Meditation as a relaxation technique

Knowing relaxation techniques will help you find the technique that works for you. We all have our individuality and different things work for us, so I invite you to continue reading the article and learn to meditate with the 7 steps that you will see below.

Remember that relaxation techniques, like everything in life, require skills that must be worked on to reach the mental state we want in each meditation. Do not be discouraged if you do not feel changes in you, keep practicing to reach deep relaxation, peace of mind, that so-called "Nirvana" state.

• Related article: "12 meditation exercises (practical guide and benefits)"

evolution of meditation

The act of meditating has always had many associated stereotypes, which have their origin when the practice came to the West. For some reason, in the West we believe that meditating is for a small class of people, for people with specific beliefs or for those with a "hippie" lifestyle.

Nevertheless, In its origin, meditation is a daily practice more like washing or eating

, but with a spiritual attribution; a channel to achieve peace with oneself and get closer to the divine.

Today in the West, we have realized the great benefits of relaxation techniques such as meditation. From spiritual benefits such as connecting with our deepest desires, detaching ourselves from conditioning and social pressures, a few minutes of honesty with oneself that manifests itself in emotions that communicate our needs. And most importantly, dedicate a few minutes a day to listen to you and love you, a way of feeling connected with ourselves to manage our emotions and obstacles in an easier way of the day

• You may be interested: "Psychological well-being: 15 habits to achieve it"

Its benefits

There are so many benefits that meditation brings us every time we practice it that it is almost impossible to list them all. Therefore, we are going to note the main benefits both physically and psychologically, that is, cognitive and emotional.

On the physical plane:

• Reduces blood pressure when it is high.
• It facilitates falling asleep by helping to restore the cycles of wakefulness - rest.
• Balance heart rate.
• Secretion and release of hormones from the parasympathetic system offering a sensation of pleasure.
• Reduces the sensation of pain and muscle tension.

On the psychological level:

• Increases attention, memory and mental clarity.
• Work on the ability to empathize and altruism.
• Reduces stress and anxiety as well as symptoms of depression.
• Helps emotional stability and self-management of daily emotions.
• Increases the level of awareness towards oneself and the external world.
• Facilitates decision making and conflict resolution.
• Create a channel for listening and receiving intuition.

7 steps to meditate

This is a summary of the main steps to meditate.

1. quiet space

Find a quiet place where you know you won't be interrupted and where you feel comfortable.. Create a relaxing environment; perhaps putting a candle, incense or music in the background. If you have the opportunity to do it somewhere outside, do not hesitate to do your meditation there and take the opportunity to connect with the sounds and smells of nature.

• Related article: "The 80 best phrases of tranquility"

2. Comfort

Wear comfortable clothes or do without them if you can. The objective is that you do not feel pressure on your body as a result of any tissue, so look for clothes without strings or rubber bands so as not to focus your attention on it when you are meditating. In addition, a cushion, mat, or some base where you can sit or stretch can be useful. You decide the position, stretched out with your arms and legs slightly open or sitting with your legs crossed or stretched out and your hands resting on your knees.

3. Breathing

Once you feel comfortable, in the environment you have created and in the position you like the most, it is time to start relaxing.

Begin to breathe naturally as you watch how you breathe out and how you breathe in.. You can put one hand on your chest and one on your abdomen to feel your breath and focus on it.

If you feel that you breathe only with your chest, or only with your stomach or only with your abdomen, try to distribute the air in this order: chest, stomach and abdomen. To get the air you will follow this order: abdomen, stomach and chest.

• You may be interested: "The 4 types of breathing (and how to learn them in meditation)"

4. mind noise

If bodily sensations, thoughts, visions etc. come. let them come, welcome the feeling or thought and stay with what they transmit to you to give thanks and let go. Everything that comes to your mind or body is information about your state of mind, how you are coping in the present and even what unconscious blocks prevent you from moving forward.

Remember; receive, welcome, thank and let go.

5. body awareness

At this point you will feel relaxed, like in a state before falling asleep. Now is the time to go through your body focusing on relaxing each part in a specific way. Start at your feet and work your way up your body until you reach your head, the top. You can emphasize the part of the head since it is the most difficult area to relax; chin, mouth, cheekbones, nose, eyes and forehead.

If you find it difficult to relax the parts of your body, you can follow the tension-relaxation technique. You must tense as much as you can the part in which you are focused for a few seconds, and then release all the tension at once.

• Related article: "Interoception: listening to your own body"

6. Intention

When your body is in deep relaxation, you receive the sounds and sensations, thoughts and memories but these no longer disturb your state of relaxation, but without any effort as is they come, they leave, they do not get to penetrate us.

If you had a concern before starting the meditation, or a goal to work on, or an idea to illuminate, this is the time to verbalize. You can verbalize your intention or will of the meditation in a low voice, out loud or inside reflectively. You can also focus on a color associated with a chakra, or even verbalize a goal-oriented mantra you need.

7. Secure

When you feel that you flow with the state of relaxation and we even observe how a well-being smile is drawn on the mouth, it's time to remind yourself that you can always come back to this safe place; a state that only you, when you want and need it, will be able to create for. reconnect with your center of peace and well-being.

Only you have the power and the tools to reach inside yourself. In this safe place where everything is fine in the here and now, where we feed our soul with love and respect, where we feel connection with ourselves and we can understand and accept ourselves.

You can verbalize "This is a safe place, here and now everything is fine. I can return to this state whenever I want."

Take a deep breath in and out before opening your eyes and coming back to reality. present full of strength and security.

conclusion

The practice of meditation has been studied by different fields and professionals. All investigations and studies have concluded with the same; meditation brings benefits at various levels of the human. Therefore, a practice without contraindications can only attract positivity and benefits for those who practice it.

Today we have little time, and a very rigid routine. Meditation does not require financial investment, since you only need your being in body and soul, without materials or displacements, without requiring a certain time. A meditation with beneficial effects can last 10 minutes or 1 hour, but the result never depends on time, but on quality.

These 7 steps will help you meditate when, how and with whom you want. If you feel that it is difficult for you to concentrate or pay attention to relax, you can always contact me to introduce you to relaxation techniques, and especially to meditation. I offer you a guided meditation to enter the world of relaxation and connection with oneself.