List of best 44 Meditation Techniques

With chakra meditation, you are actively participating with your whole body, exploring its layers on a healing level and witnessing the effects of thoughts and feelings,” explains Knowles. “It’s a very personal practice, but I would say you should expect a sense of contentment, peace and heightened charges of energy

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Vipassanā (Pāli) or vipaśyanā (Sanskrit) literally “special, super (Vi), seeing (Passanā)”, is a Buddhist term that is often translated as “insight”. The Pali Canon describes it as one of two qualities of mind which is developed in bhāvanā, the training of the mind, the other being samatha (mind calming). It is often defined as a practice that seeks “insight into the true nature of reality”, defined as anicca “impermanence”, dukkha “suffering, unsatisfactoriness”, anattā “non-self”, the three marks of existence in the Theravada tradition, and as śūnyatā “emptiness” and Buddha-nature in the Mahayana traditions.
Vipassanā practice in the Theravada tradition largely fell out of practice by the 10th century, but was reintroduced in Toungoo and Konbaung Burma in the 18th century, based on contemporary readings of the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta, the Visuddhimagga, and other texts. A new tradition developed in the 19th and 20th centuries, centering on ‘dry insight’ and downplaying samatha. It became of central importance in the 20th century Vipassanā movement as developed by Ledi Sayadaw and U Vimala and popularised by Mahasi Sayadaw, V. R. Dhiravamsa, and S. N. Goenka.In modern Theravada, the combination or disjunction of vipassanā and samatha is a matter of dispute. While the Pali sutras hardly mention vipassanā, describing it as a mental quality alongside samatha which develops in tandem and leads to liberation, the Abhidhamma Pitaka and the commentaries describe samatha and vipassanā as two separate techniques, taking samatha to mean concentration-meditation. The Vipassanā movement favors vipassanā over samatha, but some critics point out that both are necessary elements of the Buddhist training, while other critics argue that dhyana is not a single-pointed concentration exercise.

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Japa (Sanskrit: जप) is the meditative repetition of a mantra or a divine name. It is a practice found in Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism, with parallels found in other religions.
Japa may be performed while sitting in a meditation posture, while performing other activities, or as part of formal worship in group settings. The mantra or name may be spoken softly, loud enough for the practitioner to hear it, or it may be recited silently within the practitioner’s mind.

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The Vijñāna-bhairava-tantra (VBT, sometimes spelled in a Hindicised way as Vigyan Bhairav Tantra) is a Shaiva Tantra, of the Kaula Trika tradition of Kashmir Shaivism. Singh notes that it is difficult to establish an exact date for the text, and it could have been written at some time from the 7th to the 8th century CE. It is also called the Śiva-jñāna-upaniṣad by Abhinavagupta.The VBT is framed as a discourse between Bhairava (the “tremendous one”, or “the terrifying”) and the goddess Bhairavi in 163 Sanskrit anuṣṭubh stanzas. It briefly presents around 112 Tantric meditation methods (yuktis) or centering techniques (dhāraṇās) in very compressed form.These practices are supposed to lead to the recognition of the true nature of Reality, the “tremendous” or “awesome” consciousness (i.e. vijñāna-bhairava). These include several variants of breath awareness, concentration on various centers in the body, non-dual awareness, mantra practice, visualizations and contemplations which make use of the senses. A prerequisite to success in any of the practices is a clear understanding of which method is most suitable to the practitioner.

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Ānāpānasati (Pali; Sanskrit ānāpānasmṛti), meaning “mindfulness of breathing” (“sati” means mindfulness; “ānāpāna” refers to inhalation and exhalation), is a form of Buddhist meditation originally taught by Gautama Buddha in several suttas including the Ānāpānasati Sutta. (MN 118)
Ānāpānasati is now common to Tibetan, Zen, Tiantai and Theravada Buddhism as well as Western-based mindfulness programs. Simply defined, Anapanasati is to feel the sensations caused by the movements of the breath in the body as is practiced in the context of mindfulness meditation.

