What is meditation and what type is right for you?
What is meditation?
When you think of the word meditation, maybe you think of people sitting perfectly still with their legs cross-legged and their eyes closed. Or, perhaps you’ve heard of or even tried a meditation app like “Headspace,” but you’re still not entirely clear on what meditation is or why there seems to be so much hype around it in recent years. So, what is meditation anyways?
Meditation is the practice of recognizing and disassociating from your active train of thoughts. It’s learning to be fully present with your experience, free of judgment or anticipation. In this “state” of meditation you’re able to feel safe and at peace. You’re able to gain a different, less attached perspective—a perspective where you feel connected with yourself and others.
How does meditation work?
You still might be thinking “Okay, I get the idea, but how does meditation work? What am I supposed to be focusing or not focusing on?” Well, meditation works by learning to subdue your “Ruminating Mind” so that you can be completely present. The Ruminating Mind is the voice in your head that deduces information that comes your way, plans your next move, and is your thought process anytime you’re not engaged in the present moment. Easing this inner dialogue is quite simple: practice. In meditation, you’ll practice over and over again returning to the present moment, training yourself to befriend the Ruminuating Mind to find peace and stillness.
Why is it essential to subdue your Ruminating Mind?
For thousands of years, religions and cultures, specifically in the east, have believed in the power of detaching oneself from their thoughts. But why is that? The Ruminating mind is excellent at gathering information and making conclusions from your experiences. This is generally a good thing, as it keeps you safe and alive. But this part of your mind is also responsible for worry, fear, ego, and judgment and these features can wreak havoc on your mental health, confidence, and relationships. By observing your Ruminating Mind, you learn you are not your thoughts. This understanding allows you to feel more connected with your sense of self, think more clearly, and experience more joy.
What are the benefits of meditation?
Improves sleep
Improves focus and productivity
Increases feelings of joy and contentment
Increases self-awareness and self-confidence
Increases empathy for others
Reduces the intensity of negative emotions
Reduces negative thought patterns
Reduces stress
Reduces anxiety
Reduces depression
Reduces loneliness
Does science back up meditation?
It was only recently that meditation began to be recognized as a valid treatment for (or a way to prevent) conditions like anxiety, depression, insomnia, and chronic stress in Western medicine. If you’re familiar with or have suffered from any of these afflictions you probably also know how hard it is to find support that doesn't come in the shape of a pill with numerous side effects.
Did you know that 76% of middle-aged Americans report moderate to high levels of loneliness and that loneliness is a more significant predictor by nearly two folds of early mortality compared to obesity?
Loneliness, low self-confidence, and intense negative thought patterns are also ailments that significantly impact people’s well-being, but are heavily ignored due to their lack of recognition and lack of knowledge surrounding treatment.
Thankfully science is catching up with what Eastern countries have known for thousands of years; that meditation can prevent and cure suffering of all kinds and meditation works not just on a spiritual level, but also on a neuroscientific level.
In 2012, Harvard researchers conducted studies with patients to observe brain activity through MRIs (Magnetic resonance imaging) of people who regularly meditate vs. those who don’t. What they’ve found is a significant difference in the activity of the Amygdala, an area of the brain that helps trigger emotional responses to your environment and plays an essential role in fear and anger. The MRI scans showed that the Amygdala of patients who regularly meditate reacted much less drastically to stressful situations than those of patients who didn’t. In conclusion, the tests found that those who frequently meditate handle stress better. They were also less likely to enter their Sympathetic Nervous System (i.e. “Fight or Flight”), and even when they did experience a stress response, they were able to recover and return to their Parasympathetic Nervous System (i.e. “Rest and Digest”) quickly.
Knowing all this, it’s no wonder that people who meditate experience more joy, are less anxious and stressed, and sleep better.
How do you actually meditate?
Meditation is ancient, and for that reason, many different techniques have been adapted from what was first considered to be traditional meditation. This can make it difficult to know where to start without a little guidance. Luckily this also means that once you get going, your chances of finding a meditation style that works for you are pretty darn good!
Even luckier for you, I’ve compiled a list of 6 ways to approach meditation, so you can get a feel of what you might be interested in. Or, if you're a seasoned practitioner, perhaps this list will spark some curiosity about how you can expand your practice.
What are 6 ways to meditate?
