of meditation, the following is a good basic technique to build a solid meditation foundation on.

 

First, choose a place and time when you will not be interrupted. (I know this could be hard when you have a house full of kids, a room-mate etc, but I am confident you can make this happen even if you have to hide away in a dark closet, and please make sure you turn off your cell phone!)

 

Once you've found your peaceful spot, settle down and begin. Sit in a comfortable position, one that is comfortable for you to sit still in for your desired time on meditation. It doesn't have to be a traditional meditation pose, whatever is comfortable for you will work. If time allows, I would start off with 15 minutes and work yourself up to about 30 minute of meditation in the beginning stages of your new meditation practice.

 

In regards to your meditation space, some people prefer a place with lots of fresh air, while some people like the privacy of their own environment, where they can light some calming incense and some candles. Music can be a nice touch to enhance your meditation experience, there are lots of choices, the most important thing is, to find music that is especially composed for meditation, Nine Inch Nails or AC/DC won't work here. Some people enjoy the sounds of nature CDs, the sounds of waves crashing on the beach, the sound of rain or a water fall for example. Music works well if you choose to meditate outside near public areas, the music will help you from being distracted by the outside world and help keep you in the zone.

 

Start your meditation by learning to focus on something calming, this will help you to relax and unwind and clear any stress from your mind and body.

 

Next focus your mind (thoughts) on a subject, it could be a mental image or a visual image such as the flame of a burning candle, the waves hitting the shore line, water in a fountain or something as simple as a flower.

 

You will notice that your thoughts will wander, they will go off in a million different directions, at different speeds and then start settling down on just a few. Don't try to control your thoughts, just go with them and observe them with detachment. Do not feel frustrated if your mind wanders (and it will), just bring your attention back to your breath. Inhale and exhale deeply, without effort. Allowing your breath to rise and fall like the ebb and flow of the ocean. Think about releasing any stress with each exhale.