Mindfulness meditation
In our hectic, increasingly complex world, meditation has become more relevant and necessary than ever before.
Mindfulness meditation can help reduce stress, improve mental and physical well-being, and enhance concentration. It can be a valuable tool in your journey toward a more balanced and fulfilling life.
What is mindfulness meditation?
Mindfulness meditation is a practice that involves focusing one's attention on the present moment with an attitude of openness, curiosity, and non-judgement. It is rooted in Buddhist traditions but has been adapted into various secular forms in modern psychology and wellness practices.
There are several types of mindfulness meditations, each with its own focus and method. Here are some examples:
- Mindful breathing
- Body scan meditation
- Loving-kindness meditation
- Mindful eating
- Mindful walking
Benefits of mindfulness meditation
With 216 randomised controlled trials¹, mindfulness meditation is shown to offer a wide range of benefits for both mental and physical health, contributing to a more healthy and balanced way of life. Some of these benefits include:
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Improved focus and concentration
- Improved sleep
- Reduced burnout
- Increased compassion
How to practise mindfulness meditation
There are several ways to practise mindfulness meditation, such as:
- Focusing attention on the breath, observing each inhale and exhale without trying to change it. If the mind wanders, gently bring the attention back to the breath.
- Repeating phrases like "May I be happy, may I be healthy," to cultivate feelings of compassion and love towards yourself and others.
- Eating slowly and deliberately, paying full attention to the experience of eating with its different textures, flavours, and smells of the food.
How does mindfulness meditation differ from other meditation techniques?
Scientists have grouped different meditation techniques into three distinct categories, based on the types of brain waves they produce and the amount of effort it takes to practise these techniques.
The first group is called focused attention. This includes any meditation that involves concentration, control of the mind, or trying to clear your mind of thoughts. In Anapanasati meditation, for example, the practitioner focuses on the breath. The goal is to keep attention fixed on the sensations of breathing.
As you can imagine, focused attention meditations require a lot of effort. During the practice gamma brain waves are produced, which are usually more prominent during strong mental activities such as studying and solving problems.²
The second type of meditation is called open monitoring, which includes most mindfulness forms of meditation. During this type of meditation, practitioners are asked to just observe and be present and mindful of their thoughts, body, or surroundings. During body scan meditation, for example, you mentally scan your body from head to toe, paying attention to any sensations, tension, or areas of discomfort.
Open monitoring involves less effort than focused attention meditation techniques, but it still requires a certain amount of cognitive control. The brain wave patterns they produce are Theta waves, which “are present when you are creative. They also often occur during
The third type of meditation technique is called automatic self-transcending, and only one meditation falls under this category: Transcendental Meditation. This type of meditation allows the mind to naturally transcend, or easily settle inward, to quieter and quieter levels of thought, until the practitioner experiences the most silent and peaceful level of their own awareness.
The Transcendental Meditation technique does not involve any effort and produces alpha brain waves. Alpha brain waves are associated with a state of restful alertness.⁴ People with higher alpha brain waves are shown to have:
- Increased creativity
- Improved learning ability
- Quicker reflexes
- Higher grades for students
- Increased IQ
- Decreased neuroticism⁵
"I've practised vipassana, mindfulness, and several other forms of meditation, but [Transcendental Meditation’s] effortlessness and effectiveness is truly amazing even with just a week of practice."
John, August 2023,
What is Transcendental Meditation?
The Transcendental Meditation technique is a simple, natural, and
"I've been trained in several meditation styles, all mindfulness-based, none of which were a sustainable practice for me. [Transcendental Meditation] is different. It's effortless and pleasurable."
Blake, September 2023,
Find out more
The Transcendental Meditation technique is an effortless, effective meditation practice to reduce stress, improve mental clarity, and promote overall well-being. Connect with a local, certified TM teacher during a free info session to learn more about the TM technique and its many other benefits.
By Julia Stibane-Hol, August 22 2024
References:
- The Harvard Gazette https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/04/harvard-researchers-study-how-mindfulness-may-change-the-brain-in-depressed-patients/(accessed 29 July 2024)
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience https://nin.nl/about-the-brain/brain-waves/(accessed 7 August 2024)
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience https://nin.nl/about-the-brain/brain-waves/(accessed 7 August 2024)
- Istratov EN, Lyubimov NN, Orlova TV. Dynamic features of the modified state of consciousness during Transcendental Meditation. Biulleten Eksperimental Biologii Meditsiny 1996 121:128-130
- International Journal of Neuroscience 13: 211–217, 1981; 15: 151–157, 1981, and Scientific Research on Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Program: Collected Papers, Volume 1: 208–212, 1977; Volume 4: 2245–2266, 1989.