8 Types of Meditation to Find Your Calm

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Table of Contents

Finding the Type of Meditation That Works for You

Mindfulness Meditation

Spiritual Meditation

Focused Meditation

Transcendental Meditation

Guided Meditation

Vipassana Meditation

Visualization Meditation

Getting Started

Other Meditation Types to Try

Close

If you struggle with relaxing and calming your mind, meditation is a simple practice that can significantly help. No matter what your schedule looks like. If you take some time to meditate every day, you’ll find that you generally feel less stressed and more focused at work, school, or wherever. Across the globe, many people are discovering that even just afew minutes of meditationcan make a big difference in their day.

Meditationisn’t a complex concept. At its core, it emphasizes the importance of attention and awareness. When you meditate, you’re able to focus on your mind and let go of distractions.

Meditation lets you take a much-needed break from the noise of the world and your own busy thoughts. This break can make you feel more relaxed and clear-headed as you go about your day. Studies show that meditation can help reduce stress, improve how well you focus, and make you more aware of your thoughts and feelings. It can also be good for your overall mental and emotional health.

There aredifferent ways to meditate, like focusing on your breath, paying attention to your thoughts, or even moving your body mindfully. Each method can help you find some calmness and clarity.

If you think that meditation isn’t for you, maybe because of some preconceived notion you have of the practice, you may simply not have found the type that works for you.

“Meditation” simply means to focus. Meditation is an umbrella term much like “sports.” There are many different types of sports, and they all help you get good at different things. There are also many kinds of meditation, and they help you train your brain in different ways, saysDorsey Standish, a mindfulness & brain health expert.

Being fully present in the moment helps you develop an appreciation for all that life offers, andmindfulness meditationcan help you achieve this. It involves paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without reproach or judgment. It encourages you to simply observe patterns in these aspects of your life without trying to change them.

Techniques and Practices

The most common technique in mindfulness meditation is focusing on your breath. You sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and pay attention to how your breath moves in and out of your body. You gently bring your focus back to your breath when your mind wanders.

For Standish, one of her go-to practices for new mindfulness students is a 1-minute method to stop the stress cycle and calm the nervous system. It’s called the S.T.O.P. technique. When you notice you’re stressed or frantic, S.T.O.P. and take a mindful pause:

Other techniques includebody scan meditation,where you pay attention to different body parts and notice any sensations or feelings.

Benefits and Applications

If you are living withchronic stress or anxiety, mindfulness meditation can be very beneficial for you. It helps you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings, making you less likely to get caught up in them.

Mindfulness meditation is also helpful for improving your focus and concentration. At work, it can boost your productivity and creativity. In your personal life, it can improve your relationships and overall well-being.

Because it’s easy to practice and requires no special equipment, mindfulness meditation is great for beginners and can be done almost anywhere at any time.

If yourspiritualityis important to you, spiritual meditation can help you deepen your connection with a higher power you believe in. Even if you don’t have religious or spiritual beliefs but are looking for a deeper sense of meaning and purpose in life, you can practice spiritual meditation.

While other forms of meditation encourage you to focus on yourself, spiritual meditation wants you to look beyond yourself and connect with something greater.

You might use silent prayer, chants, or mantras in spiritual meditation. Many people choose a quiet place that feels special or sacred, like a church, temple, or a peaceful spot outdoors.

The idea is to focus on your breath or a spiritual phrase and let go of your thoughts to feel a connection with a higher power or the universe. You might use candles, incense, or prayer beads to make your practice feel more special or focused.

Spiritual meditation can give you a deep sense of peace and connection to something larger than life. It’s great for people who are looking to grow spiritually. This type of meditation can make you feel more compassionate and connected to the people around you. It can also feel comforting when you’re stressed or sad because it tends to offer a sense of hope.

Practicing spiritual meditation can help you align your life with your spiritual values or beliefs.

