There are many different types of meditation. So that you can find out which technique suits you best, we explain the seven most popular variants here.
Types of meditation – as individual as the person
Not all meditation is the same. There are many different types of meditation, some of which differ significantly from one another. Beginners are likely to feel a little overwhelmed by the wide range on offer. Therefore we present the 7 most common types of meditation and explain exactly how each technique works.
1. Zazen: Meditate like in Zen Buddhism
Zen Buddhism is a current of Buddhism that is mainly known in the West and dates back to the twelfth century in Japan. The focus of Zen Buddhism is on personal experience and tends to question fixed structures and dogmas. In zazen, one meditates while sitting. The type of meditation is primarily about attention, mindfulness and the perception and observation of body and mind. The eyes are half or fully open, but it is not about the meditator actively looking at something. There are no more precise instructions for zazen meditation, and the length is also not defined: Beginners usually start ten to 20 minutes, but theoretically this type of meditation can also be extended to hours. In this case, the zazen is usually followed by a so-called walking meditation.
2. Vipassana: mindfulness meditation
Similar to Zen Buddhism, Vipassana meditation is one of the types of meditation where the aim is to be mindful of yourself and to concentrate on one thing. One tries, as it were, to fathom the current state without judging it as negative or positive. Because an assessment ensures that one does not correctly perceive reality as such and thus only treads a prefabricated path.
The goal of Vipassana meditation is to get into a sustained state of observation that enables us not to see ourselves as victims of our own thoughts. This calms the mind and enables us to act more self-determinedly. Research shows that meditators become more resistant to stress thanks to Vipassana. There are various sub-forms of this type of meditation, for example the so-called 10-day Vipassana retreats according to SN Goenka, which are about ten days of largely remaining silent and meditating.
3. Osho meditation: meditate dynamically
The so-called Osho meditation is one of the dynamic types of meditation in which not only the mind is in focus, but also the body. The best way to start is with an Osho meditation in the morning on an empty stomach. In total, one hour of the meditation type includes different phases:
- Breathing quickly and deeply for the first ten minutes.
- Then another ten minutes of pent-up feelings should be discharged, for example by crying or laughing loudly. This phase is also called the cathartic phase.
- Another ten minutes you jump up and down and yell “Huh” every time you jump up.
- This is followed by the “Stop” signal, after which you stand still for 15 minutes.
- At the end you move freely for another 15 minutes, so you can dance, for example.
The Osho meditation is considered exhausting both physically and mentally and is often practiced in a group.
4. Transcendental Meditation: secret mantra
The so-called Transcendental Meditation (TM) goes back to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who became a spiritual advisor to the Beatles in 1967. This type of meditation is about the fact that each meditator uses an individual, secret mantra that is passed on from the teacher to the student. The catch: This mantra is only given in official and very expensive TM courses of the so-called “Maharishi World Peace Foundation”. In return, lifelong professional and financial success is promised. The type of meditation is very controversial.
5. Metta: Meditation for more love
The Metta-Sutta is a discourse given by the Buddha, in which the “Metta” type of meditation is described in detail. You could translate it with kindness, friendship and (selfless) love. Basically, it is about sending “metta” to yourself, loved ones and ultimately to all living beings in the world. You meditate regularly, sitting and with your eyes closed. The duration varies – it can only be a few minutes, but it can also extend over several hours. Research shows that regular metta meditation can improve the relationship with oneself and with others and can also increase general psychological and physical well-being.
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6. Mantra meditation: rest and relaxation
It doesn’t have to be TM: In the classic mantra meditation you can choose a mantra for yourself to help focus. It does not matter whether you recite this mantra out loud, sing, whisper or just say it to yourself. The main idea behind this type of meditation is that focusing on the mantra will help block out negative thoughts and emotions. Depending on the mantra, the goals of the meditation technique can be different: for example, they can strengthen self-confidence or activate certain chakras. Basically, a regular repetition of the mantra meditation should help to adopt the positive content of the respective mantra in everyday life.
7. Kundalini Yoga: yogic special role
Kundalini Yoga is a kind of special form of yogic meditation. Yogi Bhajan, the founder of this type of meditation, has leave hundreds of instructions on how to do this, all of which have a clearly defined goal – for example relaxation or the healing of lovesickness. Often each individual instruction has a precisely defined duration. The meditations in Kundalini Yoga usually follow the end of a yoga class and can include certain breathing techniques or rhythmic movements, among other things. Mantras are used in all variations.
Why should I meditate at all?
In general, meditation makes us calmer, more relaxed, and allows us to reduce stress. Why does it work? Because we are essentially outsmarting our minds. “In Buddhism one speaks of pain without suffering,” says psychologist and meditation researcher Prof. Stefan Schmidt from the Freiburg University Medical Center. This means: Anyone who meditates learns to no longer evaluate things, but to accept them without evaluation.
And that seems to be extremely beneficial for health and the nerves, confirmed a study by the University of Freiburg with migraine and back pain patients. The focus of the study was on the form of meditation “Mindful-Based Stress Reduction” (MBSR). After such a course, the complaints of the participants did not go away and were hardly any weaker. But the men and women still felt much happier and less depressed – and they needed significantly less pain medication than a comparison group that did not meditate. This seems to be related not only to the new assessment of the situation, but also to the fact that certain endogenous substances are released which, for example, stimulate the reward system.
Of course, that doesn’t happen overnight. But through regular, ideally daily practice, you gain more and more peace of mind, just as you increase physical endurance through regular jogging. It takes discipline, no question about it. That is why it is important to find the type of meditation that works well: with myself and with what I want.
Reading tips: We explain meditation for beginners here. You can also read in detail everything about Osho meditation and Vipassana meditation here.
Would you like tips from other meditation followers? Then take a look at ours BRIGITTE Community!