meditation tips Archives - NURTURE YOUR SPIRIT

7 Best Types of Meditation: Which is Best For You?

March 26, 2023

Take the free meditation quiz at the end to see what type of meditation is best for you You’ve heard it before, “you should try meditation, it’s so helpful!” and it’s true, meditation has so many wonderful benefits. But because there are so many different types of meditation out there it can begin to feel overwhelming and difficult to know where to start. Today we’re going to discuss the seven best types of meditation that can help you reduce stress, nurture your spirit and enhance your overall well-being. Today we’re going to cover these 7 types of meditation: The 7 Main Types of Meditation 1. Mindfulness Meditation Best for: Beginners The first type of meditation on our list is Mindfulness Meditation, which is all about being present in the moment. Mindfulness Meditation is based in non-judgmental observation. Mindfulness is simply observing any and all sensations, thoughts, and emotions that arise and disappear. By practicing mindfulness you can start to create space between the noise in your life and what’s real in the present moment. This usually involves observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment, and learning to focus on the present rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Mindfulness meditation is a great first meditation to do or learn because it is the basis of so many other meditations including those on this list. 2. Loving-Kindness Meditation Best for: Starting your day Loving-Kindness Meditation (aka Metta Meditation) is another powerful meditation that can help cultivate compassion and kindness in yourself and others. Metta meditation consists of connecting with your inner compassion and bestowing love onto yourself and those around you unconditionally. Metta meditation involves sending positive affirmations and wishes to yourself, your loved ones, and even to people who have hurt you in the past. This type of meditation can be particularly powerful and may be good for the beginning of the day to start it off with a loving mindset. Loving-kindness meditation is also a great and easy guided meditation to find online. 3. Transcendental Meditation Best for: Quieting the mind quickly Transcendental Meditation is a mantra-based meditation that involves repeating a specific sound or phrase to quiet the mind and achieve a state of deep relaxation. Some types of transcendental meditation include simply listening to a continuous sound rather than creating a sound. Either way, transcendental meditation is meant to focus your mind on a single thing (often times a sound or mantra) to help ground you in this moment and get you out of your head. This practice has been shown to reduce anxiety, reduce stress, and boost overall brain function. > see my article “Struggling To Meditate? 7 Common Issues And Their Solutions” 4. Somatic Meditation Best for: End of the day Somatic meditation is a meditation with a focus on the body. This type of meditation ties in mindfulness practice, but in this case the focus is on bodily sensations and relaxing the body. This is a great mediation to do at night as it releases the stress stored in your body from the day. Somatic meditation can be a powerful body relaxer. As the body relaxes and releases tension so too does the mind. Though this meditation begins in the body, it can be an incredibly great tool to relax and unwind your mind. There are a few different subtypes of somatic meditation such as: 5. Vipassana Meditation Best for: Spiritual seekers Vipassana Meditation is a Buddhist practice that originated in India. Vipassana involves observing your thoughts, sensations, and emotions with a non-judgmental attitude. The purpose of this type of meditation is to help you see reality as it truly is. This type of meditation can help you gain insight into the nature of reality and reduce suffering by developing a greater awareness and understanding of yourself and the world. This is a particularly powerful meditative technique for those seeking spiritual awakening or spiritual enlightenment. Vipassana has been known to give it’s practitioners countless insights and help deepen their spiritual practice. > see my article “20 Signs Of Spiritual Awakening & How To Know You’re Waking Up” 6. Yoga Meditation Best for: People who struggle to sit still Yoga Meditation combines physical postures with breathwork and meditation to achieve a state of relaxation and inner peace. This type of meditation not only benefits your physical health but also helps you connect with your inner self and cultivate mindfulness. Mindful yoga practice is perfect for people who don’t like traditional meditation. People who struggle with sitting still or focusing their mind can find yoga practice to be a great alternative to nourish their spirit and relax. 7. Guided Meditation Best for: When you’re unmotivated Guided meditation is a much more passive type of meditation where someone else guides you through the process. Guided meditations can be very diverse in nature and are often another good option for beginners. The instructor or guide in the meditation reminds you to come back to your practice as our minds tend to wander by themselves. This is a perfect option for individuals who want to keep up their meditation habit but struggle to motivate themselves to meditate on their own. YouTube has thousands of free guided meditations, so you’ll never run out of quality guided meditations in any format. > see my articles “How To Lead A Great Guided Meditation” & “The 5 Best Meditation Teacher Training Certifications Of 2023” Conclusion So there you have it, the 7 best types of meditation that can help you reduce stress, nurture your spirit and enhance your overall well-being. I encourage you to try a couple of these out, as each one may not be for everyone. Try a few and see which resonates most with you and your lifestyle. Remember, the most important thing is to approach meditation with an open mind. If you find you like meditation, try to establish a meditation routine to build a habit of relaxing and nurturing your spirit for the

