It’s been a few years since I regularly started practicing meditation. Over the years, I have learnt a few different styles and techniques, to enhance the depth and experience of meditation.
The deep rest practices that I discuss on this site are designed essentially to enhance and enable a level of deep rest which is healing and rejuvenating, partially by allowing the mind to cut adrift and rest.
In my lifetime, I can remember two meditations I would say that were particularly ecstatic and one other where it felt like I had reached a deeper level of consciousness.
All three were altered states which I wouldn’t have reached without conscious focus over a sustained period (I believe).
There are numerous styles of meditations – the human imagination is limitless and many of these exercises are mental practices using particular techniques. There is an excellent description and guide to getting started on meditation here.
This is what I have found whilst regularly practicing meditation.
- I have become less inflamed. I have an ongoing issue with autoimmune challenges, and I find meditation reduces my inflammation, sometimes very significantly and noticeably after only 20 mins.
- I become calmer and more relaxed after meditation. If I was annoyed about something previously, it was very likely removed after a mediation.
- I have started to experience pleasure in utilising my meditation routine to build in other affirmations, stretches, and time which allows my brain to relax and enables a level of physical relaxation too.
- As a practice it made me rehearsed in becoming more nonattached to my thoughts. Hence I become less triggered by my usual hot-button issues, and more open to being tolerant and curious.
- Certain phrases such as “witness, acknowledge and let go” have become my guiding principles for any intrusive thoughts as I became aware of them.
- I have a friend in a high-pressure finance job who told me once over dinner that he trains and works out regularly to be able to relieve some of the stress on his system for being responsible for so many people’s money. If he knew meditation, then he would always be practicing non-attachment to his thoughts, not needing to tire the body out to be able to forget about the pressure he is under. His method might be available as an option, however, it’s not sustainable over the longer term.
I have studied and practiced different types of meditations and hypnosis for many years. if you would like a discussion or an induction into meditation as a new skill to develop and practice, please feel free to contact me for a session.