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Many people find it helpful to start by focusing on their breath, and silently count inhalations and exhalations: In (one), out (two), in (three), and so on. This gives you something to focus on besides intrusive thoughts. It also helps to create a meditation practice by doing it at the same time every day.15-Apr-2014

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Compassion meditation involves silently repeating certain phrases that express the intention to move from judgment to caring, from isolation to connection, from indifference or dislike to understanding.

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Meditation has been a tool used to facilitate deep thinking & self-reflection for millennia. For many years, meditation & contemplation were used almost synonymously. Up until the last few decades, the term contemplative meditation would have been perceived redundant.

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The fundamental practice of Vajrayana and Tibetan tantra is deity yoga (devatayoga), meditation on a chosen deity or “cherished divinity” (Skt. Iṣṭa-devatā, Tib. yidam), which involves the recitation of mantras, prayers and visualization of the deity, the associated mandala of the deity’s Buddha field, along with consorts and attendant Buddhas and bodhisattvas. According to the Tibetan scholar Tsongkhapa, deity yoga is what separates Tantra from Sutra practice.In the Unsurpassed Yoga Tantras, the most widespread tantric form in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, this method is divided into two stages, the generation stage (utpatti-krama) and the completion stage (nispanna-krama). In the generation stage, one dissolves one’s reality into emptiness and meditates on the deity-mandala, resulting in identification with this divine reality. In the completion stage, the divine image along with the subtle body is applied to the realization of luminous emptiness.
The Indian tantric scholar Ratnākaraśānti (c. 1000 CE) describes the generation stage cultivation practice thus:

[A]ll phenomenal appearance having arisen as mind, this very mind is [understood to be] produced by a mistake (bhrāntyā), i.e. the appearance of an object where there is no object to be grasped; ascertaining that this is like a dream, in order to abandon this mistake, all appearances of objects that are blue and yellow and so on are abandoned or destroyed (parihṛ-); then, the appearance of the world (viśvapratibhāsa) that is ascertained to be oneself (ātmaniścitta) is seen to be like the stainless sky on an autumn day at noon: appearanceless, unending sheer luminosity.
This dissolution into emptiness is then followed by the visualization of the deity and re-emergence of the yogi as the deity. During the process of deity visualization, the deity is to be imaged as not solid or tangible, as “empty yet apparent,” with the character of a mirage or a rainbow. This visualization is to be combined with “divine pride,” which is “the thought that one is oneself the deity being visualized.” Divine pride is different from common pride because it is based on compassion for others and on an understanding of emptiness.

Following mastery of the “generation stage,” one practices the “perfection” or “completion” stage. The Indian commentator Buddhaguhya (c.700 CE), in his commentary on the Mahavairocana Tantra, outlines the “perfection stage” practices thus:

First you should actualize all the four branches of recitation for a while as before, and then analyze the manifestation of the created (parikalpita) colour, shape, and so on, of your tutelary deity who is identical to yourself, breaking them down into atoms. Or it is also acceptable to do this by way of the reasoning that is unborn and unarising from the very beginning, or similarly by way of the technique of drawing-in the vital energy (prana) through the yoga of turning your mind inside, or by way of not focusing on its appearance [as colour and shape]. In accordance with that realization, you should then actualize the mind which is just self-aware, free from the body image of your tutelary deity and without appearance [as subject and object], and mentally recite your vidya mantra as appropriate.
The Tibetologist David Germano outlines two main types of completion practice: a formless and image-less contemplation on the ultimate empty nature of the mind and various yogas that make use of the subtle body to produce energetic sensations of bliss and warmth.The subtle body yogas systems like the Six Dharmas of Naropa and the Six Yogas of Kalachakra make use of energetic schemas of human psycho-physiology composed of “energy channels” (Skt. nadi, Tib. rtsa), “winds” or currents (Skt. vayu, Tib. rlung), “drops” or charged particles (Skt. bindu, Tib. thig le) and chakras (“wheels”). These subtle energies are seen as “mounts” for consciousness, the physical component of awareness. They are engaged by various means such as pranayama (breath control) to produce blissful experiences that are then applied to the realization of ultimate reality.Other methods which are associated with the completion stage in Tibetan Buddhism include dream yoga (which relies on lucid dreaming), practices associated with the bardo (the interim state between death and rebirth), transference of consciousness (phowa) and chöd, in which the yogi ceremonially offers their body to be eaten by all beings in a ritual feast.

