Have you finally decided to give meditation practice a shot? Congratulations, you’ve just made one of the wisest decisions of your lifetime.
Meditation has many incredible health benefits, too numerous to mention, and you’ll be glad you attempted it.
But more than just sitting crossed-legged and closing your eyes, learning to meditate correctly with the proper technique matters most.
Generally, researchers divide meditation techniques into concentrative and non-concentrative categories. In concentrative meditation, you’ll have to focus on your breathing or specific thoughts that help you suppress others.
Meanwhile, with the non-concentrative meditation technique, you can focus on a meditation sound or your breathing while letting your mind wander and process emotions, memories, etc., as it pleases.
Note that some meditation techniques are an infusion of both concentrative and non-concentrative meditation.
So, what meditation technique suits you best? It all depends on your goals, struggles, and preferences.
For example, learning to meditate for anxiety requires a different approach to meditation for creativity. As such, it’s important to have a hang of the different meditation styles and use them when the need arises.
In this article, you’ll learn how to begin meditating using various meditation techniques. Let’s get started.
15 Effective Techniques to Begin Your Meditation Practice
Since meditation is a personal experience, you must explore different techniques before settling for the most appealing ones.
Furthermore, not everyone responds well to all types of meditation since they demand various abilities and mindsets. The most beneficial one for you is the one you feel most comfortable practising.
If you want to learn how to meditate correctly but have no idea what’s right for you, you can experiment with these common meditation styles:
1. Sitting Meditation
Sitting meditation is one of the most common meditation techniques. In fact, it is the image many people have in their heads when thinking about meditation practice.
This style is reassuring and offers numerous health benefits, including reduced blood pressure and improved energy levels. Sitting meditation also helps you to relax your body and mind.
In ancient times, yogis loved to meditate in Lotus Pose and other complicated seating positions.
Thankfully, there are other simpler ways to practice sitting meditation without stressing your hips. For example, you can sit cross-legged, in a chair, or with your legs in front.
Regardless of your sitting posture, ensure that you’re sitting vertically upright and your head is on the horizon. Also, check that your head, neck, spine, and pelvis align while your shoulders and chest remain slightly open.
Finally, relax your fingers and ensure your hands rest on their backs. The only thing that should vary is your leg position to ensure you feel comfortable.
2. Mantra Meditation
If you don’t mind using repetitive sounds to clear your mind and wouldn’t enjoy being silent, mantra meditation may be right for you.
This meditation requires using single letters, words, phrases, or a few sentences to amplify your experience.
Mantra meditation is an excellent choice to reduce stress and increase self-awareness/self-compassion. It also increases your focus and sense of calm.
To practice mantra meditation, start by choosing a mantra that resonates most with you. Then, get comfortable, set a timer, and begin with a few deep breaths.
Next, repeat your mantra slowly while allowing your breath to guide you. Finally, redirect wandering thoughts gently and sit with your mind for a few moments after the timer goes off before closing the meditation.
3. Visualization Meditation
As the name implies, visualization meditation leverages the power of imagination to improve your meditation experience.
This practice can help you picture yourself leading a new life and is beneficial for those who need some motivation to achieve their goals.
The logic is simple—you attract things to yourself by concentrating on what you want rather than what you don’t want.
To practice visualization meditation, start by getting yourself in a comfortable position, closing your eyes, and breathing deeply yet slowly.
You can now focus on a person, event, or goal depending on the purpose of your meditation.
4. Buddhist Meditation
Mahayana Buddhism, or Zen, is a branch of Buddhism that has its roots in China and dates back to the sixth century.
This kind of meditation is practised in Zen temples or monasteries, where participants sit in a circle on cushions or mats, bowing before and after rising from their seats.
The goal is to allow ideas, words, and images to pass without becoming caught up in them. Although it is a straightforward meditation style, it might be simpler said than practised.
In essence, Zen meditation involves merely sitting, concentration, and introspection, which helps you stay in the present while mindfully observing your thoughts as they come and go.
5. Breathing Meditation
Breath meditation is one of the best techniques for relieving stress and calming and sharpening your mind. As a combination of breathing exercises and meditation, this meditation technique has several cognitive advantages.
The most common ones include improved arousal levels, better focus, less mind wandering, more uplifting feelings, less emotional reactivity, etc.
To practice, empty your lungs and observe four seconds of nose-only inhalation and seven seconds of breath-holding.
Then, shut your lips while you forcefully exhale for eight seconds. You can do this breathing cycle up to four times.
The wonderful thing about the following breathing meditation techniques is that you can get used to breathing exercises that can be used nearly anywhere, even when you’re engaged in an intensely stressful activity like taking an exam.
6. Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness during meditation involves focusing on the current moment without worrying about the past or the future. It is a fantastic way to improve concentration, relieve stress, and boost creativity.
Mindfulness meditation starts by finding a conducive location free from distractions and getting comfortable in your space. Next, set your timer and take some time to settle your mind.
Finally, take deep breaths and control your intrusive thoughts, removing yourself from them, letting them go, and returning to your breath. As you do this, try focusing on the present moment only.
7. Focus Meditation
In focus meditation, you’ll need to pay close attention to an object, such as a flower or a candle, and give it your undivided attention. Any object that piques your senses is good enough to focus on.
