Learn How to Meditate

According to a study currently underway by researchers at the University of Wisconsin, meditation actually changes the working of the brain and brings practitioners to higher levels of awareness. The monks they studied showed high frequency gamma waves and more activity in the left prefrontal cortex than the average person who didn't meditate. The conclusion of the study showed that those who meditated had brains that were better coordinated than those who didn't. Better coordination in the brain, essentially, leads to improved memory, better information retention, and quicker thinking. Other studies have shown that mediation can improve health by reducing stress and promoting relaxation.

But most people don't practice meditation because they think meditation is hocus-pocus or feel it might interfere with their religious beliefs. Others bulk at the idea of meditating because they feel they lack focus, or that it's too difficult. This article is for the latter. Meditation is not as difficult as it seems and there are several different types of meditation one can choose from.

Perhaps three of the most popular forms of meditative practice include insight, guided, and relaxation. Insight meditation is about quieting the mind and focusing on a situation, either internal or external, and allowing the mind to explore that situation without judging or reacting to it. Guided meditation is where someone else leads the practitioner's mind on a mental journey to promote visualization, relaxation, and/or creativity. Relaxation meditation is simply the quieting of the mind to find peace within the self.

All three of these meditative forms are easy for the beginner to start with. One of the most wonderful things about meditating is it doesn't require any special equipment. All you need is a quiet place of comfortable temperature where you can sit and meditate. Make sure you don't have the distractions of pets, the phone, or any alarms.

Some people use meditation cushions or suggest specific sitting postures for effective meditation, but in reality you just need a comfortable spot, yourself, and you can sit however you feel most comfortable. When it comes to sitting, some people feel better in a comfortable chair. Others might find sitting on the floor cross-legged perfectly comfortable. Others still may prefer lotus or half lotus pose. Look up meditation postures on the Internet and try them. Find out what is most comfortable for you.

To begin learning how to meditate first decide which type of meditation you want to try. Then go to your quiet space and get comfortable. Close your eyes and focus on your breath. This is the best way to start any meditation session.

For guided meditation look into CD's that contain guided meditations beforehand. Your only job with this type of meditation is to sit comfortably and listen. Allow your mind to follow the instructions the guide is giving. Always be aware of your breathing. Take deep, measured breaths.

For relaxation meditation, you might choose to listen to gentle background music, or silence (preferred) and focus on the breath. During this type of meditation you can imagine a gentle white light surrounding you and easing your tension away.

For insight meditation, also called concentrative meditation, you simply choose a situation and focus on it. Allow your mind to ponder the situation. Don't react to what you're thinking about. For example, if you're frustrated with yourself for not being able to ask your boss for a raise, don't allow yourself to become angry or self-destructive. Simply observe the emotion and look for the reason why you aren't able to ask your boss. Do you feel unworthy? Why? Do you feel afraid? Why? Always remember your breath. When contemplating things that anger you or cause you stress this is especially important. When we're under stress or strong emotions we often take shallow breaths or even hold our breath. Let the situation reveal itself to you and listen to your higher mind as it evaluates the situation. Remember that your job here is observing your thoughts.

You might be thinking, "Well relaxation meditation sounds like I'm trying to go to sleep, insight meditation sounds like I'm thinking about my problems, and guided mediation sounds like I'm listening to an audio book." While these activities may be similar, this really isn't the case. What you're doing through meditation is spending time inside yourself to relax, consider life situations, and enhance your skills of visualization. Meditation causes us to look deeply inside the self and commune with our higher selves to accomplish whatever we're trying to accomplish.

If all you're seeking is peace-of-mind and relaxation, you'll likely find you can accomplish this after one single session of relaxation meditation practice. If you make the practice habitual, the likelihood of you being more relaxed outside of your mediation space is high. You may find yourself refreshed from one session of guided meditation. Over time, however, you'll find your visualization skills and creativity will blossom. The only type of meditation that may not provide this instant gratification is insight meditation because self-work, introspection, and problem solving can all take time.

For those who lack focus and find it hard to sit quietly and keep their minds on something with their eyes closed, try using visual focusing techniques. While concentrating on your breath, stare into a candle flame. Watch how it moves. Notice the color of the flame. See how the light illuminates those things around it. This simple exercise, done for 5-10 minutes a day, can improve your focusing skills. The ultimate goal for most who meditate, though, is leaving all external stimuli behind and focusing on internal, mental stimuli created from our own visualizations. Guided meditation and using visual or auditory (like music) focusing techniques are great for starting out with, but you'll get the best effects from a meditation practice that includes sessions wherein no external stimuli is used.

Start with short meditation sessions and work your way up. Few people, if any, can sit quietly for more than 10 minutes their first try. So start your meditation sessions in 10 minute intervals and work your way up by increasing the time you meditate five minutes each month. Or, keep them short if you have time constraints. Creating a regular schedule for your meditation practice is important in making it part of your lifestyle. To begin, start by doing it once a week at the same time, and adding days as your schedule allows.

Learning to meditate isn't that difficult but to reap the positive effects of meditation takes time and practice. The more you do it, and the longer you've been practicing, the more you and your brain benefit. Just remember to take it slowly, don't judge yourself, relax, and breathe.