Meditation, give it a chance.

Meditation is becoming more and more popular in our society, it would be the key to a mindful life. The ultimate goal of meditation according to Buddhism is enlightenment.

What is meditation anyway?

It is a technique by which our mind can come to rest. Its purpose is to achieve a certain state of consciousness, which is different from the state we normally are in. Such a consciousness can be described as a feeling of stillness, tranquillity or happiness.

Meditation does not belong to any religion, but is part of the Eightfold Path within Buddhism. There are different ways to practice meditation, there is not one right way. The goal for everyone is different. One is looking for 'enlightenment' and the other just wants 5 minutes of relaxation.

In this society where everything needs to be faster and better, it is important to think about yourself and your thoughts every now and then. And to clean up feelings and negative emotions that you have collected over time. Think of it as tidying your room, nice comparison is "a tidy house, gives a tidy head".

There are different variants of meditation (Mindfulness and Yoga are also seen as a form of meditation. See below a number of variants:

Zazen 

Zazen, or concentration meditation, is a Japanese form of meditation in which one meditates while sitting. Contemporary terminology is also known as 'just seating'. With this meditation you can start right away. The only thing that counts is sitting upright with your eyes closed and focusing on a certain thought.

An example of the Zazen meditation form can be found here:

Visualisation meditation 

Especially in the Tibetan tradition a lot is done with visualisation meditation. You let images emerge from the unconscious. This gives insight, but can also create a feeling of deep connection with your soul. Visualisation exercises are also used in coaching. Imagine something as vivid as possible, as if it were already there. For the brain, visualisation is almost the same as the real situation, so it can help you to create new neural pathways or a new habit.

Curious about the visualisation meditation? Watch the film below.

There are also many other forms of meditation such as Transcendental Meditation, Kundalini, Qi, Guided visualization, Trance-focused meditation and Heart Rhythm meditation. If you would like to know more about this, the apps below might help you in your search.

• Headspace
• Calm
• Stop, Breathe & Think
• Buddhify
• Insight timer
• Meditation moments

Author: By Iris van Els, ASML Yraining coordinator & Robert Jan Wissink, ASML Manager Internal Mobility & Employability