5 Popular Meditation Practices

Meditation? Yoga? Mantra? The mindfulness world can often get confusing and it is not easy to know where to start. Lucky for you, we have put down a few thoughts on the five most common types of meditation practices and their benefits.

Something that is clear to all who practice some kind of mindfulness and meditation is how - even a few minutes a day - can make an incredible difference in our views of the world. But, with hundreds of meditation techniques around, it is hard to know what can be effective for you.

There is no right or wrong answer, but here are some of the most widely used types of meditation to get you started.

1. Mindfulness Meditation

Nowadays the most popular meditation technique in the Wester world, mindfulness is the art of paying attention and being present in the moment. While taking a few calming minutes, you observe what goes on within you without judgement. Mindfulness meditation is good for people who don’t have a teacher or a guide but can also be practiced in a group.

2. Movement Meditation

Not just Yoga, although it is definitely the most popular type of movement meditation, but also walking, gardening and hiking. This type of meditation is best for people who find peace in action and enjoy letting their mind wander.

3. Mantra Meditation

This is where the popular “Ommm” sound associated with meditation comes from. The repetitive sound helps clear the mind and makes you more alert and in tune with your environment. Great practice for people who don’t like silence and find it hard to focus on their breathing.

4. Progressive Relaxation

Can also be known as the body scan meditation, progressive relaxation helps relieve stress and tension in the body. Usually, it involves scanning down your body to discover tension spots and tightening and relaxing the muscles to let go of the stress. Great, if like me you are one of those students who always suffers from back pain!

5. Visualisation Meditation

This technique involves visualising positive images and scenes to help relax the body and feel more calm. Using our most vivid imaginations is crucial so this type of meditation works best for creative people, but everyone can try!

We hope this guide can help you decide what seems right for you and if you need any more help, know that at TCD Mindfulness Society we practice both Mindfulness meditation and Movement meditation in our weekly drop-ins, yoga classes and nature hikes. Head to our event page to find out more and join our society to participate. We would love to see you there!

Stay Mindful,

TCD Mindfulness Society

*This guide was developed with the help of Healthline.com