3 Types of Meditation to Practice that Reduces Stress

Meditation is practiced to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state. Practicing will enable you to learn how to observe your feelings or thoughts without judgment and understand them better. Meditation is a skill and takes practice and consistency in order to get comfortable. Statistics show that meditating reduces anxiety and depression. Practicing creates a greater degree of self-control and an increased cognitive function. Mindfulness meditation also known as Vipassana, transcendental meditation, and guided visualization meditation are three popular types.

Mindfulness Meditation: Mindfulness meditation is practiced with your eyes closed in a comfortable position on your back or sitting up straight and focuses on the breath as you inhale and exhale. During this practice a distracting thought may come to mind. The best way to proceed and focus on your breath is to notice that you became distracted, remain non-judgmental, and shift your focus back to breathing. Be mindful of any thoughts. Mindfulness is essential in overcoming suffering and understanding natural wisdom. It is about acknowledging reality through letting the mind wander and accepting any thoughts that come up and understanding the present.
Transcendental Meditation: This type of meditation is taught by an instructor and involves repeating a particular mantra or sound at a comfortable pace effortlessly. Essentially you enter a deeper state of emptiness, like most meditation practices your mind might become distracted. Acknowledge your thoughts and return back to the mantra.
Guided Visualization: Guided Visualization meditation involves your imagination. Statistics show if you imagine relaxing and positive experiences the body will respond by releasing chemicals that generate feelings of positivity. A guided visualization is necessary for a more powerful experience, however it can be practiced alone. Meditation is the heart of yoga and is practiced in ‘Shavasana’, a total relaxation pose. The literal meaning is the corpse pose where the yogi is lying on their back and their eyes are shut and the breathe is long and deep. Yoga and meditation will lead to reduced stress and anxiety.