Meditation (Dhyana in Hindu) has been practiced for ages. The earliest forms of written records of meditation are dated back to 1500 BCE. These are believed to have come from Hindu Traditions of Vedantism. Before meditation was finally written down it had been memorized and passed down for many generations before.
Meditation was practiced in the early ages to enable self-knowledge and Samadhi. Samadhi is the state in which the meditator becomes one with the object of meditation. From India, the tradition spread to other religions and places like Buddhism, Jainism, Taoism, Confucianism and even to Christianity.
From these old traditions of meditation we now have the modern western world meditation. This is practiced not only for spirituality but for focus, concentration, healing and replenishing of the body. Meditation has also been studied scientifically. The first yogi to be studied by scientists during meditation was Swami Rama. This was done through ECG tests.
He was able to show that through meditation one can be able to control heartbeat, blood pressure and body temperature. These are all processes that scientists deemed involuntary before that.
Meditation today has drifted from the spiritual nature although spiritual meditation is still practiced. People are now learning meditation for the benefits that it brings. It has also become easy to learn how to meditate using online meditation classes.
Take for instance this 21 day online meditation challenge by Yogateket. For three weeks this challenge will engage you and teach you how meditate deeply even when you have never meditated before.
Types of Meditation
There are many types of meditation techniques that you can learn today. Most of these practices you can easily learn through online meditation classes. Meditation can be practiced in different positions.
The most common meditation techniques you can learn today as a beginner include; chakra meditation, loving kindness meditation (metta meditation), vipassana meditation, guided meditation, mindfulness meditation and transcendental or mantra meditation.
You can practice all these techniques as; seated meditation, laying down meditation and even standing meditation. For standing meditation, you could be still in the same position or you might practice activity meditation. For instance walking meditation is a famous form of active meditation that you can practice. All these different types of meditation can be learnt through online meditation classes on Yogateket.
Benefits of Meditation
Are you wondering why you should learn meditation? Meditation has been shown through scientific studies to have many benefits to the body. The benefits of meditation to the body include;
- Lowers the heart rate
- Lowers blood pressure
- Reduces stress and anxiety in the mind
- Controls the body temperature
- Provides deeper relaxation to the body which can facilitate regeneration and even healing.
- Meditation lowers blood cortisol levels
- Meditation improves blood circulation
- Meditation relaxes the mind which enhances thought, concentration and focus.
Meditation also frees your mind from things that you cannot control. It brings self- awareness and eventually you might achieve Samadhi. With meditation you are able to live a more focused and stress free life. Your mind is at harmony and you approach life with a different perspective than someone who is stressed out and feeling at the edge.
Online Meditation Classes
If you are looking to learn meditation, one of the easiest and the best way to do it is through online meditation classes. At Yogateket you can take different online meditation to suit your needs. They also have the 21 day online yoga challenge. The challenge keeps you engaged for a whole three weeks so you can make meditating a habit.
But why should you learn meditation online through Yogateket? Here are some of the benefits you will enjoy when you opt for online meditation classes.
Variety – one of the things that you will find is variety. You will get different types of meditation practices all in one place. This is unlike in traditional meditation where one school or one teacher will be a master in a particular type of meditation. With a wide variety in one place you can easily switch if you find a certain type of online meditation doesn’t work for you.
Affordability – online meditation classes are highly affordable. Cost is not cut because quality is compromised. It is cut because there are many major expenses that will be avoided like paying rent for a physical class. With a physical space there are many other expenses like utility, security and workers. All these costs will be factored in when charging for the class. For online meditation classes, you get quality for an affordable price.
Practice at the Comfort of Your Home – many people and especially beginners find it hard to concentrate with meditation when they are in physical classes. You can get past the anxiety and practice meditation at the comfort of your home with online meditation.
Practice Anywhere Anytime – with online classes you can practice meditation anywhere you are whenever you have time. With the traditional mode of learning you have to show up to class at set times.
If you travel regularly you will not be able to enjoy physical meditation classes because you are unavailable most of the time. With online meditation classes you just log in and practice wherever you are.
Engagement – online meditation is very engaging. When starting out many people fall off the bandwagon before they are able to master the desired technique. This is especially true for physical classes.
To keep you engaged for long and over a period of time, challenges such as the 21 day online meditation challenge will keep you engaged for long. With a systematic plan taking you from one level to the other you are able to see results quickly.
Level of Progress – online meditation classes are made for beginners and experienced meditators alike. You can quickly just sign up to the level that you are interested in and continue learning. For a physical class you might have to wait to join a certain level of meditation.
Online meditation is therefore very affordable, convenient and practical. If you are looking to learn meditation then this is the way to go.
