Undoubtedly by now news of the vast benefits of meditation must have reached you. Study after study have been empirically validating what the ancient masters have been saying for generations, there is nothing quite like meditation. Meditation is good for your mind, body and soul, but what kind of meditation should you practice in order to extract these wonderful benefits? That is the topic of this article.
Of all the various meditation techniques that exist, the following are the top 3.
1. Zen Meditation Technique:
One of the greatest meditation techniques is that of the Lord Buddha, Zen Buddhist Meditation Technique, or Zazen. This technique was put forth by Lord Buddha and is the heart of Zen Buddhist practice. It is based on concentration on the breath and is a silent, seated meditation.
Beginner’s should start Zazen practice be sitting up straight and still and counting their breaths from one to ten. Count every inhalation and exhalation starting with one and when you get to ten, start at one again. If at any time your mind wanders away and you lose count, gently bring your attention back to the breath and start again at one.
As you get more proficient with this method, you can drop the counting and just start attending to the breath. Normally it take at least six months or more (could take years) to move ahead to this version. Don’t worry though, all along the meditation will be working for you, helping uplift and raise your level of consciousness and awareness.
2. Mantra Meditation Technique:
Mantra meditation forms the heart of the Hindu faith and it’s effectiveness has also been proven by centuries of successful application. In mantra meditation, you pick a mantra that suits you and then repeat it mentally or out loud continuously. This technique, just like Zen Meditation, will help develop your concentration, mental focus and awareness.
One of the best mantra meditations is So Hum Mantra Meditation. In this version, as you inhale you think the sound Soooo, and as you exhale you think the sound Hummm. So Hum means I am That. It implies that you and divinity are one. This mantra is great for opening the heart center and allowing unconditional love to flow.
3. Chakra Meditation Technique:
The third best meditation technique for extracting and enjoying the vast benefits of meditation is Chakra Meditation. There are several kinds of chakra meditation and here I will go over the most used ones.
Chakras are considered energy vortexes which when balanced lead to you being balanced physically and emotionally. The various chakra meditation techniques looks to open and balance these vortexes using the attributes that the chakras have. Here are two commonly used methods to open and balance the chakras.
1. Concentration on the Chakra Point: The first method you can use to activate a chakra is by concentrating on its physical location in the body. As you concentrate on the location, you bring the energy of awareness there, which then works to open that energy center.
2. Chakra Mantra Meditation: Associated with each chakra is a seed sound, or beej mantra. Chanting this should is a direct and powerful way to open and balance that particular center. One word of caution with chakra meditation is that one should not open these centers too forcefully or quickly. Slow and steady is the name of the game.
Summary:
So there you have the three best meditation techniques to explore, learn and benefit from. I hope you embrace this wonderful science and I hope it helps you reach your full potential in this life.
Anmol Mehta is a modern Yoga & Meditation master. His free Guided Meditation Techniques website offers important Kids Yoga Guidelines and free Hatha Yoga Poses e-books and videos.
