Is meditation about sitting on a mat thoughtless?

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When the word ‘meditation’ comes, all we can visualize is a calm person sitting on the mat :person_in_lotus_position:. But is this the right picture about meditation we have in our minds, or is it really as easy as it seems?

So, let us understand what meditation is.

Most of the time, we stay in our heads, lost in our thoughts and associating our identity with them.

Meditation is the practice of observing your thoughts and viewing them as a different entity from yourself.

It is not about turning them off or judging them.

It is about seeing every thought like a passing cloud in front of yourself.

It is about slowing down and becoming more aware of your surroundings.

How to practice meditation?

To practice meditation, you do not need a mat, essentially. You just need to be mindful anywhere, anytime. There are various techniques to practice meditation:

  1. Seated Meditation—It involves sitting in a comfortable posture and observing your thoughts and letting them pass.
  2. Sensory Meditation—It involves becoming more aware of your senses by paying attention to sounds, smells, and objects around you. It is highly effective in coming into the present moment.
  3. Body Scan—It involves giving attention to each of your body parts sequentially. We live so much in our heads that we forget to live in our bodies.
  4. Breathwork— It involves conscious breathing and observing every inhale and exhale. Breathing consciously calms us down.
  5. Concentration—It involves focusing on a single object, like the flame of a candle. It improves focus and concentration.
  6. Chanting—It involves chanting any mantras. These frequencies calm your mind and help establish a spiritual connection.

Benefits of Meditation

  • It promotes mindfulness while reducing overthinking and daydreaming.
  • It enhances clarity.
  • It calms you and reduces your reaction time.
  • It improves focus and concentration.
  • It boosts mood and promotes better sleep.

Thus, meditation is about being mindful and present in the moment. And you can be mindful while eating, walking, working, breathing, and in any activity you do, without the requirement of sitting on a mat.

:thought_balloon: Share your experience with meditation in the comments below.

MBH/PS

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Agreed. Meditation helps us find our calm in the chaos around, focus and perform better.

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If we practice meditation for first time all the thoughts come and clash each other not knowing what’s going on in the mind and after practising everyday start with small thought that can improve our day or some positive thoughts which brings clarity from confusion and heads towards strong concentration, peaceful mind and good Start of the day.

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Maybe it’s about sitting with thoughts that matter