Meditation

John Kabat-Zinn (1994), one of the most popular Western writers on this topic and creator of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program (MBSR), defines mindfulness as “the awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.”

Compare this to one researcher’s definition of meditation: “Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state” (Shapiro et al., 2018).

While Kabat-Zinn’s definition describes a way of relating to oneself and one’s environment, Walsh and Shapiro define a formal practice meant to alter or enhance one’s state of mind.

While there are many definitions of each concept, the differences are apparent in these two. Meditation is a practice, and through this practice, one can develop different qualities, including mindfulness.

Mindfulness describes a specific way of living that can be cultivated through practice. There is a category of meditative practices called “mindfulness meditation,” which help the practitioner to live and act with mindfulness. But there are many categories of meditative practice, of which mindfulness meditation is only one.

Meditation is one method through which someone may learn to live mindfully. We can also think about meditation as a tool to develop mindfulness.

Meditation has proven to be highly effective in helping people be more mindful in their daily experiences. For example, those who practice mindfulness meditation, systematically and with discipline, such as those who participate in the MBSR program, are more able to act mindfully in their everyday lives (Carmody & Baer, 2008).

Meditation is a way to plant the seeds of mindfulness and water them so that they grow throughout our lives. Although meditation is highly effective for this purpose, it is just one of the ways to cultivate mindfulness.

To meditate is a paradoxical thing, as it is an exercise of “non-doing.” Generally speaking, the work is to become an observer of one’s inner world, exerting minimal effort and adopting a stance of non-judgment.

These qualities are antithetical to the way that many of us live our lives: striving to get ahead and prioritizing work over rest. Practicing formal meditation, by sitting for a designated period, can provide a refuge from the busyness of the world and remind us that we do not need to work so hard to achieve our goals or be who we want to be.

Despite its many virtues, not everyone wants to engage in formal mindfulness practice. However, these people may still want to be more mindful in their everyday lives.

Luckily, there are many informal ways to practice mindfulness, such as mindful eating, mindful walking, or even mindful conversation. To practice mindfulness informally means to engage in everyday activities with the intention of being mindful.

This involves slowing down, paying attention, suspending judgment, and fully engaging in whatever experience is happening in the present moment.

How could simply tuning into your thoughts and feelings lead to so many positive outcomes throughout the body? Well, researchers believe the benefits of mindfulness are related to its ability to dial down the body's response to stress.

Chronic stress can impair the body's immune system and make many other health problems worse. By lowering the stress response, mindfulness may have downstream effects throughout the body.

Psychological scientists have found that mindfulness influences two different stress pathways in the brain, changing brain structures and activity in regions associated with attention and emotion regulation. Scientists are also beginning to understand which elements of mindfulness are responsible for its beneficial effects. In a review of meditation studies, psychology researchers found strong evidence that people who received MBCT were less likely to react with negative thoughts or unhelpful emotional reactions in times of stress. They also found moderate evidence that people who participated in MBCT or MBSR were better able to focus on the present and less likely to worry and to think about a negative thought or experience over and over.

Mindfulness meditation originates from Buddhist teachings and is the most popular and researched form of meditation in the West.

In mindfulness meditation, you pay attention to your thoughts as they pass through your mind. You do not judge the thoughts or become involved with them. You simply observe and take note of any patterns.

This practice combines concentration with awareness. You may find it helpful to focus on an object or your breath while you observe any bodily sensations, thoughts, or feelings.

This type of meditation is good for people who do not have a teacher to guide them, as it can be easily practiced alone.

Spiritual meditation is used in nearly all religions and spiritual traditions.

The types of spiritual meditation are as diverse as the world’s spiritual traditions themselves. Many of the meditation techniques listed on this page could be considered spiritual meditation.

