Meditation 101
Which type of meditation is right for you?
You keep reading about meditation or mindfulness and all the benefits it offers on HuffPo, Buzzfeed or even the New York Times. You’re intrigued, not quite convinced, and besides there’s so many different kinds of meditation out there you don’t know where to begin.
So many choices, start here
First, let’s figure out why you want to start meditating. Are you looking for stress reduction or a way to give your mind a break from the hectic pace of your day and that’s it? Or do want to find a philosophical approach to life that includes meditation and has principles that you can follow? It’s a good idea to think about what you’re looking for because it can help guide your choices. Either way, there’s a style of meditation out there for you.
Just Breathe
Don’t let the number of different choices overwhelm you and keep you from starting. There are online classes and apps that offer meditation plus you’re likely to find meet-ups and classes near your home. If you’re just getting started, or making a renewed commitment to meditation, it can help to take a class or join a group so that it’s an “official” appointment you keep.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment. In the United States, Jon Kabat-Zinn launched his Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program in 1979. Kabat-Zinn wanted to offer people a way to meditate that wasn’t linked to any religion to help with stress and overall well-being. Mindfulness also includes accepting whatever thoughts or feelings come up during the meditation without judging them.
Who should try it
If you want to gain the benefits of meditation without it being part of a religion or philosophy this is a great place to start. There is a guided sequence to help you get started.
Resources to get you started
Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment and Your Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Buddhist Meditation
The popularity and kindness of the Dali Lama has introduced many people to Buddhism and in particular Tibetan Buddhism. Buddhists practice meditation as part of their religious beliefs and believe it can end suffering and lead to enlightenment. Buddhism includes many different traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices based largely on the teachings of Gautama Buddha. According to Buddhist teachings, the Buddha lived and taught in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE.
Zen (Zazen) and Vipassana are two very popular types of Buddhism that have their own particular meditation format and guidelines.
Zen is Zazen or Zen meditation (za meaning sitting, and Zen meaning meditation in Japanese), or seated meditation. This type of meditation is usually practiced while sitting on a cushion. Of course, accommodations can be made if a cushion doesn’t work for. This method usually starts by counting each inhalation and each exhalation, beginning with one and counting up to ten.
Vipassana is the mindfulness of breathing and of thoughts, feelings and actions and is used to gain insight into the true nature of reality.
Buddhism in all its different forms involves teachings that have been down from teachers to students, who then become teachers. This lineage of teachers is often very important to Buddhists.
Who should try it
If you’re looking for a spiritual/religious practice that includes meditation with a specific philosophy and guidelines to living, you might want to explore Buddhism.
Resources to get you started
Vipassana meditation: Dhamma.org
Zen Meditation: Living Compassion
Tibetan Buddhism: The Pema Chodron Foundation
Primordial Sound Meditation
This practice is offered by Deepak Chopra and Roger Gabriel. According to the Chopra Center, “It is a powerful meditation technique rooted in the Vedic tradition of India and this ancient practice of sound meditation has been revived and made it available in a format that’s easy to learn by Chopra and Simon.” This meditation includes receiving a personal mantra—a specific set of sounds—that is then repeated silently to help you attain deep levels of awareness. The Chopra center believes that, “a mantra truly is a vehicle that takes you into quieter, more peaceful levels of the mind.”
Who should try it
A mantra can help you focus in a very structured way. If you have an especially busy mind and struggle a lot with trying to meditate or just sitting still, this might the meditation for you. This meditation technique can be used whether not matter what religion you do or don’t follow.
Resources to get you started
The Chopra Center
Transcendental Meditation or TM
Again, this is a mantra based technique and was founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. You are given a specific sound or word, like RAM to use in a specific sequence for approximately 20 minutes twice a day.
Who should try it
Again, if you are more comfortable following a specific structure to relax, mantra meditations may be a good method for you to try. The TM website states that this method is not a religion, philosophy, or lifestyle.
Resources to get you started
Transcendental Meditation Organization
Over time you might find that you start out with one goal in mind and then what you need changes. That’s one of the joys of meditation it can change with you because it’s always just a breath away. Don’t be afraid to try different types of meditation until you find the one you’re most comfortable with and works the best for you. There should never be any pressure to stick with a particular group or method. That’s important to remember.