Meditation Chairs

No More Sitting On The Floor Thanks To Meditation Chairs

One of the most challenging things when meditating is finding the right sitting position. This is because your legs could become numb after some time which is why even if there is already meditation cushion in the market, there are some who still prefer to use meditation chairs instead.

When you look at a meditation chair, the first thing you will notice is that this does not look that different to a dining chair. It has 4 legs and a back rest. However, what it does best is make you more comfortable than when you are sitting on the floor by being able to mold to your body which prevents cramps and provides complete relaxation.

The material that makes this possible is called buckwheat hull because it conforms to your shape thus providing a firmer seat. It is also able to do this because of the ergonomic design which prevents the user from slouching during the most intense moments of meditation as it is angled slightly forward.

A good example of a meditating chair is the Seagrass. This was designed by a meditation practitioner who felt that it is very difficult to meditate while sitting in a lotus position. This chair allows you to cross the ankles or the feet or pull them up if you are tired of having them rest on the floor. It also provides proper spine support so you will never experience any back pain after the session.

The Chinese meditation chair is perhaps the oldest since it has been around for centuries. It didn’t have ergonomic features like the ones we have now but it has a very wide base so that the user has sufficient room to also cross their legs. It also did not have any cushioning but you can easily fix that.

Another example is the Tilt Seat that is also known as the kneeling chair. The beauty of this meditation chair is that it does not put any pressure on the knees and this can also be used as a study table because you can easily read a book when you put a cushion on the floor.

There are other meditation chairs available and they come in other shapes and sizes. One option for those that want something bigger is the meditation bench. Because of the larger area, those of you who still prefer the lotus position can do so without putting pressure on the legs. Something similar to that is called the cane chair for meditation.

When choosing the right seat, you should always consider your height, size and comfort level. Don’t forget support for the back so this also helps improve your posture.

The nice thing about meditation chairs is that they are light and portable. It can easily be stored in the closet when you are done and the designs that most retailers have can easily compliment with the rest of the items in the room.

The meditation chair is designed to make you feel comfortable in the 15 or 20 minutes when you are in session. How you make your mind and body relax is already up to you so if you are serious about improving your health or combating stress, then investing in one of these will surely be good for you. …Read more >>

Meditation Cushions

Most forms of meditation require the person to sit in a comfortable position. You can do this by getting a mat or a chair. But since this does not always make you feel at ease, someone decided to make meditation cushions.

What is a meditation cushion? Basically these are aids in meditation that do not offer any back support because they help lengthen the spine and correct your alignment so you are able to breathe better, increase blood flow and flexibility.

There are three types of meditation cushions around. These are namely the Zafus, the Zabutons and the seiza bench. What makes each different from the other? Well, the Zafus is a smile cushion that can be placed on the floor or over a kneeling bench. The Zabutons is a sitting mat which provides essential cushioning for the ankles, feet and legs. While the seiza bench is best for people who have knee problems.

The first two meditation cushions are used quite often in Zen meditation. But as meditation has become a popular form of alternative exercise, this has also been used in health clubs and fitness centers.

The three meditation cushions come in a variety of sizes and colors. How much do they cost? Any of the three meditation cushions mentioned cost from $30 to $60. You can easily acquire them by going to a specialty store or buying these goods online.

When you go around looking for meditation cushions, make sure it is real thing and you will know that simply by looking what is inside. The meditation cushion is usually filled with one or two rare materials namely Kapok and Buckwheat Hull. What makes these two so unique is that when Kapok is blown, it becomes firmer. Buckwheat Hull on the other hand forms to the body when it is applied.

Apart from the three meditation cushions for the lower part of your body, there is also one for your eyes. These are called eye pillows and used only when you are lying down while meditating. This is made of flax seed and covered with silk which is placed over the acupressure points that surround the eyes.

This performs two things. First, block out light and the other is to relieve tension. This is often used with aromatherapy oils to enhance a deep feeling of relaxation.

If you travel often and find carrying the standard meditation cushion inconvenient to carry around, you can get an inflatable meditation cushion. It is very to set up and hide so you can still get your daily dose of meditation 15 to 20 minutes a day.

Can you use your pillow as a makeshift meditation cushion? It can but only in the short term because the materials used here are made from cotton as this does not form to the body unlike Buckwheat Hull. Chances are, you will have to make adjustments during your session so you will not be able to maximize it.

So, for those that want to meditate without any distractions, it is best to get a meditation cushion. There are three to choose from; the Zafus, the Zabutons and the seiza benches. You just have to find which one is right for you so you can reap the benefits of meditation like others have in the past.
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Meditation Facts

These days, going to the doctor when you are sick is not the only way so you will feel better. According to the National Center for Complementary Medicine, meditation is among the top 10 alternative therapy treatments. But before we get into that, it is best we learn some meditation facts.

