Do you have too much stress in your life? Do you feel burdened by negativity? Are you looking for a way to be happier on a daily basis? If any of these are true, meditation could be the key you’re looking for.
Meditation won’t change your external circumstances, but it can help you feel better about them. Your mind has a surprising amount of power over your body and your emotions. Meditation is the way to harness it and use it for your benefit.
Of course, it’s not as simple as Googling “how to meditate.” There are many types of meditation, and every practitioner develops their own favorites over time. If you’re new to meditation. Find out the most popular types of meditation and discover the ones that help you the most.
Common Types of Meditation
While you might come up with your own methods over time, start with some established meditation methods. Here’s a quick view of some of the most popular forms of meditation and how they can help you:
1. Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental meditation is a form of upward meditation. Upward meditation focuses on sending your energy upward and outside your body.
There are plenty of types of upward meditation. However, transcendental meditation, in particular, focuses on achieving inner peace. With origins in Hinduism, this type of meditation helps you rise above and release negativity.
During transcendental meditation, you can sit with your back straight and your legs crossed. If you’re familiar with yoga poses, you’ll be sitting in lotus pose. You’ll meditate by chanting an internal mantra. Find one you can adopt as your own. The ultimate goal is to internalize your mantra and achieve inner peace.
2. QiGong
Qigong meditation has its roots in ancient China. On a physical level, it improves your respiration and your posture. On a spiritual level, it helps you learn to relax. It’s a perfect fit for those who struggle with anxiety.
During qigong meditation, you’ll start in a seated position with your back straight. Use your mind to follow your breath as it circulates energy throughout your body.
3. Heart Rhythm Meditation
Unlike transcendental meditation, heart rhythm meditation is a downward meditation. That means it invites energy into your body through your heart.
During heart rhythm meditation or HRM, you focus on your heartbeat and your breathing. As you do, develop a sense of unity with your surroundings. With practice, this type of meditation helps you handle stress. It also lets you develop a spirit of positivity and gratitude.
4. Guided Visualization
If you have a specific goal you want to achieve, guided visualization may be what you need. It can give you the motivation and clarity you need to reach your goal. It’s also beneficial for stress relief and healing your mind after trauma.
As you may have guessed, guided visualization involves imagining a positive scenario. Visualize yourself getting that promotion or handling a current conflict in a positive, productive way.
As you visualize these positive outcomes, your body releases hormones that carry positive energy. This can be uplifting and energizing. On a practical note, visualizing the outcome can also help you recognize what you need to do to make it happen.
5. Vipassana Meditation
Vipassana meditation is all about building insight. It helps you develop more focused concentration and awareness of yourself.
As with other types of meditation, vipassana meditation begins with concentrating on your breath. As you ease into that consciousness, start to observe other sensations as well. Notice when you’re feeling pain or when you hear sounds. Don’t think about the specific origins, only on the fact that you’re hearing that you have pain.
The key to vipassana meditation is acknowledging thoughts and sensations without dwelling on them. Stay in the moment and observe rather than trying to analyze. Try a video of vipassana meditation to start.
6. Zazen or Zen Meditation
If you’ve heard of Zen Buddhism, zazen is the core of this philosophy. It’s a form of upward meditation that emphasizes releasing judgment. If you’re someone who struggles with self-criticism, Zen meditation may be the perfect fit.
As you sit in lotus or half-lotus position, start by focusing on your deep breathing. Guide yourself toward noticing when you have a judgmental thought or image and elevating yourself above it.
Zen meditation is self-guided by nature because a guide can’t recognize your internal judgments. This can make it difficult to master and to progress. With practice and discipline, though, you can develop a more positive worldview through zazen.
7. Mindful Meditation
The mindfulness lifestyle is becoming more and more widespread. It involves heightened awareness of yourself and your surroundings. Instead of getting swept up in hypotheticals and abstract thoughts, you keep yourself present in the moment.
Mindful meditation has a similar concept. It’s a way to acknowledge the reality around you and within you as well.
To engage in mindful meditation, start in lotus pose or in another comfortable, seated position. Close your eyes and make sure your back is straight. Begin by focusing on your breathing.
As your attention turns inward, start to notice when your thoughts wander. Engage with those thoughts, but find a way to naturally bring them back around to your breath.
Mindful meditation is a great way to understand your own self and your thought patterns. For some people, this helps them find out what thought patterns they want to change, which lets them choose a type of meditation to focus on.
Finding Your Type of Meditation
This is a small glimpse into the many types of meditation. While these are the most common, many people who practice meditation learn to form their practice to fit their own needs. You may end up using a combination of these methods.
The key to effective meditation is finding out what works for you. The descriptions above can help, but it comes down to trial and error. Be sure to give each type of meditation several tries, because they won’t all resonate the first time.
For more great tips for achieving a healthier mind, body, and spirit, check out our health and wellness blog.