Does Meditation actually work?

Meditation is perceived as closing our eyes and focusing on the rhythmic patterns of our breathing. But meditation is much more than that. It is a vital session for a great standard of living. The concept of meditation expands no matter how much you learn about it. As for the original question, yes, meditation does work, albeit slowly and magically! However, it is not sorcery; it is simply a practice that you can become accustomed to if you are willing to do so. Here's a brief but comprehensive list of the health benefits of meditation :

 

  1. It leads to relaxation of your body and mind
  2. It heightens your sense of awareness and focus
  3. It results in a better productive brain
  4. It stimulates our brain cells
  5. It revitalises our entire body for improved performance. 
  6. It helps in improving various cognitive conditions
  7. It prevents decline of mental health
  8. It teaches us the art of proper and better breathing
  9. It lessens the risk of various serious ailments and for those who have, it helps in managing it
  10. It boosts various good chemicals for reducing cortisol levels and increasing positivity
  11. It aids in dealing with depression 
  12. It helps in finding in your individualistic identity and achieving your goals
  13. It balances our chakra
  14. It refines our self-image
  15. When meditation and exercise are combined, it results in an amazing transformation in your lifestyle.

Meditation, as demonstrated above, is beneficial and effective in many aspects of our lives. It also improves our cognitive abilities, physical functions, and internal organs. All of these advantages are obtained through the simple act of concentration and breathing! But did you know that there are numerous types of meditation that are tailored to your specific needs? Even if you didn't know, here you go! 

 

  1. Mindfulness Meditation  

Mindfulness meditation, true to its name, is the act of being mindful and having knowledge of the things happening around you. It’s just the phase of observing things - be it your thoughts, actions, feelings. The main task would be to stay in the present moment, not accepting or rejecting any thoughts…just acknowledging their presence and moving on. This is the most common form of meditation due to the fact that it can be done at any place, anytime. You can perform it in groups in meditation centres or in the comfort of your room. It can be performed while doing any task or when you are doing nothing. Thus it is flexible and efficient enough to try. There are some great benefits that might catch your attention:

·  Better performance at task given

·  Less disturbance

·  You manage every situation with thoughtful action 

·  Improves your emotional intelligence

·  Better utilisation of mind and achieving goals

  1. Transcendental Meditation 

This form of meditation is a bit different from mindfulness in the sense it involves no practice or emphasis on concentration. It involves chanting a mantra which could be any sound, word or phrase for the span of 15-20 minutes. The whole focus needs to be on that particular mantra and entering a zone of relaxation and calmness. This happens as our attention shifts to that one mantra and our brain gets rest. The aim of this dhyana is to give our thinking system needed rest.   

  1. Movement Meditation

This form of meditation has a lot in common with mindfulness meditation except with physical movements. Movement meditation involves being mindful of your body and using it to relax our mind. This movement can be done with the activity of walking, dancing, qi gong, tai chi, caring for your pets, using imagination to stretch our body and feel the calm that comes with it to name a few. This meditation is suitable for those who can’t stay still and feel calm. Moving around and feeling the inner calm is the critical characteristic of movement meditation. 

  1. Progressive Meditation

Progressive meditation is one of a kind meditation which helps us gain the knowledge of the distinction between stress and relaxation of our body. It involves putting a part of our body in tension or tightening it slowly for a specific duration and then releasing it to feel the relaxation/contraction that comes with it. For example, we use our neck. We will stretch our neck to look up as long as we can without putting extra strain and then looking down to feel the muscles relaxing. This form of meditation is very useful for calmness, getting relief from the tension that builds up after a hectic day as well as inducing sleep in those experiencing insomnia. There’s no sure way to undergo progressive-muscle relaxation meditation, you can keep learning and find your way through it.

  1. Guided Meditation

This form of meditation usually consists of a professional training you in the act of meditating. Sometimes it could be a recorded session that helps you meditate and focus in the right way. It could be a video, app, podcast or tape recording. Guided meditation is good for those who are beginners or who love guidance in meditation.