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Focused meditation, also called focused attention meditation (FAM) can be a useful tool for people who want to try using meditation for stress relief. This meditation style allows you to focus your attention on an object, sound, or sensation rather than trying to achieve a clear mind without a specific focal point.

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Osho says that if the breathing is done correctly in the first stage of this meditation, the carbon dioxide formed in the bloodstream will make you feel as high as Gourishankar, Mt. Everest. This “high” is carried into the subsequent stages of soft gazing, soft and spontaneous movement, and silent stillness.

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In guided meditation, our practice is shaped by another person’s voice. Because the mind has a tendency to wander where it will, many of us find it easier to focus and relax when our minds aren’t entirely left to their own devices. This form of meditation is often led by a (real live) guide in group settings, or by recordings presented on apps, podcasts, videos, CDs, etc.

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This meditation is best done at sunset or in the late afternoon. Being fully immersed in the shaking and dancing of the first two stages helps to “melt” the rocklike being, wherever the energy flow has been repressed and blocked. Then that energy can flow, dance and be transformed into bliss and joy. The last two stages enable all this energy to flow vertically, to move upward into silence. It is a highly effective way of unwinding and letting go at the end of the day.

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Loving kindness meditation (LKM) is a popular self-care technique that can be used to boost well-being and reduce stress.1 Those who regularly practice loving kindness meditation are able to increase their capacity for forgiveness, connection to others, self-acceptance, and more.

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A mantra is a syllable, word, or phrase that is repeated during meditation. Mantras can be spoken, chanted, whispered, or repeated in the mind. Most mantra meditation techniques have two essential components: mindfulness meditation and mantra recitation or chanting. While this age-old practice is known to have Buddhist and Hindu roots, forms of “sacred word” recitation exist within a great variety of spiritual traditions, including Judeo-Christian and Shamanic. Nowadays, mantra practice is also gaining popularity as part of secular mindfulness practice.

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Metta meditation is a type of Buddhist meditation. In Pali — a language that’s closely related to Sanskrit and spoken in northern India — “metta” means positive energy and kindness toward others.

The practice is also known as loving-kindness meditation. The goal of metta meditation is to cultivate kindness for all beings, including yourself and:

family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances difficult people in your life animals. The main technique of metta meditation involves reciting positive phrases toward yourself and these beings.

Like other types of meditation, the practice is beneficial for mental, emotional, and physical health. It’s especially useful for reducing negative emotions toward yourself and other people.

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Mindfulness meditation is a mental training practice that teaches you to slow down racing thoughts, let go of negativity, and calm both your mind and body. It combines meditation with the practice of mindfulness, which can be defined as a mental state that involves being fully focused on “the now” so you can acknowledge and accept your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment.

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The benefits of meditation cannot be ignored, but not everyone finds it easy to sit in one spot and focus on their breath. Additionally, not everyone has the time to sit and meditate during his or her day. This is why another type of meditation, called movement meditation, can be so beneficial.

Have you ever sat on a beach in a blissful state and picked up handfuls of sand that mesmerized you as you watched them run through your fingers. You probably felt individual grains as the sand left your hands. You may have noticed the way your fingers felt as they opened to let the sand the go through. Other things such as the way you were sitting and breathing likely entered your mind. You were focused and centered, yet you were still moving. This is what movement meditation is all about. Movement meditation is not your usual meditation where you sit still and focus on your breath. Instead, you are moving through various positions with a mindful and slow pace.

