12 practices for you to try, including details of benefits & instructions – scroll down for all posts…
The Four Immeasurables are four virtues that are cultivated in meditation practice. They’re also called the Brahmavihara, which means the ‘abodes of Brahma,’ and they can be found in various Buddhist texts as well as the Yoga sutras of Patanjali. The four immeasurables are unconditional and so are boundless. They consist of: Loving-kindness, or metta… Continue reading How to Meditate: The Four Immeasurables
Tonglen is a Tibetan Buddhist practice of meditation. The word means ‘giving and taking’, or sending and receiving. The practice involves taking in the suffering and pain of others, and then breathing out love, compassion and understanding. It’s a powerful practice that uses visualisation to help you develop compassion and unconditional love for all. The… Continue reading How to Meditate: Tonglen
Savasana, or Shavasana, is a powerful yoga pose that can bring healing to your body and mind. The word comes from the Sanskrit shava, which means corpse, so this is the Corpse pose. It’s usually performed at the end of a yoga session and is ideal for when you need total relaxation. When doing Savasana,… Continue reading How to Meditate: Savasana
This is a guided meditation that comes from the therapeutic practice of psychosynthesis which was started by psychoanalyst Roberto Assagioli. It involves a process of gradually stripping away the layers of false identification to reveal the true nature of the Self underneath. Normally you identify with everything except your true Self – your body, emotions,… Continue reading How to Meditate: Self Identification Meditation
The Body Scan is a guided meditation that’s easy to do and brings excellent results. It’s a good way to check in with your body to see if there are any changes you need to make to improve your health and wellbeing. It gives you a heads-up on grumbles and issues so you can make… Continue reading How to Meditate: Body Scan
Many of the meditation practices that we’ve already looked at in this series can be practised without focusing on spirituality at all. You can watch your breath, do body scans and practice mindfulness as basic techniques to calm the mind and reduce stress. But centring prayer has a direct spiritual meaning and significance, and is… Continue reading How to Meditate: Centring Prayer
When we think of meditation, it usually conjures an image of Buddha sitting with a serene smile on his face. But meditation doesn’t always have to be practised sitting down. You can practice moving meditations while doing almost anything: running, dancing, doing the gardening or cleaning, and while exercising or walking. The practices of Tai… Continue reading How to Meditate: Zen Walking
Vipassana comes from the Therevada Buddhist tradition and is also known as Insight meditation. It was the form of meditation practised and taught by the Buddha in order to attain enlightenment. It involves looking into the true nature of the mind to overcome suffering and discover who you really are. The word has two parts:… Continue reading How to Meditate: Vipassana
A mantra is a sacred syllable, word or phrase used in meditation to help focus and calm the mind. The mantra can be spoken or chanted out loud, or repeated as a thought in the mind. The idea is to focus on the meaning of the mantra as you chant, and doing this can have… Continue reading How to Meditate: Chanting Mantras
Mindfulness is a form of meditation where you practise being aware of whatever is happening in the present moment without judging or thinking about it. If you’ve been watching your breath, then you’re already practising mindfulness. It’s one of the simplest and most powerful meditation practices because it can be done anywhere and at any… Continue reading How to Meditate: Mindfulness
Watching the breath is simple but powerful and provides a solid foundation for your meditation practice. It keeps you grounded in your body and stops your mind wandering off and driving you crazy. It’s a good idea to start your daily practice with this meditation and then move on to other types once your mind… Continue reading How to Meditate: Watching the Breath
If you think meditation is just for religious people or crazy-eyed sadhus in loincloths, you could be missing out on one of the most powerful practices available to humanity. Meditation reduces stress and aids healing, clears and focuses the mind, and makes you happy. You don’t have to be spiritual or religious to meditate, but… Continue reading How to Meditate: A Guide to the Ultimate Healing Practice
Jessica Davidson 