We live in a stressful and competitive world that requires us to be constantly active and prepared to adapt to new developments and changes in the environment.
The lifestyle we lead, both in work and private life, can become hectic and cause stress, tension and the feeling of not achieving everything. We need to disconnect from time to time and focus on what is important, which is why practicing meditation and relaxation techniques is of great help.
In order to contribute to personal well-being in this article I have selected a dozen very useful meditation exercises in addition to indicating some of the benefits of these practices.
The term meditation refers to focusing attention on a specific element, whether internal like one’s own thought or external, in a state of deep concentration and reflection. It is popularly said that meditation aims to free the mind from its usual worries and emphasize the present. It is generally based on focusing completely on the now, focusing on aspects such as breathing, thinking or one’s own consciousness.
Meditation serves to serve help the individual connect with themselves, understand oneself and capture one’s own potential. It also allows us to observe reality more objectively, as well as the values and objectives that govern us.
The origins of this practice
The practice of meditation is native to India and typical of Buddhist and Hindu beliefs, having become popular in the West relatively recently. These practices can serve numerous purposes. Originally with a religious or mystical orientation, today meditation has even become part of the repertoire of techniques used in psychological therapy, especially in the form of Mindfulness.
Mindfulness as a technique is based focusing on the present moment and what is happening without trying to interpret it accepting both the positive and the negative, the renunciation of the attempt at control and the choice of objectives and values to work on.
The benefits of meditation are many: different studies show that it improves the ability to concentrate and memory, allows physical and mental relaxation as well as better stress management and even has a beneficial effect on a medical level by stimulating the immune system.
It has also been shown that helps improve mood, combating mild depression and anxiety, as well as reducing blood pressure and the possibility of suffering from cardiovascular disorders. Finally, it has also been shown to be useful in improving the quantity and quality of sleep.
A dozen meditation exercises
There is a wide variety of meditation exercises that can be carried out. Some of them are performed statically (this being the most well-known and traditional type of meditation) while others require movement.
Of the same, some focus more on living in the moment while others emphasize the idea of self-provoking sensations through elements such as visualization Below we leave you with 12 exercises that you can do comfortably in various situations and that will allow you to meditate by focusing your attention on various aspects.
1. Empty your mind
It is a meditation focused solely on breathing. With his eyes half-open the subject focuses on one’s own breathing without trying to control it, focusing on the sensation of the air entering and leaving. The individual will try to focus solely on it. Different types of thinking can arise, but you should not try to block them but simply not follow them.
Over time the individual will be able to concentrate on breathing and ignore the rest of the thoughts, so that he will be able to obtain feelings of calm, tranquility and placidity
2. Countdown
Although this technique may seem very simple, it is very useful to improve concentration. With eyes closed and in a relaxed position A countdown is made slowly, from high numbers (fifty or even one hundred) to zero. It is about concentrating your mind on a specific element so that the rest of the stimuli fade away.
3. Body Scan
This technique is based on a detailed review of the different regions of the body, paying attention to the sensations perceived in each of them. It is recommended to find a comfortable position that allows relaxation of the body, Sitting on the floor with your back straight and legs bent with each foot on top of the thigh of the other leg (in what is known as the lotus position). Once in this position you should close your eyes and leave your mind blank.
In this state, you will proceed little by little to go through the different muscle groups with your mind, paying attention to the sensations that come from them. Is about focus on what your own body tells us, while we connect better with it and observe ourselves accepting the information that comes from it without judging it. Generally it proceeds to go up from the toes to the head.
4. The Mindful Pause
A quick exercise proposed by Dr. Ryan Niemiec, which can be done anywhere. This exercise is based on concentrating on breathing for between fifteen and thirty seconds, focusing our attention solely on this process. It should be inhaled and exhaled deeply.
Once concentrated, the attention directed towards breathing will be directed to asking ourselves which of our own strengths can be applied to the situation we are experiencing. Thus we can help ourselves make decisions and deal with stressful situations
5. Observation in dynamic meditation
This exercise is based on observation and contemplation of what we are able to observe. First of all, we find a comfortable position in which we can relax, to close our eyes for a few minutes, focused on breathing. Once this is done, we open our eyes and take a brief look at what is happening around us.
He closes his eyes again and reflects on what has been seen, what different stimuli we have perceived surrounding us (for example a dog, a roommate getting ready to go to work, an open window through which a tree can be seen…). Once the stimuli are listed, there is silence for a few minutes.
