The different types of Meditation

The stress and distractions of everyday life can make you feel exhausted. Meditation allows the brain to block out the stressors in the world and focus on calm.

When it comes to meditation, there are no strict rules and there is no one right way to go. In fact, the very idea of ​​it might even be counterproductive to the intent of the meditation. How can you practice meditation in a way that is right for you?

There are different types of meditation and each has its advantages. Most people will find that certain types of meditation work better for them than others, it all depends on their personal preference and what you expect from the practice. If you are new to meditation I definitely recommend exploring the different avenues and seeing what works best!

According to Mindworks, (https://mindworks.org/blog/different-types-meditation-technique/) there are six different meditation techniques that are very grounded and effective way to relieve stress while also promoting self-awareness.

1. Spiritual Meditation

Depending on the tradition, spiritual meditation can also contain elements of silent, spoken or sung prayer. When practiced in a religious context, meditation supports a deeper connection with the divine. In non-theistic traditions like Buddhism and Taoism, meditation focuses more on self-awareness and self-realization. Secular or non-secular, the insights that come to light through spiritual meditation can help us develop qualities of benevolence and connectedness.

Good places for your spiritual meditation practice can be at home, in your preferred place of worship, or in nature. It is suitable for both those who seek spiritual growth and those who appreciate taking time for self-reflection. True spiritual meditation always involves elements of loving-kindness and compassion, and the insights we can gain from our practice are invaluable in serving others.

2. Mindfulness Meditation

This meditation technique, which has become very popular in the West, is based on the teachings of the Buddha. Mindfulness meditation can help us understand how our minds work. This self-awareness serves as the basis for overcoming dissatisfaction, impatience, intolerance and many other habits that keep us from leading a fuller and happier life.

Ideally, mindfulness as a complete meditation technique combines concentration with awareness. All you need is a disciplined meditation posture, a straight back, and a willingness to be honest with yourself. The most famous focus of mindfulness meditation is the breath; The impartial observation of bodily sensations is another common technique. Mindfulness exercises have been shown to reduce depression, stress, and anxiety. In addition, it promotes resilience, a timely quality that helps you master difficult situations without losing your calm.

3. Movement Meditation

Many forms of meditation encourage you to stay in one position, but movement meditation focuses on the body in motion. Walking meditation is a form of mindful movement; This technique can also be associated with yoga or tai chi and other martial arts. A commitment to some form of physical discipline is very beneficial. Once you are able to be present in your body during movement meditation, you can expand your awareness to almost anything that keeps you moving: gardening, walking the dog, washing dishes, playing golf, etc. In either case, movement is from Your body is the object of meditation.

This technique can be combined with mindful sitting meditation. It can be a good choice for people who have trouble sitting still for long periods of time, as well as those who naturally find it easier to focus while moving.

4. Focused Meditation

With this technique, we focus solely on what we're doing: it's the exact opposite of multitasking. We experience and admire the extraordinary ability to concentrate of athletes, musicians, chess players and the like and perhaps forget that we too can concentrate on the task at hand in order to be successful in life. We made ourselves believe that multitasking was necessary to get everything on our to-do lists, but we only do one thing at a time anyway. This jumping back and forth between many thoughts and activities leads to a scattered mind and a lot of dissatisfaction.

Whatever the goal of your meditation, you should pay all your attention to it. When you eat, you are aware of the sensations associated with eating; When you exercise, you are aware of the sensations associated with exercising. If you notice your mind wandering, just acknowledge it and focus again on what you are doing. With commitment in practice, your ability to concentrate will improve and you can rediscover the joy of the present.

5. Visualization Meditation

This meditation technique is reminiscent of an image that creates a certain feeling or quality. In a simple way, we can close our eyes and imagine a beautiful mountain lake, open sky, familiar landscape, or any other visualization that appeals to us. In a well-known mindfulness exercise, we imagine our thoughts and emotions as the leaves of a stream that the current gently sweeps downstream. This is supposed to give the meditator distance from unwanted mental activity and bring a sense of peace.

Some people think that visualization meditation is a kind of escape from the world since we are imagining something that is not actually there. But when we stop thinking about it, we find that a lot of what goes on in our minds all day is reviving memories of the past or focusing on hopes and fears for the future - and these aren't really there either! Visualization is a technique that uses this powerfully creative aspect of the mind for positive personal transformation.

6. Chanting Meditation

Many spiritual paths, from Western religions to Buddhist and Hindu traditions, recommend chanting and mantra meditation. While chanting, the mind should be focused on the sound of the words and the melody. Western traditions also encourage the observation of meaning.

Those who enjoy singing meditation often discover that their practice cultivates a peaceful yet alert state of mind. As a spiritual practice, it promotes deeper awareness and a stronger connection to positive human qualities such as compassion and trust. As with any real spiritual practice, it is important to find a qualified teacher.

There you have it, six proven types of meditation.

Each of the different practices listed above have a common benefit of reducing stress and making you calmer, but the benefits are plentiful and some techniques will work better for you than others.

There is no hard and fast rule about how to meditate or what technique to practice, I combine a few of these techniques while meditating. And if you find one that doesn't work for you, don't give up, one of the other techniques definitely will!