3 types of meditation techniques

Meditation is something we have all come across at some point. To some it is seen as quieting of the mind, to others it is the act of mindfulness.

Most of us westerners see meditation as a pointless waste of time, especially in the high speed world we are living in today. However, there are actually a vast number of benefits to meditation that cure a number of ailments the west suffers from. Anxiety, depression, stress just to name a few. Being able to sit down and remove oneself from the stresses of everyday life is a very useful skill to possess.

Many of you i'm sure have at least given meditation a shot, but the information available for HOW to meditate is extremely vague and next to useless. Here i'm going to go in depth and talk about 5 meditation techniques and what they can do for you.

#1

Zazen: Zen meditation

Zen meditation is a Japanese practice, and its perhaps the most widely known form of meditation out there

To practice the zen method, first find a comfortable quite spot and sit criss-cross-applesauce. If your not used to the cross-legged position, putting a folded cloth or thin pillow under your butt will help you stay comfortable. 

Once seated, keep your back neck and shoulders straight with good posture. The zen method is characterized by intense focus on one single object. This focus is the equivalent to mental weightlifting, the more you work the muscle the stronger it becomes. 

An object such as a lit candle is an excellent tool to use for this. With the eyes partially open and partially closed, focus with every fibre of your being on the candle flame. You may find your minds thoughts will very quickly wander away from the candle. When this happens, simply bring your attention back the the candle.

At first, your thoughts will wander away from the candle every 2 seconds, and that is normal. With practice, you'll be able to train your focus to stay on the candle for significantly longer periods of time. During the time your mind is focused on the candle and not wandering to other thoughts, is when you are in a meditative state.

Eventually, the candle will no longer be necessary, and you'll find you can enter the meditative state at any time in any situation.

#2

Vipassana: Mindfulness meditation

Vipassana meditation is a method of mediation taught by Satya Narayan Goenka. It is a widely taught form of mediation and there are schools teaching it worldwide. Its characterized by striving to remain constantly in the present time, and not the past or future. 

To practice Vipassana meditation, you begin much like other mediation methods by sitting cross legged in a comfortable area keeping the back straight and retaining good posture. 

To begin meditating, you divert all of your focus to your breathing. Anytime other thoughts arise, you simply remind yourself to focus on your breathing.

Once you become aware of your breath itself, then you begin to focus on the bodily sensations your breath is creating. Feel the air as it enters and exits your lungs, visualize the air traveling in and out of your lungs. 

You shouldn't be forcing yourself to breathe, instead one should simply observe the natural breathing your body does for you.

What you are accomplishing by doing this, is placing awareness on what your bodily senses are experiencing RIGHT NOW, in the present moment. When you practice this method, eventually you will develop the ability to exist purely in the present moment at all times.

Practicing Vipassana gives you insight on how your body reacts to every external stimuli it encounters. Instead of become blinded by rage, or burdened by sadness, the Vipassana practitioner knows those are simply unconscious reactions from the body. Since he knows this, he can prevent any kind of negative reaction his body will have because he is mindful of the present moment.

#3

Mantra Meditation

Mantra mediation is the last form of meditation on this list, but certainly not the least. Mantra meditation is the simplest form of meditation on this list. 

To start, sit in a comfortable place, cross your legs and straighten your posture. Sunlight is always a plus.

Now before we can go further, you need to have a mantra to recite. Mantra choice is very personal, there are hundreds to choose from and each have their own qualities and power associated with them. A mantra is basically a short prayer, usually in Sanskrit. 

A few beginner mantras are: 

So Hum

OM

OM Namah Shivaya

OM Hare Krishna

OM Mani Padme Hung

While seated with the eyes closed, you then begin to recite your mantra. Prayer beads are often used to aid in counting the number of repetitions, but are not necessary. 

Then you allow yourself to become completely absorbed into the mantra. Focus on the sensations you feel as your reciting it, how your vocal chords are vibrating, and how the sound is carrying around the room. Your mind may wander to random topics and memories, but when you notice this simply bring your attention back the mantra your reciting. Your mind will wander, but much less so than with the other two methods of meditation above. Its more difficult for your mind to loose focus when you reciting words than when its sitting in absolute silence.

After awhile, you'll have entered a trance like state where the only thing that exists is the sound of your mantra and the plane of your mind. This is a meditative state.

Its believed mantras are also a way of projecting positive energy from yourself to the rest of the universe. The national mantra of Tibet, OM Mani Padme Hung is believed a powerful healing mantra that spreads the essence of true compassion throughout the universe. The Tibetans believe reciting the mantra, or simply turning a wheel containing the mantra is one of the highest and noblest deeds a human can perform.