What are the different types of meditation?

Article by The Global Spiritual Association

With so much stress in the world today, people from every walk of life are searching for all natural ways to deal with life’s complex issues. Everyone these days seems to be moving at a faster pace. We are all quite familiar with the term multi-tasking. It seems there is a never-ending list of things to get done each day. With all these issues, many of us find ourselves struggling with worry about family, finances and work problems.

One excellent solution for dealing with all this is meditation. This practice has been around for thousands of years and was used by Hindu and Buddhist monks. They discovered that meditating could help them achieve greater spirituality. Though this might not be your goal, the practice can help to settle your mind and clear your thinking. Meditating can help you relax and focus your thoughts on more peaceful concepts.

There are numerous types of meditation that work great. Below we go over four of the most popular types.

Mantra meditation
This type of meditation uses repetitive sounds to clear the mind. The Buddhist and Hindu monks would use the sound “Om” but there are other sounds that you might find relaxing. The sound can be spoken quietly or more loudly depending on your preference. Begin by trying different sounds to see what helps you relax the best.

Transcendental meditation
This practice has been popular for the last 50 years or so. It uses a series of words that are familiar to the Individual. For instance, create a short sentence with words that bring comfort to you or encourage you in some way, such as: “My life is beautiful. I love my home and family. I enjoy each moment.”

Visualization meditation
This type of meditation focuses on bringing the feelings of peace and calmness to the individual. Begin by visualizing positive images. Many people enjoy visualizing a future in which they are happier and more successful.

Spiritual meditation
In some religions such as Hinduism and Christianity, spiritual meditation plays an important role. Individuals who are seeking a deeper relationship with their God or the universe use this type of meditation. Often they heighten their spiritual experience by utilizing essential oils such as sage, sandalwood, frankincense and myrrh. Spiritual meditation can help to achieve spiritual growth. It can be practiced at home or at a place of worship.

Founded by the great Teacher Zhang Xinyue in 1999, The Global Spiritualists Association has grown to become the largest Spiritual Growth Research Institute for Spiritual Teachers in the world. The Global Spiritualists Association attracts the best Spiritual Teachers from many professional fields around the globe.