Meditation is known to be quite beneficial for your health. Basically, it helps you relax your mind and body promoting better health in all types of aspects. It can prevent and even heal more serious illnesses and health issues, such as unhealthy blood pressure and heart disease. There is even research showing meditation may be helpful for the body to fight off cancer.
The following are a few different types of meditation you can choose from:
Mindfulness meditation
This type of meditation is aimed at bringing you back to the present and being in touch with what you are sensing and feeling in the moment. It is common for mindfulness meditation practice to focus attention on your breath.
Visualization
Another method of meditation is visualization. This technique has the practitioner conjure mental images of locations and situations you find relaxing. Usually, visualization techniques will have you include as many different senses as possible. Therefore, along with sight, you will want to think about the touch, taste, and smell of what it is you are visualizing during your meditation practice. Many times, a teacher, monk, or guru will lead the visualization meditation session.
Mantra meditation
This meditation technique has you repeating to yourself silently a word or phrase. The objective is to keep distracting thoughts under control so you can fully experience the present moment of life.
Qi Gong
Combining meditation with physical movements and breathing exercises, Qi Gong is a modality utilized in traditional Chinese medicine. Qi Gong is designed to restore you physically and mentally while bringing forth a sense of balance.
Tai Chi
The movements of Tai Chi, a soft style of Chinese martial arts, are performed slowly and smoothly with close attention to your breath. This focus on your slow movements and breathing relaxes your mind. Tai Chi is, in a way, a type of mindfulness practice.
Yoga
Yoga is similar to Qi Gong and Tai Chi in that it includes slow and mindful physical movements with close attention to how you breathe. This meditative practice originated in India thousands of years ago. Yoga practitioners move through numerous different poses improving flexibility and balance. This is a great way to unwind from a long day at work and allow yourself to be completely present.
Transcendental meditation
Practitioners of transcendental meditation will silently repeat a mantra, specific word, or phrase in a particular way. The objective is to allow your body to relax in order to achieve a sense of internal peace. There is no concentration required in transcendental meditation.
Regular practice is best for improving health
Although meditation is relatively easy for most people, it simply will not work if you only do it occasionally. It is consistent practice over longer periods of time which allows people to really gain the health benefits meditation practice offers. Eventually, if you stick with it, you may notice improvements to your mental and physical health. Meditation can even help you to live longer.