Hi, I'm Karin Korb and today, we're going to talk about different kinds of meditation.
Now that we have a good understanding of what meditation is, let's look at all of
the options that we have. A lot of people think that meditation is sitting cross-legged and
chanting "ohm." While this is one form of meditation, it is certainly not all that is out there.
But before we begin, let's clear the air on a little something.
Mindfulness has no boundaries. Meditation can be religious, but it doesn't have to be.
Think of it this way- Meditation is a spiritual practice.
Just like when an athlete gets into a certain headspace during a game or before a game
or when a painter focuses their mind on their brush strokes...
A spiritual person is one who simply slows down and makes themself present in the moment.
That can be literally anyone! So let's get started.
The first form of meditation is Guided Meditation.
This is when someone leads you in your practice. You can do this with a pre-recorded track and
headphones or someone guiding you in person. They may help you to focus on
something or they could even give you a story to move through in your head.
Next we have Focus Meditation which is where you use your mind to concentrate on one
thing for the whole session. This can be a focus on your energy centers, or chakras,
music, your breath, your heartbeat, or even something visual like the smoke, leaves in the wind,
Ripples in the water.
The goal here is to train your brain to focus and concentrate on one central thing.
Mindfulness Meditation is when you allow your mind to go where it goes.
It's a kind and gentle self observation. You notice how your body feels, your emotions,
What is going on around you and within you... Don't judge your thoughts as they come up.
Just be aware of them.
Mantra Meditations can be super fun and super personal.
These use a word or a phrase repeated over and over and over again.
These can be done in your head or out loud. You can chant just about anything.
Do you remember our episode on self-care?
You can take those positive affirmations in a mantra meditation.
You can also use religious chants or religious prayer, anything from Sanskrit mantra to a Bible verse.
Next, we have Stream of Consciousness Meditation.
This is where you let go of controlling your thoughts and allow them to come forward as your record them.
You can speak your thoughts as they come up or you can write them.
The last form of meditation we will talk about today is Movement Meditation
which can be so many different things!
Movement Meditation is when you bring your awareness to your body
and how that particular movement feels. This can be anything from yoga or Tai Chi to dance
particular movement feels. This can be anything from yoga or Tai Chi to dance!
Walking or rolling meditations are very popular as well.
The labyrinth walking meditation has been used for hundreds of years.
It creates a series of twists and turns to help you focus your mind on the present moment.
This is just a short overview of some of the meditation options available to you.
There are so many more out there! Don't ever feel limited with your practice.
Have fun with it and experiment! There is so much to explore.
See you all next time and stay mindful.