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Struggling To Meditate? 7 Common Issues And Their Solutions

February 25, 2023

Meditation is great right? Until you end up cross-legged on the floor stressing yourself out over not being able to focus. This can often leave you feeling frustrated, restless, or even doubtful during your meditation practice. Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Meditation can be a challenging practice, especially when you’re just starting out. There are a few common reasons why people struggle with meditation, and luckily, we have the solutions to help you overcome them. Today, we’re going to explore seven of the most common reasons why people struggle to meditate and give you some practical solutions to help deepen your practice and find more peace. 7 Common Meditation Struggles 1. “Am I doing it right?” You may be thinking that there is a right or wrong way to meditate. And if there is a right way to meditate, then you definitely don’t want to do it wrong! Thankfully, there is no right way to meditate. You may want to focus or clear your mind, but the truth is that meditative practice can be whatever you want it to be. In fact, there is even a meditation technique called the “do nothing technique” where you sit and let your mind wander to whatever it wants to think about. Try to leave all expectations of your meditation session at the door before you begin. Your expectations of what “ought” to be done in a meditation session may make you self-conscious and frustrated when you find your mind wandering. As long as you’re taking a few minutes to 2. You can’t stop thinking Many people think that meditation means that they have to clear their mind of all thoughts, and they must be doing it wrong if thoughts keep popping up. However, thoughts aren’t something to be afraid of or avoided in meditation. Instead of judging yourself when thoughts arise and trying to force them out, try accepting your thoughts and allowing them to pass through your mind. Meditation is about accepting the present moment fully and allowing all sensations, thoughts, and feelings to arise and pass away. Your only job is to notice everything that comes up. When a thought comes up just try to notice it, but don’t resist it. There is always another thought to be had, and trying to control them is just going to leave you feeling frustrated. When you start to allow your thoughts to come and go as they please without judgment, you can start to take a step back from them. 3. You feel bored Boredom is a very common problem during meditation. Sometimes it can feel like you’re just sitting there, doing nothing, and your mind starts to wander off to all the other things you could be doing. One of the best things you can do if you’re feeling bored during meditation is to approach your meditation practice with curiosity and openness to whatever arises. If there is boredom, just notice your boredom like you would any other emotion or thought. Just like you would notice any feelings of anxiety or sadness during meditation you can notice your boredom too. It is just another feeling after all. You can also experiment with different types of meditation, such as guided meditations or mantra meditations to help keep your mind engaged and focused. 4. Not feeling motivated to meditate Feeling unmotivated to meditate can be particularly frustrating for people trying to establish a meditation habit. It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and feel like you don’t have time to meditate or that it’s not worth the effort. If you don’t feel motivated to meditate, don’t beat yourself up, this is a very common problem. Remember why you got into meditation in the first place. Reestablish your “why”. Maybe you want to improve your focus, become more patient with loved ones, or release stress from your day. The benefits of meditation really are innumerable. If sitting down in unmoving silence just seems completely unappealing to you, you luckily have other options. The awesome thing about mindful practice is that you can apply it to just about any area of your life. Try mindfully making a meal. Pay close attention and focus your awareness on every vegetable chopped, the sound of the water boiling, or the taste of the delicious meal you just made. Another one of my favorite meditative mindfulness practices is going for a walk. Take a mindful walk and make an intention to be present and mindful of everything that you hear, see, and feel during it. 5. You can’t stay awake Sometimes meditation can leave you feeling so relaxed that you end up falling asleep! This happens more often than you think. The time of day that you meditate will affect how sleepy you are and the likelihood that you’ll fall asleep during your meditation. Some people will actually meditate at night on purpose to help them fall asleep, but if you’re not trying to fall asleep I’d recommend earlier in the day. Morning meditations can be a great way to start your day with a clear mind. Afternoon or midday meditations are also a great alternative to those sleepy nighttime meditations to help you take a break from your day. If you have trouble staying awake during a meditation make sure to check your posture. You’re much more likely to fall asleep if you’re meditating lying down. Try meditating in a chair or upright on the floor to stay alert and awake for the duration of your meditation. 6. Feeling frustrated or irritated Feeling irritation and frustration during meditation is very common. Whether it’s directed at yourself, the meditation or the environment around you frustration can keep you from relaxing and enjoying the benefits of mindfulness. Anger is a common emotion and like all other emotions that arise during meditative practice, we should begin to deal with it just by becoming aware of it. Notice your frustration as it arises and just hold it in

