Types of Meditation

There are countless ways to meditate. However, for a beginner there are a few recommended ways to begin the process of training one’s mind. To begin, one should set their intention and remind themselves of why they want to have a meditation practice. They can either sit with closed eyes. Once you are in position you should remain absolutely still, as if frozen. If you submit to fidgeting it will never end.

Types of Meditation for Beginners

Za-Zen Meditation – Once you have settled yourself the next step is to bring your awareness to your breath and to count your breaths from 1 to 10. So an inhalation is 1 and an exhalation is 2, inhalation 3, exhalation 4. Once you get to 10, start over again at 1. When your mind wanders and you find yourself thinking about the day or the past, gently, without judgment, return to 1 and start over. Continue this throughout the meditation.

Christian Meditation – Bring awareness to one’s breath and silently repeat a single word, phrase or bible verse such as “I am love”. Some Christians repeat the prayer-phrase maranatha in four syllables ma-ra-na-tha.

Maranatha is an ancient Christian prayer word. It means ‘Come, Lord’ from the Aramaic language of Jesus’ time, and is found in the New Testament. When meditating, use it simply as a focus for your attention, without thinking about the meaning of it.

So-Hum Mantra Meditation – Place your hands in Gyan Mudra (Gesture of Knowledge) with thumb and index finger lightly meeting, wrists on the knees and palms turned upwards. Take 5 deep breaths which will increase relaxation. Then try to remain as still as possible. Slowly inhale and say “Soooooooo” mentally. Slowly exhale and mentally say the sound “Hummmmmm”. About half way through the meditation begin each cycle of “So-Hum” by feeling your spirit expand and entering union with a Higher Power, the Universe or whatever else you feel connected with. Feel the communion, transcendence and the truth of this divine consciousness as you continue to mentally chant the mantra in rhythm with your breath. When the meditation is finished try to remain with the all encompassing union and awareness that is in you.

→An alternate method to practice the So Hum Meditation is to visualize a healing light and/or Divine energy flowing into you when you inhale “Sooooo” and to imagine your ego dissipating as you exhale “Hummmmm”.

→As you improve with this meditation try to stretch the exhalation phase to about two times the length of the inhalation phase.

This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to types of meditation. However, the ones listed above are typically the easiest ones when starting a meditation practice