Hi,
I'm Keziah Gibbons,
My pronouns are she and her,
And I'm a meditation professional.
If you're new to meditation,
It can be tricky to know where to start.
And there is no one-size-fits-all answer,
So there will be a little bit of trying different things to see what your preferences are,
What works for you.
That said,
I'll talk you through a couple of different types of meditation,
Just to give you a few clues.
Perhaps the most well-researched form of meditation is mindfulness meditation.
And there is a robust decades-long body of evidence.
To show the benefits of mindfulness meditation.
That said,
Many of these benefits can also be found in other types of meditation.
Mindfulness meditation is about intentionally focusing on the present moment and often uses a specific focus to anchor your awareness.
The idea is not that you'll never lose focus,
But instead that when you notice your attention wandering,
You gently bring it back to your anchor.
Sometimes this is done with observing or counting the breaths.
Or moving your attention through different areas of your body in a body scan.
Sometimes you'll focus on what's around you,
Noticing sights or sounds.
You can even practice mindfulness with chocolate if you so wish.
Over time with mindfulness practice.
You train your brain and your mind to be more aware of the present in everyday life and not just during your practice.
One of my favourite meditation practice types is energy-based meditation,
In which you direct energy within and through your body's energy systems.
This is typically done using your intention and to focus that intention.
You might visualise or physically move your body.
Practices such as pranayama and qigong are great examples of this and my favorite energy practice is Reiki.
Energy practices are great if you like to have something to do during your meditation practice and if you're kinesthetically wired,
That is,
If you're tuned into the way you feel in your body.
And these practices have been shown to reduce stress,
Help promote good sleep,
Which obviously has other knock-on health benefits too.
And finally,
Loving kindness or metta meditation.
Is a great one for those of us who appreciate or wish to cultivate love,
Compassion and connection.
In this simple practice you send positive wishes to a person or a series of people.
Often including yourself.
A loved one,
A stranger.
Someone who isn't easy for you or a whole group.
Loving-kindness meditation promotes feelings of social connectedness and life satisfaction.
Those are just three of the many types of meditation,
But they are classics and a great place to start.
I've left some recommendations in the description for you.
Thanks for your presence and energy and I look forward to practicing with you soon.
Take good care.
