Stress, anxiety, and hypertension are now widespread health problems that impact millions of individuals globally in today’s fast-paced society. Meditation has long been known as a powerful practice to manage these problems.
Raman Mittal, Co-Founder of Idanim, an Indian-origin meditation app, and also a trained meditation practitioner, shares with us five of the most popular meditation techniques people use to reduce stress, anxiety, and hypertension.
1. Transcendental meditation
To accomplish an intense level of relaxation, transcendental meditation (TM) entails silently chanting a mantra. When practicing this, one needs to sit quietly while repeating a mantra, which is a word, music, or phrase that has personal significance to you. By repeating the mantra, you can calm your mind and achieve a deep level of relaxation. According to experts, it may prove to be beneficial in reducing blood pressure, anxiety, and stress.
2. Breath meditation
Breath meditation is one of the most popular meditation techniques which involves observing one’s breath without trying to control it. This is usually the go-to meditation for beginners as well as advanced practitioners. One can practice it while sitting, walking, commuting, or for that matter, any time during the day. Researchers have discovered that breath meditations are advantageous in lessening hypertension, stress, and anxiety.
3. Loving-kindness meditation
Loving-kindness meditation involves focusing on feelings of empathy and affection for yourself and others while meditating. This method, which has its roots in Buddhist principles, has become mainstream in recent years as a means of enhancing pleasant emotions while minimising undesirable ones. During this meditation, one can narrow his or her attention to a specific person or group while calmly chanting kind and compassionate words. Individuals who struggle with stress, fear, or hypertension may find this technique valuable since it helps in improving optimistic feelings while diminishing negative ones.
4. Body scan meditation
Body scan meditation incorporates paying attention to various areas of one’s body and observing any sensations that appear without passing judgement. The practice is typically performed sitting or lying down in a serene environment where one may pay attention to their posture and breath. Commencing at the toes and proceeding upward, the practitioner psychologically examines the body, paying detailed attention to any bodily feelings like tightness, warmth, or soreness. Concentrating on the present and fostering a sense of peace and relaxation, body scan meditation significantly helps in mitigating anxiety and depression. The practitioner may become aware of the areas with tension while concentrating on each body part and actively calming those muscles.
5. Visualisation meditation
It is a technique that aims to promote relaxation, tranquillity, and serenity by visualising positive images, scenes, or individuals. The meditation involves vividly imagining a scene and utilising all five senses to enhance the level of detail. Another type of visualisation meditation involves picturing yourself accomplishing specific objectives, which can help boost confidence, concentration, and drive.
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