Meditation and Mindfulness

Life is filled with distractions and stimulation. What most of us want at times is to find a way to calm things down and to be able to pause for a moment in complete silence. Meditation is meant to help you be more present in your surroundings and within yourself. You can meditate alone or you can meditate with others; the main point is to take a few minutes for yourself in complete silence and peace.

Sometimes you can't think your way out of things; sometimes you just have to take the time to be, allowing thoughts and feelings to flow peacefully without resisting them. This is the practice of mindfulness.

  

What is meditation? 

Meditation is a mental practice where the goal can be to achieve physical and mental well-being, increased mental capacity, expanded awareness, or spiritual insight. Meditation was originally performed as a religious practice most commonly within Hinduism and Buddhism. Buddhist meditation is often what we associate with the actual execution of meditation. The meaning behind traditional Buddhist meditation is to observe the body's functions and thoughts, and the goal is often the achievement of awakening. 

In modern times, outside of religious frameworks, meditation is often practiced for stress relief, anxiety reduction, better sleep, and healing of body and mind. Yet these practices such as Transcendental meditation, Acem meditation, and the Scandinavian Yoga and Meditation School are often inspired by Buddhist meditation. Several modern meditation techniques have been developed over the recent years, but the one that has thrived the most lately is mindfulness. A practice that carries forward techniques originating in religious traditions placed within a Western scientific framework. The techniques of mindfulness have therefore been researched, and the practice of these techniques has shown a positive effect on our health. 

  

Different types of meditation

Meditation is usually distinguished between concentration techniques and open awareness techniques.

Concentration techniques involve the practitioner directing attention towards a specific object, such as the breath, which is often familiar during the practice of yoga. In such techniques, one often works with mantra meditation. Under religion, mantras are sacred or powerful phrases. These phrases are used in meditation to guide the mind and to call upon deities. In modern practice, this can be short phrases of kind and motivating words that fit your current situation, which you repeat during the session to find calmness and comfort. 

Open awareness techniques, on the other hand, are techniques meant to open up to thoughts and feelings. Within these types of techniques, you find mindfulness. Some forms of meditation combine these two techniques.

Meditation can also be used within physical activity. Meditation can often be a component in certain forms of modern yoga, for example. Dynamic meditation is a meditation technique that combines physical and mental exercises. Here, breathing exercises, dance, and mental focus come together to achieve altered states of consciousness. 

  

How to meditate?

There are many ways one can meditate, as mentioned above. But the most common and simplest way to practice meditation to start with is to follow these 5 simple steps:

 

1. Placement

Find a quiet and comfortable place where you won't be disturbed, and where you can return to for further meditation in the future. This could be in the living room or bedroom. Do what you need to make your space a place that gives you good feelings and peace in body and mind.  

2. Timing

It has been shown that it is easier to maintain a habit if you make it a routine, by doing it at the same time each time. Decide if you want to start the day with a few minutes of meditation, end the day with a few minutes of meditation for better sleep, or relieve stress by setting aside some minutes for meditation midday.

3. Duration

It's best to start practicing meditation and mindfulness with 5 - 10 minutes each time to become accustomed and comfortable with the exercises. As it becomes natural for you, you can extend the time as needed. Feel free to set a timer on your phone to keep track of time, and many like to have pleasant nature sounds like birdsong or waves in the background for better immersion. 

4. Sitting position

To find a comfortable sitting position, you can find a pillow or blanket to sit on. Many choose the classic position with crossed legs and hands in their lap, but there is no right answer here; only your imagination sets the limits. The most important thing is that you sit well and can maintain the same position throughout the duration of the meditation.

5. Technique

You decide whether you want to keep your eyes open or closed. The most important thing is that your vision does not disturb your inward focus during meditation. Breathe calmly in through your nose, guide the breath gently to your throat, to your lungs, and all the way down to your stomach. You may want to place a hand on your stomach at first to really feel it fill with air. Then gently breathe out and feel with your hand as the air leaves your stomach. Count to 4 while breathing in and again to 4 when breathing out. If you lose count or your thoughts begin to wander, which is completely normal and will happen, you can calmly bring your focus back to your breath and try again.

 

Guided meditation

Guided meditation is often preferred by beginners when starting to practice meditation and mindfulness. Guided meditation is where you follow a voice throughout the exercise, allowing them to guide and lead you often through a journey within the mind. This is an easy way to meditate as you are given something to focus on during the meditation, and the wandering of distracting thoughts is minimized.

There are many guided meditations to be found on YouTube, even in Norwegian.

There are also options outside of YouTube by downloading and using meditation apps such as HeadSpace or 10%Happier. These provide a selection of guided meditation exercises and the ability to log exercises and maintain a routine within daily meditation. Such apps will often provide customized meditation for various purposes, whether for better sleep, less stress, or increased self-confidence and control. 

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is "mindful presence in the moment" and is very similar to traditional meditation, but with modern marketing, it is often used as treatment within mental health in healthcare settings and divorced from religion so that it can be used by anyone regardless of belief system. The apps HeadSpace and 10%Happier are defined as mindfulness apps precisely because they are meant as relief and training for anyone wishing to try the techniques to improve their own life.

The techniques within mindfulness are largely the same as those found in meditation, but the purpose of practicing mindfulness tends to be a more general improvement in one's mental health rather than seeking a divine revelation.