We all are aware of how meditation and mindful breathing can have physical as well as mental benefits. However, not all type of meditation may be suitable for everyone. The meditation practices have been receiving mixed responses. Though on a basic level, all types of meditation are meant to consciously cultivate the mind, people may or may not be happy with the type of meditations they are performing.
If you are also one of those who finds it challenging to identify with the mindful practice that you have been doing for a while, you can explore some common techniques and find a suitable one. Here, we are going to explore different types of mindfulness which have the same fundamental i.e. concentrating and trying to remain aware of the experience at every moment. Different types of meditation can use various objects as anchors such as breath, sensation, sound, visual, or anything else that brings mental stability. While some of the meditation practices are about mindfulness, others take the practice further. Let’s have a look:
For Enlightenment
For deeper level of consciousness, you can try Vipassana. It is a Sanskrit work which means ‘insight’. Vipassana consists of various meditation practices which help the practitioner in attaining deep level of consciousness and see the reality. The classical Vipassana is a 2500 year old Buddhist tradition which focuses on breath awareness and insight comes naturally once your mind is relaxed.
Finding Forgiveness
This type of meditation is quite popular in the West and finds similarity with Tibetan tradition about developing compassion. It is about repeating a mantra for freedom from suffering and pain. It is relatively a new form of meditation that shifts your intention to different people in your life.
At Work
This type of meditation can be practiced at your desk or at home wherein you don’t need a peaceful surrounding. It is a form of Tantric meditation that asks you to be aware of the surroundings. It is object-less meditation which can be practiced with open eyes. You avoid labeling the sensations, thoughts, and feelings.
For Ethereal Experience
The transcendental meditation is for an out-of-body experience. It is a form of Hindu meditation or Vedanta meditation where the aim is to rise above all that is impermanent. You sit in the meditation pose and focus on mantra which changes your breath and alters your state of mind.
For More Energy
If you are looking for flow of energy throughout your body, the Kundalini meditation is suitable for you. Kundalini is a type of yoga practice and also the name of energy in Tantric yoga practices as well as Hindu spiritual practices. The energy rises through the Chakras from base to spine to the crown of the head and onwards. In the Kundalini meditation, you use your breath for moving energy upward for altering the state of your mind. While doing it you also wait for the moment when energy is reduced to simple and pure form.
For people who have trouble in sitting still
You can try the qi gong meditation which is similar to the Kundalini meditation. It is a Taoist method of meditation which uses breath for circulating energy throughout the body and change the consciousness eventually.
For Meditation with Rules
You can try the Zazen meditation which is quite similar to the Zen practice. It has guidelines about how to maintain the eyes, hands, and postures. It is an object-less practice which needs you to simply sit just like Buddha did thousands of years
ago. You sit without focusing on an object till the time your natural ability to see reality emerges.
These are some common practices for meditation. You can explore more about these practices and their benefits so that you can choose a style of meditation that suits you the best.
Chinmay Yoga is a Yoga School in India which conduct yoga teacher training in Dharamsala and Gokarna. Chinmay Yoga works to spread yoga knowledge by providing free drop-in classes, conducting YTTC Courses in India (Yoga Alliance) for 799 USD with amazing homemade food, great accommodation with air conditioning and very knowledgeable yoga teachers from India. Chinmay Yoga also works for the nature and surroundings around it by planting trees and installing dustbins in the city.
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