Introduction

The delicate art of doing nothing and letting go of all efforts to relax in one’s true nature also involves love, joy, and peace. It's what allows you to clear your head and connect with your inner self. You can get sound rest while you meditate. Reducing stress and maintaining mental hygiene are crucial. The path of meditation is one of movement to stillness and sound to silence.  The soul can be nourished by meditation. While information serves the intellect, amusement serves the mind, and meditation serves the soul or spirit, music is the sustenance for the emotions.  There is more resonance for meditation in spiritual and religious environments. The act of connecting with a spiritual being is observed in all religions. All "spiritualities," including Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity, provide prayers and chants to the gods. 

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According to some research, mindfulness and meditation techniques may have an impact on the way the brain functions or is structured. Research has employed diverse techniques to measure brain activity in order to search for quantifiable variations in the brains of individuals practicing mindfulness. It has been hypothesized in other research that practicing mindfulness and meditation can alter brain function. Researchers claim that "mind-body practices, like yoga, meditation, and distress tolerance, may foster emotion regulation skills that help young adults cope with stressful situations and negative feelings."

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Cultivating Mindset

Our thoughts have a significant impact on both our behaviour and our overall state of mind. We are more likely to act positively and feel positively when we consider helpful thoughts. On the contrary, we are more naturally inclined to act negatively and feel negatively when we are thinking negative thoughts. We can nurture pleasant thoughts as well as feelings by using the great means of meditation. We develop our ability to pay attention to the here and now and to objectively observe our thoughts when we meditate. This enables us to confront and become more conscious of our negative thoughts. Regular meditation practice can improve our ability to think positively and lead more satisfying lives.

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There are several ways that meditation can support more optimistic thinking. (Keng et al., 2011)

• Meditation may help you in increasing your awareness of your thoughts. Meditation teaches you to be mindful of the here and now and to examine your thoughts without passing judgment. This plays a role in raising your awareness of and ability to overcome negative views.

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• Second, you can cultivate a more optimistic view of life by practising meditation. When you meditate, you direct your attention to the here and now, such as your breathing, your body, or your environment. This aids in mental training so that you concentrate on your surrounding.

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• Negative thoughts frequently race through your head when you are upset or anxious. You can learn to focus on the here and now and quiet your thoughts through meditation. This might help you in thinking more optimistically and reduce tension and worry. Regular meditation practice can help people feel less stressed overall, which promotes improved mental clarity, emotional stability, and a brighter outlook on life.

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• The brain pathways linked to concentration and attention can be strengthened by practicing focused attention during meditation, such as body scan or mindfulness of breath. People who are able to maintain their focus are better able to focus on experiences and ideas that are positive, which results in a more optimistic outlook.

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• A fixed mindset, which is defined by limiting beliefs and a fear of failure, can be progressively replaced by a growth mindset, which is characterized by a belief in one's capacity to learn from and develop from obstacles, through regular meditation practice. This mental change might result in increased drive, tenacity, and positivity toward education and self-improvement.

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How do we combine Meditation and Positive Thinking?

Mindfulness is a process that involves enabling intentional actions, willpower, and decisions. However, it does take practice, the more we activate the conscious brain, the stronger it tends to get. This aims to help our mind move away from its autopilot mode. There are various ways that we can adopt to bring about positive thinking and change within ourselves.

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Visualization strengthens one’s determination to achieve desired goals. Trying to draw out the steps that are required to achieve your goals, in the meanwhile, try to imagine yourself going through the process. To stimulate the experience, it should be made sure that the details are accurate and real. One can either meditate by themselves or use a guided tape or use vision board as well. This allows our mind to give space to visualise what one would want.

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Avoiding negative self-talk is another way. Being able to focus on breathing while sitting with one’s thoughts and emotions, one will be able to understand and acknowledge that thoughts are simply the messengers that help us understand how to respond in a way that can feel peace with self and the world around you. Thoughts that make us feel shame or disappointed may be interpreted as reminders to pause and consider what steps you might take to reaffirm your worth and competence.

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Mindfulness in Daily Life

We have understood that our behaviour runs on autopilot mode 95% of the time. Although our conscious mind is aware of what is best for us, our subconscious mind leads us to take shortcuts in life. Therefore, how can we make ourselves conscious when we most need it? The idea of "behaviour design" comes into the scene here. It's a means of taking conscious control of one's thoughts. This can be achieved in two ways: first, by placing challenges in the autopilot brain's path, it can be slowed down; second, by opening the way for the conscious brain to take charge. It does require some work to tip the scales in favour of your conscious brain. Here are a few methods to begin going.

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Put reminders for meditation all around you. Place your yoga mat or meditation cushion in the centre of your floor so you can't miss it when you go by if you plan to practice yoga or meditate.

