Meditation to be Present in the Now

Meditation is the focus of this edition because the last issue was about yoga to enhance the body so this issue will look at how meditation is used to bring calm to the mind and be present in the now.

There are many meditation techniques including prayer that encourages users to focus on mind and what is going in own thoughts. Self-reflection is very powerful, especially in quiet spaces that are not overstimulating or distracting.

We live in world where there is always so much going on around self that it’s easy to focus outwards instead of inwards which disconnects own mind, body and spirit.

Meditation is also an effective way to assess own mind (thoughts) and body (stiffness, aches or pains).

Mindfulness meditation is a practice that needs to be done in a quiet space (ideally isolated) so there are no distractions. It encourages the mind to be still, embrace thinking, recognise authentic emotions and transform negative thoughts to positive thoughts. Mindfulness engages the mind to connect with own body consciously to be aware and assess thoughts as well as body condition (flexibility, aches or pains) and senses. Focusing on own senses guides self to let go of problematic thoughts and focus on the now, which creates more awareness of self. It’s a practice that allows self to check in on own state from a calmer and focused part of self without distraction.

Guided meditation which is a practice involving listening to anchor the mind of imaginative, positive, calming and relaxing narrative offered by a professional practitioner who starts the process by asking receiver to close eyes and listen. It’s a great way to use positive narrative to calm the mind and manifest positive thoughts.

Breathing meditation is practiced to ease stress and anxiety in own mind and body by focusing on breathing and breathes. It’s a great way to remove distractions and be present in the moment. To get the most out of this practice, it is best to learn techniques that suit self. Focusing on own breath allows the mind and body to calm down and remove any negative thoughts.

To benefit from meditation, it helps to learn techniques which suit your own needs and understand how, why and when it needs to be practiced. If it’s practiced as a lifestyle choice, it will become a positive coping strategy.