If you are new to meditation practices or you still have not found the one that suits you the best, you are at the right place.
Did you know that there are various different types of meditation types that you can choose from: not everyone enjoys breathing exercises!
Meditation And Its Purpose
For centuries, meditation has been used for relaxation, mindfulness, or being in the present moment.
It is a powerful practice used to quiet one’s mind – many spiritual people use it to introspect and listen to their soul over their mind.
It is a form of mind gymnastics – the more you do it, the better you are. Meditation itself does not belong to any particular nation or religion. It is simply there as a practice for our mind just like running or dancing are for our body.
Once you start exploring meditation practices, you become aware that there are different methods and not every method will suit you.
For example, I remember my friend once stating that she had tried meditating once and she hated it! ‘It was too passive and I could not concentrate!’.
I immediately pointed out to her that she was probably talking about one meditation type and that there were many others she should have tried. If you are in a similar position, or you are just starting to learn all about these practices, stick around.
9 Meditation Types: Which One Suits Your Personality Type
Trying to decide which meditation practice suits you the best can be quite tricky. For many, meditation is seen as sitting calmly and breathing deeply.
However, this does not have to be your type of meditation. Let us examine all the different meditation types so you can decide which one is perfect for your personality.
1. Mindfulness
Mindfulness meditation is the most popular form of meditation. It comes from Buddhist teachings and it involves a person carefully observing their thoughts.
They do not judge their thoughts, they simply observe them and let them pass by. It combines awareness with concentration and people usually combine breathing techniques with it.
This type of meditation is great for insight into your thoughts and relaxation. It is the most popular because it is very simple. People who have busy minds and need to be in the moment – not thinking about the future or past – find this meditation type very fitting.
Also, it is great for people who do not have guides or teachers as it is quite simple.
2. Focus
Focused meditation is similar to mindfulness meditation, the only difference is that you are not observing or thoughts and focusing on your breath, but focusing on specific things such as numbers, beads, staring at a certain object (candle flame), or listening to a specific sound (gong).
This meditation type is also extremely useful for those with busy and stressful thoughts – it makes you relax your mind and focus on only one thing – being present in the moment.
At first, it can be difficult to stay concentrated, but you can simply come back to the object of your attention and continue.
3. Spirituality
Spiritual meditation type is for those who seek spiritual growth. It can be done at home or in a temple. This type of meditation is seen throughout different religions in the world.
It can involve almost all of these practices, listed in the article, and it can be a mixture of several types. Spiritual meditation’s main goal is to develop a deeper understanding of your connection to the Universe and higher powers.
It is great for those who are already familiar with some practices and want to level up.
4. Mantra
If you have ever seen a movie in which they show Buddhist temples or people meditating followed by the ‘om‘ sound in the background, it is a part of the mantra meditation type.
This practice includes a specific sentence or word that you can use to clear up your mind. In other religions, it can be a longer paragraph or a whole page of their holy book. For beginners, it is usually a specific sentence that evokes feelings of peace, calm, and happiness.
This type is also simple because every person has their own special words that work for them and you can easily practice this anywhere you are – your job, home, or when you are out and about.
5. Movement
Many imagine yoga when you mention meditation to them. However, this does not work for everyone. Movement meditation type is associated with your body being active while your mind is resting. This can involve activities like:
running
- walking
- tai chi
- gardening, etc.
It is perfect for those who are seeking body awareness and for those who need movement to quiet their minds. Some athletes do it unintentionally while training and they feel rested and motivated after it.
6. Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental meditation type includes a specific practice in order to quiet the mind and reach a state of relaxed awareness. This meditation type is perfect for those who want to reach higher states of relaxation.
If you are a beginner, it is best to do it by listening to a guided meditation. It is also great for calming distracting or negative thoughts.
7. Progressive Meditation
In the progressive meditation type, you are progressively relaxing your body – starting from a certain point, moving on to the next one until all of your body is relaxed.
It is great for relieving tension in your muscles and overall tense feelings that can cause stress and anxiety. Mostly, it involves imagining a huge wave of light passing through your body and relaxing each part of your body as it passes through it.
8. Visualization
If you are trying to manifest or you simply want to feel calm – visualization is one of the most popular ways to achieve it. Imagining positive scenarios and scenes is proven to relax your mind and put you in that place vibrationally.
Your body will adapt to this new scenery quite quickly and instead of being in your bed – you are on a sandy beach, soaking up the sunlight. This practice is also popular among beginners as it does not require a teacher, but there are various guided meditations you can listen to.
9. Loving – Kindness
This is one of the most beautiful and selfless types of meditation because it can involve others. If you ever heard someone say: ‘I prayed for you to get better!’ it means that well wishes were sent someone’s way.
In this meditation, you can wish well on yourself and others. It is important to do it when you feel relaxed and wish for a positive outcome.
If you are just starting, I hope that this article was helpful and that you have a better insight into what works for you. Let’s meditate!
Born and raised in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ever since I was a little girl, my imagination knew no bounds. I remember vividly how I’d scribble down short stories, each page bursting with adventures and characters conjured up from the whimsy of my mind. These stories weren’t just for me; they were my way of connecting with my friends, offering them a slice of my fantasy world during our playtimes. The joy and excitement on their faces as we dived into my fictional realms motivated me to keep writing. This early passion for storytelling naturally evolved into my pursuit of writing, turning a childhood hobby into a fulfilling career.