7 DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEDITATION THAT YOU SHOULD PRACTICE

Meditation

Meditation is a technique of practicing mindfulness by focusing the mind on a particular entity or activity. Meditation is performed to achieve peace of mind and a stable state. The practice helps increase concentration and reduces stress, anxiety, and depression. Many kinds of meditation have been practiced since ancient times and offer various psychological benefits. According to medical surveys, progressive muscle relaxation is a form of meditation practice to overcome problems like anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and insomnia. The relaxation technique is also beneficial for adjunctive treatment of blood pressure, migraines, and headaches. 

Different Types of Meditation

The different types of meditation and benefits are as under:

1) Mindfulness meditation :

This type of meditation originated in the West and is mainly practiced by Buddhists. Mindfulness meditation teaches you to completely focus on your thoughts and ignore what is going on in the surroundings. During this process, the individual focuses on their breath and multiple sensations of the body. It provides greater emotion and psychological wellness. Mindfulness meditation does not require any guidance. It can be performed anywhere and at any point in time. It can also be done while you are commuting or doing some work.

2) Transcendental meditation :

This is the best type of meditation for people willing to gain in-depth knowledge of meditation. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi started the practice and the technique aims to induce calm and peace. Transcendental meditation (TM) helps achieve inner peace without concentration or effort. It is a guided meditation for anxiety control in which the practitioner is made to speak a word, mantra, or phrase repeatedly in a particular manner. Such meditation needs to be practiced at least 20 times a day in a seated position.

3) Movement meditation :

This meditation process refers to the exercises that revitalize the body by practicing calm and purposeful breathing or movement. It makes a person feel the sensations of the body. Unlike the other kinds of meditation, movement meditation concentrates on how the body is moved and not why the movement is made. During this process, you are moving all the time at a mindful and slow pace. This helps in progressive muscle relaxation of the body. The active forms of meditation include gardening, walking, qi gong, and tai chi. These movements help one establish a deep connection between the mind and the body.

4) Mantra meditation :

‘Mantra’ refers to a Sanskrit term that implies the release of the mind. Mantra meditation is a kind of spiritual meditation in which a mantra or a phrase is recited repeatedly to help release your mind. The most commonly practiced mantra meditation is the chanting of ‘om’. According to researchers, mantra recitation boosts awareness and improves concentration. The mantra can be chanted either quietly or loudly. Chanting makes a person’s mind more alert and achieves deeper levels of awareness. Some individuals find chanting a word easier than focusing on the breath, while others enjoy the vibrations of sound in the body. Mantra meditation is popular in Hindu as well as Buddhist teachings. 

5) Focused meditation :

Focused attention meditation is practiced for stress reduction and progressive relaxation of the mind. This process focuses attention on an object, sound, or sensation of the body. It is a flexible technique to help a person focus on the present moment and helps to overrule the unnecessary thoughts creeping into the mind. Standing apart from kinds of meditation focused attention meditation or FAM can be performed without any guidance from an instructor. It helps to increase patience and tolerance and enhances the creativity and imagination of a person.

6) Loving Kindness Meditation :

Loving and kindness meditation is also known as metta meditation. This guided meditation cultivates senses of love, kindness, warmth, and positive vibes to the surrounding people by silently repeating a series of mantras. It is practiced by individuals to experience progressive relaxation of the mind and enhances the feeling of compassion, kindness, and acceptance towards other people. The objective of these kinds of meditation is to accept love and send well wishes to loved and dear ones, family, acquaintances, and all living beings. Of the different types of meditation, the loving and kind type is suitable for those who hold feelings of anger and resentment.

7) Visualization meditation :

This type of meditation involves imagining positive images, ideas, or symbols or using affirmations or mantras to achieve calmness and peace in the mind while the body is in a stable state. The process aims to enhance feelings of relaxation, peace, and calmness through picturing positive scenes or images. This is done by imagining a positive scene and using all the sensory organs for minute detailing of the picture. Visualization meditation can also be performed by imagining the success or achievement of some goal. It aids in boosting confidence and mood, reduces stress levels, and promotes inner peace. Besides, visualization meditation is best for progressive muscle relaxation and pain relief and can help improve the performance of an athlete. It also develops greater compassion for oneself.

Conclusion

Meditation is the practice of self-involvement. All types of meditation help practice mindfulness and connect the soul with the body. Besides, regular practice helps overcome health issues such as insomnia and high blood pressure. Meditation also helps one cope with stress and aggression and increases focus. It can make one alive and sensitive and attain stillness and peace of mind. One should practice meditation daily for a couple of minutes for long-term benefits.