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Nadabrahma is the humming meditation – through humming and hand movements, conflicting parts of you start falling in tune, and you bring harmony to your whole being. Then, with body and mind totally together, you “slip out of their hold” and become a witness to both. This watching from the outside is what brings peace, silence and bliss.

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Nataraj is the energy of dance. This is dance as a meditation, where all inner division disappears and a subtle, relaxed awareness remains.

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This active centering meditation is based on Sufi techniques, further developed and expanded by Osho. Using the breath and a series of coordinated body movements followed by whirling, your energy becomes centered in the hara, the “life energy” center below the navel. From there you can watch the mind and experience awareness and wholeness – the body moving in all directions, the center unmoving.

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“Modern man is a very new phenomenon, and no traditional method can be used exactly as it exists, because modern man has never existed before. Modern man is a new phenomenon. So in a way, all traditional methods have become irrelevant. Their spirit is not irrelevant, but their form has become irrelevant because this man is new.

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It is good that Agnishikha meditation should be done in the evening. And if the weather is hot, take off your clothes. There are three steps in this meditation technique of five minutes each. Step One Imagine that you have an energy ball in your hand—a ball. In a while, this sphere will turn from imagination to reality. He will be heavy on your hand. Step 2: Start playing with this ball of energy. Feel its weight, feel its mass. As it solidifies, start throwing it from one hand to the other.

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MeditationsOSHO Active MeditationsOSHO Devavani Meditation OSHO Devavani Meditation™ OSHO Devavani Meditation™ In this meditation a gentle, unfamiliar language moves and speaks through the meditator, who becomes an empty vessel.

It deeply relaxes the mind and creates inner peace. It can be done at any time of the day. If done last thing at night, it also creates a profound sleep.

The meditation is to be done with its specific OSHO Devavani Meditation music, which energetically supports the first stage and which marks the beginning and end of the other stages.

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Don’t take the religion seriously. You can sing and dance – sad faces are not needed. You have lived too long with the sad faces.

If you see the old face of God, it’s sad. It creates sadness. Now we need a dancing and laughing God.

You have to dance in an ecstatic mood. All your life energy must flow, laugh, sing. Celebrate the life!

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Every circle contains a center. In the first three stages of this energetic and powerful technique, centering is the aim, through the creation of a circle of energy. Then, in the fourth stage, the relaxation.

The meditation is to be done with its specific OSHO Mandala Meditation music, which indicates and energetically supports the different stages.

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In this meditation, you can experience prayer as an energy phenomenon, not a devotion to God but a merging, an opening. This merging with energy is prayer. It changes you. And when you change, the whole existence changes because with your attitude, the whole existence changes for you. Not that the existence is changing – existence remains the same – but now you are flowing with it, there is no antagonism. There is no fight, no struggle; you are surrendered to it. – OSHO

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If you stare at the flame of the flame for an hour every day for a long time, for a few months, your third eye becomes fully activated. You feel more luminous, more alert. The root from which the word Tratak comes, means: Tears. So you have to keep looking at the flame of the flame till the tears start flowing from your eyes. Keep staring, without blinking, and your third eye will start to activate.

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Preksha meditation is one of the most well-respected techniques of meditation. With its origin in Jainism, Preksha Meditation is a combination of the principles of ancient Jain religious scriptures and tents as well as modern science. In present times Preksha Meditation has continued to find relevance for this very reason that it brings together science with meditation.

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When you’re experiencing anxiety, stress, or worry, one of the ways your body responds is by tightening up. Progressive muscle relaxation is a relaxation technique that helps you release the tension you’re holding in your body and feel more relaxed and calm. The technique is simple: working through the body, tense one muscle group at a time and then release the tension and notice the contrasting feeling of relaxation. Not only does progressive muscle relaxation help relieve anxiety in the moment, but with regular practice, it can also lower your overall tension and stress levels.

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Buddhahood defines a form of meditation based on equanimity cognition and freeing the mind from totality and distractions. The answer should be considered written to get attention.

