Today, there are many people who meditate, probably including some of your acquaintances; but there was a time when this practice was not so available. For centuries, monks and nuns, mystics and wandering ascetics have kept this art a secret, using it to reach higher states of consciousness and to reach the apex of the path they were traveling. The rigorous practice of meditation was the prerogative of a select few, willing to renounce the world and dedicate their entire existence to it.
Today times have changed: from the Zen of the fifties of the last century, to the influence of yogis and Indian swamos in the sixties, to the current interest in meditation, meditation has become a common practice and its benefits. They are already well known, while the practical advantages it brings are advertised in all media, physical and virtual. With this Psychology-Online article we will try to understand, then, what is meditation for.
What is meditation
Meditation is a way of get in touch with the deepest part of yourselfin that area where an immense baggage of information is hidden, where reality takes a different definition from how we normally know it.
There are different ones, and it is found in all cultures and religions in the world, because it works. Although the forms are different, some principles are common to all forms. In fact, meditation is the practice of focus on a particular object, usually something simple, such as a word or phrase, the flame of a candle or a geometric figure, or the inhalation and exhalation of the breath.
In everyday life, the mind continues to process a mountain of sensations, visual impressions, emotions and thoughts. Generally, when you meditate, you concentrate, trying to limit the stimuli that bombard your mind, while calming the mind.
What happens to you during meditation
Meditation is the practice of paying attention and focusing one’s consciousness. When you meditate, pleasant things begin to happen, first small changes, then more and more radical:
- When you can focus consciousness, you have more power. When you focus any form of energy, including mental energy, you have more power.
- Improve concentration: when you focus your mind, you concentrate better; When you concentrate better, you act better. You can do more in the study, in the office, in sports, in any activity. In this article we talk in depth about.
- Precisely for this reason, spiritual teachers and texts often suggest practicing meditation only in the context of other spiritual activities and disciplines, which help develop compassion and wisdomso that this power can be used correctly.
- The senses are used more fully. Although some consider meditation as an ascetic practice that serves to control the senses, it can also sharpen them, in very sensual ways. Anything you like – food, sex, music, art, massage, etc. – can be made even more enjoyable through meditation. When you really pay attention to something, you make it much more enjoyable; and you don’t need to increase the dose to feel pleasure, so you can enjoy it without excesses.
- Meditation increases awareness and sensitivityand therefore is an excellent antidote to daze and distraction.
- The mind calms down and you can feel meaning, joy and well-being.
- You can directly test the transcendent interconnection that already exists, and be more aware of it.
- Improve attention: Meditation involves training in attending to an object, while letting distractions pass, which also improves attention.
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How to start meditating for beginners
One of the good things about meditation is that it is actually a very simple activity. All you have to do is sit quietly, turn your attention inward and concentrate. If you want to experience the feeling of meditation, follow these instructions:
- Find a quiet and peaceful place and sit comfortably with a fairly straight back. If your favorite chair gives you a hug you can’t escape, find a chair that supports you more.
- Take a deep breathClose your eyes and relax.
- Choose a word or phrase that has a special or spiritual meaning for you. Some examples: “There is only love”, “Be happy”, “Believe in God”.
- Start breathing through your nose and as you breathe, repeat within yourself, without verbalizing it, the word or phrase you have chosen. You can whisper it, even subvocalize it (that is, move your tongue as if to pronounce it, but without marking it out loud), or repeat it in your mind. If you are distracted by something, go back to the word you were repeating. If you find it difficult to breathe through your nose, do so through your mouth. Alternatively, focus on breathingin the air that enters and leaves the nostrils, repeating it every time you realize that you are distracted.
Keep meditating for 5 minutes, or even more, then slowly get up and resume your daily activities. Paying constant attention can transform everything we do into a form of meditation; Any activity we undertake with concentration and awareness becomes meditation. In this article you will find more information about .
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Bodian, S. (2016). Meditation For Dummies. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
- Ornisch, D. (1998). Love & Survival: 8 Pathways to Intimacy and Health: The Scientific Basis for the Healing Power of Intimacy. New York: William Morrow & Co.