Yogic Meditation - Types

The essence of meditation varies with the different meditation types and beliefs of the people. It can be spiritual for some while purely a means for inner peace for others. So, what is meditation? Previously meditation was associated with religious practices and mythology. Not any more. Meditation has been proved to have medical benefits and is beneficial to all those who practice it regardless of their religion or religious beliefs.

Meditation focuses on increasing concentration and inner awareness to bring the physical and mental self in equilibrium with each other and pursue the spiritual self together. Meditation can be practiced in the modern world to bring calm and peace to the inner self. When practiced correctly, it affects the measurable brain waves and this fact has been scientifically proven. There is evidence that greater inner awareness is created during meditation. This change in state of awareness is said to have beneficial health effects and bring about a state of mental well being.

Types Of Meditation

Meditation can be of two very basic types. The first type is known as 'mindfulness", in which the person is required to have an open mind, and there is no need to focus on any particular thing. In this type, the mind is asked to shift from one thing to another and shift focus so that there is no pondering over any particular problem. The mind skims on the surface, and this way, achieves peace.

In the other type, the mind focuses on a particular thing so much so that the existence of everything else fades out. This absolution causes the mind to be free of everything. The benefits of both the types of meditations are similar. Both try to take the mind away from the present everyday troubles to eternal calm. Subsequently, the body relaxes and continuous practice of meditation makes the mind healthier and fitter.

There is a general assumption that meditation requires one to sit on the floor in a yogic posture, but this is not the case. Meditation can be carried out in various postures, but it can also be practiced while walking, or any other activity which is repetitive. Yoga tradition does encourage certain postures but the time constraints of the modern world may be a hindrance for practicing them. Thus choose the one in which you are comfortable.

Meditation - Tratak, Yantra, And Om

Meditation is among the five principles of yoga. Tratak is a type of meditation which is excellent for increasing concentration. The idea is to look at something or point without blinking for sometime. Then close your eyes and have a visual imprint of the object or point in your mind. By the practice of this type of mediation, the wandering mind is steadied and brought to concentrate on one single thing. Yantras are designs which are colorful and geometric in appearance. These are used as aids in tratak meditation for focusing the mind. In a similar fashion the Om symbol can also be used for focusing the mind.

Today, various meditation types are used for bringing the mind under control.