Six Simple Meditation Exercises

Stress, like energy, tends to build up. The paradox is that when more stress builds up in your body, your energy level actually goes down. In addition, both stress and energy can feed on different sources. Stress, for example, can stem from a lot of different problems. For this reason, we decided to show you some simple meditation exercises that can help you release tension.

In a sense, meditation promotes self-knowledge. It is a thousand-year-old technique that is very common in Buddhism and Hinduism. In recent years, however, meditation has also become very popular in the West.

One of the many benefits of meditation is a significantly improved ability to concentrate. This can lead to other benefits, such as improved memory. Meditation also helps us to relax both physically and mentally. It can even strengthen our immune system.

Without further ado, here are some simple meditation exercises that you can try yourself to reap all of these benefits.

Simple Meditation Exercises

1. Focus on your breath

This first of the meditation exercises is also one of the simplest to incorporate into your routine. This exercise is even easier to do if you are sitting in a comfortable position with your eyes half open.

In addition, the idea is that you focus all your attention on your breathing, without trying to change it. Simply try to feel the air you breathe. As you do this, all sorts of disturbing thoughts may come to mind. However, make it your mission to ignore these thoughts so that they gain less power.

2. Countdown

This is a very simple and useful technique to meditate. Sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and then start counting down from a large number (such as 50 or 100) to zero. The purpose of this exercise is to focus your attention on just one activity. So don’t get distracted by other sensations or stimuli.

3. Examine your own body

This is again one of the simplest meditation exercises you can do. This exercise involves focusing on different parts of your body. To do this, it is best to find a quiet place. Then focus on your toes first and then slowly work your way up, all the way to your crown.

You can even tense and relax the different muscle groups in your body so that you can become more aware of their presence and the way they move. This is a good way to observe in detail every feeling in your body.

4. Active Observation

For this exercise you are supposed to observe your surroundings. To start, sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed. Then open your eyes for a moment and then close them again. Then, with your eyes closed, think about what you have just seen.

In addition, you can think about the different sensations that these stimuli have generated in you. You can name them in your head and think about the shape, color and name of each object. Doing this exercise at home can also be a great way to see your home from a different perspective.

5. Movement Meditation

This simple meditation practice involves enjoying the pleasant sensations your body produces when it moves. We recommend doing this exercise outside in nature.

Try doing this exercise , for example ,  during long walks on the beach or through the woods. Enjoy the sun on your face, the wind, the plants or the water. This exercise can also be a form of self-observation, as you can also think about the movements your body makes while walking.

6. Fire Meditation

Finally, you can also choose to use fire as a symbolic element of purification, by concentrating on a flame while meditating. You can use a campfire for this, or keep it much simpler and just light a candle. This allows you to perceive the heat the fire creates and the shadows it projects.

In addition, you can also make a list of all the negative things in your life and then throw this list into the fire. You can do this in a symbolic as well as a literal way. Either way, it will help you free yourself from the fears that are blocking you.