Unique Ways to Meditate Every Day Part II

Meditation has been used for centuries to help with a variety of health issues ranging from reducing stress, anxiety and panic attacks, but it has also been used increase immunity, help with cancer treatments and even make us smarter humans.

Meditation is sometimes misunderstood in the sense that it doesn’t require you to join a religion, follow a guru, or even sit in a specific way in order to gain the benefits. Here are a few quick and easy ways to sneak in a little meditation every day. See which one resonates with you and try it out.

Method #4:

Qigong is like T’ai Chi as it is a moving meditation that uses rhythmic physical movements to help you focus and center your mind. Qigong is used to regulate and heal the body’s chi energy. It has specific styles that are effective for specific diseases that go beyond what T’ai Chi can do. For example, there are specific qigong methods for helping those with cancer and mitigating the effects of radiation and chemotherapy. While T’ai Chi can also help with these diseases, it is Qigong’s methods that have focused on specific areas of the body for healing.

For example, “while doing a qigong form, during one move you may direct energy through a specific acupuncture meridian (the lung or heart meridian for example), and in the next move you might direct energy through a different meridian.” Source: http://www.energyarts.com/difference-between-tai-chi-qigong.

You can find Qigong practices in your area or find links online to learn more about this healing, moving meditation.

Method #5:

Integrated Amrita Meditation Technique (IAM) was invented by Mata Amritanandamyi who was a spiritual leader and Indian humanitarian. She was known as “Amma” which means mother and was known for helping people redirect their energy in a positive way to help them heal areas of their body. She explains the practice; “Meditation is the art of mental mastery. The way we perceive the world around us completely depends upon our mind. The remote control of our mind should rest firmly in the palm of our hand.” She is explaining how we are able to “turn on/off” our anger or jealousy by “changing the channel” in our mind. If you want ideas and creativity you would turn on the “idea channel” in your mind. Since our mind is the only thing we have control of, she offers a pathway to help us along.

Each session takes 20-30 minutes and does include yoga postures, breath work and meditation. The first eight to ten minutes begins the class with yoga, followed by the pranayama deep breath work and then concludes with meditation. This practice has shown changes in the stress hormones, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and improves metabolic rate. To learn more click on this link; http://www.iam-meditation.org/.

Method #6:

Dance Meditation can be a great way to relax and chill out especially after a long, tough day. This type of meditation can also be called Kundalini Meditation and it asks those who do it to let go of your ego and surrender to the rhythms of the movement you make. You can use any type of music, but the more upbeat and energetic the more you will release tension and be able to just let go and move your groove. Classes can encourage yelling, jumping and making all sorts of noises that help you release your stress and anxiety. There is no judgment as to how you move, so if you dance like Elaine on Seinfeld it is ok! Just let go and do what your body feels is natural to the beat of the music.

I did this type of meditation before a deep seated meditation and it made it so much easier for me to sit and meditate for 45 minutes when I danced my heart and soul out to some amazing drum beats. I had a friend of mine who would put in classical music when she and her husband got home from work each night and they would take five minutes (the length of one song) and dance in each other’s arms to relieve their daily stress before they started making dinner.

Have you or anyone you know used Qigong for healing?

Have you used IAM and if so how has it helped you? I’ve known of CEO’s using this method to help them through tough decision making for their companies as well as college students really looking to deepen their studies.

How have you used Dance Meditation to help you release stress and tension?