We clean our bodies daily but did you know it is equally essential to clean and clear our minds regularly. Meditation is a practice to clear your mind and achieving emotional calmness. Meditation can be defined as a technique that people follow to focus their mind entirely on one activity, thought, or object. There are many meditation benefits that will encourage you to make it part of your daily routine.
The practice of meditation is not something new and it has been practiced for centuries across many religions, beliefs, and traditions. It has spread to most of the countries and cultures where people use meditation for its perceived health benefits. Meditation may still be under research for its possible psychological, neurological, and other health benefits and effects but we can not deny its positive effects on the mind. Many persons who perform meditation regularly to reduce anxiety and depression have confirmed its positive effects on the mind. The practice of meditation increases peace and perception and contribute to overall wellbeing.
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Meditation can be performed either with open eyes or closed eyes. If you are a beginner and trying to learn meditation, I will suggest starting with open eye meditation.
Open Eye Meditation
If you want to perform meditation with open eyes, you will need an object like a candle to focus your mind, a serene place with minimal distractions. If you like, you can also use some relaxing music. When you are ready to perform meditation, burn the candle, switch off the light and sit straight at a comfortable distance of 3 feet (1 meter). Now try to relax your mind and focus entirely on the candle’s flame. You need to feel the warmth of the flame and appreciate its beauty.
Don’t let any other thought occupy your mind and just observe and feel the flame of the candle. In the beginning, even 5 mins of meditation may seem so long and you may be easily distracted which is perfectly normal. Meditation is an art that requires a lot of patience and effort. So try to increase the time and minimize the distraction on daily basis. I am sure once you have done candle meditation a few times, you will start liking it and feel a great improvement in your mood.
Closed Eye Meditation
Closed eye meditation does not require an object to focus. You just need a quiet place to practice, and you need to decide the object, activity or thought you would like to focus. Once you have decided, sit straight and close your eyes and visualize the object. You can also take deep breaths to calm down and relax your mind. Closed eye meditation is the same as candle meditation, the only difference is – here, you need to focus on the visualized object rather than the physical object.
Some people find it better to mediate with some meditation music being played. You can also burn scented candles or incense sticks for a more soothing environment. Better the environment, it is easier to relax and meditate. I will suggest using an essential oil diffuser and the essential oils better known for relaxation like Lavender, Citrus oils.
If you find common scents like Lavender and Sandalwood boring maybe you should try the ancient Nag Champa. Its origin is not well known but it is suggested in this Zamnesia article that it was used in Buddhist temples and India.
Also read – 7 effective ways to deal with stress in life
Meditation is one of the prominent techniques used to achieve peace and clear thoughts. If you practice it correctly, you will definitely achieve a healthy mind, a healthy body, and a peaceful life.
Why is meditation good for you? Please feel free to share your meditation benefits and experiences in the comments section below.