WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF MEDITATION STYLES?
“Self-observation is the first step to inner unfolding.”
-Amit Ray
Most times, when I think about meditation, the Padmasana (Lotus Pose) comes to mind. What about you? Do you think of sitting down, closing your eyes, or being in a calm state?
Meditation is a centuries-old technique for increasing self-awareness, understanding, and focus. Simply put, meditation aids the development of a relationship with one’s inner self.
This article explores what meditation is all about, the types of meditation, and how to meditate for effective results.
What is Meditation?
Meditation is a mental exercise used to achieve a higher level of consciousness and improve focus. It’s frequently classified as a self-help approach or technique that aids in the development of a healthy mind and, in turn, a positive lifestyle.
Meditation is derived from an old French word meditacioun and the Latin word meditatio, which means to think, ponder and reflect. It is an ancient technique that helps cultivate a calm and concentrated mind. The practice of meditating varies with different cultures and individuals, and as a result, there are different types of meditation.
How does it work?
Meditation helps you become more aware of your inner self while also cultivating a positive mindset and outlook on life. You learn to notice how you interpret circumstances without being judgmental, which allows you to develop an open-minded and understanding attitude toward yourself.
“Meditation means dissolving the invincible walls that unawareness has built.”
- Sadhguru (Indian yoga guru).
Meditation allows you to be fully aware of your body position, senses, and physical well-being as a whole. It improves your attention span and ability to focus on one thought at a time. Imagine extending this to your daily life, being able to concentrate fully on one task at a time.
Meditation also allows you to be aware of your emotions; when you meditate, you begin to notice the thoughts you couldn’t pay attention to, thus allowing you to let go of sad memories and focus on your now. This, in turn, have a significant impact on your mental health and physical wellbeing as a whole.
There are different types of effective meditation practices. Continue reading to find out more about the many styles of meditation and how to begin your meditation journey.
Types of Meditation Techniques
Due to the numerous activities that come with living in this fast-paced world, we find ourselves, meditation could be the perfect relaxation pill you need.
Although numerous types of meditation exist, this does not imply that one is more effective than the other. Each meditation type requires a unique technique, set of abilities, and mindset. That is why it’s best to find and adopt the approach that best matches your needs or is most comfortable for you.
The following are different types of meditation techniques to choose from:
- Mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness meditation is one of the most common types of meditation techniques. This practice helps you cultivate self-awareness by bringing you closer to understanding your thoughts, mind and you as a being.
Before considering the mindfulness meditation style, you want to have the following:
- An object of focus
- The ability to accept reality
- The willingness to drop all judgement
- The desire to remain in the present and return to it
Here’s how it works: mindfulness meditation is a technique that improves self-awareness by allowing you to observe your thoughts and watch them pass without judging them. You follow the patterns with which you process your thoughts and feelings.
During mindfulness meditation, drawing your attention back to your breath improves your focus, keeps the mind from wandering too far, and allows you to appreciate the now, thus reducing stress and anxiety.
2. Spiritual Meditation
Different religions practise spiritual meditation. This meditation technique focuses on growing or improving spiritually. It is a meditation technique dependent on the religious practice or traditions of the individuals involved. These practises include saying prayers, chanting, or focusing on a text associated with their spiritual practice.
The spiritual meditation technique focuses more on self-awareness and self-reflection. That’s why individuals who seek spiritual growth opt for the spiritual meditation style. It is also for individuals who want to understand their spiritual journey or take a deeper dive into the practices of their religion.
3. Mantra Meditation
The mantra meditation technique is also known as chanting meditation, where you can build focus by concentrating on a sound or reciting a word or phrase. It is a technique that focuses on extending your self-knowledge.
If you are a beginner and find silence uncomfortable, this meditation style may be just what you need. It is also suitable for individuals who feel uneasy about their mind wandering too often.
4. Focused meditation
Focused meditation is a concentrative, object-based or senses-based technique that bolsters attentiveness. This style of meditation involves training your mind to focus on a specific task, sound, or object while observing your body position and senses.
