| Okay, so you've heard about meditation, and | | | | meaningless sound "oowaa", which I repeat at a |
| you've heard that it can be very beneficial to | | | | constant rhythm like "oowaaoowaaoowaaoowaa", |
| your health and wellbeing, helping you to relax and | | | | and so on. |
| find peace and tranquility. But you're also | | | | Mindfulness Meditation |
| wondering what different types of meditation | | | | This involves becoming deeply aware of what |
| there are, because you want to make an | | | | actually IS in the present moment. This can be |
| informed decision on the type of meditation that | | | | anything. For example, if you have your eyes |
| is most suitable for you. | | | | open you could become totally visually aware of |
| Breath Awareness | | | | your immediate surroundings, plus any sounds too. |
| This is probably the easiest form of meditation, | | | | If you have your eyes closed, you could become |
| yet it can be extremely profound. All you have to | | | | aware of aspects of your body, such as your |
| do is relax in a comfortable position (either sat | | | | breathing, your posture, your feeling of relaxation |
| upright or lying down), with your eyes either open | | | | (or tension), plus even being aware of any |
| or closed, and just gently become aware of your | | | | thoughts that may naturally arise. |
| breathing, without trying to change it. You can | | | | Walking Meditation |
| even practice this throughout your day, for | | | | This is really a form of mindfulness meditation |
| example while sat at your desk at work. It can | | | | that you do while walking. You simply become as |
| really help to bring you back into the present | | | | aware as possible of the process of walking. In |
| moment, leaving you feeling more calm and | | | | fact, you can do this with any process, such as |
| focused. | | | | making a cup of tea or doing the washing up. Just |
| Mantra Meditation | | | | let the action fully fill your awareness. |
| This simply involves repeating a word, phrase or | | | | Meditation on a Concept |
| sound, either aloud or silently in your mind. This | | | | This is a very broad area of meditation, as the |
| simple but constant repetition of the sound will | | | | concepts can be anything. But as an example, you |
| allow the other parts of your mind to gradually | | | | could meditate on the impermanent nature of all |
| settle down, until eventually you become | | | | things. This includes your own being, including your |
| extremely relaxed, both physically and mentally. | | | | own thoughts and feelings, which come and go in |
| Traditionally, meditators have used specific mantra | | | | brief moments. |
| with specific meanings, but it really doesn't matter | | | | There are many more aspects to meditation that |
| what you use as long as you find it comfortable | | | | this, but I have covered the main types of |
| to repeat. For me personally, I use the | | | | meditation here. |