Excitingspas

Meditation of one style or another can be found in most of the major religions, including Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. Generally, Eastern religions have tended to concentrate on meditation as a means of realising spiritual enlightenment.

Meditation has evolved out of many different religions and philosophies, which means there are many different techniques to choose from.

• Concentrating on the breath – consciously noticing the movement of air in and out of your nostrils, or counting the breath in variety of ways.
• Emptying the mind – allowing the mind to clear and ‘float’, gently pushing aside any stray thoughts, or allowing thoughts to float in and out of awareness.
• Looking at an object – focusing your attention, but not necessarily your thoughts, on the shape, sound and texture of an object, such as a tree or a candle flame.
• Movement – using a physical technique like yoga, Qi Gong or Tai Chi to still the mind by coordinating the breath and the body with gentle movement.
• Using a mantra – repeating a word or phrase over and over, either out loud or silently, to focus the attention, perhaps timed with the breath.