Understanding Different Types of Meditation and Their Benefits

Meditation can be an effective way to reduce stress, improve focus, and boost mood – but before diving in it’s essential that you understand all the different forms of meditation available and their associated benefits.

Mindfulness meditation can be helpful; this practice involves becoming aware of any thoughts that come into your head without judgment or becoming emotionally involved with them; simply observe them without becoming attached.

Transcendental Meditation

Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a meditation technique that rests the body and mind into a state of relaxation, relieving tension from both internal and external sources. Regular practice of Transcendental Meditation may reduce stress and anxiety for those participating.

TM is easy to learn and beginners typically begin reaping its benefits within months of starting classes. A teacher will assign you a mantra – an invisible word or phrase you repeat silently while meditating – which acts as your focus when sitting quietly for meditation sessions.

Studies conducted on people practicing transcendental meditation demonstrated an increase in blood flow to regions of their brain associated with mindfulness and reduced levels of stress and anxiety, increasing resilience, reducing compassion fatigue and providing a boost of motivation at work.

Yoga

Yoga is an ancient spiritual practice from India that involves breathing control, physical exercises and meditative postures to bring you to a higher state of awareness. Yoga provides an excellent way of relaxing both body and mind – you don’t even need an excuse! Just bring it along wherever you are!

Yoga has also been proven to aid mental focus and create an overall feeling of well-being, relieving stress, anxiety and depression in many individuals.

Asanas, or poses, in yoga are designed to increase flexibility and strength; they’re also an excellent way to prepare your body for sitting meditation.

Body-Centered Meditation

Body-Centered Meditation is a form of mindfulness practice which encourages you to become aware of sensations throughout your body, providing an opportunity to increase self-awareness and develop increased physical self-awareness – particularly beneficial for those struggling with anxiety disorders.

At the core of this form of meditation lies lying down and slowly scanning your entire body from head to toe, either quickly or over an extended period of time.

According to a meta-analysis of 47 studies, body scanning can help relieve stress and anxiety and enhance sleep quality. Additionally, body scans may even help promote greater overall physical fitness.

Start small: Try taking some mini-body scans during your day if you feel stressed out; this quick, easy, and effective way can reduce both anxiety and stress quickly and efficiently.

Contemplation

Meditation and contemplation are forms of spiritual practice which have long been recognized for their therapeutic and health-promoting benefits, including reduced stress levels, better sleep patterns and overall better overall health outcomes. There are various techniques for practicing meditation – yoga is just one form.

Contemplation involves paying close attention to something specific; this may range from something as straightforward as breathing to complex activities such as meditation on nature.

Research demonstrates the numerous benefits of meditation for relationships, creativity and focus, anger reduction and other negative emotions, brain function enhancement as well as protecting people against age-related cognitive decline.

Meditation may connote calm, yet contemplation can actually be quite lively. It allows us to open up to our surroundings and observe things as they truly exist without trying to alter them or change anything for ourselves.

Emotion-Centered Meditation

Emotion-Centered Meditation can be an effective way of alleviating negative emotions, replacing them with compassion and love towards yourself and others.

As opposed to other forms of meditation, this form focuses on emotion rather than mind. Begin by visualizing your heart as the center of all emotions; focus on breathing deeply through each nostril while sensing all feelings within.

As you become more accustomed to experiencing both your positive emotions and their opposites, you will discover that anxiety and fear no longer hold you hostage; instead, peace, courage, happiness, empathy, empowerment and wisdom emerge instead. This process deactivates your brain’s default network and limbic system which have long held onto negative feelings as captive emotions.