Welcome back, everyone, this week, I thought I would discuss all the different ways to practice mediation. Last week I did a book review of The everything stress management book. If you took the time to read this review, you would know that there is an entire chapter decided on meditation and the different ways in which to practice it.
I thought it might be nice this week to discuss these methods and techniques in detail for those who do not want to read the book. You might find it surprising just how many ways are available to us all to practice meditation daily.
Most people think mediation is sitting down with your legs crossed, your back up straight, your hands on your knees, and your eyes closed. Although you could do that, it is not the only way to meditate, and this week, I will give you a few other ways you could try to meditate if the traditional way just doesn’t seem to be working for you.
Let me start with
Walking meditation
Walking mediation is an alternative to sitting meditation, much like sitting meditation. However, with walking mediation, you must be aware of your body and surroundings.
The difference between sitting and walking mediation is that with sitting, your surroundings are consistent, but with walking, they are ever-changing. You would also meditate with your eyes closed while sitting; you would have to meditate with your eyes wide open while walking.
Other than these basic differences, The concept is the same. For many walking mediation works better than sitting as you can do it at any given point in the day and while you are working toward achieving other tasks.
Yoga Meditation
If you were to research yoga meditation you would find many different practices, and each practice has slightly different beliefs and movements. Still, one thing that each of them would agree on is that yoga is used to reduce overall stress, strengthen your body, and seek and obtain enlightenment.
I have found that using several different kinds of yoga to build and customize practice has always been the most effective way for yoga to work for the individual.
If you find that yoga is the best way to manage your stress, I would encourage you to do further research or let me know if you would like to learn more, and I will write a more detailed blog on this topic.
Breathing mediation
This is one of the most helpful meditations I have found. These meditation techniques are associated with many meditation practices such as yoga, sitting and walking meditations, and several other methods I will discuss later.
The most widely known practice for breathing mediation is Qi gong, a series of deep breaths, holding and breathing out with a mindful intention or outcome attached, such as flushing out negativity and living in positive choices.
If you are interested in learning more about Qi gong or any other breathing practice, I would suggest you start your research on Youtube, as there are countless teachers or instructors on these practices there.
Mantra meditation
When you say a mantra, most people think you mean to repeat a saying over and over in your head, and honestly, you wouldn’t be wrong, but it is much more than that.
Mantera is the concentrated effort to use a repeated word or sound to embrace deeper enlightenment. This can be through prayer, the use of affirmations, or just sitting and humming to yourself with one word or thought repeating in your head or out loud. The trick is to give a contracted or conscious effort to the practice of seeking enlightenment.
Mandala Meditation
This meditation is associated with mandalas and circular pictures. The pictures are used to focus on. The objective is to draw your eyes to the center of the photo or object you are looking at and then focus on the center point. You will begin to align with yourself and the source or universe as you concentrate.
This is an excellent mediation to use when you have a hard time focusing or struggle with racing thoughts as you have an actual object to focus on.
Charka mediation ( crystal healing)
This mediation deals with the energy point of your body and the alignment of your whole self with the source of the universe.
We have a lot of charka points in our bodies, but most people focus on the main 7 points as these are the point that can become the most blocked, and blocking any of these seven points would block countless other charkas, which could potentially cause issues throughout our bodies.
The seven chakras you should pay the most attention to are: ( from bottom to top )
- The Root Chakra – signified by the color red, sits at the base of your spine and is otherwise known as your tailbone. This is where the energy for your instincts, urges, and unintelligent responses are drawn.
- The Sacrum – signified by the color orange and based on naval or your belly button is where the energy for your creativity and nurture draws from.
- The Solar Plexus – signified by the color yellow and sits at the base of your rib cage, is where the energy for action and consumption is drawn from.
- The Heart Chakra – signified by the color green and sits at the center of your chest, is where the energy of your emotions is drawn from.
- The Throat Charka – signified by the color blue, sits at the throat or right under the chin and is where the energy for your communication is drawn from.
- The Third Eye – signified by the color purple, sits at the center of your forehead, and the energy for your intuition and perception is drawn from here.
- The Crown – signified by the color pink, sits at the top of your head, and the energy for enlightenment is drawn from here.
When any of these points become blocked or out of balance, people can use crystals representing the color of the blocked chakra. When these crystals are placed on the part of the body that is blocked, the use of mediation and sometimes even breathing techniques and mantras can help unblock and restore the charka and its natural state of function.
I could go deeper into the explanation and teaching of this meditation, but this is the overview and basic knowledge. If you would like me to do a blog diving deeper into this meditation practice, please let me know in the comment section below.
Mindfulness mediation
This meditation is a do-as-you-go method. You are aware of your thoughts and engage with choices. You are in charge, fully aware that everything you say, think, and do is by choice.
If you find you are saying, doing, or thinking something you do not want to be, you will make adjustments or changes to correct what does not belong. This takes a lot of self-control and the willingness to beware of yourself and take responsibility for any changes needed.
Visualzation medaitation
This meditation method is to see your thoughts in picture form. In most cases, people would consider this to be as simple as daydreaming, which would be a simple perspective of this meditation method. It can also be a deeper form of manifestation if you allow it.
If you can concentrate on this idea and form it into a picture in your mind and then focus on that picture, it can help take you to a deeper state of meditation that will allow you to align perfectly with the source. This alignment will help you to manifest that thought into reality.
Zazen
I have to admit this is a new method for me. Until I started the research for this blog, I could say I had never heard of this method, but I thought it would be an excellent addition simply because if I have never heard of it, there is a chance that neither have you.
This is what I learned about this method. This is a sitting practice that originated as a Buddhist practice that simply requires you to sit still for a while, which you would think would be easy; however, I challenge you to try it. Find a seat somewhere and sit completely still for, say, 10 mins and see if you can do it. You will likely find it a challenge to sit completely still for more than this amount of time, especially when most people are too used to moving nonstop all day.
However, if you can sit still for 10 or 15 minutes per day and just listen to the sounds around you, all while you are still in your mind and body, you are likely to find that when you emerge, you will feel rejuvenated and ready to take on whatever comes at you next.
Prayer
Yes, prayer is a form of mediation, it requires you to be still and focus your thought and become mindful of them. I know most people would not recognize prayer as a form of mediation, but it is just that.
Just as you would sit or lie still and focus with an intention with mediation, you would also do the same with prayer. The only difference is that you might think of personal thoughts as if you were talking to yourself with meditation; you would be praying to God or a Goddess, but the concept is the same as meditation.
Final thoughts
It is truly amazing how many different ways you have available to mediate. Mediation doesn’t have to be a struggle to fit into your schedule no matter how busy you are, and your mind and body will thank you for it; if you take the time to care for your mind and body, they will perform for you.
I would encourage you to try different ways to fit mediation into your day and make it a daily practice, and it will keep you sharp and ready to take on anything your day may present.
I hope you found this helpful, and you now know how you can put mediation into your daily routines. If you would like to share your thoughts on this topic or any topic I have discussed, please feel free to do so below. Until next week truth seekers. Namaste
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