Meditation: The Best Guide Ever with Steps(2022)
In this article, I’m going over basics of meditation and telling you such a beautiful and motivational story which will change your life, thinking and attitude.
Content
- Origin and History of meditation
- What is Meditation and What is Not a meditation?(True Definition)
- Types of Meditation
[a] Mindfulness Meditation
[b] Movement Meditation or Tai Chi
[c] Spiritual Meditation
[d] Focused Meditation
4. Step-By-Step Guide of Meditation
5. Benefits Of Meditation
6. And Life Changing Story
Keep Reading.
Introduction
Meditation. This is a power. It’s a spiritual power. Whatever you do, it helps you to do it better. On the other side, meditation is also a science. Meditate is a systematic process of training the mind for deep attention and awareness.
Exactly, what to do in a meditation?
Here’s the answer!
Peoples move to a clean place to meditate, sit on greenery or wherever they want and cover their eyes for meditation. An individual focusing the mind on a particular object so challenge is the focus. When you meditate, you have to focus on one thing only, and you have to do it. By doing this, you can achieve a mentally clear and calm state.
A regular sitting habit has been shown to increase concentration, quality sleep and lower the blood pressure.
This is a step of doing meditation. But furthermore, we discuss this method too deeply.
1. Meditation Origin and History (Brief Explanation)
Origin of Meditation
Meditation was originated from India and Japan a thousand years ago. The earliest records of meditation are found in the Upanishads of Hindu philosophy.
As per Sanskrit (classical language of India), Upanishads is a term which meaning in Sanskrit is “sitting down near”. A great example of Upanishads is Bhagavad Gita. There is also an Upanishads on meditation called Vedantism.
A Japanese monk, named Dos ho, introduced the practice of meditation to the Japanese religion. He opens a hall for meditation.
Why I’m telling this to you? Because you have to understand the importance of meditation and for that reason, you must know all this.
History
Meditating has to do with monks and its religions because it started from there. The practice grew significantly in Japan from the 8th century, bringing the practice of meditation with it.
The beginning of meditation, making meditation a part of prayer has been done by many religions together which includes Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, Chinese, Ancient Egypt also include in it.
You can find meditation’s deepest roots in India, where sadhus (a holy man) and yogis have cultivated the practice in one form or another for more than 5,000 years.
Lord Gautam Buddha, one of the great historical Meditator, once said that “He who is mentally concentrated, sees things according to reality”.
Meditation was accepted by all religions, by all people. They realized the importance of meditate. You may be surprised to hear that, a monk decides to give up his home, all his comforts and become a monk. His goal is union with God and peace of mind, and therefore meditation is a big part of the Monk’s lifestyle. Buddhist monks decide not to marry any women and remain celibate. All their attention was directed to the voice of God. It’s hard right? But don’t worry, you don’t have to leave home and give up everything. No one encourages you and me to do this because it’s our decision and life.
Well, This is all you need to know about history of meditation. Not too deep but just for understanding.
So why meditate, what are the benefits of meditation.
Firstly, we see that what is Meditation? And what is not a meditation?
2. What is Meditation and what is not meditation?(True Definition)
Meditation is a technique and practice which is available for all, which reduces stress and overthinking, increase calmness and concentration and promote happiness and positivity towards thoughts.
Debates, working in stressful environment, taking care of family, daily rush, barrage of sensations, emotions and uncontrolled thoughts all of these things processing in your mind. You have to do all this without giving any reason because it’s the part of your life.
This is what actual meaning of meditation.
What is not a Meditation? (Simple Definition)
Here’s the answer!
So, it’s simple, as much as you think.
If you think that meditation means sitting on the ground with your knees bent and then covering your eyes and just sit!
Well, it’s not meditation. If you are doing this, then you are not meditating.
3. Types of Meditation
Meditation is a technique used for early years to develop awareness of the present moment. It comes in many forms. I’m here discussing not all but some main Types of meditation, as follows:
1. Mindfulness Meditation
2. Tai chi or Movement Meditation
3. Spiritual Meditation
4. Focused Meditation
We are talking about the different types of meditation briefly.
