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Types of meditation - finally bring body and mind back into harmony

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Types of meditation - finally bring body and mind back into harmony

Here a meeting, there an important appointment. Later, there's a business dinner to attend and, of course, the family shouldn't be neglected either. Yes, sometimes everyday life can be quite stressful. In such times you demand a lot from yourself - both physically and mentally. Various types of meditation give you a break and help you find your way back to the here and now. You bring yourself and your thoughts back into harmony and can gather new strength for all the challenges that life has to offer.

What is meditation?

The term "Meditation" is derived from the Latin word "meditari" and translated means "to reflect, to think about, to reflect on something". This is exactly what meditation is about: you reflect on yourself, your thoughts, your inner peace and your own well-being. 

You also embark on a search for your inner center and, if you allow yourself to do so, you will find yourself in an attentive yet relaxed state.

The goal is for you to withdraw for a while from all the hustle and bustle of your everyday life and all the stimuli that are pelting at you from outside. You simply perceive the here and now and block out everything else for a moment.

Types of meditation: What are the benefits of meditating?

Meditation is at least as old as the oldest known written records - at least 4,000 years! Naturally, scientists wanted to learn more about it and began to get to the bottom of the subject in more detail in the 1950s. Thanks to broad-based studies and observations using EEG and fMRI, it quickly became clear that if you meditate regularly, you'll reap a number of health benefits, both mental and physical. We present you the seven top benefits!

why meditate

1. less stress

Different types of meditation help you manage stress better. They help balance your nervous system and can also help maintain or restore hormonal balance. You can even reduce inflammatory reactions in your body that are triggered by stress.

2. improvement in anxiety disorders

A lower stress level in many cases leads to the fact that also Fears increasingly fading into the background. Also the symptoms of mental illness such as paranoia, Panic attacks as well as obsessive-compulsive disorders can decrease thanks to regular meditation.

3. increase of cognitive abilities

Surely you know this: After the Sports you have sore muscles and you first need some regeneration time. After that you return with a lot of more energy back into the training and can still top your performance from the last time. It works similarly with your brain. Just like your muscles, it needs rest periods, and you can give it these during various types of meditation. This will benefit your attention, your Memory and even the speed of your thinking.

4. stronger feeling of happiness with many types of meditation

"Everyone is the architect of his own happiness" - according to studies, this is possible directly in the brain! The so-called precuneus area is particularly relevant here. The larger it is, the happier and more optimistic you go through your life. With many types of meditation you can manage to let this area grow. So you have the chance to actively fill your life with happiness.

5. more restful sleep

That Sleep is incredibly important for health is no secret. You can certainly feel it yourself. After a short or very restless night, you usually feel completely limp and can hardly concentrate. Often it is thoughts that keep you awake and cause confused dreams. If you meditate regularly, you can sort them out and calm your mind. You come to rest earlier and finally sleep restfully again.

6. reduced sensation of pain

Large-scale studies show that people who meditate frequently are able to cope better with pain and perceive it as less intense. Even with chronic pain, regular meditation can pay off! Why it works. Because both physical and mental pain are processed in the same area of the brain. The more relaxed your mind and the more stable your psyche are, the less intensely you perceive physical pain.

7. reduced risk of heart disease

When you're under a lot of stress, your blood pressure can skyrocket, perhaps even more often than is healthy. If this develops into true hypertension, your risk of later suffering from heart disease or even a heart attack increases. Various types of meditation can significantly reduce the likelihood of this happening. The reason for this is simply the relaxing effect they have on you if you manage to fully engage in them.

when is the best time to meditate

When should I meditate?

Basically, you can meditate whenever you want. However, there are a few situations where you can get the most out of the different types of meditation. Which one is right for you depends on your preferences, of course, but also on your daily routine.

In the morning after getting up

There are people who are completely stressed out right after waking up. The first thought revolves around unpleasant tasks at work, aches and pains that are normally hardly worth mentioning, or simply the lack of motivation to get back to work. Start daythat will happen just like any other. Do you feel the same way?

Then the best time for you to meditate is right after you get up. Do negative thoughts catch you when you open your eyes for the first time? Then meditate right in bed. This way you take away the chance of them getting into your head in the first place and spoiling your day already at dawn. Passive types of meditation, in which you sit or lie down, are often the right choice here.

Before you leave the house

Are you still unable to focus immediately after waking up or do you have FearDo you find yourself falling asleep during meditation? Then get up first and go about your morning routine. Meditating may be the last thing on your list before you head off to work. This will prepare you mentally for the day you will start immediately afterwards. This will give you strength and motivation.

