Different Styles of Meditation

[christopher1]

Nothing is impervious to change and so is not meditation. While the fundamental focus of meditation has not shifted from what it had started with, there have been several other changes that have led to different styles being followed at different places of the earth over different periods. It helps to know what styles are in practice today so that you can make an informed choice when you plan to undertake meditation yourself.

Watching Your Breathing

One of the very basic forms of meditation is to just control the way you breathe. All you are supposed to do is to sit in an upright position, close your eyes and just concentrate on the way you breathe. While this sounds pretty simple and is actually not that hard to practice, it can make a world of difference. During our day-to-day life we hardly have the time to settle down for a few minutes. That means irregular breathing. Allowing our body some time to actually stay calm and carry on the processes quietly can make a significant difference to how our body performs. With more fresh air in our lungs the heart performs at its best and our body feels rejuvenated.

Watching Your Thoughts

This is one of the tougher practices of meditation. Though physically not that demanding, it is an emotional challenge. The idea is to clear your mind of any thoughts and just let it be. You can sit in the normal upright posture and with your legs crossed. But the trick is to let go of your mind, because, at least initially, the more you will try this, the harder will it get.

Walking Meditation

One of the more innovative versions of meditation, this not only helps you at the level of the mind but you also get some exercise as you pace up and down. You can practice this in a room or outdoors, as long as there are no distractions. Don't try it in a room where the television is on or in a park with children playing. Again the process is to maintain a relatively brisk pace as you focus on your breathing and walking. Concentrate only on these two things and let go of your other concerns. Staying focused here is the real challenge.

Meditating While Chanting

This is a good style of meditation for the beginners. It has often been a problem for the ones who are starting off on meditation to actually stay focused and not let thoughts wander into their heads. Chanting a mantra can be of much help for them. This helps to keep away other thoughts and lets you focus more. The chant should be chosen carefully so that it is easy for you to remember and say. You need not say it aloud and can just repeat it in your head. As long as you are able to stay focused you know it is working right for you,

[Lazy 8]

Kudos, Christopher, for posting this. I think the PE Gym needs more diversity in the approaches to personal development that get addressed here. While I am not (yet) a meditator, I think there are many benefits that can be achieved from developing the practice, not the least of which is becoming a more loving human being which ultimately leads to more physical pleasure as well a spiritual well-being. So, I'll raise my glass to you and thank you for your contribution. Cheers!

[W.M.P.]

Very nice post, christopher1; meditation can bring about positive changes in many aspects of our lives. Try advertising your rehab center's specials one more time and I will kindly make sure this forum becomes one less thing for you to worry about while on your quest for eternal bliss.

[PhibbysHammer]

I twy to avoid meditation unless its absowutely necessarwy. I will take antibiotics and headache powders but I realwy twy to avoid the hard stuff. Evewyone I know who is on meditation is weally scarwy to me. It seems like there is apill for everwything these days.

[JonPop]

No! Rosana, Rosana Dana. That's "Violence", not "Violins."

"Never Mind."

[W.M.P.]

Originally Posted by JonPop

No! Rosana, Rosana Dana. That's "Violence", not "Violins."

"Never Mind."

Sprinkling some Thorazine on your morning cereal should help take care of that, JP.

[JonPop]

Guess you don't remember that SNL skit with Gilda Radner and Chevy Chase, then huh. It was just a little play on PHammer's meditation/medication.
And, for your information, youz wise guy, I DO use Thorazine on my cereal.

[kingpole]

I masturbate a lot, It helps me stay in the zin of things. I masturbate while i masticate. I masterbate whil i assisnate. I masterbate while i bate. I masterbate while i masterbate.

Masterbate at the clam bake, masterbate while i hold a rake, i masterbate before it gets late, i masterbatre before a inportant date.

I masturbate at a mature rate, at a slow rate, at a fast rate at specific pace, i masturbate at a race, I masturbate in a certain place.

Masturbate while the master waits, while the waiter bates, while buying bait, Nikki and BayBabe are jail bate. It time to masturbate.

Lalalalalalalalalal mastabagotory! mastabagotory! now you know my story!

[W.M.P.]

Originally Posted by JonPop

Guess you don't remember that SNL skit with Gilda Radner and Chevy Chase, then huh.

Unfortunately, I was too young to catch SNL during its glory days; I had to go to bed early so I could get up in time to catch Casper, Cool McCool, Aquaman, Spiderman, etc.

And, for your information, youz wise guy, I DO use Thorazine on my cereal.

I KNEW you're all about the "breakfast of champions"!

[kingpole]

Originally Posted by W.M.P.

I KNEW you're all about the "breakfast of champions"!

Does'nt anybody like my song????