Beginner’s Guide to Meditation: Different Types & More

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August 1, 2022

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Gone are the days when meditation seemed like a thing only monks and spiritual gurus did. Now, anyone can learn to meditate and bring peace and calmness to their body and mind. Just 10 minutes of meditation can work wonders when it comes to releasing stress and tension from your life. All you need is a guide that can help you perform meditation the right way. To solve this issue, we have curated a beginner's guide to meditation covering not just the definition but also various ways of how meditation is done. Read on!

What is Meditation?

Meditation is an ancient technique that focuses on attention, compassion, and awareness. In the Yogic context, meditation or dhyana means the state of pure consciousness. When we concentrate on our emotions during meditation, we become more aware of ourselves. There are various types of meditation techniques that you can perform as per your choice. To make meditation more accessible and easy for all, a beginner's guide to meditation is also available along with various other meditation sessions.

Different Types of Meditation Techniques and Methods

Below are some of the methods of meditation that are commonly used. Take a thorough look and choose the one that you find the best:

1. Guided Meditation

In this type of meditation, a guide or instructor helps the person through audio or video session. Guided meditation is also called guided imagery or visualization where the instructor helps you in settling your thoughts and imagining a calm moment. If performed well, guided meditation can release stress and negative thoughts making you feel relaxed and happy. Focus on the breath and noticing the thoughts brings awareness to the present moment. Guided meditation is also part of sleep meditation and helps in getting deep sleep.

2. Mindful Meditation

Originating from Buddhist teachings, mindful meditation is now quite popular all over the world. In this technique, you have to pay attention to the thoughts and perspectives passing by your mind without judging them. It can be performed anywhere anytime. All you need to do is find a comfortable place, close your eyes, and focus on the breathing pattern. Mindful meditation not only increases your self-awareness but also removes muscle pain, fatigue, and stress from the body.

3. Focused Meditation

As the name suggests, focus meditation involves focusing on an object intently and slowing down the inner thoughts. The object can be anything from a flower, a sound, or even a sensation. For beginners, it is advised that they rather choose an object like a pencil or a stone to start the meditation. Focused meditation can be done for five minutes. Sit in a quiet place with the object kept at a distance. Now, turn all our attention to the target. Close your eyes and try to picture the object with all the details. Practice this whenever you can and it will drastically improve your concentration power.

4. Mantra Meditation

This type of meditation is quite popular in Buddhist and Hindu culture. It uses the repetition of specific mantras or chants to clear the mind. The most popular one is Om. You can also use your own word such as love or peace to perform this morning meditation. This is a good practice if you are someone who can't meditate in silence and enjoy the sound. Mantra meditation allows you to experience a deep level of awareness and leaves you more alert and in tune with the environment.

5. Vipassana Meditation

Vipassana Meditation is the most ancient technique of meditation and involved the principle of the universal law of nature. It can be translated as insight and comes from Buddha itself. In this type of meditation, you use the concentration power to counter your running thoughts. Sit in a quiet and comfortable location in a cross-legged position. Close your eyes and breathe normally. While breathing, focus on how the breath is entering your body, and be aware of bodily changes. This seems a simple meditation but can be a challenging one if done without professional help. It is usually taught in a course and students have to follow certain rules to learn it properly.

6. Transcendental Meditation

Transcendental Meditation or TM technique is quite a simple, effortless, and powerful method to reach a state of calmness. It was introduced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and uses a number of mantras for a specific practitioner. You are required to sit for at least 20 minutes twice a day to chant the mantras. Unlike mantra meditation, TM lets you choose a specific mantra with specific instructions to resonate with your inner self. This type of meditation needs guidance from an expert. There is much evidence that transcendental meditation offers numerous benefits such as reducing anxiety, lowering blood pressure, removing pain, and improving sleep to name a few.

Common Meditation Troubles Beginners Face 500

As easy as they may sound, these meditation techniques need patience and concentration not everyone has, especially the beginners. It is only after practice and consistency that you will be able to cherish the benefits of meditation. Below are some of the common meditation troubles you may face. We have also jotted down the solutions to help you. Take a look!

1. Racing Mind:

Racing thoughts are natural so just count your breaths or repeat a word or phrase silently. You can observe your breath and let your thoughts wander and settle down.

2. Falling Asleep:

It's normal to feel sleepy. You can try to keep your spine straight or focus on a soft spot. However, be happy since many meditation techniques like Yoga Nidra are meant to make you sleep.

3. No Patience:

Body and mind can be restless while meditating. You can try walking meditation if you face this issue. Walk outdoors and pay attention to sounds and gaze ahead calmly while walking.

4. No Time:

No matter what you think, meditation takes only 5 to 10 minutes. Moreover, you can also perform meditation anywhere without worrying about a perfect place. All you need is consistency and will follow your meditation schedule.

Remember, meditation is not something that you can force yourself to enjoy. If one meditation method doesn't work, you should never shy away to try another one and open new possibilities for yourself. It takes a lot of practice and patience to finally realize the beauty of meditation.

Summing It Up

Your goal is not to battle with the mind, but to witness the mind. This quote by Swami Muktananda perfectly encapsulated the essence of meditation. It makes you one with your thoughts and improves your way of living. The therapeutic effects of meditation are also not just anecdotal but also backed by science. Here at Cure.Fit, we understand the importance of meditation. This is why we have curated a guide to meditation covering all the essential aspects of the practice. The guide focuses on various meditation techniques that teach you about breath awareness and visualization. Head to our website or app to know all about the sessions and choose a program that's perfect for you.

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