Meditation is a practice in which you use different techniques to focus and calm the mind. Consistently practicing meditation improves attention and awareness, helping to achieve improved mental clarity and a peaceful state of being.
It is unsure if meditation came from India or China. Regardless, it is an ancient practice that is common today. Meditation can help with any problem that you may be experiencing and the benefits are endless. There are three main types of meditation: vipassana, chakra, and yoga.Â
Vipassana
Vipassana translates to seeing things as they really are. It is one of India’s most ancient techniques of meditation and is taught as a universal remedy for universal ills. This is the practice of continued close attention to sensation, otherwise known as insight meditation.
Vipassana is a self-transformation through self-introspection. It focuses on the deep connection between the physical body and the mind.Â
Chakra
Chakra literally translates to the wheel or cycle. Within the yoga discipline, these chakras are considered to be wheel-like energy centers. While they aren’t physically discernible, these energy centers belong to the so-called ‘subtle spiritual body’ and connecting it to the material world.
There are 7 chakras that are found along the spine, beginning at the sacrum and extending all the way to the crown of the head.Â
Each of the 7 chakras has a specific job that it performs:
- Â Root chakra: the root chakra (red) is found at the base of the spine and governs the way that we connect with the outside world. Here sits the basic need for stability.Â
- Sacral chakra: the sacral chakra (orange) is found below the naval. This chakra is associated with our sexual and creative process. Its purpose is to utilize our creative outlet as a means of adapting to change.Â
- Solar plexus chakra: the solar plexus chakra (yellow) is found between the rib cage and the navel. It helps regulate digestion and is a source of personal agency and self-esteem.
- Heart chakra: the heart chakra (green) is in the middle of the chest and is connected to the heart and lungs. This chakra is associated with a personal emotional profile, like generosity and compassion.Â
- Throat chakra: the throat chakra (blue) governs the neck, mouth, tongue, and any other elements associated with the throat. It regulates our communication and allows our skillful expression.Â
- Third-eye chakra: the third-eye chakra (indigo) is at the top of the head. It is considered one of the more spiritual chakras in relation to the rest. This allows us to observe interconnections that exist in the world and beyond.Â
- Crown chakra: the final chakra is the crown chakra (violet). This is the most spiritual chakra, thought to open up our spiritual connectivity to the dimension of the divine.Â
A benefit of chakra meditation is that it allows the practitioner to connect the mind with the physical body. In this form of mediation, you are participating and engaging with both. Typically, when practicing chakra meditation, you will sit upright, aligning your spine and, thus, your chakras.Â
Additionally, it’s helpful to know what type of learner you are. If you’re a visual learner, for example, you may benefit more using a chakra meditation that focuses on their associated colors.
Others may find that hovering a hand over the chakra of focus allows them to connect most efficiently. If you prefer sound, there are guided chakra specific meditations you can find online.
Experiment with different kinds of chakra meditations, as well as different meditative positions, and find what works best for you. Closing your eyes can help eliminate distraction.
What you will find is that it’s a lot easier to start focusing on either the color or the concept. From there, you can move from your root chakra, all the way to your crown. Â
Some chakras will be in more need than others on certain days, depending on what you are struggling with. For example, the root chakra is really helpful in grounding, whereas the solar plexus chakra is helpful for easing anxiety.
After you spend a while practicing these techniques, your intuition will notice what it is that you are lacking and help guide you to it.Â
Yoga
Yoga is the third type of meditation. The helpful part of yoga as a meditation practice is the ability to blend breathing techniques with movement.
Yoga not only supports physical health, it helps mental health disorders as well. Engaging in breath to movement while transitioning between yoga poses forces your mind to maintain attention on the present moment, creating a unifying effect between mind, body, and spirit.
You can choose to practice yoga with a spiritual intention in mind that you work to magnify throughout your practice. Additionally, you can move through your yoga session, focusing on the release of emotional pain or physical tension.
At the end of the yoga practice, time is set aside to relax and mindfully meditate. This allows you to absorb the benefits of the experience, creating even more space for healing.Â
Are You Struggling With Mental Stress and Looking for Additional Support?
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Our programs offer a variety of therapeutic modalities to help you cope, including yoga and acupuncture, as well as meditation and mindfulness techniques. Call us today for more information, at 844-857-5992.