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Shikantaza (只管打坐) is a Japanese translation of a Chinese term for zazen introduced by Rujing, a monk of the Caodong school of Zen Buddhism, to refer to a practice called “Silent Illumination” (Chinese: 默照禅), or “Serene Reflection”, by previous Caodong masters. In Japan, it is associated with the Soto school. Unlike many other forms of meditation, shikantaza does not require focused attention on a specific object (such as the breath); instead, practitioners “just sit” in a state of conscious awareness.

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The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali is a collection of Sanskrit sutras (aphorisms) on the theory and practice of yoga – 195 sutras (according to Vyāsa and Krishnamacharya) and 196 sutras (according to other scholars including BKS Iyengar). The Yoga Sutras was compiled in the early centuries CE, by the sage Patanjali in India who synthesized and organized knowledge about yoga from much older traditions.The Yoga Sutras are best known for its reference to ashtanga, eight elements of practice culminating in samadhi, concentration of the mind on an object of meditation, namely yama (abstinences), niyama (observances), asana (yoga postures), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), dharana (concentration of the mind), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (absorption). However, its main aim is kaivalya, discernment of purusha, the witness-conscious, as separate from prakriti, the cognitive apparatus, and disentanglement of purusha from prakriti’s muddled defilements.
The Yoga Sutras built on Samkhya-notions of purusha and prakriti, and are often seen as complementary to it. It is closely related to Buddhism, incorporating some of its terminology. Yet, Samkhya, Yoga, Vedanta, as well as Jainism and Buddhism can be seen as representing different manifestations of a broad stream of ascetic traditions in ancient India, in contrast to the Bhakti traditions and Vedic ritualism which were prevalent at the time.
The contemporary Yoga tradition holds the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali to be one of the foundational texts of classical Yoga philosophy. However, the appropriation – and misappropriation – of the Yoga Sutras and its influence on later systematizations of yoga has been questioned by David Gordon White, who argues that the text fell into relative obscurity for nearly 700 years from the 12th to 19th century, and made a comeback in late 19th century due to the efforts of Swami Vivekananda, the Theosophical Society and others. It gained prominence as a classic in the 20th century.

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Sāmāyika is the vow of periodic concentration observed by the Jains. It is one of the essential duties prescribed for both the Śrāvaka (householders) and ascetics. The preposition sam means one state of being. To become one is samaya. That, which has oneness as its object, is sāmāyikam. Sāmāyika is aimed at developing equanimity and to refrain from injury.
On the third pratimā (stage) the householder resolves to observe the sāmāyika vow three times a day.
According to the Jain text, Purushartha Siddhyupaya: After renouncing all attachments and aversions, and adopting a sense of equanimity in all objects, one should practise, many times, periodic concentration (sāmāyika), the principal means to realize the true nature of the Self.
Sāmāyika is also one of the five kinds of conduct (cāritra) other kinds being reinitiation, purity of non-injury, slight passion and perfect conduct. It is of two kinds — with and without time limit.

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Meditation is the practice of focusing on the present moment. This practice has many benefits including reducing stress and improving focus. If you have been wanting to try meditation or even if you have been practicing for a while, it is a great habit to incorporate into your weekly routine.  I was recently introduced to tapping meditation. Tapping meditation is a form of meditation which involves tapping specific points on the body, focusing on the head and the face, in a sequence. It is referred to has Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), which is often referred to as an alternative therapy for anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other conditions.

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Tonglen (Tibetan: གཏོང་ལེན་, Wylie: gtong len, or tonglen) is Tibetan for ‘giving and taking’ (or sending and receiving), and refers to a meditation practice found in Tibetan Buddhism.Tong means “giving or sending”, and len means “receiving or taking”. Tonglen is also known as exchanging self with other. It’s the seventh slogan, under Relative Bodhicitta, in Lojong. And is aspirational Bodhicitta precepts training in the Longchen Nyingthig Ngöndro, to see others as equal to self by exchanging self and other, where applying Bodhicitta begins with giving.

