Yoga Meditation

Yoga Meditation

Yoga meditation is one of the oldest meditation traditions on earth and also has the widest variety of practices. As you know yoga is not only a physical exercise but has meditative and spiritual attributes too. Thus, yoga meditation not only proves beneficial to the body but also boosts mental and emotional health. Yoga and meditation go hand in hand!

So how does this meditative technique work? Well, yoga meditation is about calming and controlling your mind, and therefore your life. This technique is effective in discovering your true self and leading a life of peace and content. The key is, the more you can quiet your thoughts through yoga meditation, the more likely you’ll experience a sense of true presence. Being in that moment will help create the beneficial mind-body connection that yoga is known for. Put simply, this ancient practice is to sit still and try hard to do nothing but focus. 

Yoga is a very rich tradition that has different images and so there many meditation techniques.
There are several types of yoga meditation. Some of the popular types are chakra meditation, mantra meditation, kriya yoga, sound meditation, gazing meditation (trataka), kundalini meditation, pranayama or third eye meditation. The last two are the most common, simple and yield results quickly.

The Science of Yoga Meditation

Studies have revealed that yoga meditation has amazing effects on the brain, nervous system and our immune system. The practice of yoga meditation increases our ability to control our attention, become more aware of emotions, and to allow feelings and thoughts to flow freely through the mind. It has psychological, physiological and mindfulness effects on the individual. Yoga mindfulness helps recognize stress triggering thoughts and feelings, which further helps in regulating the emotional and physiological response to stressful situations.

Steps to do Yoga meditation

The first step to practice yoga meditation is to practice regularly. But, getting the hang of how to perform yoga mindfulness can be challenging for many people. Considering the fact that serious yogis take a lifetime honing the art of meditation. The key to achieving this meditative technique right is to focus your thoughts on the here and now. Focus your thoughts on something specific. A beginner may start with a 5-minute practice, working their way up to 20 minutes and eventually to an hour. 
Here's a guide on how you can get started.

• Create a meditative environment without any clutter or noise. You should feel at ease. Location or a spot with natural fresh air will prove beneficial.
• Do some light exercise or physical activity. A brief warm-up will prepare your body to relax and enable better to focus on meditation. You’ll also be likely to sit for a longer duration if you're more limber.
• Sit with a good posture on the floor or a chair, whichever feels more comfortable. You should be seated in an upright posture. But don’t try to be rigid.
• Practice deep breathing techniques, which is a great way to prepare for a meditation session.
• Now that all of the preparation and groundwork has been done, sit still and focus.
• Fix your gaze on simple objects such as the flame of a candle or a dot on a paper.
• Sit still and focus.
• Initially, you can set yourself an alarm to come out of meditation. 
• Start with new zeal and enthusiasm in your next session.

Benefits of Yoga Meditation 

Let us look at some of the benefits of yoga meditation in our life.

• Yoga meditation brings self-awareness, develops consciousness and higher intelligence.
• Strengthens the intuition, the inner awareness, and sense of what is right and wrong. 
• It provides mental clarity by keeping your brain sharp and clear.
• It calms the emotions and opens up the heart to forgiveness and love.
• It lowers heart pressure, enhances the immune system, heals the body and mind. 
• It stimulates brain functioning. Yoga meditation improves your mental health and is known to make you stronger, calmer and more effective at work. 
• It enhances attention and concentration.
• Yoga meditation rejuvenates all your senses.

Give your mind and body the care and nourishment it deserves with a few minutes of yoga meditation on a daily basis.