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How To Lead a Great Guided Meditation

February 5, 2023

Guided meditation has been shown to provide numerous benefits, such as reducing stress, improving sleep, and boosting mental clarity. However, leading a great guided meditation can be challenging, especially if you’re new to this practice. It’s hard to know exactly what to do for your first time leading a guided meditation and the endeavor can be quite nerve wracking. Even the experienced meditation instructor has more they can add to their routine to improve a meditation. Whether you’re leading a group of people or guiding someone through a personal meditation, here are a few key steps you can take to make the experience as effective and enjoyable as possible. 8 Steps for a great guided meditation 1. Set the stage Before beginning the meditation, make sure the space is quiet, comfortable, and conducive to relaxation. Turn off electronic devices, dim the lights, and play soft, calming music if desired. Check out my meditation playlist on Spotify for your next meditation class here. Meet your students with a smile as they enter the meditation space. Introduce yourself to the class and welcome them to your class or session. Encourage participants to find a comfortable seat and close their eyes. If you’re leading a group meditation, make sure everyone has enough space. Reassure your participants that there is no right or wrong way to meditate and that they may sit or lay in whatever position is most comfortable to them. Your calm and low pressure attitude will allow your participants to begin relaxing as soon as they walk in. 2. Start with deep breathing Begin the meditation by having participants focus on their breath. Ask them to inhale deeply, hold their breath for a few seconds, and then exhale slowly. Repeat this breathing exercise several times, encouraging participants to focus their attention solely on their breath. This deep breathing exercise will help them to relax and prepare their minds for the meditation. You may also ask participants to breath in specific intervals such as the 4-4-4 method that includes breathing in for 4 seconds, holding the breath for another 4 seconds, and exhaling for out for a final 4 seconds. This method can be repeated as many times as you like and can be modified for longer or shorter inhalations and exhalations. 3. Lead a body scan to relax the muscles When leading a guided meditation, it’s important to have the participants physically relax as much as possible. Remember that the mind follows the body, so if your body is tense your mind will find it hard to unwind. Begin leading the body scan from either the top of the head or the tips of the toes and work your way either up or down the body depending on where you started: Take your time during this portion to really make sure your participants are releasing all the tension stored in their bodies. You can take as long or little as you want for this section. I’d recommend giving this section at least 5 minutes, though 8-10 minutes will be more effective especially for longer meditations. 4. Use imagery and visualization techniques One of the most effective techniques in guided meditation is visualization. Encourage participants to create vivid images in their minds, such as a peaceful beach or a lush green forest. Ask them to focus on these images and use their imagination to create a sense of peacefulness and relaxation. You can also guide participants through specific visualization exercises, such as: Visualizations can be a powerful way to get the thinking mind to calm down and focus in a more beneficial way. 5. Encourage self-reflection Encourage self-reflection during the meditation. Encourage participants to reflect on their thoughts and feelings. Ask them to focus on their physical sensations, such as their breath and heartbeat, and to observe their thoughts without judgment. This self-reflection can help them to develop a deeper understanding of their own emotions and improve their ability to manage stress. This is also a great time to ask deep questions. Give your participants a reflective question meditate on such as: “Where in your life do you feel the most joy?” “Where in your life do you feel the most stress?” “What could you let go of in your life right now?” Asking these kinds of questions allow for a guided meditation to get more personal, intimate, and deeper than your average mindfulness meditation session. Check out Positive Psychology’s top self reflection questions here. 6. Allow for a period of silent and solo meditation It’s important to include a period of solo meditation time during a guided session. Encourage participants to do whatever feels most comfortable in these silent periods. This may be meditating, napping, stretching, or whatever feels right to them in this silent time. Silent periods should be included for at least 5 minutes at the end of your guided meditation, however can be extended much longer depending on the length of the meditation session. 7. Ending the meditation End the meditation by encouraging participants to come back to their senses. Have them wiggle their fingers and toes to awaken their bodies. Lead them through a quick stretch to get them out of their meditative state. Have participants open their eyes whenever they’re ready and sit up at their own pace. Don’t rush meditators in this process, rather let them come back at a slow pace that works best for them. 8. Follow up with participants After the meditation, make sure to follow up with participants. Ask them how they felt during the meditation, what they gained from the experience, and if there is anything you can do to improve their experience in the future. Thank them for coming, be available for discussion after the meditation, and send them on their way knowing you just lead them into a deeper and calmer state of mind for a great rest of their day. Additional tips for a Great guided meditation Provide clear instructions When leading a guided meditation, it’s

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