Nowadays one of the most outstanding psychological problems among the world population, which has consequences both in the mind and in the body, is stress. This type of stress and anxiety pictures cause numerous alterations at the mental and corporal level, from panic attacks to the increase in blood pressure and the inability to lead a normal life, also due to disturbances 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 ensure that these procedures meet your goals and reduce stress.
What is meditation?
Meditation is the set of practices and disciplines that help to relax both body and mind, through knowledge and discovery of one’s own body and one’s psyche. Concentration is one of the key points in any meditation technique, as it is essential to reach a mental state conducive to knowing oneself, in addition to achieving effective relaxation.
There are different 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 different practices until finding the most suitable one for each one.
First steps for any meditation
Although there are different meditation techniques it is important to know that, to begin each of them, it is essential to follow certain instructions that are common.
- First of all, it is necessary to choose a placewhere 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 further help relaxation by the meaning what 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.
- It is essential to always wear comfortable clothesas 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 completely to the body, to give a feeling of freedom.
- If you can, it is also recommended to use candles with a pleasant smell, the taste of the person who is going to meditate.
Technique of attention to breathing
It is one of the most used techniques due to its effectiveness to achieve relaxation and facilitate meditation. It consists in focusing all the attention on one’s own breathing.
- First, we proceed to lie down, if it is on the floor it is advised to use a mat, and you start with deep breaths through the nose and slow expiration through the mouth.
- Later inspirations and expirations are made slower, of 5 seconds each, noticing how the lungs are filled with air and how the diaphragm moves.
- The next step is to make inspirations that begin by filling the lower part of the lungs first, noticing how they fill up 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 body.
- Like the previous technique, it starts lying on the floor on a mat. You have to perform slow and controlled inspirations and expirations.
- The technique consists of going slowly through the body with the mind, concentrating on all the muscles and nerves of the same.
- It begins with the feet and goes slowly up the legs to the torso, where you also have to concentrate on the internal organs.
- Then you reach the arms and finally the head.
- When finished, it is important to move the whole body carefully.
Technique of attention to an exterior object
To perform this meditation technique, a seated position is recommended, if possible crossing the legs and with the arms relaxed and supported on 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 stay focused on that object while leaving your mind blank. When finished it is recommended to close the eyes for a minute.
Technique of attention to a memory
This technique can be performed either lying on a mat or sitting with crossed legs and arms relaxed and supported on them.
- First he closes his eyes, keeping a slow and controlled breathing.
- At the same time, we think of a pleasant memory, a place that transmits peace and security to the person who is doing the meditation.
- The mind is concentrated in that place while it is left in the blank mind.