Meditation Guide: Benefits and Tips to Help You Begin Your Practice

Meditation is an age-old practice of introspection that increases self-awareness and cultivates connection to a higher consciousness. You might already have a mental picture of what meditation “should” look like. But, you don’t have to resemble the Buddha sitting on a lotus blossom to successfully practice meditation. In reality, it is a highly adaptable and diverse practice. Here we’ll take a look at some meditation tips and benefits to help you get started with your own practice. Table of Contents What is Meditation? Meditation, simply put, is a practice of fixing your attention on a single point. You can also think of it as “awareness training” for your mind. The goal of any meditation practice however can vary greatly depending on each individual’s needs and desires. Originally, meditation served the purpose of gaining deeper insight and connection to the divine, mystical forces of life. In a recent study , the CDC describes meditation as “the act of engaging in mental exercise to reach a heightened level of spiritual awareness or mindfulness.” Many people recognize meditation as a useful tool for reducing stress and promoting positive emotions. Origins The first record of humans practicing meditation comes from wall art in the Indus Valley around 3,500-5,000 BC. The drawings depict images of people sitting in cross-legged positions with narrowed gazes – a familiar and recognizable posture for meditation. Written records of meditation date back to 1500 BCE, in the Vedic texts of India. These texts mention “ dhyana” (the Sanskrit word for “meditation”) as the 7th limb of yoga. Other writings from the 3rd-6th centuries BCE describe the meditative practices of Doaist philosopher Lao-Tze in China. Many people associate meditation with Buddhism. Siddhartha Guatama, the original Buddha, spread his teachings of enlightenment throughout India during the 6th century BCE. With him, […]

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