What comes to mind when you hear the word meditation? Eastern monks chanting mystical syllables? New Age music? Yoga poses? Those may be what comes immediately to mind, but meditation is a common practice in many other religious traditions and modern lifestyles.
Meditation is simply focused mindfulness. It can be as mystical or non-mystical as you wish.
Some benefits of meditation
Many studies have been done to assess the wellness benefits of regularly practicing meditation. Here are some of them:
- Reduces stress and stress-related conditions
- Improves memory and mental clarity
- Increases attention span and focus
- Enhances willpower
- Improves sleep quality
- Helps control pain
- Increases positive feelings and compassion for self and others
Meditation isn’t a magic bullet that will fix these problems right away. The benefits come with regular practice. Making meditation a consistent part of your lifestyle has been shown to help in these areas.
That’s a pretty good list of reasons for giving meditation a try.
Basic Elements
The goal of mediation is to quiet your mind and concentrate on something (The something varies with the type of mediation you are practicing.) Therefore the more you can eliminate distractions, the better.
- Choose a quiet location free of distractions. Most of us can’t find a totally distraction-free place, but we can do our best to separate ourselves from those things that most distract us. That might mean going somewhere other than your home, where family members and chores aren’t vying for your attention. Or it may mean selecting a special place in your house where you can shut out the world for a few minutes.
- Find a comfortable position. There is no “right” position for meditation. Sit, stand, walk, lie down. Find a position that you can comfortably maintain. Experiment with several positions to see if one helps you concentrate more than others. A unique position may help your brain stay focused better than your usual sitting position.
- Select a focus for your attention. In order to focus, there needs to be an object or sensation to focus on. Possibilities include: a word or phrase, a Bible verse, breathing, an object such as beads, a physical sensation, or a visualization.
- Keep an open attitude. Distractions will come, both external and internal. When they come, don’t engage them. And don’t kick yourself for losing focus. Just gently return to your focus whenever you notice your attention has wandered. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at staying focused. If you’re beginner, you may be surprised how difficult it is to keep your mind from wandering. That’s OK. Keep trying. Like any discipline, it takes work.
- Use supportive accompaniments. You might choose to employ music, candles, aromatherapy, a guided video, or other objects to help you relax and focus.
Types of Meditation
There are many variations of meditation. Some lean towards the mystical, while others are more about mindfulness and noticing your own body. This Healthline article has a helpful explanation of various types. Whatever type you choose, there are an abundance of videos, scripts, and how-to articles to assist you as you practice.
Some Non-Mystical Meditation Options for Beginners
One of the main things that differentiates the various types is the goal. In some eastern traditions, the goal is to empty the mind completely. The goal for meditation found in the Bible is quite different. Christians are exhorted to meditate on God or his word, to renew the mind rather than empty it. Some modern versions of meditation are aimed primarily at relaxing or reducing pain.
Here are a few to try
- Positive Affirmation. Instead of chanting a mystical mantra, focus on a short phrase of scripture or a short statement of positive truth, such as I am worthy of love, or I am saved through grace. Repeat the phrase audibly or mentally, but also ponder what the phrase means. How does it make you feel? What are the implications? Give your thoughts room to react to the truth from any angle, and notice them without judging them.
- Visualization The goal of this type is to imagine positive images in your head to help you relax and center your thoughts. While some guided meditations of this type will lead you to imagine mystical scenes, you can also choose to visualize real places that inspire you or make you feel safe and whole.
- Progressive relaxation. Do you sometimes realize that you’ve been tensing the muscles in your leg or clenching your jaw without noticing? We often don’t pay much attention to the sensations of our body. The goal of this type of meditation is to notice the sensations in your body, and release tension, often by contracting and then relaxing one body part after another.
- Movement meditation. Some mindfulness practices include movement, such as yoga or tai chi. Other slow, mindful activities such as gardening could be used for meditation, too. Like any other type of meditation, you can find more mystical versions and non-mystical versions. If you’re looking for a Christian version of yoga, check out this blog post by Susan Neal about Scripture Yoga.
Final Thoughts
Meditation has become quite popular because is helps counteract the stress and busyness of our modern world. When was the last time you intentionally stilled your thoughts and focused inward on something simple like breathing or a single line of scripture? Why not give meditation a try this week? It may be just what you need to release tension, still rampaging thoughts, and get back in touch with the inner you.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
Philippians 4:8 NKJV
