The 2 Types of Meditation

Meditation has been around for more than two thousand years and is clearly acknowledged as an essential part of just about every type of religion known to man and as a method to achieve a higher form of spiritual consciousness. When you decide to make meditation a part of your life you also need to decide which type of meditation would be best suited for you. There are two basic types of meditation that can help train your mind to focus and keep focused. They are called mindfulness and concentrative meditation.

The type of meditation is determined by the type of focus used during the session to help you meditate. In a mindfulness state of meditation, you focus on perception and experiences whereas in the state of concentrative meditation you focus on specific objects that you have selected even before you begin meditating.

To perform mindfulness meditation, you start off by finding a comfortable place to sit and begin focusing all of your attention on a specific action such as breathing or a visualization of some type. This is called open focus meditation because you allow your thoughts to wander from one perception to another. In other words, nothing that you think of is considered to be intrusive or interfering with your objective.

You learn to allow the different thoughts, smells, sounds, images and feelings to flow through you without dwelling on them and thinking about them in depth. You have to allow these sensations to pass through your mind without becoming sad, angry, worried or without having any other feelings. It is an opportunity to cleanse your mind of any and all things that bother you as it will help you have a clear and calm state of mind. When the session is complete you will return back to the present.

On the other hand, concentrative meditation is the type used in most religions to enhance spiritual experiences and awareness. With this type of meditation you have to stay focused on a particular event, thought, object, prayer, sound, breathing or an image. You need to eliminate all distractions or at least reduce them as much as possible to prevent interruption so you can put your complete focus on whatever you have chosen to meditate on.

Concentrative meditation allows you to clear your mind and enhance greater awareness that can help improve your life. You only meditate on the object or action that you choose at any given time. The simplest and easiest way to perform concentrative meditation is by focusing all of your thoughts and attention on your breathing.

Many meditation practitioners firmly believe there is a real and important connection between a person’s state of mind and their breathing. You will breathe in regularly with deep and slow breaths when you are calm and relaxed. Your mind and thoughts will be absorbed by the rhythm of your breathing and this will provide a natural focus point for meditating. It will also slow down your breathing, help you to relax and become more aware of your surroundings and existence.

Learning how to perform both types of meditation can be very beneficial and can help you to regain peace and harmony in your life. Not only can it improve your mental ability and emotional health but it can improve physical health as well. It is a great way to get the most out of each and every day while at the same time feeling better about your self in the process.