9 TYPES of MEDITATION and their benefits

  • Aug 05, 2021
click fraud protection
Types of meditation and their benefits

If you want to start meditating but you don't know what type of meditation to choose, You are in the right place! In this Psychology-Online article we are going to discover what are the main methods to be able to meditate and connect with your inner "I". There are very different options, such as meditation. Buddhist, Vipassana, Tonglen, Zen (or zazen), etc., so to choose the best of all, we invite you to continue reading this article. Discover the types of meditation and their benefits to start making the best journey of all: the journey into yourself.

You may also like: Benefits of meditation for the brain

Index

  1. Buddhist meditation
  2. Vipassana meditation
  3. Zen meditation
  4. Toglen meditation
  5. Dzogchen meditation
  6. Mantra meditation
  7. Kabbalah meditation
  8. Chakra meditation
  9. Transcendental meditation

Buddhist meditation.

Among the main types of meditation, the Buddhist is the best known for all. It is a technique that is considered "complete meditation" and its objective is to try to make the mind totally concentrated in the present moment, that is, in the "here and now".

This type of meditation tries attend the mind as well as the "interferences" that we may experience (thoughts, sensations, emotions, memories, etc.). The work that is achieved with this technique is to be able to be masters of our mind so as not to be slaves to everything that is volatile. Reconnecting with your true essence and letting go of thoughts or emotions is what can be achieved with this practice.

How to do Buddhist meditation

In order to properly perform Buddhist meditation, people starting out with the practice will need to start by focusing your attention on the breath. It is really difficult to spend a long time concentrating on something as simple as the act of breathing and, therefore, you will be aware of the large number of things that happen in your mind without you being at all aware.

Benefits of Buddhist meditation

If you want to know the types of meditation and their benefits, you have to keep in mind that the Buddhist focuses on Live the present. Thanks to the teachings of the Buddha, we learn that one of the reasons why there is suffering in the world is because we live more in the past or in the future than in the present.

By practicing this type of meditation, you will achieve:

  • Relax your mind
  • Connect with your interior
  • Control everything that is fleeting: thoughts, feelings, memories ...
  • Live your present more fully
  • Be in control of yourself and your reactions

In this other Psychology-Online article we will discover the best meditation techniques for beginners that will help you get started with this healthy and beneficial practice.

Types of Meditation and Their Benefits - Buddhist Meditation

Vipassana meditation.

Another type of meditation and its benefits that we are going to analyze is vipassana meditation. It is also another of the best known practices today and is known as the "penetrating meditation". The cause of this peculiar name is due to the fact that this practice is focused on our being able to see things as they really are. This type of meditation is based on the mindfulness technique.

To do this, a technique that is based on introspection, that is, the person has to observe himself individually and connect with his own mind. In this way, he will be able to witness everything that happens inside him and control it. Once we have that power, we can learn to eliminate negative thoughts that come to our mind, as well as the presence of suffering.

How to practice vipassana meditation

In order to start meditating following this technique, you will have to follow some steps that will help you do so. The most recommended thing is that you take a course since they try to promote a series of habits and behaviors such as the following:

  • Pure conduct: to be able to perform vipassana meditation it is essential that we stay away from lies and, also, of sexual activity so as to have the mind fully prepared to be observed at the detail.
  • Breathing: We will also have to focus on the breath, just like we do in Buddhist meditation.
  • Observe the sensationsThe next step is to be aware of the sensations we experience and, above all, to control ourselves a lot and not react to any of them beforehand. We have to become spectators of ourselves.
  • Give off love and kindness: the objective of this type of meditation is to emanate good in the world and, therefore, we have to cleanse and purify ourselves in order to have this positive attitude towards the world.

Benefits of vipassana

Here we offer you a complete list of the benefits of this type of meditation so that you understand why it is so successful and followed by people:

  • Learn to let go of unproductive thoughts
  • Relaxation
  • Connection with your true essence
  • Offer a more loving and kind essence to the world

Zen meditation.