Once this is done, we proceed to open our eyes again and take a second, more detailed look at what surrounds us. The eyes are closed again and a new list of the observed elements is made. Both lists are mentally compared to reflect on the differences between what has been observed first and what has been seen with a second, longer observation.
6. Meditation in motion
Although meditation has traditionally been seen as something to be done statically, it is possible to meditate while moving (although it can be more difficult to concentrate).
It is recommended that it be in contact with nature, like in a field or on the beach. It involves taking walks while the person focuses on the sensations they are feeling at that moment, such as the heat of the sun, the breeze, the touch of the water if it rains or is near the sea, the salinity of the water or the touch of the stones. plants, the movement of one’s own muscles or the emotions they awaken.
7. Visualization
This exercise is based on the visualization of objectives and their assessment through meditation. The subject can do it sitting, lying down or even standing. With the eyes closed and with attention focused on breathing, the definition of an objective or goal to pursue is proposed.
Next, the subject will gradually pose if you really consider the objective desirable to then assess whether reaching it would produce well-being, if the benefits to be achieved exceed the costs and difficulties and if there are the means to achieve it, to finally reconsider whether the objective is still desirable.
If the result is positive, the will and effort to achieve it will be strengthened while the person feels their goal is valid, while otherwise effort can be redirected towards achieving new goals
8. Meditation with fire
Fire has been used as a symbolic element and as a focal point in different meditation techniques. One of the techniques is based on focusing attention on a candle flame, in a comfortable position while controlling breathing and sensations such as heat and luminosity are noted that contribute.
You can also make a list of positive things to achieve or maintain and negative things to get rid of, concentrating on the negative ones and the feelings they provoke and handing them over to the fire to watch them catch on fire and char and then focus on the positive ones (which are not burned) under the protection of heat and light.
9. Meditation in the water
This technique is based on the use of water and can be done while bathing in a bathtub or pool. It involves focusing our attention on the relationship between our own body and the water while we focus on breathing, noticing the sensations it provokes and the limits between the submerged part of the body and the part that is outside.
You can try visualize how water takes away tension and bad feelings You can also work with the surface of the water, seeing how our movements leave their mark in the form of waves and focusing on the perception of the environment beyond the body.
10. Static meditation: The mind as a canvas
You begin the exercise by closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing, trying to imagine your mind as a blank canvas. Once this is done, the person must choose one of the spontaneous thoughts or images that arise and must mentally throw it onto said canvas.
From there we will proceed to try to reflect on why this thought has appeared, its origin and its usefulness and what sensations it provokes. Once this is done, the person can try to give life to the image, mentally incorporating movement and even projecting themselves into it to analyze it.
Although it has been proposed as something to be done mentally, given that art is an important element that can be used to reflect, it may be useful if instead of doing it mentally the subject goes on to make a graphic representation on a real canvas. Other forms of art and expression also work like writing, sculpture or music.
11. Yoga and tai chi
Although both are disciplines in themselves with their differential characteristics, both yoga and tai chi can be used as a form of meditation through the performance of various movements. Visualization is also important.
For example, you can imagine projecting an orb of energy towards the outside of our body, giving it a sensation of heat and weight and performing different manipulation exercises with it such as rotating it, passing it over the head and around the torso and sliding it for the arms and legs. This orb is going to be the element on which we focus our attention and can represent our physical energy or a quality that is our own or desired by us.
12. Metta bhavana meditation
This type of meditation focuses on cultivating love and positive emotions
First, the user must sit down and pay attention to the body, relaxing each muscle as best as possible. Once this is done, you must focus on the emotional sensations, focusing your attention on the heart and trying to discern the emotions that are felt at that moment. It is necessary to accept them, whether positive or negative. It is recommended to try to smile while doing so in order to observe possible changes in the emotions felt.
After this, we try to attract positive emotions To do this we can use mantras or phrases that bring us feelings of peace, love or positivity, or the imagination.
This exercise is carried out by thinking first of oneself, then of a friend, then of a person whom we do not value as good or bad, then of someone with whom we have conflicts and finally of all living beings. Is about identify the sensations and try to promote good ones, still accepting and not judging or limiting the bad ones. After that, he gradually returns to the outside world.
I’m Emily Williams Jones, a psychologist specializing in mental health with a focus on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness. With a Ph.D. in Psychology, my career has spanned research, clinical practice and private counseling. I’m dedicated to helping individuals overcome anxiety, depression and trauma by offering a personalized, evidence-based approach that combines the latest research with compassionate care.
