The Health Nut Blog

You've heard of meditation, but what is it exactly? The term meditation is often used to describe an individual's state of intense focus on an object or thought. Attention is turned inward to the spirit.

It's believed that meditation tehniques come from Vedic Hinduism origins, and it's a common component of many eastern religions. However, western society has embraced this practice enthusiastically.

People want to practice meditation for a number of reasons. There are those who practice it to help them focus more on God; others aim for personal development. A number of individuals discover improved health and peace of mind through this practice. There are also those who seek to gain enlightenment from the practice of meditation.

Or perhaps you think that meditation is just something you should do for your health, like an exercise program or diet. Almost everyone who starts something new will have a vague sense of what this activity will do for them. However, if you don't know what you expect to gain, you most likely won't stick with meditating in the long run.

If you don't have clear goals, it can be hard to figure out where to begin. You can also become more easily discouraged when your results fall short of your expectations. The best thing to do is to start by identifying what you hope to achieve from practicing meditation. Learn as much as you can about the most effective techniques for reaching that goal. After that, just get going.

Theoretically, the practice of meditating is quite easy. I'ts really only sitting comfortably and concentrating on just one thought. But this is actually much more difficult than it sounds. You might not realize it, but your mind is always racing. And that makes it difficult to focus on only one thought at a time.

It's best, therefore, to start off slowly. Practice your breathing first. This is the heart of meditation. Sit comfortably and inhale and exhale deeply for several minutes. Regular breathing helps you become more focused, a necessary skill for a successful meditation experience.

If you catch yourself thinking about other things while meditating, focus again on your breathing. Meditating is really just about concentration. If you realize that you've gone off track, just gently guide yourself back to the right state of mind. Don’t get discouraged; learning to meditate takes time, so keep on practicing.

Meditation can help you achieve peace of mind. With all the problems we face daily at work, at home, and the world in general, it's important that you regularly experience a few minutes of peace.

# posted by NeilG @ 11:23 PM