I Tried Four Different Types Of Meditation

"Have you tried meditating?" Is a question you've probably been asked before. I have, multiple times in the weirdest situations, there's even a likely chance if you visit your local GP about your mental health they'll suggest you try meditating.



"Have you heard of Headspace?" No, that's not a joke. Should it be? Or is there something special to practice that seems to be being constantly fed to us and is it a viable solution to the struggles of modern life?



It's believed by many modern scientists such that up to 95% of illness comes from stress and we can all agree the modern world is only getting more stressful. In my own life I've noticed a correlation - if I'm going through a hard time, I'm ill. Almost every time.  I began to wonder where meditation could really help me achieve a healthier body and mind.



But I don't know about you when I hear the word meditation I'm not sure what exactly it means - is a spiritual practice? Is it just some quiet time?



To put it to the test I tried four different types of meditation to see what exactly it is.



1) Loving-kindness Meditation:



"May I be well, may I be happy, may I be peaceful, may I be loved."



This form of meditation focused on a repetition of positive affirmations and creating centred peaceful energy. For one of my first meditation experiences, this meditation created a peaceful and calm atmosphere from the way it focuses in on love and peace.

This is also a guided meditation adding to the safety and ease of my experience making it perfect for someone like me who struggles to sleep and unwind to use before going to sleep.





2)Body Scan or Progressive Relaxation Meditation:



A guided meditation guiding you towards each part of your body without any expectation or desire to control any thoughts you might have. It uses slowing your breath to let go of whatever tension you may be holding in your body. The meditation travelled from the tip of the left toe to the top of my head. This form of meditation felt the least like what I wanted mediation to be - the focus on each small body part actually made me restless. Both of these practices were nowhere near as spiritual as I assumed they would be, but rather just focused on slowing the body and mind.





3)Mindfulness Meditation:



This strand of meditation focused on being completely present of the now requiring a distancing between me and my own thoughts as if I was an outsider in my own mind. The stillness of this type of meditation made it easy to see why mediation is used to tackle stress, it creates a small period of time where you can release any stress or negative thoughts. Even teaching a balloon visualisation technique to release intrusive thoughts.

This type of meditation is beginner friendly as you are calmly guided in letting go of your worries and calming your breathing without too much visualisation.



The key idea here is simply to be.



4)Transcendental Meditation:



This was a very visual type of meditation involving spiritual travel.  A visualisation of ascending up past the trees and the clouds into a space of nothingness. This began to feel like the spiritual practice I had imagined meditation to be. For someone like myself, comfortable with exploring the mind and a little more on the creative side, this type of meditation gets really fun. Who knows what your mind is capable of creating?



The guided meditation has a spiritual and philosophical playfulness with the concepts of everything and nothing all at once. If you feel like exploring your mind, this ones for you.



Plus, the gentle harp instrumental is a relaxing bonus.