Meditation is an excellent form of escapism from the hardships of contemporary life. Several studies indicate that this practice does more than relieve stress on the short-term.  It can also improve mental health and overall wellbeing. This explains why the practice is gaining popularity in many parts of the world. 

There are several ways of practising meditation, with each having its unique benefits. Here are the most prevalent kinds of meditation.

Loving-kindness meditation

The primary objective of loving-kindness meditation is to make you love and be kind towards various aspects of life. It involves repletion until you achieve the ultimate goal of being a loving and compassionate individual. It is suitable for people who are dealing with anger, frustration, resentment, and other negative emotions.

Transcendental Meditation

The goal of this practice is to allow you to transcend beyond the present. It is a spiritual technique of meditation that requires you take slows breaths while seated upright in a secluded place. 

A typical transcendental mediation session involves you repeating a particular phrase or word. After a designated period, say ten minutes, you will experience a feeling of intensified mindfulness. 

Body Scan Meditation

Body scan meditation aims to identify and eradicate tension from various parts of your body. It involves stressing and relaxing different body parts until you feel relieved of all tension. Alternatively, you can envisage a wave passing through your body and release the tension afterwards. This technique is an excellent remedy for chronic pain and insomnia.

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation to focus on the present and ignore any thoughts about the past or the future. It is unique because you can integrate it into other forms of meditation, and you can also practise it anywhere. 

It is useful in improving focus, enhancing satisfaction in relationships, boosting memory, reducing impulsive reactions, and preventing an obsession on negative emotion.

Zen Meditation

Zen meditation originated from Buddhism, and can only be conducted with help from an instructor. It requires you to find a comfortable position where you can focus on your thoughts without distractions. It is essentially a stricter version of mindfulness meditation.

If you are looking for If you are looking for mindfulness meditation training please visit The Mindfulness Academy of Asia (MAA) is a new subsidiary school of The American School of Bangkok, specializing in the teaching and learning of mindfulness in education.