Meditation and its different types
A few years ago, when I heard the word meditation, I thought it was a practice that only monks were capable of acing. It got me wondering how can someone like me sit for such a long time and practice stillness. I never thought of meditation and the fact that it could change my life. Maybe even you never thought of doing the same, but if you read this feature, you will understand what drove me to include meditation in my routine and how important it is.
“The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear,” said Rumi. In Tibetan, meditation means, “to become familiar with the mind”. Here, I am referring to the mind as the brain in action and the way it controls all parts of the body. When you meditate, you become familiar with your mind — with what you are thinking, how you are feeling, and how you act or react.
Meditation is a great tool for self-observation and self-development. It helps you observe, control, and change how your mind functions. When you meditate, you go from one brain wave to another. By practising well at each level, you move on to the next deeper level. Here are the different brain waves our brain comes across during the meditative process – Delta, Theta, Alpha, and Beta.
Here are the different brain waves our brain comes across during the meditative process – Delta, Theta, Alpha and Beta.
Delta brain wave
It is the deep sleep state where there’s little brain activity. It is why a newborn cannot remain awake for more than a few minutes.
Theta brain wave
It is a state where you are half awake and half asleep. This is where you connect with your subconscious mind. Whatever you tell yourself goes directly to your subconscious mind and creates beliefs. Many scientists, including Albert Einstein, used to go into this state to find solutions for research.
Alpha brain wave
It is a state where you are conscious but still able to harness the power of creative imagination from your subconscious mind. For example, you just came from the office, and you remember you still have some pending tasks to do. So, you sit on a couch, close your eyes and relax before you can get back to work.
Beta brain Wave
The stage where you do not have access to your subconscious mind. As you read this article, you are most likely in the beta wave. Your brain is processing this data and interpreting it based on what you know and believe.
On a daily basis, you enter into all these brain waves without meditating — you get up from the delta state and then enter into theta state when you go to your washroom or hold your phone. When you open your phone and check your email, you are in an alpha state. As you see any escalation from the office, your brain jumps to the beta wave. Now, you are conscious. When the day ends, you go back into the delta state again slowly by entering into alpha from beta then to theta and finally into the delta wave, where you fall asleep.
Benefits of meditating regularly
Now that you know what meditation is and the associated levels of brain activity in the meditative process, I would like to throw some light on its benefits:
– Mindfulness
– Improved focus
– Lower blood pressure
– Increased self-awareness
– Better sleep
– Better creativity
– Relaxed mind
– Improved heart rate
Here are different types of meditation you can try
Deep breathing
Sit in a comfortable position. Make sure you have no distractions around you for the next few minutes. Inhale deeply through your nose for four seconds, and as you inhale, feel the breath passing through your chest. Hold your breath for three seconds and feel it ticking around your stomach and reaching your lungs. Exhale slowly through your mouth for seven seconds. Do this for one week, then start doing it as if you are inhaling confidence and blessings and exhaling any tension you are holding in your brain or body. Repeat the cycle for five minutes daily. Allow yourself to fully relax and let go. You will see amazing changes in your body and mind. You can do this anytime in a day to relax yourself.
Deep breathing with affirmations
Sit in a comfortable position. Make sure you are not doing it where you sleep. Start with a few cycles of deep breathing, then recite some positive affirmations in your mind like: “I am awesome”, “I am blessed”, “I am enough”, “I am bold”, “I can do anything”, etc. to rewire your subconscious mind.Take a pause between your affirmations. Repeat each affirmation at least three times. You can do this once you get up to start your day on a positive note.
Gratitude meditation
A grateful heart is always close to the creative forces of the universe, causing countless blessings to flow towards it. You can do this meditation either in the morning or before you go to bed. Close your eyes and start with deep breathing. After five or six deep breathing cycles, focus on all your body parts one after another, and pay your gratitude for that. Gently start with your feet, then your legs, moving up to your thighs, hips, lower stomach, heart, chest, arms, neck, back, fingers, face, forehead, and finally your head and hair. Perhaps, you might feel it’s monotonous, but it’s not when you start doing it. Gradually, you will stop focusing on time and enjoy the meditation. It is the most impactful meditation if you are going through any health issue.
Heart consciousness meditation
Emotions are the driving force of our lives. However, many people keep on suppressing their emotions. Manifesting dreams actively is fantastic but suppressing emotions in the process is definitely not. If that is something you do, then hang on, you need to change the pattern. To start letting an emotion go from your mind and body, you must address it, or else it will get bigger and it will consume all your energy. Here is a quick meditation you can do for the same.
Start with deep breathing. Do it seven to eight times or more if you want to enter into your subconscious mind. Go back to the situation where that emotion came from. Keep your right hand on your heart and feel the heartbeats. Consciously start visualising and see how to better that situation or you could have been at that moment.
Do it for one or two minutes only. Now open your eyes and say, “I got this”. Affirm, “I am letting go of all the emotions that are not serving me. I am good. I feel good”. Close your eyes again and repeat this affirmation three times. Count to five loudly in your mind and slowly open your eyes and look around. You are ready to feel better.
Creative visualisation
Visualisation is one of the most important techniques for self-development. You can meditate and visualise at the same time. Here is how you can start. Lie down or sit down comfortably where you can stay focused. Start easily and slowly with deep breathing for at least a few minutes. Do not open your eyes or try to check the clock, as it will break your momentum. After that, create a picture of your dream or goal in your mind that you want to achieve. Make your visualisations large and bold. Hold it for two minutes in the eye of your mind and feel the joy and happiness it will bring for you once you accomplish it in real. Whatever you are seeing and using right now must have also been a part of someone’s creative visualisation.
It is the simplest and most effective form of meditation where you can transform yourself and move towards your dream. Do it before you sleep, as your subconscious mind works for 24 hours. You are more productive by doing 15 minutes of visualisation than 16 hours of hard labour.
Initially, you will find it difficult to stay focused, but gradually you will learn. So, don’t break your consistency. Spare out 10-15 minutes, and use it to improve your quality of life. Make it your lifestyle and do it in the same way mentioned above.
Start the first week with deep breathing, next week shift to deep breathing with affirmations. Begin gratitude meditation in the third week. Whenever you feel any unwanted emotion, do heart consciousness meditation. And when you feel comfortable, include creative visualisation in the routine.
When you will continue your practice and analyse your body, mind, and emotions, you will become a more centred person. In this fast-paced world, the ability to be aware and true to yourself is the only way to protect your mental and physical well-being. Meditation will help you lead a mindful journey where you can decide your fate.
