"Meditation is like a gym in which you develop the powerful mental muscles of calm and insight." – Ajahn Brahm
Meditation is not an easy task for a beginner. We keep questioning our progress and get annoyed sometimes. Meditation acts as a coach helping you find your mistakes and correct them through your journey. Meditation is an ancient tradition, but it is still practiced to be calm and maintain inner harmony. In a chaotic world like this, one needs to be free from stress. Meditation is one of the techniques you can practice to be free from stress.
Just like we have different types of sports, we have different types of meditation. Educators, mental health experts, and spiritual leaders have developed various types of meditation. There is no right way to meditate; one can choose any kind of meditation and practice if it works for them. Meditation teachers have different ideas about how frequently a person should meditate. You can either meditate with a guide or by yourself silently. In guided meditation, the teacher guides you in a particular way and helps you to integrate into your daily life. Whereas, in unguided meditation, an individual sits in a quiet place, pays attention to body and thoughts for a set of time.
Read on to get to know the different types of meditation and choose according to your taste and comfort to practice in your day to day life.
Types of Meditation:
1. Zen Meditation
You must have heard youngsters saying “ Forget exams, I’m on a zen mode”. Zen is a state of being calm and at peace. This is a meditation technique rooted in Buddhist philosophy. People usually sit in a lotus position or sit with legs crossed during Zen meditation and focus their attention inward. This process gets accomplished by breathing, generally from 1 to 10. It is considered as open-monitoring meditation, where monitoring skills are used. Zen meditation often involves keeping the eyes semi-open. The goal is to gain insight into oneself.
Here is a video to guide you to meditate in this way.
2. Mantra Meditation
This age-old practice is known to have Buddhist and Hindu roots. In this meditation, you focus on a mantra (which could be a syllable, word, or phrase). These subtle vibrations with a repeated mantra can encourage positive change. It helps to boost your self-confidence, increase compassion for others, and enter a deeper state of meditation.
You can also chant short affirmations like:
I am content at this moment.
My treasures lie within.
My heart will guide me.
I am good and kind.
I can do anything.
Watch this video to have an idea about Mantra meditation.
3. Yoga Meditation
Teachers/ Advocates of this type of healing meditation believe it calms and strengthens the nervous system, enhances sensory perception, and improves mental and emotional state. It helps in reducing your stress too. This meditation is actually a part of Kundalini Yoga. The energy is base of the spine needs to be released through the seven chakras of the body and then out through the crown chakra above the head. This type of meditation helps you to be mindful, improves concentration, and cognitive function.
Check out this video to practice this meditation. Do not practice this if your body is not comfortable with yoga postures. You need to take care while practicing Kundalini meditation.
4. Chakra Meditation
Chakra is a Sanskrit word which means wheel or cycle. In the human body, the seven main chakras are situated along the spine from the sacrum at the bottom to the crown at the head. Each of the seven chakras has a specific function that corresponds with particular aspects of our human experience. This technique of meditation helps our chakras to open and aligned. Chakra meditation is also linked with mindfulness.
This video will guide you to meditate on this technique.
5. Metta Meditation
Metta meditation is also known as love and kindness meditation. Its goal is to cultivate love and kindness towards everything like stress creators or a person you hate. This increases positive emotions. It can help people affected by anger, frustration, resentment, or interpersonal conflict.
Watch this video to practice Metta meditation.
You can practice by yourself, join in meditation class, or use apps like HeadSpace. Meditation takes time to master. Stick with one form of meditation; make it an integral part of your life. This helps you to be mindful and content with life.
Written by - Sravanthi Cheerladinne
Edited By - Kashish Chadha
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