Finding your Meditation Style
Exploring Different Meditation Styles: Finding What Resonates With You
Meditation has been practiced for centuries and offers an array of techniques to suit different individuals. Each style of meditation nurtures specific qualities, offering unique paths to personal growth and well-being. No single approach is inherently superior; instead, the key lies in discovering which resonates most with you. Whilst at the same time recognising that sometimes the type of practice you need the most won't be one that feels “good,” sometimes what you really need is one that pushes you beyond your comfort. But this will be up to you. Below, we explore different types of meditation styles, categorised into specific techniques, to help you understand their essence and how they can enhance your life. Plus some basic guidance if you feel like exploring each of the techniques for yourself.
1. Connecting Technique
(Connecting with Your Surroundings, Present Moment Awareness, Seeing Without Labeling and Judging)
This technique is all about deepening your connection with the present moment and your environment. It encourages an open awareness that embraces the world without judgment or labeling. By practicing connecting techniques, you become more attuned to your surroundings and experience life as it unfolds, moment by moment.
Step 1: Find a quiet and comfortable space where you can be present with your environment.
Step 2: Begin by taking deep breaths, focusing on the sensations of your body and the environment around you.
Step 3: Let go of any judgments or labels. Simply observe what you experience through your senses (sight, sound, touch, etc.).
Step 4: Allow yourself to feel connected to the world around you, without any need to change or judge it.
Step 5: Practice returning to the present moment whenever your mind drifts. Over time, this will help you become more attuned to your surroundings and cultivate acceptance.
Qualities: Increases present moment awareness, fosters subtle awareness of the present, cultivates acceptance.
2. Visualisation Technique
(Using the Mind to Visualise, Usually Guided)
Visualisation meditation involves creating mental images to achieve relaxation, clarity, or a specific goal. These practices often involve a guide who leads you through scenes of peace or positive scenarios. Visualisation helps activate the mind’s creative potential and can foster feelings of calm and confidence.
Step 1: Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit or lie down.
Step 2: Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to relax.
Step 3: Imagine a serene scene, such as a peaceful beach or a calm forest. Engage all of your senses in the imagery (visual, auditory, tactile).
Step 4: Focus on the details of your visualisation and allow yourself to feel calm and relaxed.
Step 5: You can also visualise a personal goal or aspiration, picturing the positive outcome. This enhances creativity and fosters positive thinking.
Qualities: Enhances creativity, promotes relaxation, fosters positive thinking.
3. Mindfulness Technique
(Keeping the Mind Active and Focused)
Mindfulness meditation is widely known and focuses on keeping the mind engaged with the present. Whether paying attention to the breath, bodily sensations, or daily activities, mindfulness encourages full immersion in the moment. This technique helps practitioners observe their thoughts without getting entangled in them.
Step 1: Choose a point of focus: your breath, bodily sensations, or a specific activity (e.g., eating, walking).
Step 2: Pay full attention to your chosen focus, observing without judgment.
Step 3: If your mind drifts, gently bring it back to the present moment, without self-criticism.
Step 4: Regularly practice mindfulness throughout the day to strengthen your awareness and reduce stress.
Step 5: Embrace thoughts and feelings as they arise but don't get entangled in them.
Qualities: Improves concentration, reduces stress, enhances awareness of thoughts and feelings.
4. Focusing Technique
(One-Pointed Awareness, Discipline and Focus)
Focusing techniques center on directing attention to a single point of focus, such as a mantra, candle flame, or breath. These practices develop mental discipline and help cultivate a deeper sense of focus. Focusing techniques teach the practitioner to maintain steady attention, even when faced with distractions.
Step 1: Choose a single object of focus, such as your breath, a mantra, or an external object like a candle flame.
Step 2: Close your eyes and direct your full attention to this point. If you are using a mantra, repeat it gently in your mind.
Step 3: Whenever distractions arise, gently return your focus to your chosen point of concentration.
Step 4: Gradually extend your practice, building your ability to maintain focus for longer periods.
Step 5: With time, this will help you develop mental strength and discipline, as well as improve your ability to concentrate.
Qualities: Builds mental strength, fosters discipline, improves sustained concentration.
5. Mantra Transcending Technique (Being Technique)
(Gently Using the Mind to Go Beyond the Mind, Deep Relaxation)
This powerful meditation style involves using a mantra to transcend ordinary mental activity and reach a state of pure being. By softly repeating a mantra, you gently guide your mind to a place beyond thought, fostering profound relaxation and inner stillness. This is a letting-go practice that nurtures deep awareness without effort.
Step 1: Choose a mantra that resonates with you, or use a traditional one (e.g., "Om").
Step 2: Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes.
Step 3: Gently repeat the mantra, allowing it to settle into your mind without forcing it.
Step 4: Let the mantra guide you to a state of stillness beyond thought.
Step 5: Focus on the deep relaxation and inner peace that arises as you transcend ordinary thinking.
Qualities: Brings about deep relaxation, transcends habitual thinking, nurtures inner peace and strengthens ability to let go of past and future concerns.