First, meditation means awareness. Why? This is because your senses are heightened as you concentrate on your breathing and your hearing is sharper than before. You tell your mind to block out these distractions so you are able to find inner peace which you can carry with you when you open your eyes.

Some think that meditation is a religion when in fact it is a science. This is because numerous studies done in the past show that those who practice it feel relaxed, are physically fit, have improvements in their academic standing in school and have an increase in their productivity at work.

But where did the word meditation come from? This comes from two Latin words. The first is called “meditari” which means to think, dwell upon or to exercise the mind. The second is “mederi” which is to heal. If you put these all together, it describes basically what this activity is which is a time for your to reach deep in your mind and recharge.

As you can see, meditation has benefits that are physiological, physical and psychological. You don’t have to take any pills or get a prescription from a doctor. It is free and it doesn’t consume much of your time. This can be done in 5 to 20 minutes each day. You just have to sit comfortably and close your eyes then continue with whatever you were doing.

Given that meditation has been practiced for centuries, various movements have emerged. But regardless of their names or techniques, this can be grouped into two basic approaches.

The first is called concentrative meditation. Here, the person focuses his or her attention on the breath, an image or a sound to create a greater awareness and for clarity to come forth. Think of it like you are looking at something through a microscope so you are able to narrow your focus.

This is quite easy since all you have to do is sit down and just breathe. The correct way of doing it is to inhale and exhale slowly because as this becomes deeper and slower, your mind becomes more aware and tranquil.

The second type is called mindfulness meditation. Just like concentrative meditation, the person sits quietly and then reflects on his or her feelings, sensations and thoughts. These things come to mind one at time without the person calling on any of them to come forth. It just appears and no action is taken so that when you wake up, you see the bigger picture and know what you have to do.

Which meditation technique is the best of all? There is no correct answer to that because this depends entirely on the personality of the individual.

The one fact about meditation you should remember is that regardless of what you choose, its focus is to silence the busy mind. It does not remove the stimulation which you feel but rather direct your concentration to something else to achieve that inner peace. You just have to keep an open mind to see what it can do because it is a science. …Read more >>

Easy Meditation Techniques

Meditation may be a challenge for most people to do as a habit. But it is not as difficult as some may think. There are several easy meditation techniques that anyone can follow toward attaining a deeper sense of relaxation. Meditation is an effective weapon against banishing stress brought about by the rigors of life. You should try it out and here are the simple steps that you can follow to help you out.

One of the first things is find a place where you can sit comfortably. It should also be some place where you can have few distractions as possible. Distractions are not good when you are meditating since they can keep you from developing your focus and concentration and keep your mind away from everything. Once you get the hang of meditating by keeping away the distractions, you can also do your meditation while riding the train, bus or plane.

After you have a place where you can do your meditation in comfort, you now need to choose a mantra. It can be any word that you feel can help you feel relaxed and calm. Try to go with words for your mantra that really appeals to you. It can even be your own name as long as it helps you feel positive and be aware of your meditation.

Once you have yourself comfortable and have chosen a mantra, close your eyes and start repeating the mantra to yourself. Let the mantra do what it wishes. If it is something that you wish to repeat it slowly, fast, quiet or loud, then do so. Try not to let outside thoughts to disturb you while you are doing this. Just ignore them and focus on repeating your mantra.

As you repeat the mantra, try not to get distracted and just be aware of what you are saying and focus on it. Learn also to remain relaxed and clam as you do this. In time you might sometimes find yourself going off on a daydream and stop repeating your mantra. Just try to refocus and continue on with your meditation before you ward off any further.

The key to this simple meditation is trying not to let distractions come before you when you meditate. It can be a bit hard sometimes to do first, but it will develop along the way and will help you develop your focus as well as awareness better. After some time, stop repeating your mantra and remain quiet while you are still sitting comfortably. Do this for about a couple of minutes or so. Avoid getting up immediately after your meditation. It would be similar to jumping up just after having a deep sleep. It would cause a lot of stress in itself.

