Meditation to reduce thoughts

 

We have seen how Mindfulness is an effective technique to control the flow of thoughts coming to our mind.  

 

Once you have mastered the art of Mindfulness, then you would be better prepared for Meditation. It is also advised to start with Exercises, Yoga, Pranayama and Mindfulness for a period of 3 months or so before you actually take up Meditation.

 

While doing Meditation, make sure that you choose a quiet place where there is no noise or any external disturbances. Make sure that there is proper air circulation and enough brightness.  Also make sure that your back is straight while sitting. Remember to keep your palms on your thighs in an open position facing upwards. Relax your whole body and focus. If any thoughts come and go then don't bother too much. Let thoughts come and go. Once again bring your focus back to Meditation.

As per the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Meditation comes at the 7th level. The other levels are :

Yama - Interpersonal Relationship

Niyama - Intrapersonal Relationship

Asana - Yoga Asanas

Pranayama - Breathing Exercises

Prathyahara - Withdrawal of senses

Dharana - Mindfulness or Concentration

Dhyana - Meditation

Samadhi - Enlightenment

So the above levels explains why it is good to start with Yoga, Pranayama and Mindfulness before taking up Meditation.

 

Types of Meditation :

There are different forms of Meditation seen nowadays. As many people have started to realize the benefits of Meditation and the exploration of the inner self, the Masters have come up with certain simpler techniques to teach Meditation to the masses.

• Guided Meditation : This is one of the simplest forms of Meditation where the Master guides the students in a step by step process. The students just have to relax themselves in a sitting posture or by lying down in a Yoga mat. Sometimes there would be a soothing background music to get the students relaxed. The Master can follow certain themes for each Guided Meditation practice. Sometimes the theme could be regarding the focusing of an every part of the body to create an awareness and relaxation. The other theme could be something like going to a beach and feeling the fresh breeze, soft sand and the cold water.

• Meditation by focusing on breath : This is also another simpler form of Meditation in which the person is asked to relax and focus on their breath. Here the person would be asked to take a deep inhalation followed by a deep exhalation. Another variation to this exercise is also to hold the breath between the inhalation and exhalation. This Meditation exercise provides good relaxation to the student.

• Meditation by focusing on God or a source of light : This is also a common form of Meditation seen in many Spiritual Organizations. Here the person is asked to chant the Holy Mantra or the name of God. Another variation to this is to focus at a point, object or a direction. 

• Third Eye Meditation : This is an advanced form of Meditation where the person is asked to focus on the point between the 2 eye brows. This is the point where the Third Eye Chakra or the Agya Chakra is located. The person can close his eyes and perform this Meditation. This exercise energizes the Third Eye Chakra which is known to increase the intuition and psychic powers of the person.

Benefits of Meditation :

• Relaxation
• Stress Reduction
• Reduction in the flow of thoughts
• Awareness
• Focus
• Concentration
• Mindfulness
• Intuitiveness
• Psychic Abilities
• Happiness : As we get closer and closer to our inner self, happiness, peace and bliss becomes a regular part of our life.
• Wisdom - By tapping into a higher consciousness we are gaining wisdom.
• Inner Self Exploration : Regular practice of Meditation gets us closer and closer to our inner self.
• Self Healing abilities : This happens as we Meditate more and more, we are channelizing the Cosmic Energy to our body and to our 7 main Chakras for self healing purpose. As discussed before, Cosmic Energy can be considered as the blessings from God for the benefit of mankind.

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