Start with Mindfulness Meditation.
[a] Mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness meditation originates from Buddhist religions. In 1979, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Long term practitioner of meditation and yoga coined a concept called mindfulness meditation, and it’s implemented first at the pain clinic which is today are mindfulness center at the university of Massachusetts medical school.
The government of America survey founds that more than 20 million American are using meditation for health issues. It was estimated to be worth of 4 billion industry in 2009 in the United States alone.
In mindfulness meditation, encourages you to focus objectively on your thoughts as they move through your mind.
And because you are meditating, the goal you have to achieve is a state of calm.
Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation
According to American Psychological Association, several studies found that increase in ability to respond well to relationship stress and the skill in communicating one’s emotions to a partner.
Many studies also shows that practicing mindfulness meditation reduces stress.
[b] Movement Meditation or Tai Chi
Movement meditation is an active form of meditation whereby in the movements, you practice a deeper connection with your body.
I’m here to discuss one of the Type of movement meditation is tai chi.
In movement meditation, there are another Types of exercises includes such as walking and gardening.
Let’s see, what is Tai Chi.
Tai chi comes from Buddhist and Taoist monasteries.
There are 108 moves of tai chi.
Some popular moves are:
1. Yang
2. Wu
3. Sun
4. Chen
5. And Fu
How to do Tai Chi?
These are 100+ movements and more than that a series of fluid motions.
These are moving forms of meditation that combine physical exercise with breathing and needs extra focus.
Benefits of Tai Chi or Movement Meditation
Tai chi helps stress related anxiety by implementing relaxation and stretching into the movements. Also, it’s helps in good sleep cycle and improve your mood.
According to Pub Med studies, Tai chi’s are beneficial for depression, cardiac and stroke rehabilitation, and dementia and There is fair evidence for increased well-being and improved sleep.
Movement meditation refers to energize the body and mind through calm and purposeful breathing or movement.
[c] Spiritual Meditation
Spiritual meditation is a practice that takes you to the bottom of who you are.
Spiritual meditation makes you realize the eternal truth and let go of all that had happened and will happen.
There are so many religions in this world that are involved in spirituality, but also in different forms.
This is the connection between you and another include God, the universe and so on.
According to BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, Spiritual meditation focuses on developing a deeper understanding of religious meaning and connection with a higher power.
Different forms of spirituality as per religions:
In Hinduism: mala jaap and mantra meditation such as om chanting slowly
In Sufism: ritual prayer or litany practiced by Muslim Religion (Sufi)
In Christianity: Contemplative prayer
In Buddhism: Metta meditation (Means positive energy and kindness toward others) It’s also called as loving-kindness meditation. In Buddhism, Metta means care for others without judging them and without wanting anything return from them.
Benefits of Spiritual Meditation
According to university of Houston,
1. Spiritual meditation releases and settles our thoughts and emotions
2. It relaxes your nervous system and helps your body unwind from stress
3. It helps you to let go of the past and sink in peace
4. Spiritual meditation helps you realize who you really are
It empowers you and helps you reach your higher consciousness
[d] Focused Meditation
In focus meditation, you need to focus your attention on an object, and sound rather than trying to achieve a clear mind.
In this meditation you are not trying to make your mind clear, and your thoughts. That doesn’t mean it.
In focused meditation, you have to focus and attention on one thing only. That’s all.
In Football, constant and unrelenting focus is essential while you playing the game. Because you run in front of 10 players and they come to your ball to get their goal, but you have to control the ball, you need to be focused and go to the goal. This all process requires determination and a focus.
Many popular football players have first recognized meditation in their daily lives. They do meditation every day because they are well aware of its importance. includes Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, David Silva and Many others.
Benefits of Focused Meditation
By doing focused meditation practice daily,
helps to increase your attention span
helps to focus on whatever you doing in the present
And obviously, it reduces stress because you are practicing to be focused on one thing
It helps you to increase your productivity and patience
So this is all about what is meditation and it’s types plus benefits.
Now we are going to see proper guided meditation through this article.
This is proper guidance for meditation. Let’s see.