After hours

You finally get home from work and want to relax, but still you can't stop thinking about all the stress you had today. Your thoughts are even circling around tomorrow. This drives your stress level higher and higher, until at some point you just can't take it anymore.

But it shouldn't come to that! So ring in your well-earned evening with a meditation. You'll be able to organize your thoughts and enjoy the rest of the day in a much more relaxed way. If you sit a lot at work, active types of meditation are a particularly good choice.

Before sleep

It takes you forever to get to rest and you're constantly dreaming the wildest things? Then, of course, your sleep is anything but restful. During the night, your brain sorts through all the impressions you've gathered during the day, which can sometimes be quite a lot. Of course, the quality of your sleep suffers as a result.

So offer your grey cells some support and give them time beforehand to put order into the Mayhem with a meditation right before you go to sleep! A great side effect: You reflect on yourself and your body also relaxes. This creates the perfect conditions for a quiet night in which you can regenerate properly.

The 10 most popular types of meditation

Not all meditation is the same. There are many ways in which you can find your center and ensure mental and physical relaxation. And that's what makes meditation so attractive: there's a form for everyone, so you're guaranteed to reap all the benefits it can offer!

1. breathing meditation

Probably the best known form is breath meditation. Therefore, it is also one of the most frequently performed types of meditation. Surely you have already followed it a few times quite unconsciously and closed your eyes in a stressful situation, breathed deeply a few times and remembered the here and now. You have already done almost everything right! It is important that you concentrate on your breath and thus direct the focus to your inner self.

2. mantra meditation

Mantra meditation is especially popular with beginners who still have problems focusing. Here you focus on your personal mantra, which of course should be formulated positively. Great examples are: "I ..."

  • I'm strong.
  • feel valuable.
  • can do anything.
  • am healthy and happy.

The goal is for this mantra to manifest in your subconscious mind, giving you new strength every day.

3. chakra meditation

According to the Indian art of healing, the human body is permeated by various chakras. These are energy centers that all perform different tasks. Together they ensure that the flow of energy is never interrupted. If one of these Chakras However, if the chakra is blocked, it has a negative effect on your well-being. With the help of chakra meditation you can remove these blockages and the energy can flow freely through you again.

4. zazen

This type of meditation goes back to Zen Buddhism. It involves actively noticing your body and mind and observing what is going on inside you. The overall goal that Zen Buddhists pursue is to penetrate to the true self and to finally reach the fullness of the self. Self-awareness to arrive.

5. metta

Metta also comes from Buddhism. To be precise, the Metta Sutta is a discourse by the Buddha himself. It's all about kindness, friendship, and love. During meditation, you send these things first to yourself, then to your closest confidants, and finally out into the world.

6. singing bowl meditation

Certain sounds have a particularly relaxing effect on the mind. And that's exactly what you take advantage of in singing bowl meditation. The bowls produce harmonic vibrations that penetrate your body and put you in a relaxed state particularly quickly. They are even said to have a healing effect.

7. walking meditation

Have you ever actively paid attention to your steps while walking, focusing only on them? Congratulations, that was walking meditation! The main point here is to give your mind a little time out by turning away from your carousel of thoughts and focusing only on your movements.

8. yoga

Yes, yoga is indeed one of the types of meditation! The combination of physical activity and attentive breathing fully engages your concentration. Meanwhile, your muddled thoughts take a break. In addition, yoga helps you become more aware of your own body. You can recognize your needs much faster and ensure harmony within yourself before it is completely destroyed.

9. kundalani yoga

This special form of yoga combines dynamic movement sequences, mantras, chants and breathing exercises. Similar to chakra meditation, everything here revolves around releasing blockages and freeing energies.

10. qi gong

Unlike yoga, qigong always keeps you moving. The Chinese form of meditation requires not only a great deal of body control, but also the ability to concentrate. It gets your life energy - Qi - flowing and Yin and Yang finally come back into balance.

How do I find the right types of meditation for me?

There are simply no specific types of meditation that are perfect for everyone. Which one is right for you depends entirely on your personal Needs off. If you find it difficult to sit still and focus, then active meditations are the right choice. If the opposite is true and physical activity only increases your tension, then focus on passive meditations.

The perfect time of day also depends on how you feel. If your first thought after getting up is already negative, then start the day with a meditation. If you find it difficult to fall asleep in the evening, then the right time is directly before going to bed.

Of course, you don't have to commit yourself. You choose the types of meditation that you currently feel like doing and do them whenever you feel the need. Meditating should never become a compulsion, otherwise you won't be able to switch off and all the valuable benefits will pass you by. Listen to your inner self and trust in your Feeling! Then you will find among all the types of meditation the variant from which you can currently benefit the most.

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Reviewed by Dr. med. Stefan Frädrich

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