According to a 2017 studyTrusted Source, spiritual meditation focuses on developing a deeper innerstanding of spiritual/religious meaning and connection with a higher power. Examples include:

• Christian contemplative prayer
• Sufi dhikr (remembrance of God)
• Jewish kabbalistic practices

Spiritual meditation can be practiced at home or in a place of worship. This practice is beneficial for those who seek spiritual growth and a deeper connection to a higher power or spiritual force.

Focused meditation involves concentration using any of the five senses.

For example, you can focus on something internal, like your breath, or you can bring in external influences to help focus your attention.

Examples include:

• counting mala beads
• listening to a gong
• staring at a candle flame
• counting your breaths
• moon gazing

This practice may be simple in theory, but it can be difficult for beginners to hold their focus for longer than a few minutes at first.

If your mind does wander, simply come back to the practice and refocus.

As the name suggests, this practice is ideal for anyone who wants to sharpen their focus and attention.

Although most people think of yoga when they hear of In-motion or movement meditation, this practice may include:

• walking
• gardening
• qi gong
• tai chi
• other gentle forms of movement

This is an active form of meditation where the movement guides you into a deeper connection with your body and the present moment.

Movement meditation is good for people who find peace in action and want to develop body awareness.

Mantra meditation is prominent in many teachings, including Hindu and Buddhist traditions. This type of meditation uses a repetitive sound to clear the mind. It can be a word, phrase, or sound, one of the most common being “om.”

Your mantra can be spoken loudly or quietly. After chanting the mantra for some time, you will be more alert and in tune with your environment. This allows you to experience deeper levels of awareness.

Some people enjoy mantra meditation because they find it easier to focus on a word than on their breath. Others enjoy feeling the vibration of the sound in their body.

This is also a good practice for people who do not like silence and enjoy repetition.

Transcendental Meditation is a type of meditation that has been the subject of numerous studies in the scientific community.

It was founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and refers to a specific practice designed to quiet the mind and induce a state of calm and peace. It involves the use of mantra and is best taught by a certified practitioner.

This practice is for those who want an accessible approach to the depth that meditation offers.

Also known as body scan meditation, progressive relaxation is a practice aimed at reducing tension in the body and promoting relaxation.

Oftentimes, this form of meditation involves slowly tightening and relaxing one muscle group at a time throughout the body.

In some cases, it may also encourage you to imagine a gentle wave flowing through your body to help release any tension.

This form of meditation is often used to relieve stress and unwind before bedtime.

Loving-kindness meditation is used to strengthen feelings of compassion, kindness, and acceptance toward oneself and others.

It typically involves opening the mind to receive love from others and then sending well wishes to loved ones, friends, acquaintances, and all living beings.

Because this type of meditation is intended to promote compassion and kindness, it may be ideal for those holding feelings of anger or resentment.

Visualization meditation is a technique focused on enhancing feelings of relaxation, peace, and calmness by visualizing positive scenes, images, or figures.

This practice involves imagining a scene vividly and using all five senses to add as much detail as possible. It can also involve holding a beloved or honored figure in mind with the intention of embodying their qualities.

Another form of visualization meditation involves imagining yourself succeeding at specific goals, which is intended to increase focus and motivation.

Many people use visualization meditation to boost their mood, reduce stress levels, and promote inner peace.

Spot meditation is similar to in-motion meditations in that they skim the surface of meditation, but instead of doing them while you are in-motion, you are doing them in-between motions.

This type of meditation is a little easier than the in-motion meditation because once you stop moving, your focus on the action ceases momentarily.  
  

These can be done pretty much anytime and anywhere, again when you are not in motion. 

Deep meditations will likely require you to set some sort of gentle alarm to come out of, or even better, be guided by another person. The reason for this is that when you go deeper into meditation, your consciousness begins to release itself, and your physical body becomes less apparent to you as it may have done before. Having a way to pull yourself back into yourself is very important for this type of meditation.

Deep meditations should be done either in your own home, or in a place where you are truly safe and secure. The only way you will be able to truly go deep is when you are 100% comfortable and feel safe. If you can find the time to do a deep meditation, it is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do for yourself.