By Neesa Vang
According to Dictionary.com, meditation is to engage in thought or contemplation. When meditating, a person is clearing their thoughts and gaining control of their feelings. This practice is about training the mind to be more aware while getting a healthy sense of perspective. Meditation is not turning off feelings and emotions, but rather learning to observe them without any type of judgement.
“I heard about meditation but never really tried it,” senior Christian Salazar said. “Seems like a helpful thing to try one day.”
There are many benefits when it comes to meditation. Improvements are not only found psychologically, but they can be seen physically. An article from Power of Positivity says that meditation helps relieve tension from the body, lower stress and anxiety levels, decrease the body’s heart rate, help get better sleep, become more positive and ultimately gain a balance within one’s self.
“What many people don’t realize about meditation is that there are so many ways that it can be done,” freshman Jasmine Ylinen said. “I meditate while taking walks.”
There is no right or wrong way to meditate. In fact, there are so many different ways to meditate; it all depends on what works for who is practicing. The Conscious Life talks about the generic way to meditate. Meditation is done best in a quiet and calm environment while taking slow, deep breaths. This calms one’s thoughts, bringing all attention to each breath. Other techniques include Vipassana, walking, mindfulness and much more, all found in the article 16 Different Ways to Meditate.
There are also many meditation apps to download such as Headspace and Calm. Both have programs, tips and instructors to follow along with. Additionally, there are playlists, videos and websites that help teach more in depth about meditation. It may be a challenge to start meditation but the outcomes of it are powerful.
“I’ve actually done lots of research about meditation because it helps me destress,” sophomore Dylan West said. “I recommend everyone learn how to meditate, especially high-schoolers.”
Meditation is a powerful skill to have. It can be very beneficial for the mind and body. It is not always an easy thing to do and it requires practice like any other skill. Once a person learns how to meditate, day to day living will change for the better.
