Know yourself: Self-analysis and meditation strategies

Know yourself: self-analysis and meditation strategies. Few people self-evaluate or self-analyze to identify without defending themselves against their mistakes, traps, or weaknesses that make them dysfunctional or toxic in life in any area. The easiest thing is recognizing when we are doing well, when everything is going to the win-win time, and everything gets applauded and celebrated.

However, when we have anger problems, impulse disorder, violent or aggressive behavior, or harm people, divide or use social gossip, harm a group, a friend, or a family member.

Self-evaluation implies a sensitization to be able to stop our harmful actions. When this happens, people prefer to rationalize the behavior, justify it, victimize or defend themselves; but they never accept that their behavior is litigious, toxic, harmful, or perverse.

In this article, you will learn the strategies of self-analysis and meditation to know yourself. In this way, you can discover aspects of your personality that you can develop and improve.

What is self-analysis?

Sigmund Freud himself used self-analysis or psychoanalytic analysis of oneself. It consists of exploring one’s personality using the same psychoanalytic procedures, such as free association, dream analysis, failed acts, etc.

How to do a self-analysis?

It is important to carry out a self-analysis and thus understand what your weak and strong points are. For this, you have to ask yourself questions such as:

• What can I contribute?

• What do I know how to do?

• What do I like to do?

• What are my limitations?

• How could I overcome them?

The key points you should measure in this first phase are:

• Your knowledge.

• Your skills.

• Your attitudes.

You have to analyze the personal information you have obtained in detail, and thus know what your profile is.

What is meditation, and how is it done?

Meditation is a widely used technique for self-analysis and personal growth. People who meditate daily are extremely wise, empathetic, and calm.

The historical origin of meditation is not exactly known, but it is believed that it arose over 5,000 years ago, in India, within the Vedic-Hindu tradition, and specifically within the ascetic movement that we know as yoga.

Later religions – Buddhism, Christianity, the Jewish Kabbalistic tradition, or Muslim Sufism – delved into meditative practices, aware of their beneficial effects.

Although the meditation process is simple, it is not easy to detach ourselves from our conscious side to have a pleasant meditation session. You must be patient because it is a long, but satisfactory, learning process from the first sessions. We tell you some tricks to start meditating:

1. You’ve been mismanaging your thoughts all your life

Meditation experts consider that anxiety problems generate by using our conscious side to manage our thoughts and activities and leave our unconscious side parked.

2. Meditating is not leaving your mind blank

Meditating does not consist of leaving the mind blank (because it is practically impossible) but connecting with your unconscious side and letting the conscious side rest (finally).

Meditating comprises reconnecting with our unconscious side, which has been there all our lives, and we have forgotten its existence.

3. Choose a quiet place, Self-analysis and meditation strategies

Once you know the key elements of meditation, you must prepare a suitable scenario. The best thing is that you sit with your back straight on a beanbag or cushion, perform the lotus position (if it is comfortable for you), close your eyes, or focus your gaze on a fixed point and place your arms on your knees.

You can also meditate in other places such as in the garden, or on the terrace if it is more comfortable for you.

4. Relax your whole body, Self-analysis and meditation strategies

Pay attention to relaxing every part of your body: your shoulders, your arms, your eyes, your mouth, your ankles, etc. You will notice how each time you relax more and do not think about other issues (you are already meditating!).

5. Breathing and abdominal strength, Self-analysis and meditation strategies

To stay in the lotus position for a long time, put your strength and breathing on your abs and not on your back because if you leave all your weight on your spine, you will not be able to hold more than 5 minutes without suffering; it will start to hurt, and you will lose focus.

If you do not control the different types of breathing well (abdominal, thoracic, and clavicular), or you do not know how to change from one to another or focus your strength on the abdominals, choose a seat with a backrest or support your back against the wall.

Abdominal breathing is essential for meditation. We must learn to breathe with our abdomen to stand upright without a backrest.

5. Choose a mantra, Self-analysis and meditation strategies

A mantra is a word or phrase that you will use as motivation to put aside your logical side and bring out your most positive ideas through your unconscious side. You will repeat the mantra throughout the meditation process, in time with your breathing, and when you notice that you are getting distracted.

If you want to immerse yourself in oriental meditation fully, look for mantras in Sanskrit that suit your needs. Curiously, the Om (Symbol) is the most sacred of all mantras and the sound of which all other mantras emerge.

6. Japa Mala, Self-analysis and meditation strategies

Japa Mala, colloquially called Malas, are 108-bead Buddhist pendants traditionally made with Rudraksha seeds and with a plume in the center. Currently, it is more common to see them made of natural stones and minerals because they are more resistant.

The Japa Mala is similar to a Christian rosary and is used for more orderly meditation. The difference with the rosary is that it is used to mark and count the repetition of penance and the Japa Mala to count how many times a mantra has been pronounced and keep us centered. As you perfect your techniques, you will observe with your Japa Mala that each time you can endure more time meditating.

7. Tibetan bowl, Self-analysis and meditation strategies

It is another relaxing element you can add to your meditation and relaxation techniques. You can introduce yourself to meditation through the vibrating sound of the Tibetan bowl. To make it sound, you must place the bowl on your hand or place it on its cushion and pass the mallet gently and slightly inclined around the edge of the bowl.

A very important thing and that is usually a common mistake, is that circular movements should be done by moving the entire arm and the elbow as the nucleus of energy, not with the wrist.

8. Mindfulness techniques

Mindfulness is a very positive and useful technique that consists of working with the conscious and the unconscious. Through these techniques, we will be aware of what we are doing when we are doing it, without getting carried away by thoughts that alter us and do not let us enjoy the moment.

Combining mindfulness, yoga, pilates, and meditation techniques will be very beneficial in reducing stress and anxiety problems.

Conclusions

Now that you know the best self-analysis and meditation strategies to know yourself, you can find your true essence and become the person you want to be.