Walking or Moving Meditation
Mantra or Affirmation Meditation
Breathing Meditation
Yoga Nidra or Body Scan Meditation
Mindfulness Meditation
Concentration Meditation
Walking or Moving Meditation
A walking or moving meditation is a meditation practice just like any other; only you’re not sitting still. It can be done while walking in the woods or somewhere quiet. You can also practice engaging in activities like yoga, tai chi, and dance and it’s helpful if the movement is repetitive, intuitive, or memorized like a set sequence of yoga postures. For a movement-based meditation, it also helps if you choose an “anchor” for your practice. An anchor is a tool used in meditation that the practitioner can use to ground their thoughts and stay present. Typically, the anchor is the feeling of the breath, the ground beneath you, or another constant sensation that feels safe.
I find this style of meditation ideal for when you’re feeling stuck or stagnant in your body or experiencing an overactive mind. The repetitiveness of putting one foot in front of the other or moving intuitively livens up the body while allowing the mind to find peace.
Tip for this practice: For this type of meditation to work, it's best to avoid music and to find an area with little to no abrupt noises or distractions. For example, walking in the woods, down a quiet street, or in a park.
Mantra or Affirmation Meditation
Mantra or affirmation meditation is when you choose a phrase, a sound, or a word to repeat to yourself either out loud or silently. This is an incredible style of meditation for those who enjoy individualizing their practices. Say you have a day where you’re feeling particularly insecure; you may choose affirmations like “I am confident” or “I am enough.” You can tailor these meditations to your goals, moods, energy, or anything else you can think up.
This type of meditation is typically practiced from a comfortable seat in a quiet space. If you’re new to this meditation, try and keep it simple, using only one or two short phrases. You might feel that the repetition is redundant at first, but try and stick with it. I find that with time, the words can evolve in meaning and uncover lots of sneaky thoughts and feelings.
I find this style of meditation is great for expanding the mind and for adopting positive thought patterns.
Breathing Meditation
Breathing Meditation is the practice of controlling, feeling, and focusing on your breath. You can decide to introduce a count to your breath, play with breath retention, or just simply feel your breath in an area of your body that feels safe. It’s best to practice breathing meditation sitting up with a long spine so that you can create space for optimal airflow.
This method is excellent for beginners because it’s simple and has a built-in anchor; the breath. Don’t mistake simple for unremarkable though. This meditation can be exceptionally powerful and is a perfect practice for confronting your feelings and letting them move through you.
I find this meditation best to practice when I’m feeling overwhelmed and am struggling to tame my Ruminating Mind. Breathing meditation is incredibly effective to practice in the morning when you first get up to regulate your nervous system and set the tone for how you’ll breathe for the rest of the day.
Tip for this practice: Concentrate on your breath in a specific area of your body that feels safe that day. Some days when I’m feeling anxious, I avoid drawing attention to my chest because that’s where I feel my anxiety the most. On other days I love focusing on the breath in my chest. This fluctuation is normal, so just concentrate on what feels right for you that day.
Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra is a meditation where the practitioner enters a state of deep relaxation. You’ll start your practice by laying down in a dark or subdued room where you’ll either lead yourself or be led through a body scan, slowly concentrating on different parts of your body. The slow and methodical body scan will guide you to a dream-like state between conscious and unconscious. Here, you’ll be told, or you’ll tell yourself an affirming phrase. Unlike most other meditations, Yoga Nidra is more about intention setting rather than bringing the mind to stillness and is used to develop memory, increase creativity, and help break free from unwanted habits or negative beliefs. A session is typically an hour long and leaves the practitioner feeling extremely well-rested.
Yoga Nidra is great for those who are looking for a longer meditation, and for those who are struggling with sleep.
I love practicing Yoga Nidra either right before I go to bed, as it helps lull me into a deep sleep, or in the middle of my day as a substitution for a nap. I also practice Yoga Nidra as a “nervous system reset” when my anxiety rears its ugly head more frequently.
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is the practice of being in the present moment. Unlike most other meditations, it can be practiced while performing any mundane tasks like washing dishes, brushing your teeth, or if you’d prefer sitting still. Mindfulness meditation is about feeling and observing what’s happening in the present moment. For example, if you choose to wash the dishes for your practice, then mindful meditation can look like feeling the temperature of the water, the texture of the plates, and experiencing your breath. It will help to have an anchor for this practice to bring you back to the present moment when your mind wanders, but for the most part, this practice is all about feeling.
