The Benefits of Meditation towards Your Personal Growth
What is Meditation?
Meditation is a practice of mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear emotionally calm, and stable state.
Some examples of religious and nonreligious methods of meditation include:
- Buddhist: Several different forms of meditation have their origins in Buddhism (which is considered both a philosophy and a religion, especially depending on the nation of origin). Theravadan meditation is more common in Southeast Asia, especially in India and Thailand. Zen Buddhist meditation originated in China, and different forms of it eventually evolved elsewhere, such as Japanese Zen Buddhist meditation. Tibetan Buddhist tantric meditation comes from the former nation of Tibet, now an autonomous region of China.
- Christian: Contemplation, which is when you focus intently on a question, idea, religious concept or deity, is a common practice in Christianity. Praying is often classified as meditation, especially when it takes this form.
- Guided: This nonreligious form of meditation can happen with several people or one-on-one. It’s a common technique in counseling, therapy, and group support settings.
- Osho: This form of meditation, also known as “dynamic meditation”, comes from India and has its roots in Hinduism. Breathing exercises are deliberate and forceful.
- Sufi: Sufism is a branch of Islam, and meditation is a common practice among people who follow it.
- Taoist: Like Buddhism, Taoism is also considered a religion and philosophy. It originated in China and is best known through the writings of its founder, Laozi (also spelled “Lao Tzu” or “Lao-Tze”).
- Transcendental: This form of meditation comes from India and is non-religious. It involves using mantras, which are phrases or words people focus on and repeat aloud or in their minds.
- Yoga: This is a physical form of meditation and exercise from India. It can take on religious and nonreligious forms.
How does meditation benefit your personal growth?
Meditation may significantly reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and pain, and enhance peace, perception, self-concept, and well-being. Research has also shown that meditation has a positive effect on your physical health (psychological, neurological, and cardiovascular) and other areas.
- Decreased symptoms of anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Improved ability to think, concentrate, and solve problems.
- Better ability to adapt to and overcome emotional problems
Why does Meditation work:
Through advances in technology, researchers, and healthcare providers, we can see how meditation affects your brain. To understand some of these changes, it helps to know a little about brain structure.
Multiple research studies have found that people who meditate regularly have certain differences in their brain structure. Within the brain, Information is shared through neuron pathways. These neuron pathways form networks that develop different specialized areas in the brain. For those who meditate regularly, their brain tissue appears to be denser, or certain areas of the brain are larger than expected. This means that more neuron connections are formed and the connections are stronger.
Most importantly is that the affected areas of the brain are usually those that manage or control your senses (vision, hearing, etc.), your ability to think and concentrate, and your ability to process emotions. That means the brains of people who meditate regularly are healthier and less likely to show age-related loss of function. They also have a stronger ability to deal with and process negative emotions like fear, anger, and grief.
Different types of meditation:
- Body-centered meditation. This is sometimes called self-scanning. Doing this involves focusing on the physical sensations you can feel throughout your body.
- Contemplation. This usually involves concentrating on a question or some kind of contradiction without letting your mind wander.
- Emotion-centered meditation. This kind of meditation has you focus on a specific emotion. For example, focusing on how to be kind to others or on what makes you happy in your life.
- Mantra meditation. This kind of meditation involves repeating (either aloud or in your head) and focusing on a specific phrase or sound.
- Meditation with movement. This type of meditation can involve focusing on breathing, holding your breath or performing specific body movements. It can also involve walking while focusing on what you observe around you.
- Mindfulness meditation. This form of meditation is about staying aware of what’s happening at the moment rather than letting your mind wander and worrying about the past or future. It can also involve a similar approach as body-centered meditation, using what you feel throughout your body as a foundation for your awareness of the world around you.
- Visual-based meditation. This kind of meditation involves focusing on something you can see (either with your eyes or by concentrating on a mental image).
Ways to develop a Meditation practice:
· Learn what you like. Explore different types of meditation, or even try a group meditation. You can download guided meditations to help you focus and quiet the mind.
· Make the time. Set aside time in your day for meditation and make it a part of your routine. You might prefer to meditate in the morning or at night. Start with just 5-10 minutes a day. Establishing a daily meditation practice is the key to getting the greatest benefits out of this practice.
· Set the surroundings. Meditation is best in a place that’s quiet, calming, and comfortable. It helps to have a dedicated area where you can do a daily meditation. Some forms of meditation involve sitting up, and others involve lying down. Some even require walking, so you may want to find a park or hiking trail that you like.