Ever find yourself lost in thought for several minutes, staring at one spot for too long? That’s a great way to beginfocused meditation. This type requires you to concentrate on a single object, sound, or thought. You could even focus on your breath, as with many other meditation styles

It trains your mind to focus on one thing and ignore distractions. If your mind wanders, don’t fuss; gently bring it back to what you’ve chosen to concentrate on.

To practice focused meditation, pick something to concentrate on. It could be the sound of a ticking clock, a spot on your wall, or a simple word or phrase you repeat in your mind. Sit in a comfortable place and direct all your attention to what you’ve chosen to focus on.

If you notice your mind drifting, gently redirect it back to what you’ve been concentrating on. It might be hard at first, and you’ll get easily distracted. However, practicing it regularly makes it easier to maintain focus.

You may already be practicing the most common movement meditation forms without realizing it. Yoga, tai chi, and simply walking can be used to practice movement meditation:

With any form you choose, the key is to be fully present and mindful of your movement, letting it ground you in the moment.

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If you’re naturally restless or find seated positions for meditation uncomfortable, you’re likely to prefer movement meditation over more traditional forms. This doesn’t mean you don’t get the same benefits, such as stress relief and better mental clarity.

You can achieve both with movement meditation while improving your physical strength, flexibility, and balance. You get a two-for-one, enjoying the benefits of a workout and meditation in one exercise.

Transcendental meditation (TM)is a technique that involves silently repeating a mantra to help settle your mind and put your body into a state of deep relaxation.

For people new to meditation, the simplicity of TM makes it easy to learn and practice. As you repeat your mantra, you don’t have to think too deeply or concentrate too hard; you simply let your mind naturally quiet down.

In TM, you sit comfortably with closed eyes and silently repeat a specific mantra. The mantra could be a word or sound that you use to help focus and calm your mind.

TM practitioners recommend doing this for about 20 minutes twice a day. Unlike other forms of meditation, you’re encouraged to let your mind drift until it quiets while your body remains alert and awake.

TM doesn’t require you to have any specific beliefs or make any lifestyle changes, so it’s suitable for people of all ages and backgrounds. It’s a simple practice that can significantly impact your overall mental and physical health.

Some people prefer to practice meditation with the guidance of a teacher or practitioner. However, this doesn’t have to be done in person; listening to a medication podcast or video can get you the same results.

Newbies who prefer having a voice to direct and support them will prefer this form of meditation. The guide can help you visualize your thoughts, focus on your breath, or become more aware of your body.

Mindful MomentNeed a breather? Take this free10-minute meditation focused on finding clarity—or choose from ourguided meditation libraryto find another one that will help you feel your best.

Mindful Moment

Need a breather? Take this free10-minute meditation focused on finding clarity—or choose from ourguided meditation libraryto find another one that will help you feel your best.

Guided meditation is particularly helpful for reducing stress and anxiety because it often includes relaxation techniques. It can also help improve your mood and sense of well-being. For those new to meditation, it’s a simple way to start and learn the basics and usingapps like Happiercan help.

Guided meditation can also be used for specific purposes, such as pain management, improving sleep, or dealing with difficult emotions. It’s a versatile form of meditation anyone can practice regardless of their experience level.

Vipassana means “to see things as they really are” and is one of India’s most ancient forms of meditation. One of the goals ofVipassana meditationis to improve your self-awareness.

During practice, it encourages you to observe your thoughts and feelings without reacting to them. The idea is to see things as they are, not how you want them to be.

When practicing Vipassana, you usually sit quietly and focus on your breathing. Then, you start paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and body sensations, noticing them without trying to change or judge them. The key is to observe and understand how often these elements change, helping you learn not to react to every thought or feeling you have.

Vipassana is great for improving mental clarity andemotional intelligence. It can also help reduce stress, anxiety, and negative emotions, like many other forms of meditation. Practicing Vipassana teaches you to respond to situations more calmly and thoughtfully rather than impulsively.

Vipassana is used in various programs like in schools, prisons, and rehabilitation centers to help people develop better self-control and emotional understanding.

