Guided Meditations For Anxiety, Deep Sleep, Relaxation & Self-Love: 5 Hours Of Beginners Healing Mindfulness Meditations For Raising Your Vibration, Stress Relief & Overthinking: Develop Effective Communication Abilities, Overcome Awkwardness, Talk To Anyone, Make Friends & Create Deeper Connections

By Sarah Evanson

Guided Meditations For Anxiety, Deep Sleep, Relaxation & Self-Love: 5 Hours Of Beginners Healing Mindfulness Meditations For Raising Your Vibration, Stress Relief & Overthinking

Looking for a way to find peace and calm in the mids

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sarah Evanson
• Release date: Aug 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9781916673366

Book preview

PART 1 About meditation

What do you know about meditation?

There are many ideas and misconceptions about what meditation is. One widely held belief is that the practitioner would sit still for an extended period of time with an empty mind, purposefully not thinking about anything, freeing themselves from thoughts and emotions. Although not far from the truth, this picture could use some adjusting.

Being as described above, describes being dead rather than being in a state of meditation. Thoughts and emotions are natural parts of human nature and should be expected. There will be little energy left to focus on more important aspects of the meditation practice if one is too busy suppressing their thoughts, with all of their energy. This brings us right to the heart of meditation: focus.

What meditation truly is can be best described as follows: A heightened state of concentration, sharply, consciously, and purposefully focused on one point. Being free of thoughts may come with practice, but it should never be forced; it should be viewed as a byproduct of focusing your attention. Meditation can be practiced in religious, spiritual, or strictly secular ways, so it may or may not become a spiritual practice at a higher level. Some meditation techniques aim to open chakras, leave one's body or otherwise connect to the spiritual world, travel through time and space, and other unusual goals, the majority of which may appear mystical to the average person.

While such practices are typically followed by those who devote their entire lives to spiritual attainment and enlightenment, such as monks, this book will generally focus more on meditation that can be followed in real life, seeking health benefits and likely mental or spiritual advancement from daily meditation practice.  an although sitting meditation is the most common practice, it is not the only way to meditate. Certain types of meditation can be practiced with, in, or through movement, whereas others require you to lie flat on the floor.

Meditation and relaxation should not be confused. Although relaxation is commonly associated with meditation, the terms are not completely interchangeable. Meditation in general is not always associated with a relaxed state of mind; in fact, it is frequently associated with a rigorous mental practice.

Another question is whether or not relaxation naturally follows meditation practice as a result of the intense focus and liberation from the thousand things that occupy your mind. Concentrating your attention on one thing may help your mind to rest, resulting in the greatest experience of relaxation and peace.

Meditation’s benefits

Many studies have been conducted to determine the true benefits of meditation. What we do know is that regular meditation practice can provide multiple physiological, psychological, and even spiritual benefits.

Some of these benefits may differ depending on the technique used, and some practices may be more useful than others. These minor differences are usually due to the nature of the technique in question; for example, sitting meditation may not be helpful for joint health, whereas moving meditation typically promotes healthy joints and freedom of movement. Of course, no method is better than another; each allows the practitioner to be healthier and feel better in body, mind, and spirit. However, there are some common points, positive effects of the practice that all meditators, regardless of the path they choose, may experience.

Meditation, at its most basic, is nothing mystical; it is simply a method of focusing the mind. The experiences and realizations that result from prolonged practice can be spiritual or strictly secular; your own experience will be heavily influenced by your own frame of mind.

Meditation, as a mental exercise, has the clearest benefits on the mind and, more specifically, the brain. Several studies have found that brain activity changes significantly during meditation. Some researchers discovered that in experienced meditators, the grey matter of the brain thickens, resulting in increased brain power.

Consider meditation to be mental exercise. Like muscles that get stronger with exercise, the brain will get stronger with meditation. Meditation practice greatly benefits cognitive function, as does an increased ability to focus in general, resulting in a lengthened attention span, which immediately and directly addresses a growing problem in modern society, where a shortening attention span is a growing concern.

