Meditation and Different Types of Meditation

It is now known that meditation offers numerous benefits to your health and well-being. No wonder so many people are curious about meditation these days.

Meditation must be experienced in order to understand what it is. To experience it, you can choose from many different types of meditation.

 

The following is not an exhaustive list of all types of meditation, but it can give you some ideas.

Meditation can be divided into two basic categories: mindfulness meditation and concentration meditation.

Mindfulness meditation - is perhaps the most common type of mediation in the West. It blends concentration with receptive awareness. Mindfulness meditation was popularized by John-Kabat Zinn, who created a program called MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction). This program is being used in many healthcare settings, including hospitals.

 

Concentration meditation involves focusing of attention on a single object. Depending upon what the object of concentration is, there are different types of concentration meditation:

 

Mantra meditation - this simply involves repeating a word, phrase or sound, either aloud or silently in your mind.

Following your breath - focusing on the flow of your breath, always returning to your breath.

Visual focus - focusing on a visual object - a candle flame, or a picture.

Movement - Tai chi, Chi Qong, yoga, dancing.

Prayer

Loving kindness meditation - Repeating: "may I be happy, may I be peaceful, may I be free of suffering." Repeating the same words but intended for a loved one: "may [name] be happy, may [name] be peaceful, may [name] be free of suffering." And then for all beings: "may all beings be happy....".

Visualization - can be guided or you can do it without any guidance, it is the use of your imagination to create images in your mind's eye.

Body scan meditation - focusing on different parts of the body - scanning the body

 

Other types of meditation are:

Kundalini meditation

Biofeedback meditation

Meditation for stress relief

Alpha state meditation

Audio meditation

Transcendental meditation (TM)

Cosmic meditation

Zen meditation

Tai Chi meditation

Vipassana meditation

Walking meditation

Japa meditation

Kabbalah meditation

Insight meditation

Yoga Nidra meditation

The different types of meditation on this page serve as a guide. Meditation is a wonderful tool for stress relief, for learning about yourself, for becoming more present in the moment, happier and more peaceful in your life. Perhaps you will find one that will be a fit for you.

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