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Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a form of silent mantra meditation advocated by the Transcendental Meditation movement. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi created the technique in India in the mid-1950s. Advocates of TM claim that the technique promotes a state of relaxed awareness, stress relief, and access to higher states of consciousness, as well as physiological benefits such as reducing the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.Building on the teachings of his master Brahmananda Saraswati (known honorifically as Guru Dev), the Maharishi taught thousands of people during a series of world tours from 1958 to 1965, expressing his teachings in spiritual and religious terms. TM became more popular in the 1960s and 1970s, as the Maharishi shifted to a more technical presentation, and his meditation technique was practiced by celebrities, mostly prominently members of the Beatles and the Beach Boys. At this time, he began training TM teachers and created specialized organizations to present TM to specific segments of the population such as business people and students. By the early 2000s, TM had been taught to millions of people; the worldwide TM organization had grown to include educational programs, health products, and related services. Following the Maharishi’s death in 2008, leadership of the TM organization passed to neuroscientist Tony Nader.
The TM technique involves the use of a silently-used sound called a mantra, and is practiced for 15–20 minutes twice per day. It is taught by certified teachers through a standard course of instruction, which costs a fee that varies by country. According to the Transcendental Meditation movement, it is a non-religious method for relaxation, stress reduction, and self-development. The technique has been seen as both religious and non-religious; sociologists, scholars, and a New Jersey judge and court are among those who have expressed views on it being religious or non-religious. The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit upheld the federal ruling that TM was essentially “religious in nature” and therefore could not be taught in public schools.Scientific research on meditation practices does not appear to have a common theoretical perspective and is characterized by poor methodological quality. Firm conclusions on the effects of meditation practices in healthcare cannot be drawn based on the available evidence.

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When I closed my eyes for meditation for the first time, I saw only darkness- a vast ocean. I continued my practice for a few months; a tiny dot started appearing in between that darkness. The size, colour and stability of that dot changed for the next few months. Then, it became brighter, wider and steady, with a distinct recognisable colour.

It was just an elemental light representing a particular element out of five elements Prithvi – Earth, Agni –Fire, Vayu –Wind, Akasa –Sky, Apas/ Jal –Water. The appearance of light confirmed my progress in concentration but for further advancement, the dazzling dot had to be ignored.

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Visualization meditation is a form of meditation that requires you to concentrate on imagery to cultivate a sense of mindfulness. Those who practice visualization meditation may experience benefits that meditation can provide, such as emotional stability, pain relief, and more.

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Walking meditation, sometimes known as kinhin (Chinese: 經行; Pinyin: jīngxíng; Romaji: kinhin or kyōgyō; Korean: gyeonghyaeng; Vietnamese: kinh hành), is a practice within several forms of Buddhism that involve movement and periods of walking between long periods of sitting meditation. In different forms, the practice is common in various traditions of both Theravada and in Mahayana Buddhism.

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If you’ve been curious about meditation but don’t know how to start, you might want to try yoga meditation. Yoga meditation combines the benefits of yoga’s physical exercises with the positive energy of meditation practice. It’s also one of the most accessible meditations for many people to do

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Zazen (literally “seated meditation”; Japanese: 座禅; simplified Chinese: 坐禅; traditional Chinese: 坐禪; pinyin: zuò chán; Wade–Giles: tso4-ch’an2, pronounced [tswô ʈʂʰǎn]) is a meditative discipline that is typically the primary practice of the Zen Buddhist tradition. The meaning and method of zazen varies from school to school, but in general it can be regarded as a means of insight into the nature of existence. In the Japanese Rinzai school, zazen is usually associated with the study of koans. The Sōtō School of Japan, on the other hand, only rarely incorporates koans into zazen, preferring an approach where the mind has no object at all, known as shikantaza.

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A kōan (公案) (; Chinese: 公案; pinyin: gōng’àn, [kʊ́ŋ ân]; Korean: 화두, hwadu; Vietnamese: công án) is a story, dialogue, question, or statement which is used in Zen practice to provoke the “great doubt” and to practice or test a student’s progress in Zen.

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