How to Meditate--Aidan

 

I had seen meditation as a hobby hippies did in their free time but now I incorporate it into my everyday life because of the impact it has left on me. Meditation is used widely around the world and for a variety of purposes that can shape a person into their highest self. It can be used in your daily life to build resilience against stress and to center yourself when you are thrown off by anything that causes stress.While meditation is known universally, there are different practices and items to add onto meditation that will bring a better and more impactful outcome. Using my knowledge of meditation I want to give some advice and tips on how to meditate.

Like me, many people struggle to clear their mind when meditating because that is what they are told to do. Using a subtype of meditation called Mindfulness Meditation you do the opposite of clearing your thoughts and instead be mindful and focus on the present instead of your past or future. You first want to find a peaceful place and sit in any relaxed position with a straight back so you are breathing properly. You then want to clear your mind of any past trauma or thoughts and any worries you are overthinking about in the future and only focus on the good things that have kept you where you are now. By acknowledging and thinking of only the present you are able to ease and let go of negative thoughts that aren’t currently affecting you and have hold of you. Using this technique helps reduce fixation on negative emotions and improves focus and memories. This technique has personally helped me with a bad habit of negative thought patterns that currently don’t happen as often as they did before.

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A certain meditation called Breathwork Meditation is the use of breathing exercises to increase the supply of oxygen to your brain which promotes a state of calmness and relaxation. To achieve Breathwork Meditation you first must sit laying down or in an upward position with

your back straight and hands on your lap or to the side. Once in the right position close your eyes and repeatedly breathe in and out of your nose while inhaling and exhaling your stomach with each breath you take. Once you get a hang of this technique you will feel a feeling of relaxation. Breathwork is also a good way to transfer into regular meditation because your mind won't be as clustered as it was before you started the breathwork. I have gone to some breathwork classes in the past months and all of my experiences have been very impactful on my emotional and mental health which introduced me to new people and promoted a lot of self love.

(Credit: Jessica Linderman)

A very life changing meditation that has helped me grow with others and all my loved ones is called Metta Meditation also known as Loving-Kindness Meditation. This meditation can be done by yourself but it is recommended to do with friends and family. You can lay in any comfortable position to your liking which then you start to recite a mantra-based meditation directing the positive energy towards yourself for example “I am healthy”, “I am lucky”, “I am loved”, etc.. You then link the energy towards the person you are with(unless alone) and go on to link it to people who you love, who you want to love more, someone who you have a difficult relationship with and concluding the meditation with the love for all beings. Metta Meditation is known to promote strong feelings of love and compassion with yourself and others. Doing this meditation with loved ones can greatly help create a better bond and help clear off frustration or resentment.

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All types of meditations are great practicing on their own but you can always incorporate different items into your meditations to help clear your mind and relax your body. When I usually meditate I burn different types of incense and cleanse the areas I am in to keep a positive environment while I meditate. Using different herbs like lavender, sage and mugwort can heighten different senses while meditating which helps stay in meditation. While these items are always good to have for meditating they aren’t necessary and I guarantee that practicing any type of meditation will always help you in a positive way.