So, what's meditation?
If you've never done it before, you're probably picturing something like this:
Or more like this:
Now, those aren't really what we're talking about. Let's let Wikipedia define it for us:
"Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing their mind on a particular object, thought or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state."
This can be anything from sitting on a mat and focusing on your breathing, to focusing on the act of walking, to exercise, to focusing on some activity. The point is to just let your focus on the real world fade for a bit, so as to get your mind in a better position. It's not a substitute for medication for mental illness, it's not a cure all, and it won't fix all your problems, but I find it does help when your getting frantic.
I focus on Mindful Meditation. It's great for those who want such benefits. I learned this when I went to a meditation class, where I've learned a lot, but am still very much an amateur at it. But, for the total novice, I found that this simple little guide helps for those who want to try it. Give it a shot, see what happens.
So, do you meditate? Have you ever meditated before? What do you think about meditation?
Discuss.