For beginners, maintaining focus might be a little tasking. However, when you find yourself drifting off, it’s ok to draw your attention back to the object or task of focus. This technique helps you build self-confidence and enhances self-love. This is because you feel warm and fulfilled when carrying out your daily grind without worrisome distractions from within.
5. Movement meditation
While most meditation techniques require you to sit still in a comfortable position, movement meditation requires you to concentrate on a series of mindful movements. If you have interests in yoga and martial arts, this meditation style can be your pick.
The movement meditation style allows you to focus on your body movement and senses as you carry out careful movements. This technique can be associated with yoga, taichi, kata in Karate, Poomse in Taekwondo, and other forms in various martial arts.
Movement meditation is also suitable for individuals that find sitting during meditation uncomfortable.
6. Visualisation meditation
This meditation style requires you to use your imagination positively, and It allows you to create a beautiful image that brings you a relaxing feeling afterwards. This could be associating your thoughts with elements of nature such as soft wind, water, e.t.c.
Sometimes, individuals practising visualisation meditation create mental images of the kind of person they want to be. This technique allows you to feed your minds with positivity and optimism, affecting different areas of your life.
Individuals who practice visualisation meditation can let go of negative emotions and focus on the future, nature, and positive energy.
7. Loving-kindness meditation
Loving-kindness meditation is a meditation technique that focuses on building self-love, self-compassion, and empathy towards others. This style of meditation allows you to accept, understand, and connect with yourself.
The beauty of this meditation technique is that it feels you with warmth, compassion, and kindness towards yourself. Aside from self-acceptance, you can also cultivate a habit of forgiveness towards yourself and others.
Some of these meditation styles will require someone to guide you through them, especially for beginners, and over time, you can use your experience with a guide to practice on your own. So, which of these meditation styles appeal to you?
After selecting a meditation technique, getting results is also essential. Keep reading for tips on how to meditate effectively for positive results.
Four tips on how to meditate and get effective results
Lately, I have been on a personal journey to building self-compassion and awareness with the aid of meditation, and I will be sharing a few tips on how you can get positive results from meditating.
Here are some tips to consider to practice meditation effectively:
- Be open-minded
Before you meditate, you have to prepare your mind for what you are about to do. You have to understand that our mind can generate so many thoughts, and it’s even more apparent when we are trying to quiet it down.
Be ready to listen to yourself without judgement, be prepared to observe your thoughts, accept that you are human and that you have feelings while building focus and watching as your thoughts pass by, try not to manipulate them or make excuses. Calmly take note of them.
2. Be intentional and realistic.
When you want to meditate, it is essential to have a goal in mind. Simply put, be intentional about your progress. The results may vary because everyone has different experiences and thought processes. But before you meditate, ask yourself why you want to.
Some individuals meditate to improve their physical and mental health, to reduce anxiety or the effects of stress; others meditate to build a cheerful personality, spirituality, self-love, compassion, or even a state of calm.
3. Enjoy every step of the journey.
Try to build an enthusiastic spirit towards meditation. Enjoy every step from observing thoughts to achieving the calm that comes over time. You can make it one of your favourite mental exercises. Be open to the warmth that comes afterwards.
4. As a beginner, consider guided meditation.
Meditating as a beginner with no guide might be difficult sometimes, and that is why it is recommended to find a teacher to guide you through the process. These days, some apps offer guided meditation and track your progress too.
You can make your journey as a beginner easier by finding an experienced person to guide you through.
Final thoughts
Meditation is an old technique that never ages and still has mind-blowing effects in our modern world. Practising meditation with the right mindset will go a long way to building a healthy mind and body. Good luck.
Resources
1. Healthline: Which Type of Meditation Is Right for Me? Updated on November 5, 2021.
2. Verywell mind: What is Meditation? Updated on September 01, 2020.
3. Brandmeyer T., Delorme A., Wahbeh H. (2019) ‘Chapter 1 — The neuroscience of meditation: classification, phenomenology, correlates, and mechanisms. Progress in Brain Research.244: 1–29. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.10.020
4. Basso J.C., McHale A., Ende V., Oberlin D.J., Suzuki W.A. (2019) ‘Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators.’ Behavioural Brain Research. 356: 208–220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2018.08.023
5. Mindworks: What are the Different Types of Meditation?