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Regularly update your reminders. Let's say you choose to utilize sticky notes as a tool for self-reminders of new goals. That might help for a week or so, but after that, your automatic mind and old habits kick in again. Try penning yourself fresh notes; be creative and/or humorous. They'll stay with you longer if you do that.

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To easily make reminders to switch into the conscious brain, you may try creating a series of "If this, then that" messages. As an example, you could think about the phrase, "If office door, then deep breath," to help you into a state of mindfulness just before you begin your workday. Alternatively, "If the phone rings, inhale before answering." Your conscious brain will get stronger with each deliberate action you take to become more aware.

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Myths

1. Clearing the mind is the aim of meditation.

Observing the mind and working toward a more profound control over its inherent state through awareness of thinking is the goal of meditation. Mindfulness is found in this deeper awareness, and it can be attained in a variety of ways by employing concentration techniques including body scans, mantras, conscious breathing, and simply being aware of the thoughts as they arise and pass through the mind. The effective practice of meditation is to recognize our regular "monkey mind" and bring awareness and quiet concentration back to the forefront when it manifests itself.

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2. It is relaxing to meditate.

The idea that meditation soothes or improves your mood is not true. Because it may be the first time someone sits with the unpleasantness of their inner experience, meditation might actually create some dysregulation or anxiety. They might notice things that frighten or bother them. Truths that were previously concealed beneath layers of defensiveness come to light when we begin to pay attention. While some meditation practices may have the unintended effect of promoting calm, on other days you may have realised that your mind was racing.

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3. If your thoughts dart while meditation, it isn't working.

You were practising meditation correctly if you became aware of your thoughts while you were in it. The goal of meditation is not to alter our internal experience but to refine our capacity to see different facets of it. The more we meditate, the more adept we become at avoiding mental distractions. This can eventually make us feel calmer and more in control, but the ideas still remain. 

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4. It is a self-indulgent luxury to meditate.

If getting enough sleep and exercising are selfish, then meditation is selfish as well. You should practice meditation often to keep your mind and awareness sharp. You become more composed, less impulsive, and calmer as a result. This gives you the confidence to perform better at work and has a favorable impact on those around you.

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5. You will become weaker from meditation.

By bringing us into the present moment through meditation, we can practice responding instead of reacting, stopping the fight-or-flight reaction. Our performance is enhanced and our attention is sharpened by meditation. Numerous athletes use meditation, and some professional teams even employ self-hypnosis coaches and meditation.

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6. You must be sitting to meditate. 

While moving, you can practice mindfulness and meditation. Walking and hiking meditations, as well as meditations in which you focus on your surroundings and describe them, are some of my favorite types of meditation. Studies have indicated that the advantages of moving meditations are comparable to those of stationary meditations, such as lowering stress and anxiety, bringing about a calmer state of mind, and structuring your thoughts. Additional advantages of moving meditations include improved digestion, increased circulation, and blood flow

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7. Meditation is a religious practice.

It is not necessary to be religious to meditate, even though many religions emphasise its benefits. It really is up to you from whom you get from—God, Allah, your higher self, the universe, or someone else—because prayer is asking and meditation is receiving. It is not necessary for someone to believe in God to refrain from meditation.

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8. It takes hours to meditate.

Some individuals believe that you need to lock yourself in a cave for hours on end every day in order to meditate. Nobody has hours to meditate in this hectic society, and caves are way overrated. Five-minute meditation periods can be beneficial for people. Do you need to mentally refresh yourself? Pause for a moment, then slowly close your eyes. Breathe in and out until you reach the count of five, then count again. Try to not change the count. Following this little break, you'll feel completely different.

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Conclusion

There is a meditation technique that can help you achieve spiritual enlightenment or reduce stress. Try experimenting and don't be scared of stepping outside of your comfort zone. Sometimes you have to do some trial and error before you locate the right one.

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Meditation cannot be forced, when we do that it tends to become a chore. However, when we are able to gently, but regularly practice meditation becomes supportive and enjoyable. Opening oneself to new opportunities to understand better, there are different forms of meditation, if one does not work for you, you can always try a new one.

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Ready to start your meditation journey? Contact Rocket Health India for online counselling and guidance on incorporating meditation into your life for improved mental well-being.

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References 

Keng, S. L., Smoski, M. J., & Robins, C. J. (2011, August). Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: A review of empirical studies. Clinical Psychology Review, 31(6), 1041–1056. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2011.04.006

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Lindsay, E. K., Chin, B., Greco, C. M., Young, S., Brown, K. W., Wright, A. G. C., Smyth, J. M., Burkett, D., & Creswell, J. D. (2018, December). How mindfulness training promotes positive emotions: Dismantling acceptance skills training in two randomized controlled trials. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 115(6), 944–973. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000134

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Meditation and Mindfulness: What You Need To Know. (n.d.). NCCIH. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation-and-mindfulness-what-you-need-to-know