I find this practice ideal for when I don’t have a lot of time carved out for other practices. I’ll practice while brushing my teeth, or eating a meal, and I must admit it makes mundane tasks much more enjoyable. I also find mindfulness meditation brings a heightened sense of gratitude and joy to the moments that follow its’ practice.
Concentration or Silent Meditation
Concentration meditation is most likely the practice you picture when you hear the word meditation, and for a good reason. Concentration is the sixth limb of the “Eight Limbs of Yoga,” It represents the state you must practice before entering meditation. Concentration meditation is practiced sitting with a long spine on a chair or the ground with closed or fixed eyes. The practice of concentration itself is the anchor of your practice, and like other meditations, the goal is for your anchor to be your sole focus. From deep concentration, a practitioner can flow into a state of deep self-awareness called “Dhyana”, the seventh limb. Only then can your mind move into a state of complete awareness and consciousness known as “Samadhi”, the eighth and final limb of yoga. This takes tremendous practice and some may spend a lifetime practicing without reaching this state.
I find this practice challenging, but incredible for self-awareness and self-growth. My most profound “AHA!” moments have either come to me or have been integrated into my beliefs during concentration meditation.
What obstacles can you expect when beginning meditation?
Distractions and uncomfortable feelings are expected when you begin a meditation practice. Think of your brain like it’s a muscle in your body being trained to perform an unfamiliar activity. If the muscle is introduced to a brand new movement, it will take some time to build strength and stamina. It’s no different when you teach meditation and mindfulness to your mind. Be patient and try not to judge yourself or compare yourself to others. Try not to resist wandering thoughts and instead, simply observe them. When you feel yourself becoming too involved or carried away with your thoughts, gently guide your attention back to your breath, the ground beneath you, or any other sensation that feels safe.
How do I choose what type of meditation to practice?
Start by trying out a few different meditation styles that sound intriguing to you. If you encounter a meditation type that triggers anxious thoughts or makes you dread practicing, don’t practice it. I’ve seen many practitioners stubbornly stick to a more traditional meditation due to ego, only to stir up thoughts of insecurity and self-doubt, then ditch their practice entirely. Ego has no place in meditation and is instead about connecting with your more true, authentic self. Try your best to make the process as easy and fluid as possible. You may be surprised which types of meditation you like best!
How long should you meditate?
Varying studies claim that a specific duration of time dedicated to meditation is the most effective. Some mention 13 minutes, others say 20 minutes is best, and some even claim that one full hour of practice is necessary to absorb the benefits of meditation. But what I’ve learned from teaching meditation, from my own non-linear practice, and through discussing meditation with my peers, is that everyone is different. One person may have cognitive limitations that make practicing longer much more complicated and stressful. Dreading your meditation practice isn’t what we want. We don’t need more obstacles. So start with an amount of time that feels right for you. Start small, observe how it feels (preferably without judgment), then reassess when you feel ready. For the average person, around 20 minutes will likely hit the mark. But try to approach meditation the same way you would long-distance running. Your activity level, your build, and any pre-existing injuries will help determine how you start and how long you’re able to run. Some of us are endurance junkies and will happily run marathons, and some of us are perfectly content running or even walking a few kilometers or miles. Accept and embrace your individuality.
How often should you meditate?
Meditation is a practice that thrives off of consistency, making it ideal to stick to a daily schedule. Studies show that daily meditation trains your brain to identify less frequently with the Ruminating Mind, which reduces anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Even if your practice consists of simply focusing on your breath for 5 minutes in your car before driving home, that will be far superior to skipping it altogether and meditating for longer the following day. Ultimately persistence will be the most impactful component of your meditation practice, no matter how little time you might have to spare.
The Takeaway
In conclusion, get curious and try the methods of meditation that sound interesting and suitable for you. Then, make a commitment to show up consistently with whichever practice makes you feel best, and allow yourself flexibility with the time you spend actually meditating. Remember, there are no rules to meditation and mindfulness, there are only opportunities to get to know yourself better. You might be surprised by the amount of growth and healing you can experience from meditating.
“Meditation is like a gym in which you develop the powerful mental muscles of calm and insight”