In this article you will read about three different types of meditation practice: beginner’s meditation intended for concentration, intermediate meditation intended for visualization and relaxation plus advanced meditation for insight-based practice. You will learn about the basic methods, philosophy and traditions of each type of meditation practice.
Discover the Best Type of Meditation for You
Meditation sounds simple.
Perhaps you are new to the practice and can’t stop shaking your leg when sitting. Maybe you are a restless person who can’t sit down for 20 minutes to reign in the mind and focus on what is happening inside rather than external stimuli. Depending on your experience in the practice, it may not be be possible to expect that the mind to be still long enough to contemplate the highly elusive and abstract concept of universal consciousness. It is ‘easier said than done’; it can be frustrating for beginners.
On the other hand, you may already have practiced a type of meditation and it had served its purpose. You may be itching and ready to grow in your practice to a more advanced practice. Perhaps, upon exploring and tapping into your mind, you are open to exploring new forms of meditation.
So where do you start?
Or, how can you better navigate through your practice to a type of meditation more suitable to your needs?
What is Meditation
Meditation is a deep relaxation technique that uses a sound, thought, object or visualization to anchor the mind. In a practical context, it centers or anchors us in a methodical way and teaches us how to control our attention and awareness. In its most advanced form, it the tool for self-attainment and a means to the cosmic consciousness.
Meditation has been around for millennia wherein it has evolved into many forms as it has been expressed through different traditions in various ethnicities and cultures. There are many types of meditation from Turiya meditation of the Upanishads to Lingbao meditation in Daoism to Vipassana techniques of Buddhism. Forms of meditation can be perplexing and overwhelming.
Which type of Meditation is Best for You?
In order to match your needs to a type of meditation practice, it is best to approach meditation through a structured three-tiered approach of incremental complexity. These levels, in order, can be a helpful roadmap as you navigate the world of meditation.
Meditation for Beginners
Concentration Based Meditation
Difficulty: Beginner/Intermediate
Level 1
Examples: Breathing Meditation, Mindfulness Meditation, Mantra Meditation
Meditation can be understood by the yogic concept of pratyahara, the fifth limb of ashtanga yoga – withdrawal from the external stimuli to focus those energies inward.
By far- this is where to start if you are new to meditation. Concentration meditation is the best way to approach meditation if you have no previous experience. It is flexible, versatile and forgiving- with forgiving being the keyword. It focuses on the simpler physical aspects of meditation without going too far into philosophy. It is neither too simple nor too complex and in due time it will prepare you for more advanced forms of meditation.
Concentration meditation uses an object like the breath, the flame of a candle, a symbol, a sound (like a mantra) to engage the mind in a subtle activity to focus on. As you focus your mind of this activity/object, you coax it to withdraw from unwarranted thoughts and narrow the scope (or zone out) from the external stimuli that overwhelm your five sense perceptions. It has many names and forms like focused meditation, candle meditation, mantra meditation or movement meditation.
Meditation can be understood by the yogic concept of pratyahara, the fifth limb of ashtanga yoga – withdrawal from the external stimuli to focus those energies inward. As a beginner, you are still working on redirecting your senses inward and there may be resistance. For instance – as simple as it sounds, most beginners have a difficult time to even last 5 minutes before their mind trails off when they are counting a mala or staring at a candle flame. The gist of all these meditations is to learn how to improve your control/focus of the five senses.
The gist of all these meditations is to learn how to improve your control/focus of the five senses.
The most basic way to approach concentration meditation is breath observation. Some intermediate types of meditation of this are dance meditation, a laid-back yoga vinyasa with mindfulness, Kinhin (a Zen form of walking meditation) or Tai Chi Qigong that combines slow movements with breathwork.
This is for people who just need a simple relaxation technique that doesn’t involve too many abstruse protocols. It is something easy to follow that can alleviate anxiety, promote well-being and improve the quality of life.
Intermediate Level Meditation
Visualization Based Meditation
Difficulty: Beginner / Intermediate
Level 2
Examples: Progressive Relaxation, Guided Imagery, Loving-Kindness, Color Breathing
Concentration meditation teaches you to use a prop to pacify or control your mind/thoughts. Visualization is the next step where you learn to “walk without the support of that prop”. It is a relaxation practice where you steer your imagination to places or events to achieve specific goals.
Visualization has emerged as a relatively modern technique. It has found many proponents and followers in the West who advocate different styles or variations to achieve specific outcomes. At the same time, the lack of any seminal text allows you a lot of freedom and creative expression in your practice. It is a great way to understand and explore the mechanisms of you mind-body connection.
For instance, you are free to decide which color represents an emotion when you do color breathing meditations. Some people find blue to be the color of serenity and others prefer white. But in both cases, you sit in the traditional posture and imagine a mist/hue or wave of that color coursing through your body as you breathe in and breathe out. Such visualizations can be intensely calming and enhance an individual’s creativity and concentration.
Visualization, as an umbrella term, is a modern and relatively simple genre of deep-relaxation and healing. It is harder to pursue without any experience with meditation, which is why I recommend trying it after a few weeks of concentration meditation. You can either visualize a place/scenery, a manifestation (a goal), or an event or a person. You can read more about Loving-Kindness Meditation in an article by thebuddhistcentre.com here
It is an open-ended and malleable technique that doesn’t involve strict discipline or any esoteric understanding of scriptures and philosophies. Modern research indicates that visualization meditation can lead to deep-relaxation, reduce depression/anxiety, improve the body’s ability to sleep and cope with stress.
It improves self-awareness and self-compassion and reduces physical pain, suffering and anguish. It can be very helpful in manifesting thoughts or goals and serves as a support system when you are transitioning away from bad habits i.e. – major lifestyle changes or quitting smoking/drinking etc.
Advanced Meditation
Spiritual Meditation – Insight based
Difficulty: Intermediate/Advanced
Level 3
Examples: Turiya Meditation, Japa Meditation, Kundalini Meditation, Zen Meditation
In level one, you used a prop (object, sound, etc.) to learn how to rein in your mind, and in level two you learned how to steer it around. Now it is time to consider the third level of meditative practices – spiritual meditation.
Spiritual meditation can be multi-tiered in a way that it combines both level one and two techniques. For instance, in Aum contemplation – you could sync your attention to your breath using three-part breathing then add color visualization to the breath as you silently chant Aum and contemplate its meaning.
Some methods like body scan meditations train you to turn your sense-perceptions inward to cultivate an awareness of the connections between your unarticulated emotions and the physical sensations in your own body which communicate their presence. Other methods require contemplation of Yogic concepts of the four forms (Waking state, sleeping state, dreaming state and Self) until they stop being an intellectual thought and become experiential wisdom.
Such types of meditation techniques are performed to triumph over the illusions of the existent world to achieve self-attainment or enlightenment. They promote an unsullied spiritual contemplation of the cosmic connection or the ultimate truth that underlies all existence. In most cases, it requires a nuanced understanding of spiritual philosophy like the Buddhist Sutras, the Hindu Upanishads or the sacred texts of Daoism. It would be best to learn these from a guru or perform them under the guidance of an experienced spiritual practitioner.
Take a look at the following guided Zen meditation- a spiritual Buddhist meditation practice.
Are you a Beginner to Meditation?
Check out Do Calm’s article on meditation tips for a beginner, which explains the basic aspects like form, attire and posture.
Meditation will change your life – every step of the way.
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