By Morgan Dewey
Meditation can be as complex as an hour long guided meditation or as simple as closing your eyes for a minute. Mindfulness meditation focuses on being more in tune to the world around you and more accepting of the present. Centering on this theme, mindfulness meditation can take on a variety of different forms for different people. Most psychologists recommend starting with five minutes and expanding upward. The duration of time is not as important as staying consistent with the practice. Meditation serves to exercise the brain, decreasing stress and anxiety. Studies indicate that meditation can replace medication in certain people with mental health illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Many students suffer from increased stress and anxiety and could potentially benefit from meditation. Either setting a timer for five minutes, working with an app, or going to a meditation class are great ways to try it out. As the finals season approaches, here are some helpful ways to get started.
Setting a timer and sitting quietly for five minutes is a good way to get into the practice of meditating. To practice mindfulness meditation, each thought should be observed as it comes to mind, but not judged. The thoughts should not be acted on or designated good or bad. During mindfulness meditation, the person acknowledges the thought and lets it drift away. If jumping into meditation is intimidating, a variety of apps such as The Mindfulness App, Headspace, and Calm can help you get started. Apps provide a guide to ease yourself into meditating and motivation to continue the practice. If you would like more guidance, the Kosala Buddhist Center offers inexpensive meditation classes. Classes are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and offer a more structured environment to learn and practice meditation. Regardless of the option you choose to try out, meditation can be beneficial in your life.
Meditation has a long history in Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, and other traditions. Many modern forms of meditation adapt these more religious forms. When practicing meditation, it is important to recognize its history and to appreciate that many world religions use meditation as an important component of their spirituality.
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