Just a few decades ago, meditation was largely a practice reserved for those seeking spiritual enlightenment. While it remains an important practice in certain religions, including Buddhism and Hinduism, it’s gone mainstream in recent times. Today, between 200 and 500 million people around the world meditate regularly. In the U.S. alone, more than 14 percent of adults have tried mediation at least once.
For anyone who has tried meditating, the growing popularity of it should come as no surprise. Regular practice offers a number of physical and mental health benefits. While sharpening your skills takes practice, anyone can reap the benefits of meditation, regardless of their experience.
Thinking about giving meditating a try? Keep reading to learn the basics you should know, and how the best meditation St George Utah has to offer can be found at Sun Rock Yoga.
Some individuals may choose to practice guided meditating. This can be a great way to get started or to stay focused if you struggle to keep your mind from wandering during your practice. There are a variety of guided meditation apps and videos that can help you get started or practice your skills.
What is Meditation?
Put simply, meditation is the practice of focusing and clearing your mind. This is done through a series of physical and mental techniques.
On the outside, meditating looks like little more than sitting quietly, engaged in thought. In fact, the word comes from the Latin word “meditatum,” which means “to ponder.” However, effective meditating combines breathing exercises with practicing focus and mindfulness.
Much like yoga, there are many different types of meditation. Originally, most meditation was spiritual-based. Today, other popular types include mindfulness, focused, and movement meditating, which is often a part of yoga classes.
A History
No one knows for sure when meditation was invented, or even how long it has been in use. Researchers do know that it arose seemingly separately in two different cultures at least 1,500 years ago.
In China, references to meditation date back to the 3rd and 6th centuries BC. It was used in connection to a Daoist by the name of Laozi. He was a Chinese philosopher who recorded his theories and techniques, including early meditation techniques.
References to meditation also appear in written records from India around 1500 BCE. There, it was referred to as “Jhana” or “Dhyana,” and was seen as a method of training your mind. Both early Hindu and Buddhist texts reference meditating
Meditation reached the Western world sometime in the 19th century. But it wasn’t until the mid-20th century that it began to catch on in the mainstream. Today, it is more often referenced not in connection to religion and is instead seen as a form of self-care, a strategy for improving mental health, and a method for reducing stress.
The Benefits
There are plenty of reasons to give the best meditation St George Utah has to offer a try. Regular meditation can offer both physical and mental benefits. Perhaps the biggest is the chance to let go of stress and tension while finding a greater sense of peace, calm, and balance. Over time, regular practice can help you to lower your stress levels, and help you to better manage them in the future, too. But this is far from the only benefit.
Meditation can help you reach greater self-awareness and perspective. This can help you improve your problem-solving skills, and even help you face stressful situations with ease. Just like a yoga class, meditation practice can help to increase your imagination and creativity, and maybe even boost your productivity at work.
Another big benefit is a lower resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, and improved sleep. These benefits can spill over into other areas of your life, helping you live healthier and happier.
Yoga and Meditating
Many forms of yoga integrate elements of meditation. These movement-based meditations are great for those who struggle to clear their minds or anyone who wants to reap the benefits of yoga and meditation.
At our St George studio, we offer a number of yoga classes that can help you practice your yoga alongside your meditation skills.
Our Mindful Flow class encourages you to enter a meditative state, cultivating inner peace and mindfulness while also focusing on your body’s placement. This slower-paced class is excellent for relieving stress and tension, improving balance, and increasing your overall strength and flexibility.
Similar to Mindful Flow, the continuous movements of Vinyasa Flow, as well as the syncing of your breathing with your movements, is great for entering a meditative state. In addition to the soothing benefits you’ll enjoy during your class, we end each of our Vinyasa Flow classes with the Savasana pose, which helps encourage stillness and meditation.
Kundalini Yoga is another great practice for those looking to improve their meditation skills. This ancient form of yoga dates back to 5000 BCE and is a more spiritual workout than our other classes. You’ll focus on chanting, breathwork, and meditation while moving through the various poses.
The Best Meditation St George Utah Has to Offer
Anyone can reap the many benefits of meditation, regardless of your experience level, age, or physical abilities. If you’re new to meditation or want to sharpen your skills, Sun Rock Yoga can help, with some of the best meditation St George Utah has to offer.
If you’re new to meditating, our Yoga Foundations class is a great choice. This beginner-friendly class is perfect for getting a feel for the basics of yoga, or for brushing up on them if it’s been a while since your last class. In addition to learning the proper alignment of common postures, you’ll also learn the basics of breathwork and meditation. You can put your new skills to work in other Sun Rock Yoga classes, or in your practice.
Many of the other yoga classes at our St George studio also include meditation practice. Check out our list of classes today to find the right one for you!