Meditation is something that people from just about every culture, ancient and modern, have seen the value of. Being able to clear the mind or focus it on something very specific can give you a lot of benefits, and it is a practice that people use either as part of their daily routine or when they specifically need to relax or concentrate for a given reason.
If you are interested in the idea of meditation but aren’t sure what the point of it is or how to start, then below, we’ll look into the answers to those questions!
What Are The Goals of Meditating?
There are lots of different types of meditation that people do for a lot of different purposes, however, the goals are usually to find peace and relaxation, to improve focus, or to concentrate on a specific problem or topic in the hope of finding some inspiration. As a regular practice, people meditate to keep their stress levels down, to help with problems such as anxiety, insomnia, and depression, or to generally refresh their minds to help them enjoy better focus in their work or studies. You can meditate for any or all of these reasons, but it is important to find the right type of meditation for each objective. Mindfulness meditation, for instance, can be very good for anxiety, but will not help with creativity in the same way as a guided meditation.
Beginner Meditations
You can find a lot of helpful information about how to meditate as a beginner on examinedexistence.com. Once you know what type of meditation you want to try, you will need a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed, and to be wearing something comfortable. You can meditate anywhere and in whatever position you find comfortable, so don’t think that you have to adopt the traditional lotus position or learn yoga to try it! Just be sure you have nothing distracting you. Depending on the style of meditation you have chosen, you can then either play a guided meditation and follow it, or begin the process you chose, for instance, with focusing on your breathing or watching a candle.
It Doesn’t Work For Me!
Some people feel frustrated at first because they think they can’t clear their minds. Thoughts can’t be shut off easily, and chances are you will feel distracted as you first start meditating. The trick is to accept the thoughts rather than try to shut them out, and just let them come and then pass. It can take some work to feel truly relaxed or enter a beneficial meditative state where you start to feel your mind releasing itself from your normal stresses, but it is worth practicing every day to get there.
Meditation is a skill that can be hugely valuable to you, whether it is in terms of managing your stress, becoming more creatively inspired, improving your mental clarity, or even just helping you to rest. It is something everyone should experiment with!