The Basics of Meditation for Super Charging Your Best Self

Last week, I mentioned meditation as a great way to clear your mind for the day. Right after I posted that, I went on a four day meditation retreat, and I learned a few things that I want to share as well as some additional content. If you haven’t meditated before or really looked into the topic, you may think meditation is reserved for Buddhist monks on top of a mountain somewhere, but there is more to it than that. Meditation is being used more and more every day by people from all walks of life to:

1. Reduce stress
2. Clear their minds of distractions
3. Improve concentration
4. Slow aging
5. Improve cardiovascular and immune health
6. Increase self awareness and happiness

So, if you are interested in these types of results in your life, let’s dive in and learn a bit more.

Meditation Methods

The confusing thing about meditation when you are first getting going is that there is not one way to do it. There are different methods and traditions from both the East and the West. The two basic methods of meditation are Focused Attention and Open Monitoring. Focused Attention methods are the deliberate focus on an object, your breath, an image, or words in order to clear the mind of all other thoughts. Open Monitoring methods are non-reactive monitoring of whatever is flowing through the mind and is generally referred to as mindfulness meditation. Personally, I’m more interested in Opening Monitoring methods in order to connect with thoughts beyond my own; i.e. listening to whatever God, source, universe (fill in the blank for yourself) is telling me.

Meditation Roots and Evolution

Meditation has grown out of religious traditions all over the world including Eastern religions such as Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Taoism as well as Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. In the contemporary era, meditation from these traditions is taking on new forms and is also being used by the military as well as business to increase human potential. Here is a link to a  Wiki article that will provide you with more information than you probably want on the topic of meditation.

Where do you start?

Unfortunately, there are so many different forms, methods, traditions, and programs out there on meditation, I don’t have a solid recommendation on where to start if you are interested in getting going with meditation. However, in addition to the Wiki article, there are a few apps you can check out for more information including Insight Timer,  Headspace and Mindfulness. Because we all slightly have different backgrounds, world views, and learning modalities, you’ll want to explore the various options available and find what works best for you.

Floating to Enhance Meditation

After you have become comfortable with mediation and you are looking to take it to the next level, then you might want to give “floating” a try. The core idea behind floating is sensory deprivation to accelerate an enhance your meditation experience, and it is currently exploding across the United States with new ”float spas” opening up every week. The water is body temperature and is filled with 1000 pounds of Epsom salts which allows you to completely relax every muscle in your body as you float effortlessly on the surface. Then, when you turn off the lights and close the float pod, you’ve eliminated sight, sound, smell, and almost all touch. I partook of my first float this past weekend, and at one point I really felt like I could NOT feel my body. It is awesome! I trust you will check it out when the time is right.

Why I do Meditation

In addition, to all of the physical, mental and spiritual health benefits that meditation provides, my main drive in pursuing meditation is that I see it as a tool for becoming a better version of myself. When I choose the time for meditation, I always end up having a more powerful day, and I almost always come away from meditation with more insight on improving my BEINGNESS. To quote my coach, “Deep inside of us, we are all being guided to remember who we really are and why we are here on the planet.” This sums up beautifully why I choose to meditate.

Please leave a comment, and let me know your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with meditation, and have a great week!