An Introduction to Some of the Different Types of Meditation

If you’re beginning to understand the profound benefits that can come with regular meditation practice, that’s great! Maybe you’re a complete newbie and you’re wondering what type of meditation will be right for you. Or perhaps you’ve been practicing meditation but you’d like to get an idea about the different types on offer? The good news is that there are plenty of types to choose from. Here are the basics about a few of them.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a very common meditation technique and a good way to get started with meditation practice. It’s all about focusing on the present moment. Breathing is the key component and there is a big focus on the movement of the breath. The mind will become distracted and wander away. The goal is to recognize distractions and then gently bring the mind back to the breathing.

Vipassana

Vipassana meditation originates from Buddhist philosophy, but anyone can practice it, no matter what your beliefs are. Vipassana courses are usually three to ten days in length and there are centers all over the world. There are 32 centers and eight non-centers in South East Asia alone, with nine of them being in Thailand.

Vipassana courses are carried out in complete silence. First you will begin with mindfulness techniques and breathing awareness. Then you will move on to noticing bodily sensations without reacting positively or negatively to them. The goal is to free oneself from attachments and aversions.

Mantra

In this form of meditation, words, sounds or short phrases are silently repeated over and over again with the goal of focusing the mind. This practice can often help the person meditating to quieten their mind more easily than if they were focusing on breathing. This is because it takes a bit more concentration to keep repeating the mantra over and over in the mind. One of the most well-known meditation mantras is the word ‘om’.

Loving kindness

Loving kindness meditation aims to improve a person’s connection with others, as well as their ability to empathize. Ultimately, over time the person practicing loving kindness meditation will feel more love for themselves and for others. The person practicing will start by sending loving kindness (thoughts and feelings of happiness and peace) to themselves and then to others in their life, and even to those who they don’t know. 

Guided Meditations

There are many options to learn meditation around South East Asia. Perhaps you are short on time however and simply want to be able to incorporate five or ten minutes of meditation into your daily life? In that case, guided meditation apps are a great way to get started. You can choose from anything from relaxing body scans to visualizations. This option is also a good one if you’re worried that a meditation class or course will be too intense for you.

These are just a few of the many types of meditation. What’s your favorite type? Feel free to leave a comment in the box below to let us know!