Meditation is a mental and physical practice that cultivates focus, patience, and inner peace. Though often associated with religious traditions, meditation can be practiced by anyone regardless of belief system. The benefits of meditation have been widely researched and documented, and include stress reduction, improved focus and concentration, increased self-awareness, and more.
There are many different types of meditation practices, but all share the common goal of promoting mindfulness or present moment awareness. Mindfulness meditation specifically involves paying attention to thoughts and sensations without judgment. This allows practitioners to become more aware of their patterns of thinking and behaving, ultimately leading to greater insight and understanding. Other popular types of meditation include mantra repetition, walking meditation, body scan meditations, breath awareness meditations, loving-kindness meditations, visualization practices