Meditation offers many benefits for those who form this practice. General meditation focuses on the art of breathing to relieve stress and promote overall health. If you’re considering a meditation practice, here are 6 types to get you started.
1. Train Your Mind
Mindful meditation is a form of Buddhist practice. It involves an intentional focus on your breathing as you concentrate on your thoughts and emotions. This form takes minimal effort as it slowly trains your mind to block out distractions.
When you begin the practice, you’ll notice many outside distractions. If you get distracted, remind yourself to concentrate on your breathing. You can use this form of meditation as part of your daily routines.
2. Inner Self Meditation
This practice is also called self-inquiry. It involves discovering one’s true self by focusing attention on your inner being. Similar to the practice of Yoga, this technique focuses mainly on your internal center.
If you practice this form of meditation, you’ll need to plan time to sit and reflect without any distractions. Focus your thoughts on who and what you are. This form is unlike other techniques that need you to focus on objects or breathing. In this form, you are focusing on yourself.
3. Taoist Meditation
This form comes from ancient Chinese techniques and is used to calm the body and find energy. These techniques focus on overall health and lengthening life. People who practice this form work on focus and concentration.
There are different techniques with Taoist meditation. These techniques involve:
- Clearing the mind – In order to connect with your inner being, you must clear your mind first.
- Visualizing – Making connections from the world around you to your inner being
- Breathing – Focus on your internal and external breath to unite your heart, mind, and body
- Inner focus – This technique is used with a book or a teacher to guide you. It involves making connections in nature to your inner being.
Taoist technique focuses mainly on your core connection and strength. It’s done best while sitting with correct posture on the floor.
4. Establishing Zen
The word “Zen” has Japanese origins but China and India practiced this art as well. The purpose of Zen meditation is to reach a state of peace and calmness. Most people practice this form while sitting comfortably on the floor.
Focused breath is an important part of this technique. You can practice this technique in a chair or sitting on the floor.
5. Guided Practice
If you’re new to the meditation practice, this form is an excellent way to begin. Meditation is a practice that requires commitment and focus. If you struggle with either of those, guided practice is helpful.
Guided meditation is usually done with a book or audio format. Some examples include:
- Traditional – a teacher guides you through audio to reach a state of meditation.
- Relaxation – reach a meditative state with calm and peaceful music or nature sounds
- Visual images – a teacher guides you to meditation by describing a journey or scenery to promote relaxation.
These are just a few forms of guided practice. Group classes are another form of this practice.
6. Christian Meditation
The goal of most meditation forms is to transcend the mind and connect enlighten the soul. The goal of Christian meditation is to encourage a contemplative lifestyle and create a deep relationship with God.
This practice usually includes deep praying, reading, and silent meditation. During this practice, your heart, mind, and body focus on knowing God and praying for peace and calmness.
These are a few of the many types of meditation. Don’t be afraid to try a few and find the right one that works for you.