The meditation "zazen" also known as "zen meditation" and what this name indicates is that it is a type of meditation that is practiced sitting.

How Zen Meditation Is Practiced

The body position that we have to have to follow this practice is much stricter than in any other type and, to do it correctly, these premises must be taken into account:

  • We must be sitting on the floor with a straight spine at all times.
  • The chin should be lowered towards the ground
  • The hands must be placed on the belly
  • The eyes during Zen meditation have to be open and looking downwards

Because of this such a concrete technique to meditateThis type of meditation is designed for people who are already used to practicing other types, that is, it is not recommended for beginners. Therefore, if you want to start and do not know what type of meditation to choose, this is not the one we recommend.

Benefits of Zen meditation

It is also a type of meditative practice that focuses on breathing and observing everything that happens in the mind. Therefore, it offers us benefits such as the following:

  • Relaxation and mental and physical tranquility
  • Connect with your interior
  • Better management of your emotions and thoughts
  • Learn to live in the present
Types of meditation and their benefits - Zen meditation

Toglen meditation.

We continue with the different types of meditation, among which is the toglen meditation, another of the most popular meditations. Drink from the foundations of the Buddhist, but with Tibetan influences.

The most special characteristic of this practice is that the person who performs it has to connect with his inner suffering in order to overcome it. This meditation is not intended to run away from pain but to stand up to it and make yourself stronger than it.

Benefits of toglen meditation

This type of meditation is perfect to be able to overcome any obstacle that you have met in life. A technique that will help you to accept suffering and, above all, to overcome it by cultivating a positive and beneficial attitude for you. Here you can see how to have a positive attitude in difficult times.

Dzogchen meditation.

The dzogchen meditation It is another of the best known meditations and is also related to Tibetan Buddhism. It is the practice carried out by a well-known personality such as the Dalai Lama and it is a very natural practice where it is intended to achieve that the meditative state is a natural state and habitual in the human being.

How is it practiced and what are the benefits?

In dzogchen meditation you do not have to do any special breathing or say any mantra. It is a type of practice that can be done with your eyes open and that pursues a very clear and simple objective: to realize the great power that is within us. The motto of this practice is: "Just breathing, just sitting, just being."

Types of meditation and their benefits - Dzogchen meditation

Mantra meditation.

We continue with other types of meditation and its benefits. The following is the mantra meditation. The mantras are sacred songs Through which the person who emits them can reach a deep meditative state.

These chants make the vocal cords vibrate and these sounds also emit vibratory waves in the mind, therefore, a complete and deeper meditation is achieved.

Kabbalah meditation.

This type of meditation is a religious meditation that was practiced by a branch of Judaism. By practicing the kabbalah meditation it was believed that they got get closer to God and, therefore, to achieve this, they visualized the Supreme Being.

Chakra meditation.

In this type of meditation we work with the chakras, that is, the energy points that we have distributed in the body. In these practices what is done is visualize the chakras as spirals of energy that are expanding through the body. They are usually guided meditations and they improve the energy flow of the body and alleviate any discomfort that is experienced.

Transcendental meditation.

And finally, another very popular type of meditation that was made successful in the 60s is the transcendental meditation.

How is transcendental meditation practiced? To practice it, a mantra must be repeated and it must be done twice a day for about 20 minutes to obtain its benefits.

What are its benefits?

The positive effects of transcendental meditation are as follows:

  • Spiritual calm
  • Good energy
  • Optimism
  • Relaxation
  • Releasing kind energy to the universe

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Types of meditation and their benefits, we recommend that you enter our category of Meditation and relaxation.

Bibliography

  • LeShan, L. L. (1990). How to meditate: guide to self-discovery / How to meditate (No. 242). Die.
  • Walsh, R. (1996). Meditation. Natura Medicatrix: Medical journal for the study and dissemination of alternative medicines, (43), 16-22.
instagram viewer