Throughout the past few years there has been a surge in selfdiscovery with people wanting to learn more about yoga, meditation, and the metaphysical. It has become easier and easier to find classes that cater to these demands in most cities.

Specifically, with meditation, there are various types of techniques that accommodate with what the person seeks or needs. Mindfulness meditation, guided visualization, transcendental meditation, heart rhythm meditation, kundalini, qi gong, and zazen are just to name a few techniques available to learn. Meditation has been around for many thousands of years, and there has been numerous studies stating its effectiveness with stress and mental health.

The simplest form is merely just sitting with eyes closed and focusing on breathing, while holding your breath for a few seconds and exhaling.

Crystal Gonzales, 30, from Bakersfield, is a freelance makeup artist and wardrobe stylist, and has been practicing meditation for four years.

“I believe that meditation helps me focus on the direction of my life. I set my intentions while meditating, I focus my thoughts on positive outcomes, and I guide myself,” she said.

Gonzales said she practices her meditation wherever she can. “I practice meditation on my own in my car, in my room, or really anywhere I can focus my thoughts,” she said. Rachel Winn, 28, from La Grande, Oregon, is a photographer who also specifically encompasses her three years of experience with meditation.

“I started attending a Buddhist gathering on a monthly basis. I had a lot of anxiety as a college student, with a new relationship that included being a stepmom, and my Buddhist teachers recommended that I try meditating on a daily basis to start my day off positively,” she said through social networking.

Winn proceeded to express her thoughts on how meditation has personally helped with her anxiety and stress.

“Meditating helps me relieve anxiety and helps me feel grounded. It improves my mood instantly, which in turn makes me a better partner, mother, and business owner,” she said. “It helps me clear my mind of all the negative voices and focus on the positive and the silver linings of life’s roadblocks.”

Whether people want to practice meditation on their own or in class, there are plenty of options. Enchanted Cottage is just one place in Bakersfield that holds classes monthly and offers different types of the aforementioned meditation techniques. Every Saturday morning from 10-11 a.m., and every Wednesday from 5:30-6:30 p.m. These classes are $5 each session and are held by two different instructors.

Marcia Cox instructs the Saturday morning classes, which are specialized in guided meditation, and Wednesday evening classes are held by Tracy MacLaren who teaches Zen mindfulness meditation. Mudras are also involved in some of these techniques, which is a certain way the hands and fingers are placed during meditating. Mudras are believed to affect the flow of energy in the body and unblock chakras.

Chakras are also a big presence within meditation and are used quite often. The seven chakras are believed to be the centers in our bodies in which energy flows through. During meditation, these chakras are visualized when practicing the breathing techniques to create a positive flow of energy within oneself. Enchanted Cottage can be found in Bakersfield at 30 H Street and can also be found on Facebook to view their monthly events and classes available.