Visualization meditation is about using your imagination to relax and find calm. In this type of meditation, you mentally picture a place or situation you find relaxing, using your imagination to create a calm and peaceful space for yourself.

It benefits people who like to think in pictures and find focusing on images easier than breathing or physical sensations.

Some people use guided recordings where someone describes the scene to help them imagine it more clearly. The main goal is to immerse yourself fully in this peaceful environment and allow it to calm your mind.

Visualization meditation does wonders for helping you cope with stress and anxiety. It can also help boost your mood and bring you a sense of peace. Athletes and professionals sometimes use it to imagine themselves succeeding, which can help them perform better.

During visualization meditation, the brain grapples with distinguishing between perceived mental images and actual events, which means what you do during a visualization can have a real-life impact, saysDana Hall,a clinical therapist with over 15 years of experience.

For instance, if you’re using visualization to navigate a stressful situation, all the coping skills you try create new neural pathways, inducing positive changes in your nervous system. This, in turn, impacts a range of new emotions, thoughts, and behaviors that you can now access to solve problems and regulate your emotions.

Any form of meditation, in its own way, can help you find calm and focus.Choosing the right onefor you depends on what you’re looking for. If you need to calm a busy mind, try mindfulness or guided meditation.

For a spiritual connection, try spiritual meditation. If you like to move, movement meditation can get your mind and body going. Those looking to understand themselves better might like Vipassana or transcendental meditation.

It’s okay to try different types and see what works best for you. Depending on your feelings, you might start with one and then switch to another or use a few different kinds.

Meditation is personal, and what works for one person might not work for another. It is essential to keep an open mind and see how it can help you daily.

Of course, there are more than eight types of meditation. But here, you might find a lesser-known style of meditating that appeals more to you:

It only takes a few minutes a day to get started, but once you find a meditation practice that works for you, you have the chance to reap life-long benefits.

4 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.NCCIH.Meditation and mindfulness: what you need to know.American Psychological Association.Mindfulness meditation: A research-proven way to reduce stress.Joshi SP, Wong AKI, Brucker A, et al.Efficacy of transcendental meditation to reduce stress among health care workers: a randomized clinical trial.JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(9):e2231917.Montero-Marin J, Puebla-Guedea M, Herrera-Mercadal P, et al. Psychological effects of a 1-month meditation retreat on experienced meditators: the role of non-attachment.Front Psychol. 2016;7:1935.

4 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.NCCIH.Meditation and mindfulness: what you need to know.American Psychological Association.Mindfulness meditation: A research-proven way to reduce stress.Joshi SP, Wong AKI, Brucker A, et al.Efficacy of transcendental meditation to reduce stress among health care workers: a randomized clinical trial.JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(9):e2231917.Montero-Marin J, Puebla-Guedea M, Herrera-Mercadal P, et al. Psychological effects of a 1-month meditation retreat on experienced meditators: the role of non-attachment.Front Psychol. 2016;7:1935.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

NCCIH.Meditation and mindfulness: what you need to know.American Psychological Association.Mindfulness meditation: A research-proven way to reduce stress.Joshi SP, Wong AKI, Brucker A, et al.Efficacy of transcendental meditation to reduce stress among health care workers: a randomized clinical trial.JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(9):e2231917.Montero-Marin J, Puebla-Guedea M, Herrera-Mercadal P, et al. Psychological effects of a 1-month meditation retreat on experienced meditators: the role of non-attachment.Front Psychol. 2016;7:1935.

NCCIH.Meditation and mindfulness: what you need to know.

American Psychological Association.Mindfulness meditation: A research-proven way to reduce stress.

Joshi SP, Wong AKI, Brucker A, et al.Efficacy of transcendental meditation to reduce stress among health care workers: a randomized clinical trial.JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(9):e2231917.

Montero-Marin J, Puebla-Guedea M, Herrera-Mercadal P, et al. Psychological effects of a 1-month meditation retreat on experienced meditators: the role of non-attachment.Front Psychol. 2016;7:1935.

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