If you are like many, you may be unfamiliar with what meditation really means. Many people relate meditation to concentration and even yoga, but there is much more to meditation than those two forms of exercise and spirituality. Meditation does not focus only on one method, it focuses on many different methods, all with the goal of achieving a balanced mind and body. Many people think of meditation as simply sitting in a quiet room, zoning out, and letting go of all thoughts. Though that is a common use of meditation, it is much more to the point than that.
Meditation can be thought of as an exercise in the spiritual sense. It is a practice in which an individual utilizes a technique, such as mantra meditation, to train focus and awareness, and reach a mentally calm and emotionally stable state. There are many different types of techniques to choose from when practicing transcendental meditation. The three most common forms are insight meditation, action meditation, and stillness meditation.
Insight meditation involves focusing on an object or thought, and allowing the mind to roam freely without judgment or concern. Mantra meditation involves repeating a specific word or phrase as often as necessary, until a calm inner peace is achieved. Action meditation involves controlled movement, breathing, relaxation, and muscle tensing. And stillness meditation involves sitting comfortably with the back straight, and ignoring all surrounding distractions.
The benefits of meditation are well documented. With a little practice, meditation can significantly reduce everyday stress and anxiety. This is because stress, as we've been taught, is based upon worry about future feelings, thoughts, and worry about past feelings. When we become mindful of our breathing and our thoughts, we can begin to reduce our stress and anxiety. The more mindful we are, the less stressed and anxious we become.
Meditation can also be used for treating chronic pain. For example, chronic pain results from inflammation of the nerves in the body. Chronic pain can also result from diseases such as diabetes and Parkinson's disease, as well as other health conditions. However, chronic pain does not occur "naturally." It is caused by poor posture, sedentary lifestyles, lack of exercise, and unhealthy food choices. And meditation can assist in reducing the symptoms of chronic pain and improve inner peace.
Another benefit of meditation is that it calms the mind and reduces stress and anxiety. When we are faced with a challenging circumstance, we often resort to fighting back, and this triggers anxiety and tension. When meditating, you remain present, uninvolved with the event or situation at hand, and allow your breath to take control. In so doing, you can focus on calmly being in the moment, without dwelling on past experiences. This is the essence of meditation: Being in the moment.
You may be tempted to get started on a meditation retreat right away, but it is wise to first practice some mindful practices. This will help you to identify distractions, which can become habitual. Once you do meditate regularly, you will be able to recognize the different types of distractions, which you can then get rid of or ignore altogether. As you do more meditate, you will be able to experience the benefits listed above.
When you practice transcendental meditation, you open your consciousness to an unlimited world of possibilities. Since this technique does not require a mantra, there is no limit as to how many times you can practice it. The key to getting started is repetition - the more often you practice, the more relaxed and refreshed you will feel. Eventually, the mantra will become a part of your inner silence, and your journey into higher consciousness will unfold naturally. With constant repetition, along with your commitment to the practice, you can achieve your goals of true freedom from stress, anxiety, and tension.