4. Meditation Guide: Step-By-Step guide
When a new person commits to meditate, sitting in silence without doing anything, it can be really weird and boring for him.
Meditation may seem a little different at first, but if you keep doing it every day, you will get used to it.
People have been meditating for 3000 years, and they must have faced the same things. But meditating is a practice that if you do, you will surely follow it one day.
Let’s move to our main topic. I will tell you this step-by-step.
First Step: Commitment for Meditation
During meditation, the breath and brain waves slow, blood pressure and metabolic rate decrease, and circulation and detoxification of the blood increase. A recent study of patients with coronary artery disease showed that a combination of meditation, and a natural vegetarian diet could reverse the disease far better than the medical treatments.
Now you cannot deny the benefits of meditation So read on now and start meditating for your own well-being, family well-being and longevity and give at least 15 to 20 minutes a day for that.
Second Step: Calming the Mind
If you are just starting out, take this step.
Stay away from external distractions and turn your attention inward. It doesn’t matter what’s going on outside. Just stay inside.
One thing I remember from this statement, it’s monkey mind.
Monkey Mind
Monkeys jump from one tree to another tree. They never stay on the same tree too long. There were also some people who could not control their own minds. The brain will be thinking too much, it’s his nature, right? But it is up to you to keep those thoughts in control.
Psychologists Jason Murdock (Tech & Science Brain Canada Research Neuroscience) the average person will typically have more than 6,000 thoughts in a single day. My god!!!!!!
Control your Thoughts, Otherwise Thoughts will control you.
Don’t Avoid Thoughts
If you think that if you start to meditate then the thoughts in your head will go away, or you will have to get rid of them all of a sudden, then you are wrong. The constant thought in your head is the brain’s rule. And while meditating, you thought that if I meditate now, not a single thought will come into my head, but believe me, the more you try to suppress your thoughts, more than that, thoughts will come to your head and Your mind starts wandering. Now you may be wondering what to do next? What’s the solution?
Here’s the Answer
It’s Simple. Don’t Avoid Your Thoughts.
I’m not saying don’t do anything if they are coming, but just witness them all, make sure that they become silent on their own.
Feel the Nature
Nature and your relationship are very close! Definitely, you may be wondering what it is? What a relationship between us and nature?
Let me explain
When the picture of nature comes out, what you will first see in your mind?
Whatever it is, but my mind guesses a Tree. Yes, green tea (oh sorry for spell mistake but it’s Green Tree)
Just as we eat food to survive, so plants also need carbon to survive and produce their food. Carbon dioxide helps him to make their food and growth of trees. Because of carbon dioxide, Photosynthesis process happens. (Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar.) So where does this carbon come from?
Human beings do exhale almost three billion tons of carbon dioxide annually. According to NASA study, 85% of all human-produced carbon dioxide emissions come from the burning of fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and oil, including gasoline.
And in return, trees provide oxygen, which is very important for human survival. Now, you can’t say that you have nothing to do with trees. Nature has something to do with you.
Coming to the main point
As per Mind, (An Trusted Charity Organization), spending time in green space or bringing nature into your everyday life can benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing.
Research into ecotherapy (a type of formal treatment which involves doing activities outside in nature) has shown it can help with mild to moderate depression.
Look around you Those trees, those big mountains. Feel the fresh air which surrounds you.
Third Step: Relaxation
The first stage in meditation is Relaxation. Start by relaxing the body. It is easy and helpful to do some relaxation techniques before starting actual meditation.
Deep Breathing
From ancient times, yogis have accepted that there is a direct link between the breath and the mind. In which Pranayama is one of India’s great gifts to the world.
A breathing exercise for calming both the nervous system and the overworked mind is a timed way of breathing where the exhalation is longer than the inhalation. Start doing Pranayama such as:
Nadi Shodhana Or Alternate Nostril Breathing
Bhastrika or Bellows breath and many more
Here are some benefits of breathing
Benefits Of Deep Breathing
Lowering the Blood Pressure
It helps in muscle relaxation
Reduced Depression, Stress and Anxiety
Shavasana Or Corpse Pose
Shavasana or Corpse Pose is the pose for body relaxation.
