Meditation is a self-care practice in this noisy world full of distractions. People used to think it’s a woo-woo practice, but more scientists and different religious organizations are adopting it. It’s a way to center the wandering mind to peace and wellness. It allows one to hold pain, reduce stress, be more aware of one’s consciousness and surroundings, improve focus, become more creative, improve sleep, and more.  It can be done anywhere for as short as a few minutes.  

 

How to meditate?

1) Take a seat 

Anywhere you can be left alone.

 

2) Set a time limit

It can be short as five minutes or as long as you want.

 

3) Notice your body

Get in a comfortable position, but don't let yourself fall into sleep.

 

4) Start with a few deep breaths

Notice each breath in and then out.

 

5) Use mantras.

Mantras are repetitive sounds to bring your wandering mind to the present moment. You can use a sound like "Om.." or you can chant with a positive manifestation:

"I am calm."

"I am enough."

 

6) Be kind to your wandering mind

Don't worry about your wandering mind. Bring it back to the present, like a wandering toddler. Tame your dragon.

 

7) Close with kindness

Close your session with gentle kindness, bring yourself back to reality, notice the sounds and smells of your environment. Notice your body, thoughts, emotions. Notice the calm.  

 

What to Focus on during meditation?

1)Breathing

Listen to your breathing. Keep bringing your mind back to just noticing the breathing.

 

 2)Feel Your Body

Try to notice your body from tip to toe. Say "Hi" to neck, shoulder, hip, knee, and heel. Channel your energy from head to toe, then reverse back up.  

 

3)Stay in the present

Keep bringing your wandering mind to the present moment, notice your surrounding, notice any sound or smell.

 

4) Watch your emotions

What is bothering you? Acknowledge your anxiety or anger, and let it go.

 

5) Identify triggers

Do you see the triggers? Like watching a child performing a dangerous act, she fell and cried. You love yourself with compassion and kindness like you would by removing the child from repeating the hazardous action. 

 

6) Prayers

Pray for love and kindness for yourself, for your loved ones, people surrounding you, even people who wronged you.

 

7) Forgiveness

Allow yourself to feel the emotions and pain caused by others. Then let the past go, forgive the abusers, move on and set yourself free. But that does not mean you don’t have to set boundaries.  

 

8) Your Core Values

Revisit your core values. Are they serving you today? Maybe it's time to update your values as life circumstances change.

 

9) Inspiration

Do you have an inspiration? Why are you excited about certain things?

 

10) Goals

Inspect your goals. Are they giving you too much pressure? Maybe you should set more reachable goals.

 

11) Humans around you 

See others just like you, full of emotions and flaws. Empathize them and yourself.

 

12) Sufferings

See others' sufferings, along with yours, accept and hold the pain as part of the human journey. 

 

13) Happiness

Revisit the happy moments, invite joy and happiness into your life.

 

14) See things as it is

Embrace yourself and your life as it is, the good and the bad. Everything experience is necessary for your growth. 

 

15) Breathe in positivity, exhale negativity

Focus on love, compassion, and kindness on the inhale. Release anxiety, resentment, and anger on the exhale.

 

16) Calming music

Play some calming music and lose yourself in it.

 

17) White Light

Light a candle or light, and visualize it with your eyes closed.

 

18) Brain Chatter

Bring your mind back to the moment when you feel you can’t stop thinking about something or a conversation. Notice any emotions, and physical reactions to the thoughts, while reining in your mind to the present.

 

 

What are the major types of meditation?

 

There are nine popular types of meditation practice:

1) Mindful meditation

In Mindful meditation, you observe your thoughts when they arise without any judgment. You focus on your breath or an object. Let the thoughts, body sensations pass through you.  

 

2) Spiritual meditation

Spiritual meditation is common in faith such as Hinduism, Daoism, and Christianity. One uses prayers during silent meditation to connect with God or the Universe. Some use essential oils to enhance the experience.

 

3) Focused meditation

One uses five senses during focus meditation. One can focus on the breath, the touch by counting mala beads, the sound of a gong, or the visual of a candle flame.  

 

4) Movement meditation

You meditate during gentle movements, such as yoga, walking in the woods, gardening, practicing qigong, swimming, etc.  

 

5) Mantra meditation

You use a repetitive sound such as "Om." Or a positive affirmation, such as "I am capable and creative." to bring your mind to the present.  

 

6) Transcendental Meditation

You have to get a specific mantra from a Transcendental Meditation practitioner. The mantra could be a meaningless sound that you repeat silently. It is a more structural practice that claims to bring present awareness naturally.  

 

7) Progressive relaxation

You tense and relax one muscle group at a time until you go through the whole body. You would imagine it like a wave flowing through your body to release all the tensions.

 

8) Loving-kindness meditation

You repeat the love and kindness mantra to yourself or others.

You use mantras such as "May you have health and peace." or "May you be safe."  

 

9) Visualization meditation

You visualize a positive image of an object or a person. An example would be Michael Phelps imagining himself winning before his Olympic race. 

Be kind to yourself. Fill your cup often, so you’re ready to serve others.  Practice self-care and self-love often.  Set your intentions for the wellness on every full moon:

“I will be more present every day.”

“I will let go of my past.”

“I will keep working toward my goal.”  

 

Take care of your body that houses your soul. Go outdoor and breathe!