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From my understanding and experience, there are 7 essential elements of meditation. If you have read my article about the different types of meditation, you will soon recognize some of the elements recommended for each of those meditations.
Meditation, according to Wikipedia, is “a practice in which an individual uses a technique … to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.”
I do prefer quiet surroundings the most. That does not necessarily mean it has to be completely quiet, as I sometimes enjoy listening to music while meditating.
7 Elements of Meditation
The 7 elements of meditation I listed below will help you focus on your meditation. Different types of meditation focus either on all of the elements listed below or only incorporate a few of them. The most common features of meditation are:
Quiet Surroundings
I recommend finding a spot where it’s relatively quiet for beginners. Get rid of distractions like TVs, cellphones, radios, or computers. As soon as you are more experienced, you can exercise your meditation also during a train ride, bus ride, flight, or even during stressful meetings at work. So, as soon as you feel comfortable, I encourage you to try it and see where else you can practice your meditation. One more piece of advice from my side here: Get yourself some noise-canceling headphones, and you will have a way easier time meditating on the go
Breathing
Breathing is as essential for me as quiet surroundings are. Steadying your breathing helps expand your lungs, absorb more oxygen, and relax your chest, neck, and shoulders. The more your practice, the more you can feel the flow of energy in your body and experience how “awake” your mind can be while your body gets the relaxation needed.
Movement
Some forms of meditation like Yoga, Tai Chi, or Qi Gong, and in parts also Zazen can include elements of movement. The least intense form is Zazen or Zen meditation. The movement is supposed to support your energy flow more freely in your body and activate your mind.
Walking
Another form of movement is walking. I meditate a lot when I am walking through our nearby forest. After a short while, I feel way more relaxed and my mind finds some peace. I am very much focused on the process of walking, making every step count, feeling my feet lift, and getting back on the ground. It’s a repetitive process that makes it easier for me to focus less on my thoughts and take in my surroundings, the smells, sounds, and sights.
Focus
All different types of meditation require you to focus. Not always focusing means freeing your mind from your thoughts. Some meditations need you to focus on the ideas that come up, evaluate them, and let go afterward. All forms of meditation that want you to focus on your empty mind require you to focus on mantras, your breathing, your body, specific objects, or nothing.
Comfortable Position
Sitting or laying down in a comfortable position can be one of the beneficial elements of meditation. But also walking or performing other exercises like Yoga, Qi Gong, or Tai Chi can help during meditation. In the long run, you should try to improve your posture or movement, which enables you to reach a deeper state of meditation faster.
Openness
I want to be open to all things happening during meditation. I aim to judge nothing happening, no thoughts or feelings coming up. Practicing this openness helps you release stress and eliminate any negative thoughts.
My personal view about the elements of meditation
Sooner or later, you will get better in some or even all of those elements of meditation over time. With that, your whole meditation practice will improve significantly. You may want to take a look at the different types of mediation in detail to pick your favorite kind of meditation.
