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5 Ways to Celebrate Your Soul Through Meditation.

 

In recent decades, more and more Americans have taken up the practice of meditation.

And it’s no surprise as to why: meditation has a host of health benefits, such as improving concentration, increasing immunity and cardiovascular health and generating a sense of acceptance toward others and unexpected life events. People who practice meditation regularly often report feeling happier and more satisfied with their lives.

Meditation can also transform into a powerful personal affirmation tool that allows you to celebrate your individual and unique spirit. Maybe you’ve already instituted your meditation practice, and you’re looking to expand it. Perhaps you’re looking to start afresh. Either way, incorporating a celebration of yourself as part of your meditation practice will leave you feeling peaceful, centered and proud of who you are.

Here are five ways to celebrate your unique soul through meditation.

1. Focused Meditation

The goal of focused meditation is to quiet the endless self-talk that runs through our minds on a constant basis by meditating on a single point of focus. A simple way to begin a focused meditation practice is by choosing something to focus on — the scent of your favorite essential oil, or the sound of rain or birds chirping are all good choices. The idea is to observe where your thoughts start to wander.

As they inevitably do, bring them back under control by re-centering your focus on your chosen object.

To celebrate yourself through focused meditation, make one of your favorite qualities the object of your focus. Maybe you have an incredible sense of hearing, and you direct your attention to all the tiny sounds you can hear when you quiet yourself. Maybe you’re particularly proud of your strong legs, and you want to focus on all they can do.

Pick something you love about yourself, and appreciate it while you practice meditation.

2. Mantra Meditation

Mantra meditation involves focusing on a certain sound or set of sounds, similar to focused meditation. As all sound comes from vibration, the goal of mantra meditation is to raise your vibration, so you function as your highest self. Your mantra may consist of a single syllable, such as Om, that has meaning for you, or you may recite a phrase over and over until you believe it down to your bones.

Celebrating yourself using mantra meditation is easy. Think about a quality you have that you would like to celebrate. Perhaps you are working on becoming more warm and open toward others. Your mantra may be, “I am kind and friendly, and I have much to offer to others.” Repeat either out loud or silently in your head until you truly start to believe your glory.

3. Transcendental Meditation

The goal of transcendental meditation is to create a peaceful, restful state of mind that is free from intrusive or racing thoughts. Unlike other forms of meditation, which you can practice with little to no training, transcendental meditation pairs students with a mentor who guides them through the process of freeing their mind.

Investing in at least one transcendental meditation class is a wonderful way to practice self-care. You need not necessarily journey to a retreat at a spiritual center. Courses in transcendental meditation, or TM, are available online, and there’s a plethora of books available on the topic. Still, to get the most out of your TM experience, it’s best to consult with a qualified mentor to get you off on the right track.

4. Mindfulness Meditation

Unlike other forms of meditation that seek to quiet anxious or racing thoughts, mindfulness meditation encourages practitioners to face their inner demons through confronting their fears and negative thought patterns in a safe place. This form of meditation can help treat anxiety, depression and addiction while providing other therapeutic benefits.

It may seem difficult to celebrate yourself while becoming conscious of the often unconscious responses we have to external stressors, but the payoff is well worth the effort.

By developing a deeper understanding of not only your fears and anxieties but also of your unconscious methods of coping with these fears, you cultivate a healthy outlook that allows you to overcome even the most stressful situations in a healthy, productive manner.

5. Movement Meditation

Movement meditation is what it sounds like — obtaining a higher awareness of self through physical movement. Getting started in movement meditation requires next to nothing. In fact, you can easily incorporate movement meditation into activities you already do.

For example, if you’re a runner, you may find you are most in touch with your inner self while you’re out getting in your miles. If you’re a dancer, you may find putting on your favorite music and moving freely about your living room feels meditative.

The idea is to allow your emotions and thoughts to surface naturally as you move. This enables you to recognize your thoughts and feelings for what they are — simply thoughts and emotions, nothing more. Not only that, depending on your choice of movement, you can work up a good sweat in the bargain too.

Celebrate You

Whether you seek to calm racing thoughts or face your deepest insecurities, meditation offers a path to get you there. And there’s no better way to celebrate the unique individual you are by taking some time each day to worship and appreciate the brilliance of your mind and body through meditation.

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Kate Harveston

Kate Harveston

Kate Harveston is a freelance writer and blogger. Her work focuses on health and culture. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found curled up in her hammock with a book or exploring the city for trendy coffee shops. You can visit her blog, So Well, So Woman to read more of her work and receive a free subscriber gift!
Kate Harveston