words Alexa Wang

We find that our lives, more so in our current age, have become consumed by the pursuit of finances, and overwhelmed by technology. In times that are incredibly straining, both physically and mentally, it can be important to just take a moment, take a deep breath, and relax.

Many people forget the importance of introspective reflection, and by taking a minute, or an hour, to meditate every day, you can not only calm your mind but also boost your productivity and increase your threshold for stress.

It is more important now than ever to make use of the Eastern philosophies and doctrines which teach better mental clarity and a way to move forward without bearing the perpetual signs of stress and anxiety.

Whether you decide to subscribe to a specific doctrine or meditative practice, there are many ways. From the Taoist meditation of Tai Chi, originating in the mountains of China, to the Zen Buddhist sitting practice. Zen Buddhism originated from Chan, the Chinese word for stillness, somewhat over a thousand years ago.

Zen Buddhism focuses entirely on mental clarity and weighs heavily on the importance of being still and experiencing periods of nothingness in your life to make you more prone to solving stressful situations and resolving things you ordinarily wouldnt be able to due to high levels of stress.

More common to India and in Tibet is the practice of beaded meditation. By posturing correctly and in one hand gently thumbing through a bracelet of beads, you can gradually sink into a very deep introspective meditation. If you visit this site, there are different kinds of meditative beads that are a sure-fire and proven way to achieve introspection and the proverbial oneness. Beaded meditation is part of a style of meditation known as an active meditation. Active meditation is one of the most widespread practices in the world and its permutations permeate every philosophical doctrine in the Orient.

From walking meditation to the aforementioned Tai Chi, from Kung fu to Jujutsu, active meditation is very popular and still to this day highly practiced meditative praxis. Spoken highly in many Eastern philosophical religions, it has recently begun to permeate the West, hence we have seen a huge rise in those attending both Yoga classes and Tai Chi classes in America, England, and across Europe, and around the world. It is no surprise at times of such stress that we find ourselves turning inwards to address our problems.

This perhaps is the largest and most popular form of meditation, another that has permeated all of the Oriental philosophical doctrines. Sitting meditation was one of the first teachings of the Buddha, and is still carried on to this day, used by people from all walks of society. It can be hard to calm the mind, but to do so you must first persevere through the suffering you will experience. The suffering, whether mental or physical, is a sign of growth. By sitting completely still and opening yourself up to the world, mentally and physically, emptying your mind of thoughts, you will begin to suffer. You will notice pain, irritation, and an overwhelming sense of agitation and need to leave, but you must let it stay as it is and be. Eventually, the sensation will pass, you will feel as if you have no hands or feet and are floating.

This can take a while and many weeks or months, or even years of practice. By sitting through the suffering, you are conditioning your body and your mind to be more tolerant of potential problems or threats and will be better aided in dealing with stressful situations. The sitting meditation not only benefits you in stressful situations but will help bring order to a chaotic life and remove any chaotic inclinations you may have. Whether you suffer from a form of OCD or anxiety, sitting meditation can be greatly beneficial and has been proven by top psychologists and philosophers to have a strong positive effect on poor mental wellbeing. By sitting only for an hour a day, or even half an hour, you can greatly improve your life in ways you couldnt earlier imagine.

If you struggle very much with sitting still it could be a good thing for you to attend a meditation retreat or classes, or even consult a monk directly who can take on a role as master, and you as their disciple. By approaching a monk, you must be ready to adhere strictly to their doctrine, and also be wary of who you approach.

In recent years there has been a trend of pseudo-religious teachers asking for money in exchange for so-called enlightenment but these are no more than a cult. Consult your Buddhist or Taoist, or even Shinto societies locally, and ask them to put you in touch with a good Master.

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Meditation Techniques to Calm the Mind - Flux Magazine