6. Observing/Witnessing Techniques
(Resting in the Witness Beyond the Mind)
Observing or witnessing meditation is often considered a more advanced practice. It involves identifying with the part of yourself that watches thoughts, emotions and sensations pass by without attachment or judgment. Resting in this witnessing state allows you to see the transient nature of the mind and realise a deeper aspect of your consciousness.
Step 1: Sit in a comfortable, relaxed position with your eyes closed.
Step 2: Begin observing your thoughts, emotions and sensations as they arise.
Step 3: Rather than becoming involved in the thoughts, simply watch them pass by as if you were a witness.
Step 4: Recognise the transient nature of all experiences, noticing that everything comes and goes.
Step 5: With practice, you will cultivate a deeper understanding of yourself and develop emotional detachment, allowing you to observe your inner world with compassion and non-judgment.
Qualities: Enhances non-judgmental awareness, deepens understanding of the self, cultivates emotional detachment.
Tips:
Start Small: Aim for no more than 5-10 minutes when you first begin. This helps build a consistent habit without feeling overwhelmed.
Focus on One Technique: Stick to one meditation style for a week or two, practicing once or twice per day. This allows you to get a feel for the technique before switching to a new one.
Be Patient with Yourself: Meditation is a skill that takes time. Don’t expect immediate results. Allow yourself to grow at your own pace without self-judgment.
Create a Calm Space: Find a quiet, comfortable space where you can practice without distractions. This can help you focus more deeply during your sessions.
Be Consistent: Try to practice meditation at the same time each day. Consistency will help you integrate it into your routine and build a lasting habit.
Use Guided Meditations: If you’re new to meditation, guided sessions can be helpful. They provide structure and support, especially with techniques like visualisation or mindfulness.
Return to the Present: If your mind wanders (which it will), gently bring your focus back to the meditation practice without judgment. The act of returning to the present is part of the practice.
Thoughts Are Normal: Thoughts during meditation are a perfectly normal part of the process. They are simply the body processing and releasing stress. Rather than resisting them, acknowledge them with kindness and gently return your focus to your practice.
Avoid Overthinking: Don’t worry about doing it “perfectly.” Meditation is about presence, not perfection. Let go of any pressure to achieve a specific outcome.
Practice Self-Compassion: Meditation can be challenging, especially when thoughts are loud or distractions are present. Be kind to yourself and understand that this is normal. Meditation is not about eliminating thoughts, but about observing them and letting them pass without attachment.
These tips will help you ease into meditation, recognising that thoughts are part of the process and that meditation is about creating space for relaxation, stress release and presence. No matter which technique you choose, a common experience in meditation is the wandering mind. When you notice that your attention has strayed, simply let go of the thought and gently return to your practice. This act of returning is itself a powerful practice that strengthens your ability to let go of concern for the past of future and help you maintain focus and presence in the moment of NOW.
Integrating Meditation into Daily Life
Each meditation technique has its unique benefits, but all share the power to influence daily life. The qualities cultivated during meditation—whether present-moment awareness, deep relaxation, or disciplined focus—naturally extend beyond the practice and enrich everyday experiences. By exploring these different styles, you can find the practice that complements your personality and needs, ultimately enhancing your journey toward well-being.
The key to meditation is allowing each experience to naturally unfold without force or judgment. By embracing this openness, you create space for the practice to gently reveal its benefits. Bring the focus of these benefits into your daily life—how is it shifting your experience as you move through the world with your eyes open? Pay attention to subtle changes:
Greater presence in the moment
A sense of calm amidst chaos
Increased clarity and awareness
More compassion toward yourself and others
A deepening connection to the environment around you
A shift in your responses to stress or challenges
Notice how these shifts affect your relationships, work and sense of well-being. The practice begins to extend beyond the meditation cushion, enriching your everyday life.
Meditation is not confined to just these six techniques; they are simply a great starting point. The true essence of meditation transcends any specific method and the ultimate purpose of each technique is to guide you toward liberation, self-realization, enlightenment, samadhi, or God—however you choose to describe the experience of The Self.
Traditionally, the most important aspect of the practice is having a teacher—someone who can guide you, offer insight and help you deepen your understanding, drawing from their direct experience with the practice and the transformative experiences that follow. A teacher’s presence is invaluable in nearly all meditation techniques, as they provide support, clarity and wisdom that help you navigate the journey, making the practice more meaningful and ultimately transformative.
If you're ready to deepen your practice, I invite you to join one of my upcoming courses, either online or in person. The technique I will be teaching is one that I have personally practiced for over seven years, twice per day. It is my non-negotiable daily practice, providing me with the most life-changing results. This practice has allowed me to let go deeper into the present moment, alleviate deep levels of stress from my body and align myself with my deepest truth and purpose. It is through this technique that I have experienced profound shifts in my life and I am excited to share it with you so you can experience these transformative benefits as well. You’ll be initiated into this powerful transcendental meditation technique and given a specific mantra that will support and deepen your journey, bringing transformative benefits to your life.
Have fun an ENJOY - I look forward to meeting you soon.
If you practice these techniques and have any questions or need support with your experiences, please know that I am here to help. Meditation is a personal journey and I’m committed to guiding you through it every step of the way. Feel free to reach out whenever you need assistance or guidance on your path.
Ness x