By: @emily_campbell
Meditation can be defined as any practice where the mind is trained to obtain a certain form of consciousness. The goal is to be in a state where you "still" the fluctuations of the mind.
But, that is just the goal. The real practice of meditation is about being conscious, and how do we know we are conscious? When we notice thoughts flooding our minds. This means that when you are quieting the mind, you should not view any arising thoughts as bad because real meditation is the act of noticing that you are thinking. The conscious self is what notices the thoughts, but is not the thoughts themselves.
This is why meditation is so beautiful - it is simply about becoming more conscious and aware. You can achieve this through many different forms of meditation, including both seated and walking meditations, which both serve different purposes.
Stationary Meditations
There are so many ways to meditate both seated or lying down. It can be as simple as watching the breath and noticing any thoughts that come and go. You can also try a guided meditation where someone guides you through certain mantras or visualizations. You can engage in a breathing meditation (pranayama), a transcendental meditation or TM, which is a contemplative mantra-based meditation focusing on a specific emotion or prayer.
The simple act of sitting and strengthening your consciousness for just 10 minutes a day has lasting benefits.
1. Presence: It cultivates greater self-awareness and helps you to be more present throughout the day
2. Peace: It calms the mind and body, and helps to build a more peaceful state of being
3. Growth: It intensifies personal and spiritual growth in all areas of life
4. Awareness: It allows you to observe your thought patterns
5. Connection: It helps you to find your true nature: pure love and consciousness
Walking Meditations
These meditations have risen in popularity due to the amazing work of Dr. Joe Dispenza. His retreats change lives and are based on the idea of connecting with the divine to become the divine and live a limitless life full of potential. These meditations encourage you to embody the idea of “walking as your future self”. Through the combination of movement, visualization, gratitude, and channeling certain frequencies, walking meditations provide an amazing boost of confidence and energy. While you aren’t focused on the breath or letting thoughts come and go, there is still an element in developing consciousness. To elevate your walking meditation without a guided track, try staring at the horizon while walking or focus on your steps. It is also important to keep a straight posture and ideally to be in nature in a calm environment.
The mind-body connection is activated in a walking meditation and some prefer this form of meditation as they believe the manifestation process can be accelerated, due to both the mind and body becoming synced with their desired goals. But in addition to that, just a short walking meditation can help with stress, energy levels, and focus.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7649620/
