Return to Sleep
Thoughts
Relaxing
with Meditation
If you have ever counted imaginary
sheep with the hope of falling asleep you were
practicing a form of meditation. If you have ever
visualized a golf shot or even pictured yourself in an
exotic, challenging or peaceful locale then you have
meditated. By visualizing you are, indeed, meditating.
Much of what we do here can be considered audio assisted
visualization utilizing naturally relaxing sounds.
Nature sounds by themselves can be
incredibly soothing. Rain, thunder, ocean waves,
waterfalls all have white noise properties that help
induce naturally calming Alpha brainwaves. We have added
another dimension to most our relaxation sounds that
promote visualization. By visualizing a peaceful
scenario we are stimulating the Secondary Visual Cortex
in our brains. This is the same part of the human brain
that is active in dreaming. In a sense it is a new form
of meditation. There are many types of meditation. In
fact, too many to list here. Here are a few of them.
Guided meditation
Also called
guided imagery or visualization, with this method of
meditation you consciously form mental images of places
or situations you find relaxing. You try to use as many
senses as possible, such as smells, sights, sounds and
textures. You may be led through this process by a
guiding voice or, in Virtual Dreaming at least, by your
own ability to visualize through sounds that emulate the
desired scenario.
Mantra meditation
In this
form of meditating you silently repeat a calming word,
thought or phrase to prevent distracting thoughts.
Transcendental meditation is a type of mantra meditation
in which you achieve a deep state of relaxation to
achieve pure awareness.
Mindfulness meditation
This
type of meditation is based on being mindful, or
developing an awareness and acceptance of living in the
present moment. By focusing on what you experience
during meditation, such as the flow of your breath, one
can observe thoughts and emotions and let them pass
without judgment.
Millions
of people have found meditation to be a valuable tool in
dealing with life's stresses. Experiment, and you'll
likely find out what types of meditation work best for
you and what you feel comfortable doing. Adapt
meditation to your needs of the moment. There is no
right way or wrong way to meditate. What really matters
is that meditation helps you with stress reduction. A
nightly meditation session can make all the difference
to a good night's slumber. By teaching the mind to let
go of all the cares and worries of the day, you may be
able take that final step towards dreamland.
Dream good dreams!
Brad McBride
Comments?
email me