For instance, you can sit and stare at a yellow rose, visualizing, touching, and feeling its velvety texture. You could also focus on the rose’s wrinkles and creases or the colour yellow.
This practice ensures that you’re so focused on one object that you don’t notice any other thing. It aids in strengthening your concentration while maintaining your focus.
8. Guided Meditation
Guided meditation helps you achieve a relaxed state of attention with the help of a third party or guide.
Whether it’s a yoga instructor, a religious leader, a CD or a tape of yourself being played back to you, such a guide will lead you through a series of breathing techniques or mantras.
In addition, they may assist you in conjuring up some specific mental images to enhance your experience while giving you instructions on how to ease certain body muscles.
The duration of guided meditation might range from a few minutes to several hours. In any case, the goal is to relieve stress and promote physical, mental, and emotional recovery.
9. Transcendental Meditation
A spiritual leader named Maharishi Mahesh Yogi developed this highly particular form of meditation known as transcendental meditation. It is a type of mantra meditation that has been patented.
It centres around an exclusive mantra that can be used to generate particular vibrations or sounds. Unfortunately, you would need to pay for the course to understand the precise technique because it is a secret.
The first three states of awareness are waking, dreaming, and deep, dreamless sleep.
This style of meditation is sometimes referred to as the fourth, and this technique’s goal is to go beyond awareness and consciousness.
10. Progressive Relaxation Meditation
Progressive muscle relaxation is a traditional meditation technique that includes tightening and loosening different muscles all over your body.
For example, if you start at the top of the head or the bottom of the feet, you can gradually relax by contracting and releasing your large muscles.
As a simple exercise that even kids can undertake, this meditation may be quite calming and restful, especially before bed.
11. Spiritual Meditation
While meditation is not a religious practice in and of itself, it can be a spiritual one.
For example, you can focus your meditation on a specific issue until an answer materializes, or you can meditate to decompress and be open to whatever the day brings.
Spiritual meditation gives you power and enables you to achieve higher consciousness.
Spiritual meditation follows the same process as basic meditation. However, it involves uttering a prayer and intense self-reflection.
12. Movement Meditation
If you’re used to only yoga as a form of movement meditation, you may be surprised to learn that there are many more. You can incorporate any of your favourite slow movements into your meditation practice.
For example, you can practice tai chi, gardening, or walking meditation to connect deeper with the present moment and your body.
The most effective movement meditation practices start by choosing an easy and repetitive movement exercise that wouldn’t require your full concentration. Then find a comfortable pace and inhale deeply.
After finding your breathing and exercise rhythms, concentrate on your breathing by paying attention to specifics like the air’s temperature, how your inhalation feels, and the sound it produces as you exhale.
13. Body Scan Meditation
The body scan meditation technique involves looking for discomfort, stress, or anything unusual in your body. This can help give you a stronger emotional and physical self-awareness.
Begin your body scan meditation by getting comfortable in a position that allows you to stretch your limbs. Then, focus on your breath and one body part at a time before moving to another and repeating the process.
Remember to go slow and pay attention to your body’s sensations while acknowledging your pain and discomfort. Next, continue breathing as you visualize the discomfort and stress ebbing away with each breath.
14. Music Meditation
Music is one of the best ways to de-stress, lift your mood and reduce tension. Combined with meditation, the results are mind-blowing. It’s one of the best meditation techniques for beginners.
You can begin your music meditation practice by choosing music you enjoy listening to and also helps you relax.
As with every other type of meditation, you’ll also have to get into a comfy position and focus on the music playing. Then, redirect your focus to the present moment as intrusive thoughts come.
15. Qigong (Chi Kung) Meditation Techniques
Qigong or Chi Kung is a Chinese term that translates to “life energy cultivation.” Also spelt chi gung, it’s a type of body-mind exercise used for meditation, health, and martial arts training.
It also includes slow body movement, inward concentration, and controlled breathing as its main components.
Final Words
If you’re wondering how to begin meditating, one of the first things to do is understand your goals and know what meditation technique suits you best.
That’s because different meditation styles offer varying benefits and target distinct concerns. As such, you’ll only get the best results from the meditation technique that resonates best with your situation.
With the numerous meditation styles available, the only way to determine which meditation techniques are best for you is by giving them a try.
FAQs
How to Meditate for Anxiety?
Begin by sitting in a comfortable position. Next, bring your attention to your bodily sensations, such as the chest and abdomen rising and falling or the feeling of the air passing through your mouth or nose.
Next, bring awareness to your thoughts and feelings, allowing them to enter and leave. Think of your thoughts as ever-changing clouds drifting across a bright blue sky.
How to Meditate in Bed?
Breathe deeply and attempt to let your mind wander as you prepare to go to sleep. You probably have certain ideas that keep returning to your head.
Determine what they are, take note of them, and then let them go without delving further. You may picture yourself taking that notion in your hands and pushing it out of the way.
The key is to develop the ability to recognize and release the worries keeping you up at night.
How to Meditate for Beginners?
Body scan meditation is one of the easiest ways for beginners to meditate. To begin, bring your attention to the top of your head while keeping your eyes closed. Start scanning down slowly.
Move on to another body part after observing the first for roughly 20 seconds.
Starting with the head, move on to the brows, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and throat. Continue down the neck, shoulders, chest, arms, and toes.
When a thought diverts your attention, acknowledge it, then let it go, and shift your attention back to the part of the body where you last left off.
