Do you think meditation would be good for you, but are a bit undecided because you have heard you need to completely empty your mind from any kind of thought?
You are not alone. According to Emily Fletcher, who is the founder of Ziva Meditation, most people judge themselves on how good they are at meditation based on if they’re able to command their minds to be silent.
Contrary to popular belief though, meditation doesn’t always mean sitting cross-legged with your eyes closed. In fact, most people are unaware that you can practice meditation anytime and anywhere.
From mindfulness to creative visualization and positive affirmations, we are all more susceptible to autosuggestion when we are in the Alpha level of consciousness – in a relaxed state of mind.
How do we choose the right meditation, though?
Thoughts are not the enemy of meditation
Even if you find yourself too busy, if you believe that you can’t focus or if you have already tried to meditate but gave up because of your mind chatter, be aware that it is a skill and it’s possible for you too.
Meditation is typically associated with stillness, yet movement can also offer a path to contemplation and insights. Who would’ve thought that putting movement and thoughts together can actually make you achieve a meditative state, right? Yet, that’s exactly what can happen.
This is the beauty of meditation. You can make the practice perfectly suited to you and your personal needs.
Moving Meditations
If you get uncomfortable with the idea of sitting still, there are also some moving meditations you can try, such as tai chi, dance meditation, and walking meditation. For those who are new to the practice, moving meditations can be less intimidating and more exciting.
From this group, my favorite one is walking meditation, also known as “Kinhin” in Zen traditions.
It is a simple practice and you can use it to calm the mind, shake off worries, and become more aware of your body. In walking meditation, practitioners move slowly, continuously, and deliberately while focusing on the here and now. Look around, observe nature, feel the moment you are in, be aware of the smells, and pay attention to your feelings.
For walking meditation, you should put emphasis on good posture, take deep breaths, and if possible walk barefoot.
Chakra meditation
The chakras are energetic centers located throughout the body. We have seven major chakras, which are known as the root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third-eye, and crown chakras. Each chakra is located in a different part of the body, and each is associated with a different corresponding color and energetic purpose.
From the practice of yoga, chakra meditation can be greatly effective when focusing on different areas in the physical and emotional body. Many people use sounds, mantras, hand positioning, and visualization techniques to help connect, balance, or heal a body issue that needs their energetic attention.
Creative visualization
Visualization happens to be my favorite kind of meditation!
It is one of the most powerful exercises for life-changing experiences.
I know that not everyone can simply close their eyes and picture the perfect image of whatever they are trying to feel or accomplish. Sometimes worries, thoughts, and overthinking get in the way.
That’s why guided meditations are the perfect fit for the ones that have some trouble quieting the mind. What triggers me (in a good way) might not trigger someone else and that is all right.
This is exactly why I share here some of my favorite guided meditations so that you can choose the one that suits you best. You can use them to feel calm, to bring more clarity to your days, or even as a tool of manifestation as I do.
The important thing to keep in mind here is that, while you are being guided by the voice in the audio, you really focus on the situation they are describing and truly feel the feeling. The more relaxed and focused on the situation the better the result you get.
I am really curious to know which meditation method you will choose and as soon as you give it a try, please share here your thoughts on them and how you felt after practicing it.
