Go Your Own Way: Finding a Meditation Style That Works for You

One of the basic, foundational skills used in much of paganism and spiritual growth is a skill called meditation. It is often the one skill everyone wants to skip over so they can get to the fun stuff. I’ve been around long enough to have heard most of the excuses on why someone can’t meditate. Let me let you in on a little mystical secret, most people can meditate. It just takes 2 things, one, practice and two, finding a meditation style that works with you.

WHAT MEDITATION IS

By definition, meditation is “to engage in a mental exercise (such as concentration of one’s breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness” or at least that’s what the Merriam-Webster Dictionary says it is. That is only a sliver of what I consider meditation. Meditations, at least to me, go beyond clearing your head and repeating a mantra into the silence of the mind.

Meditation is about becoming aware of the moment you are in, the Universe inside you, and the Universe outside of you. Meditation is not an isolation exercise; it is to connect you to yourself. It’s about calming the storm around you so you can hear the voices of the Universe. Nobody is born a meditation master; it takes experimentation and practice. Meditation is about entering a different state of consciousness, shifting your brainwave patterns, and opening yourself up to the wisdom of the Universe.

Meditation takes many forms and within each form are variations. It can be frustrating to find a technique that works, but the rewards of knowing how to meditate outweigh all the frustration of finding your way. There are probably as many ways to meditate as there are people.

No matter what your religion, gender, your education, age, or neuro-divergence, meditation can have many benefits for you. Physically, it has been shown in peer-reviewed medical journals that meditation reduces inflammation in the body, boosts your immune system, reduces blood pressure, and helps reduce the effects of aging on the body. Mentally, it has been shown that meditation keeps the brain active and alert, reduces stress and its effects on the body, and allows better concentration and better retention of information. Spiritually, meditation is beneficial because it allows you to connect with the Universe in it’s varied forms (God), creates quiet that allows for introspection, and teaches you how to focus and control your personal energies. This is just a short list of meditation’s benefits.

Almost all religions have some form of meditation built into their practices. You would be hard pressed to find a modern religion that doesn’t practice some form of meditation, it’s just called many different names. Christians call it prayer; Muslims practice Dhikr, a form of meditation meaning “remembrance” and is a meditation to remember God; and the list goes on. The names change, but the practice remains. Even non-religious people meditate. And for the record, nowhere in the history of meditation has anyone ever been possessed by the Devil or Demons.

Very few people cannot learn to meditate. I’ve often heard people tell me that they have (insert condition name here) and therefore cannot learn to meditate. I will often counter them with the concept that they haven’t found the method that works for them yet and they have not practiced that method enough. I’ve met people with autism that have found ways to reap the benefits of meditation, people with ADHD who find a way to meditate, and even people who can’t sit comfortably who can meditate.

TYPES OF MEDITATION

This is not a complete list by any means. This is a list of some of the more popular ways to meditate and explanations of that style. Think of this as a launch pad for future Google searches if you find something that interests you.

Focus Object Meditations- This is the first style of meditation most people think of and truthfully it can be hard for some people to master. In this style, you sit or lay in a comfortable position, clear your mind, and focus all your attention on an image, a candle flame, a mantra, etc. The pros of this are very useful, I mean who couldn’t use a little increase in your ability to concentrate for long periods of time, but the downside is that many of us are unable to focus our minds on one thing. This is a practice that takes an attention span. Personally, I think of this as a moderate to advanced form of meditation for many people.

Transcendental Meditation- Surprisingly this is an easier form of Focus Object Meditation. This is a mantra-based style of meditation where you sit comfortably and repeat a mantra over and over. This style of meditation had been practiced in the Eastern half of the world for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. It was brought to the Western World in the 1970s by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The Vedic, that originated this style of meditation, use it to ease the mind and body into a trance-like state that allows your body to recharge and your mind to roam. The name makes it sound so intense, but it is a nice basic way to build concentration and relax the mind. It may be difficult at first for people with concentration issues. However, in the beginning, it may be difficult for individuals with concentration issues.

Guided Meditation-This is mediation with a plot and story. In this style, a prewritten (often, but not always) script is read to the people or person meditating. Meditation usually has a goal in mind and the person meditating only has to follow along and visualize what is happening. This style is often used to aid people achieve self-improvement goals, relax, or even meet their Higher Self. The is a readily available form of meditation that many people find very useful. This is a good one to try with children, they enjoy the quiet story-time. There are a few downsides to guided meditation including they are difficult to do if you have trouble visualizing and some people get bored during the meditation.

Yoga- This meditation originated in Ancient India and is practiced throughout the world today. Yoga is a series of poses, mental practices, and spiritual disciplines that aid in making the practitioner more aware of themselves and allows them to control their mind. It is a great practice that can be done to some degree by just about anyone no matter what their physical condition. Yoga has a spiritual/religious component but can be effectively practiced without religion. The biggest risk with yoga is injury from doing poses that are beyond your physical limitations and some forms of yoga have been known to raise blood pressure.

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Mindfulness- This one is taught in American elementary schools. Mindfulness meditations are activities that allow you to focus on the present moment. You engage all your senses to focus on the moment you are in or the activity you are performing. This practice builds concentration, awareness, and calm. Studies have shown that mindfulness can reduce anxiety, depression, improve physical health and sleep, and gain control over disruptive emotions. It is said that anyone can practice and benefit from Mindfulness with practice.

Meditations that Don’t Seem Like Meditations- There are ways to meditate even if you can’t sit still and clear your mind. When was the last time that you worked on a piece of art and lost track of time but had wonderful revelations about your life while creating. Any form of creative arts and crafts can be very meditative. Maybe you are the kind to discover truths about yourself while you journal. Many religions have a form of praying or communing with the divinities of that faith; prayer is a form of meditation. Exercise and dance are wonderful ways to meditate; keep the body busy and the mind can sort out things. This includes dancing, log onto your favorite music app and dance like no one is watching. If you play an instrument, you are probably already aware of the energy altering effect focusing on the notes your playing has. Take a walk, go for a jog, or walk a labyrinth. Walking in nature, even a city park, has been shown to have therapeutic effects on the person walking. If you have a garden or several houseplants, go play in the soil. And finally, exercise. Working out, doing tai chi, or even qi gong are very meditative.

Meditation is not a one size fits all practice. The only requirement to get the benefits of meditation is to practice on a regular basis. Try different styles and give each style several tries as possible. Meditation is so important on so many levels and it is one skill that will take you far when you do the work to find and master your style of meditation.