This is like you are sleeping but it has its different: advantages.
This pose helps to remove all tensions from your body.
It’s done mostly at the end of meditation.
Shavasana Benefits
It also helps to reduce stress, anxiety
It Calms Central Nervous System (Central Nervous System is the center of the body. It consists of two main parts: Brain and Spinal cord)
Helps to calm our mind
Helps to Get rid of Headache and Fatigue
Fourth Step: What to Wear?
Don’t go for Fashion, Choose Comfort
In the beginning, people make a mistake while sitting for meditation, and that is to spend more time on what to wear than meditation and give it more importance.
And in all of this, they forget whether they can do it all while meditating, and if they can, it will be okay?
Wearing tight clothing can make it difficult to breathe well. These clothes cause discomfort while lying down and sitting.
Keep clothing loose and avoid constricting your breathing or your circulation in any way.
Because body temperature and blood pressure tend to drop during meditation, you may get chillier than usual. So be sure to have a sweater or blanket nearby as a wrap.
Fifth Step: Where to Sit?
When you sit down to meditate, its important where you sit. Choose as per follows:
Try For Distractions Free Place:
When you start to meditate, you already have different thoughts in your head whether they are inner or outer, then add to it which will distract you. Avoid crowded places as much as possible and where there was a lot of traffic. Avoid these all places. When you sit down to meditate, just remember to turn off your mobile because That is the biggest distraction in your life.
Be Close to Nature:
In the midst of Nature, you will find fresh air, oxygen and a unique pleasure that is not found in the hustle and bustle. Entering a natural setting can stop your mind in its tracks, causing you to sense the presence of something deeper and more meaningful.
5. Benefits of Meditation:
- increase self-awareness
- Reduces negative emotions
- Increase creativity
- Helps to stay focused
- Reduce anxiety and stress ( Proven by some studies, Links showing in this article)
- Productivity promotion
- Also helps to improve memory
- Increase attention span
- Control emotions
- Increase ability to doing multi task
So this is the all about meditation.
6. Story Time
Lord Buddha (Founder of Buddhism religion) was so calm that he never got angry. All this is due to his calm nature and his penance, spiritual meditation and knowledge. He is the creator of Buddhism. There is a lot of meaning hidden in his name too. Buddha means “Awakened One”.
I am going to tell you a little story which will help you to understand a lot. I think you will understand the importance of spiritual meditation from it.
Lord Buddha had gone to a village to beg. Some rude people from the village blocked their way and they started to telling them that you are begging, you are a hypocrite, you don’t want to work so you beg. But Buddha started laughing when he heard all this. Seeing the Buddha is smiling, the people became very angry and started to use of too abusive words for lord Buddha. But he was smiling even after hearing so much abusive words. People were surprised to see this because they were still smiling. Someone asked him, “Mahatma (Mahatma means Spiritual Soul/ God Soul) , we talked so much about you, why aren’t you angry?” Gautama Buddha smiled again and spoke to the people.
Listen carefully to what he said because there is a great truth hidden in his words.
So Buddha spoke to the people.
“Before I came to this village, some women from another village brought me some sweets but I did not want it so I did not take it. Then what did those women do with those sweets?” Buddha asked to peoples.
A man said that the women must have shared it within him.
Then I came to this village and you brought some abusive words for me but I didn’t take it. Then where did those words go if I didn’t take them, Buddha said.
Those people felt ashamed of themselves for saying that to the Buddha.
What a great reply. Buddha didn’t argue or make fun of anyone. This is an answer just for those peoples understanding.
I think you have found your answer too.
He had conquered anger, hatred, diplomacy through spiritual meditation because he develops a deeper understanding of spiritual meaning and religion.
If you practice spiritual meditate every day, you will notice a change in your behavior, speech and attitude towards everything.
This is the power of spiritual meditation only then if it done rightly.
Comment on this if you like this story.
Now, What Did You Think
I’d like to hear from you.
Are you motivated by the story?
Can you utilize your time for meditation, or you just come to the knowledge?
What changes should we make to our content or any idea?
