Meditation Techniques: Exploring The Three Main Types And Their Benefits

Meditation is a powerful tool to reduce stress, calm the mind, and evoke relaxation. There are many different types of meditation, each with its own unique benefits and techniques. Here are three types of meditation that are commonly practised:

1. Mindfulness Meditation: This type of meditation is based on Buddhist teachings and involves observing your thoughts and emotions without judgement. It helps improve awareness of yourself and the world around you.

2. Transcendental Meditation: A basic technique where you choose a mantra—a word, phrase, or sound—and repeat it for 20 minutes twice a day, usually seated with your eyes closed. This helps your body and mind fully relax and evokes a sense of peace and calm.

3. Guided Meditation: Also known as guided imagery or visualization, this type of meditation is led by a guide or teacher. It involves forming mental pictures or situations that you find relaxing, often using multiple senses such as smell, sound, and texture.

While these are just three examples, there are numerous other types of meditation, such as loving-kindness meditation, chakra meditation, and movement meditation, each offering its own unique benefits and techniques to explore.

Mindfulness meditation

The practice of mindfulness meditation involves being aware of your thoughts and emotions as they pass through your mind, without judging them or becoming involved with them. You simply observe and take note of any patterns. This can be done anywhere and at any time of the day. Some people prefer to sit in a quiet place with their eyes closed, focusing on their breathing. Others choose to be mindful while commuting to work or doing chores.

The technique combines concentration with awareness. It may be helpful to focus on an object or your breath while you observe any bodily sensations, thoughts, or feelings.

• Sit comfortably on the floor with your back straight.
• Close your eyes or unfocus your gaze.
• Breathe naturally with your full diaphragm.
• Note each breath by counting or by thinking "in" and "out".
• When your mind wanders, acknowledge it and return your focus to your breath.

Spiritual meditation

The goal of spiritual meditation is to develop a deeper understanding of spiritual or religious meaning and connection with a higher power. It can be practised at home or in a place of worship and is beneficial for those seeking spiritual growth and a deeper connection to a higher power or spiritual force.

Some examples of spiritual meditation include Christian contemplative prayer, Sufi dhikr (remembrance of God), and Jewish kabbalistic practices.

One way to practice spiritual meditation is to direct your awareness towards an object, such as a mantra, a flame, an image of God, or a teacher. This approach, known as the Progressive Path, is a refinement of our natural tendency to direct our attention towards external experiences in the hopes of deriving happiness from them.

Another approach is the Direct Path, where awareness is directed not towards an object but towards the self. This involves turning the mind inward to seek its own source or origin. Rather than focusing on external objects, the attention is relaxed and allowed to sink into the source of awareness from which it arises.

A third approach is the Pathless Path, where awareness does not assume a specific form, and attention is neither focused outward nor inward. Instead, it remains as it is without any effort or doing. This form of non-meditation recognises that meditation is not something we do but rather something we are, emphasising the importance of simply being and abiding in our true nature.

Movement meditation

How to Practice Movement Meditation

• Sit comfortably on the floor with your back straight.
• Close your eyes or unfocus your gaze.
• Breathe naturally with your full diaphragm.
• Note each breath by counting or by thinking "in" and "out".
• When your mind drifts or you find your attention on something else, acknowledge it and return to your breath.

Benefits of Movement Meditation

• Improve your imagination, creativity, patience, tolerance, and self-awareness.
• Manage negative feelings.
• Develop tools for managing stress.

It can also help control symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Other Types of Meditation

In addition to movement meditation, there are two other types of meditation: focused meditation and mindfulness meditation.

Focused meditation involves concentrating on something internal, like your breath, or bringing in external influences such as staring at a candle flame or counting your breaths.

Mindfulness meditation, on the other hand, is the process of being fully present with your awareness. It involves observing your thoughts and emotions but letting them pass without judgment. This type of meditation is often recommended for symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Focused meditation

This type of meditation shares some practices with mindfulness meditation, but the aim is to strengthen your ability to concentrate. While mindfulness meditation encourages you to be aware of your thoughts and emotions, focused meditation is about improving your ability to concentrate.

A body scan is one popular type of focused meditation. It involves visualizing each part of your body and scanning from top to bottom. This is especially good for managing pain and discomfort. Another type of focused meditation is called reflective meditation. Like a body scan, you go into meditation to develop discipline in your thinking. Pick a question or topic to focus your attention on, and let your thoughts explore that topic. When your mind wanders, return to your topic.

Transcendental meditation

TM is effortless and does not require concentration or control of the mind. It is a natural process that allows the mind to transcend or settle inward to quieter levels of thought, eventually reaching the most silent and peaceful level of awareness. This is referred to as transcendental consciousness, which is said to be discontinuous with the three ordinary states of waking, dreaming, and sleep.

TM has been described as both religious and non-religious, with some considering it an aspect of a new religious movement. However, it does not require the adoption of a particular belief system and is practised by people from various religious backgrounds, as well as atheists and agnostics.

TM has been the subject of numerous studies, which have found that it may provide benefits such as:

• Reducing stress and anxiety
• Improving resilience and ability to handle challenging situations
• Enhancing mental clarity and creativity
• Promoting better sleep and overall health, including improved heart health and immunity
• Lowering blood pressure

TM is a simple and accessible form of meditation that can be practised anywhere and does not require any special equipment or prior knowledge. It is a natural way to improve overall well-being and has been practised by millions of people worldwide.

Frequently asked questions