Another effect of meditation is what is known as the relaxation response. As previously stated, relaxation, while not synonymous with meditation, will almost certainly occur as a result of the practice. Meditation, according to studies, induces deep relaxation, relieves stress, and promotes more positive thinking and views of the world in general. Experienced meditators are thought to require less sleep as well.

On a basic physiological level, decreased oxygen consumption and respiratory rate result in decreased heart rate, which immediately results in a calmer body. This allows the muscular system to relax more effectively, releasing much of the body's stored tension and stress. The nervous system will benefit from such bodily relaxation as well, releasing overused nervous pathways for the duration of the practice while activating other, less frequently used nervous connections.

On a psychological level, this will, of course, result in decreased chronic stress, greater productivity, more coherent thinking, and better control over your bad habits in life. Training your brain powers also aids in the development of better memory retention and recall, and you may find it easier to control or overcome any phobias or fears you may have. Increased serotonin levels in the blood also promote a fuller, happier life.

Individual spiritual experiences will always differ, but there are some common traits that meditation can offer to all, regardless of their background. Regular practice will result in spiritual growth, and increased happiness. Meditation promotes tolerance, acceptance, and forgiveness while sharpening intuition.

These effects have undeniable health benefits. Reduced stress promotes a healthier immune system, lowering the risk of contracting viral diseases as well as cancer. All of the above benefits you in your daily life, relationships, work, study, and all of your activities and extend far beyond you, the individual, affecting the lives of others, including your family, friends, and acquaintances.

Practicing for 15-20 minutes per day should be enough to achieve all of the above, but the more the merrier. Do you have 15 minutes to devote to your own health and well-being? If you answered no, consider this: Meditation will benefit not only you, but everyone around you, including your family, children, partner, friends, colleagues, and even your neighbors. You will be happier, less stressed, and more contemptuous in general. It is easy to see how such changes in your own lifestyle may benefit your environment, as you will have more time to focus on what is important in your life, worrying and stressing yourself less.

When should you practice?

The quick answer is: Ideally, you should practice for at least twenty minutes every day. If you don't have the time, even a few minutes of meditation in the morning will be enough to get started.

Unfortunately, we do not live in an ideal world, and not everyone has the same amount of time, energy, or determination. Real life frequently interferes with your cleverly designed plans, and some days you may simply not be up to the task. And that's perfectly fine, especially if you're just getting started.

Remember, it is critical to practice with all of your heart. If you practice in this manner, it will become easier with each occurrence and may eventually become a habit. It takes more effort to break a habit than it does to keep it, so once you've made your meditation practice a true habit, it will be only natural to stick with it, possibly even more frequently than when you first started.

It should be fine if you can practice two or three times per week, as long as you do it. Of course, anything more can and will be beneficial, because the more you practice, the better you will get; and the deeper your understanding, the greater the benefits you will receive. Although this is not an unbreakable rule, it is generally agreed that 20 minutes of meditation is the ideal time for a single session. If you're just getting started, you can go much shorter; even two to five minutes should be enough on the first couple of occasions. It is probably best not to set a timer and instead trust your intuition and finish the practice whenever it feels right. This, of course, takes practice and a lot of time, as it can turn any meditation session into a surprisingly long one.

If you don't make time for yourself twice a week, you should ask yourself, Are you looking for excuses? If you're that busy, it's probably in your best interest to make some serious lifestyle changes.

How do I get ready for practice?

Meditation practice, in general, does not require any special equipment, clothing, or appliances; it can be practiced at any time and from any location; all you need is time and effort. There are, however, a few things that may help your practice, though they are not required. A quiet environment, away from any potential distractions, such as phones, radios, televisions, computers, and other audible and visual noise, can be very beneficial. If you can't find a quiet place, earplugs can help, but they can also become a distraction.

Apart from silence, clothing can be of great help. You should wear clothes that are as loose as possible, or as little as possible if you are fortunate enough