The other key to effectively make use of such easy meditation techniques is to do it as a habit. Try to allot some free time in your schedule for your meditation. Making it a habit would make you improve your ability to keep out distractions when you do not need them. This meditation technique can be done in as little as ten minutes or so. It is not such a long time to spend on something that can provide you with a lot of benefits especially when it comes to battling everyday stress.
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How Meditation Helps Insomnia

Insomnia simply is a chronic inability to sleep. I have had many restless nice with only a few hours a sleep. Many nights I would only get 3 or 4 hours of sleep. I had tried everything to help me sleep.I tried things like Tylenol pm.mild nerve pills and even was tested for sleep apnea and had a breathing machine to use at night for the sleep apnea.That machine made me feel as if i could not get any oxygen. Insomnia can make you crazy after awhile.

I was having a very difficult time breathing with it. I had to quit using the machine because it was so uncomfortable.I was getting very irritable from not sleeping so a friend told me how using mediation helped her.I went on the computer and found out many ways meditation helps people for many different problems. The first thing I learned is that having insomnia can also be a mind thing.

You can actually train your mind to go without sleep.I know that I think about the struggles I go through everyday and keep that on my mind so I cannot sleep well. Through meditation I have learned to calm down,relax and know that getting so upset over things I cannot change will just make things worse. Now when I come home after a exhausting day I don't let things bother me so much. I actually first started my mediation in the morning before I left and again when I get home.

In the morning I get up about 30 minutes earlier then the rest of the family so I can have time to myself. I go into the kitchen get a book I like or a newspaper,fix me some coffee and just meditate before I have to start my hectic day. When I come home at night I know that with my insomnia I will have another restless night so I start preparing for my night after I get supper cooked the dishes done and kids to bed.

For my meditation at night I will first relax by listening to soothing music. I will turn on a music channel on my television and just kick back and relax. I then get in a hot tub and sit there and let the hot water sooth me. After I get out of the tub I do not wait to go to bed. Since my body is now very relaxed I go straight to bed. I have learned by staying awake watching TV after I am so relaxed will only make it harder for me to sleep.

Since I used my meditation while listening to comforting music and relieving my tension with a hot bath why get upset by watching television. I turn my fan on low get under the covers take some deep relaxing breaths and go to sleep. I'm not saying that I am cured and get 8 hours of sleep every night but I can say that using mediation to relax me has helped me at least get a couple of extra hours of sleep then I use to.

My husband also turns on the little clock radio to a country channel and leaves it on low all night to help him get some sleep.You have got to remember meditation is simply clearing your mind of thoughts that upset you. Once you have cleared your mind over whatever is bothering you it will be to your benefit.

Relaxing is the key to having a better day and night. So find a way of meditation that will help you relax and just enjoy your night. You are worth it and most of all after all you do for everyone you deserve to have a few moments of relaxing meditation. …Read more >>

Music that You can Listen to While Meditating

For people who are into meditation, one of the most crucial factors for them to do the practice properly is to hear some meditation music. Depending on the form of meditation you are practicing, meditation music plays a very big role in achieving the success in any meditation session.

What is meditation music should be

People who have been practicing meditation for so long would definitely agree that the hardest thing to fight off during meditation is chatters or babblers. This is because this tiny sound can penetrate the mind and distract it from whatever it has been doing.

To be able to avoid the distraction brought by this simple sound, they have found a way to fight it off using meditation music. Of all the many kinds of music out there, people—especially those who are just beginning—are having a hard time choosing which one would suit the practice.

Here are some guidelines in choosing the meditation music for you:

1. Make sure that it doesn't have lyrics. In choosing meditation music, it is always best to choose music that has no lyrics because it can only distract your concentration. If you find plain rhythm boring, try to play something that has lyrics that your don’t understand so you don’t have to think what the song is saying. Aside from distracting your thoughts through the words you understand, music with lyrics will also encourage you to sing along which will totally shatter your concentration.

2. Relaxing music with soft rhythm is always advisable. For starters, this type of music will do you good because it will help you clear your mind and focus on something. But, if you are already in a higher level of meditation, you can choose music that have faster rhythm and beats or anything that your truly enjoy because this can no longer distract you.

3. Try to experiment. Although soft and relaxing music is always advisable, try to play other types of music. Who knows? You might find better concentration of you play something that you truly enjoy.

4. Simple and soothing music is sure to focus your attention. If you don’t have the luxury of time to experiment on types of music to be played during meditation, then try surefire hits, which are simple and soothing music. Some of these may include classical sounds, sounds from the nature such as clapping of thunder, sounds of big waves, sounds of insects, and the wind. Other alternative options may also include simple instruments including tibetan singing bowl, flute, sitar, and tamboura which are known to have meditative inducing qualities.

When choosing meditation music, it is very important to keep in mind that the type you should play must induce you to deep concentration and not into deep sleep. If you are the type who practices mediation in just one place, then it is best if you play the same meditation music all over again. But if you are the type who changes places, then it is best to bring along several types of medication music to help you adjust to the place.

