Currently one of the most prominent psychological problems among the world's population, which has consequences on both the mind and the body, is stress. This type of stress and anxiety causes numerous alterations at the mental and body level, from panic attacks to increased blood pressure and the inability to lead a normal life, also due to disorders in sleep and rest patterns.
That is why today it is very important to know relaxation and meditation techniques to be able to fight against the alterations that cause overwork and activities in the routine. There are different ways to get these procedures to meet their objectives and reduce stress, in addition to preventing the possible physical and psychological consequences that it may have on the person. In we explain what are the best meditation techniques.
What is meditation?
Meditation is the set of practices and disciplines that help relax both the body and the mind, through the knowledge and discovery of one's own body and psyche. Concentration is one of the key points in any meditation technique, since it is essential to reach a state of mind conducive to knowing oneself, in addition to achieving effective relaxation.
There are several types of meditation, all of them effective, but depending on the person they have better or less adequate results. That is why it is very important to try the different practices until you find the most suitable for each one.
First steps for any meditation
Although there are different meditation techniques, it is important to know that, to start each of them, it is essential to follow certain instructions that are common.
- First of all, it is necessary to choose a place where you can enjoy silence, that facilitates concentration and that is also conducive to the person who is going to perform meditation, since there are certain spaces that can help relaxation even more because of the meaning it has for the individual.
- Choose a good time to meditate. Depending on your pace of life and your day to day, you may not have facilities to find a space to carry out this practice. Therefore, in the article What is the best time to meditate, we help you choose that important time of day.
- It is essential to always wear comfortable clothes as clothing, to facilitate the feeling of well-being and relaxation that is sought. It is advisable to use wide shirts and pants that do not stick totally to the body, to give a feeling of freedom.
- If you can, it is also recommended to use candles with a pleasant smell, to the taste of the person who is going to meditate.
If you want to know more about how to meditate perfectly, we recommend the following article on How to meditate correctly.
Breathing attention technique
It is one of the most used techniques due to its effectiveness in achieving relaxation and facilitating meditation. It consists of focusing all attention on one's own breathing.
- First of all, you proceed to lie down, if it is on the ground, it is advisable to use a mat, and you start with deep inspirations through the nose and slow expirations through the mouth.
- Then slower inspirations and expirations are made, of 5 seconds each, noticing how the lungs are filled with air and how the diaphragm moves.
- The next step is to perform inspirations that begin by filling the lowest part of the lungs first, noticing how they fill completely and perform expirations that completely empty the lungs.
Body care technique
This type of meditation practice focuses on concentrating and being aware of one's own body.
- Like the previous technique, you start by lying on the floor on top of a mat. You have to make slow and controlled inspirations and expirations.
- The technique consists of gradually going through the body with the mind, concentrating on all the muscles and nerves of it.
- It starts with the feet and goes up slowly through the legs to the torso, where you also have to concentrate on the internal organs.
- Then you reach the arms and finally the head.
- At the end it is important to carefully mobilize the whole body.
Technique of attention to an external object
To perform this meditation technique, a sitting position is recommended, preferably crossing the legs and with the arms relaxed and supported on top of them. It consists of concentrating on an object, being recommended that it has a constant and uniform movement, such as a small fountain.
It is very important to maintain concentration on that object while leaving the mind blank. At the end it is recommended to close your eyes for a minute.
Technique of attention to a memory
This technique can be performed both lying on a mat and sitting with your legs crossed and arms relaxed and supported on them.
- First you close your eyes, maintaining a slow and controlled breathing.
- At the same time, one thinks of a pleasant memory, a place that transmits peace and security to the person who is performing the meditation.
- The mind is concentrated in that place while leaving it blank in the mind.
