Meditation has many different forms and practices. One of the oldest ones is the Vedic Meditation. The word Vedic has evolved from Veda, which means knowledge in Sanskrit. Furthermore, the Vedas stand as pillars for yoga, Indian philosophy and Ayurvedic medicine. One of the most natural and effortless techniques of meditation, Vedic has its roots in India where it started to be practiced about 5,000 years ago.
Fortunately, it has been passed through a long line of Vedic Masters and thus today we can still learn it all over the world. So what is it that makes it different from other types of meditation?

What is Vedic Meditation?

First of all, it is important to know that Vedic meditation is not meant for people who prefer isolating from society, but for people with busy lives, families, relationships and jobs. It does not require abstinence, commitment for a long time or throwing away some or all of your things.
The technique itself cannot be linked to any particular faith or religion, because its purpose is to have an effect on both the body and the brain. Even more, it seems that Vedic meditation works even if you do not believe in its effects, as it brings out an autonomic and spontaneous response, and that is not something easily overlooked.
Vedic meditation needs to be practiced for twenty minutes in the morning and twenty minutes in the evening. All you have to do is sit comfortably with your eyes closed. Make sure to support your back. You do not need to worry because it is an enjoyable and effortless practice which does not require you to concentrate.
In this way, your awareness comes to rest and thus you can experience a state of inner wakefulness or restful alertness, which has been described by meditators as a state of supreme inner contentment. You will gain much more rest than the one you get from sleep. Furthermore, your stress level will be considerably reduced and thus become healthier and happier.

Benefits of Vedic Meditation

As numerous studies have shown meditation has lots of benefits, from health to lifestyle and determining you to reach your goals in life, and thus happiness. Other perks of meditation include reducing addictions, risk of hearts diseases, cholesterol levels, depression, anxiety, asthma, migraines, headaches, tiredness, sleeping disorders and aging itself. Furthermore, it is well known that meditation helps you reach a normal weight, a normal blood pressure, improves your sports performance, immune system, reaction times, your intelligence, energy, creativity, memory and your happiness.
However, there are some specific aspects related to Vedic meditation. As previously mentioned, it is intended for people who lead busy, active lives, and thus are stressed by the difficulties they face and do not have much time for themselves. Vedic is an effortless form on meditation, which does not strain you even more after a hard day. How does it work?
Both mind and body experience a certain mantra in silence, without having to concentrate or focus and thus reach a paradox: reaching a settled state of peace while still remaining fully alert. As a result, the practitioner reaches a supreme inner contentedness. A particular specificity of Vedic meditation is that instead of focusing your mind to determine it to settle or contemplate, you give the mind a medium which helps it do that. Such medium are named Vedic meditation mantras.
The word mantra is a combination of “manas” which means mind in Sanskrit, and “tra” which stands for instrument or vehicle. Thus, the Vedic meditation mantra is  a medium which helps transport awareness from the surface of the mind to the subtle and the transcendent. There are countless Vedic meditation mantras, each serving for different things.
The mantra is the reason why this technique is effortless, because you let the mantra do all the hard work. And it is a lot of hard work, taking into consideration that an average person has about 60,000 to 80,000 thoughts each day. You can practice anywhere, as long as you find a comfortable spot where your back is supported. The technique is perfect for people who have difficulty concentrating, because it does not require you to stop thinking whatsoever and focus on only one thing.

How to Practice Vedic Meditation

If you are interested in practicing Vedic meditation, you should get started by finding out whether this technique resonates with you. You also need to find a teacher who can help you best.
A good idea is to attend a free introductory class, which usually lasts for one hour. Such classes usually take place in the evening, after work. However, if you are not free during that time, it is also possible to schedule smaller meetings. Is you have decided upon trying the Vedic meditation, the next step is to complete the course for beginners.
You will need to attend sessions during four consecutive days, and you will receive assigned meditations to practice at home as well. Usually the sessions are structured as follows: during the first class you will learn the basics and receive your mantra, the second one involves settling down the mind and understanding how the mind functions during meditation, the third one will do the same thing for your body, and the last one includes information on how to meditate daily and thus reach the state of mind you need. Even though at the end of such a course you will be able to continue by yourself, you will not be abandoned by your teacher and you can still attend as many classes as you want.
Vedic meditation is quite popular in New York and Los Angeles. The prices vary depending on the company, the teacher or the region , but the minimum is around $500. However, if you are prepared to change your life for the better, you will receive comprehensive instruction on Vedic meditation, as well as free lifetime support after your complete the four session course. This form of meditation truly fits the common stressful lifestyle of people like a glove and is definitely worth a try.