Meditation is the practice of deliberately paying attention in order to relax and improve concentration and awareness. Although meditation has its origins in Hinduism and Buddhism, it is no longer an exclusively religious practice. Since the 1970s, researchers have been studying the effects of meditation and have found it to have a number of benefits for your physical and mental health.
Meditation has been working its way into the mainstream as part of the treatment for a number of physical and mental health conditions. Last year, an ABC News report found that 3 million Americans have had their doctors recommend meditation or mediation-like practices.
Stress-reduction is a common reason doctors recommend meditation. High levels of stress can have numerous consequences for your physical and mental health, and mediation has been shown to decrease stress and improve blood pressure. Research has also suggested that meditation-based practices can be useful for the treatment of anxiety disorders, binge eating, depression, fatigue, pain, sleep problems, and substance abuse. Last year, a Harvard study found that that mediation can cause physical changes in the brain, increasing the density of areas associated with learning and memory.
There are several types of meditation; mindfulness, Zazen, Transcendental, and breath mediation are some. Breath mediation is probably the simplest type to start with. You may do this mediation sitting cross-legged on a pillow on the floor, sitting on a chair, or lying down.
A simple breath mediation:
1. Relax
Often you’ll notice some tension in your shoulders, your back, or your jaw. Try to relax that tension.
2. Breathe
Don’t try to breathe in any particular way. Just breathe at a rate the feels comfortable.
3. Focus on your breath
Direct your attention to a part of your body where you can feel the sensation of breathing. Often this is either the sensation of air moving in and out of your nostrils, or it’s the rising and falling of your belly. Pay attention to the different sensations as your breath goes in, as it goes out. Also, pat attention to the spaces between breaths.
4. Notice distraction and return to your breath
When your mind wanders—and it will—try not to scold yourself for getting distracted. Simply return your attention to your breath. This will happen many times, but it’s an important part of the practice, so don’t think of it as failure. Stay relaxed, and keep returning your attention to your breath.
You may do this for as long as you like. It can be helpful to use a timer so that you don’t get distracted by thinking about how much longer you should meditate. Ten minutes is a common starting length, but even one minute of meditation can be relaxing.
You can download free mediation timers here.
