Different Types of Meditation

Different types of meditation can be helpful in different situations. While in reality meditation is a individual as the person using the technique, there are a few different general categories of meditation that you might want to try.

One of the easier forms of meditation for people who have never really tried it before is focused meditation. Instead of the classic idea of meditation as closing your eyes and trying to clear your mind, focused meditation asks you to focus on something.

That something can be internal, such as doing a body scan and focusing on eliminating tension in your body or focusing on your breathing, or it can be external, like a candle flame or a picture of your loved ones. This in particular is a great way to relieve stress fast because you're focusing on something that hopefully doesn't bring more feelings of stress into your day.

If you'd like to try this form of meditation, sit a few feet away from whatever you want to focus on. Breathe gently and easily, in and out, through your nose if possible. Focus on the candle light or the picture. Imagine it bringing you strength and calm. Try to clear your mind of anything but focus on the object. Continue for five to 10 minutes.

When most people think about the different kinds of meditation, they first think of what might be referred to as basic meditation. This is the kind where you sit or lie down comfortably, close your eyes and attempt to clear your mind.

This sort of meditation might be a little easier for people who've had some practice with focused meditation because having something to focus on at first is a little less frustrating than simply trying to clear your mind without any prior practice.

The key to empty mind meditation is not to focus too much on the thoughts that will inevitably creep in. Just notice that you're having a thought and send it away. It takes a lot of practice to really clear your mind, but even if you're not very successful, sitting in this way for 10 or 15 minutes a day can make a big difference in your feelings of stress.

Walking meditation is a relatively easy for beginners. This is a deceptively easy form of meditation in which you go on a very slow, deliberate walk. This is not a walk for fitness, but a walk on which you are completely mindful of everything that's going on around you, the feeling of your foot lifting off the ground, the muscles of your body working, everything.

This kind of walking is best accomplished in a secluded spot in nature such as a neighborhood park or nature trail where people won't be walking for fitness or riding bikes. You can even do it in your own backyard.

In addition to these major forms of meditation, there are a few others, and they all overlap with each other in different ways:

• Mindfulness meditation means you're focusing on being in the moment, no matter what you are doing in that moment. This is a cousin to walking meditation that can be done while gardening, washing the dishes or doing any other slow, repetitive activity that allows you to get into the moment.
• Spiritual meditation is a way to use your religious faith as part of your meditation. You may reflect on a reading from the Bible or another spiritual book, or even a poem if you're not into organized religion. The main point of spiritual meditation, though, is connecting with the higher power as you understand it.
• Mantra meditation is a good idea for people who have trouble completely clearing their minds. Focusing on a word or phrase instead of trying to empty the mind provides gentle focus and relaxation.

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