You can download the meditation music that you like from various meditation sites in the Internet and burn in a CD. But if you burn have a portable MP3 player, it is best to upload the music there so you can listen to it anytime you want to practice meditation. …Read more >>

Meditation Methods

There are numerous meditation methods for you to try and those who are skeptic about it should simply keep an open mind. For those who are really interested, you have to do some research to find out which is the best for you. To help you along the way, here are a few that can be done with the help of an expert.

The first is called Meditation by Walking which is very popular among monks. This activity is far different from the rest because it combines physical activity with mind conditioning in order to relieve stress immediately.

In order for this to work, you jut have to find a place where you can walk like a circular path or a track. The reason why is because you want to follow a pattern in order to help your mind rest.

Of course, you will still have to breathe and walk at a slow pace. You might get distracted especially if there are other people on the track and when this happens, simply acknowledge it and continue what you are doing.

The next is called prayer meditation which is in fact the most popular form. The nice thing about this is that you do not have to go to Church or sing any hymns. You simply sit down, close your eyes and just relax.

Is meditation only for relaxing? The answer is no. Sometimes, this is used to help an athlete before a big event or by doctors to help cure patients. This is known as visualization meditation and you let your mind focus on an object or that goal which you wish to reach. This is effective when you finally settle in a very comfortable position

Another meditation method is called candle meditation. Here, you basically light a candle and then focus on the flame. For the next few minutes or so, you will block out everything else in the world and put all your concentration on the flickering flame.

Meditation on your own is not for everyone. This is why you can get guided meditation by listening to a prerecorded session. There are CD’s that play soothing while there are others that are narrated by a professional.

If you are not happy with your life or need time to reflect on your own, another meditation method is mirror gazing. Here, you simply gaze into your image and think about how your life is like. You can do this standing up or sitting down.

For those of you who cannot sit still, Yoga meditation may be what you are looking for. This is because aside from being an exercise designed to improve your flexibility, it can also provide relief for pain and gives the person a feeling of pleasure.

As you can see, there are many meditation methods to choose from. In fact, doctors now call this an alternative form of therapy and if this has worked for others, it could possibly do some good for you.

Which meditation method should you try? Well, why not try them one week at a time and see how things go. You can write in a journal what you experience and then come to the conclusion as to which has the most effective impact on you. From there, you will know which one among those mentioned may become part of your daily routine. …Read more >>

The Benefits of Meditation

Meditation plays a large part in Eastern philosophies and religions. Later on, the West also got hold of it and has realized that it has a lot of health benefits.

The one thing students and those work deal with everyday is stress. Meditation for just 15 minutes or even longer allows you to relax and later enables you to make an effective decision. It also lowers the level of stress anxiety in your system thus decreasing the risks of heart disease significantly.

The practice of meditation also makes you self aware of what is happening around you. This enables you to focus on the present rather than events that happened in the past or the future. It teaches you to be in control of your mind and not make you do anything based on your emotions.

Believe it or not, meditation also develops insight into our subconscious. This is because our attitudes, behavior, feelings and perceptions are all connected and if you are able to harness it, you will be able to understand yourself better.

This allows you to have a positive outlook in life and even make changes in yourself. You become content or thankful with what you have instead of harboring feelings of anger, anxiety, greed, hatred and jealousy towards yourself and others.

You will also be able to see the big picture instead of the small one when given a task at work so even if there are a few setbacks a long the way, you are still able to keep your eye on the end game.

Medication can also make you feel younger. This is because in one study, people who have been practicing this for many years were physiologically 12 years younger than their chronological age. The results of the test were based on the test subject’s auditory discrimination, blood pressure and eye sight.

So now that you know the benefits of meditation and what it can possibly do, you are probably asking yourself right now how does it work? Well, let us first correct the common misconception about meditation.

A lot of people think that you have to sit in a pretzel position or go off to some far away place to make this work. The truth is that you just have to find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed, sit on the floor or on a chair in whatever position you like best and slowly clear your mind of all thoughts.

You should keep in mind that sitting in a comfortable position may sometimes make you doze off. So concentrate otherwise it defeats the purpose of this exercise.

Next, you should close your eyes, focus on your breathing and let the positive air go in and the negative thoughts go out. You might hear sounds nearby and since you can’t do anything about that, just acknowledge that it is there and just concentrate on this exercise.

This can be done at work or at home and how long it will be done depends on you. Some people may start out for 5 minutes and then extend the time in the future. The important thing is that you feel recharged and ready to taken on whatever challenge is out there when you are ready to open your eyes. …Read more >>