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Overview of the Different Types of MeditationHere I am giving you as many different types of meditation examples as possible – for you to experience firsthand.So that you can choose which feels best for youIf you have been meditating before then I am sure that like most people you will have particular Types of Meditation that you prefer.
However, you may not have looked at all the different kinds that are available.
Here you can explore some other types of meditation so that you can get a complete picture.
Of course if you are new to meditation then this will be like a wonderful learning ‘meditation smorgasbord’ for you !
There are so many different types of meditation - using so many different techniques … that it is difficult to sort the different styles into any kind of grouping that clearly classifies them and makes sense.
Some people have tried to sort them by what they'Focus On.’ …By this I mean that some kinds of meditation focus on a previously chosen object… - either a physical object - a color - a word - a sound - or something else that is a definite 'thing' that is separate from the meditator.
This is usually called 'Concentration Meditation.'
Other sorts of meditation focus on the 'Feelings' about the world, or the particular philosophy that is being studied.
This kind of meditation is called 'Mindfulness Meditation.'
This is a very broad sorting of the different types of meditation, - that will not work very well for your purposes in this website, - so I propose sorting the different types of meditation in a different way, that will work better for you.
How I am going to do this is as follows - I am going to split up all the different types of meditation into the following groups - Active (or Dynamic) Meditations Passive Meditations ‘In between’ Active and Passive Meditations Meditations using sounds Guided meditations Meditation CDs and MP3s using Entrainment Beats Fantasy Meditations
So what I have done is to create different pages - one for each individual style or type of meditation within each of these main groups.
With online free meditation scripts for as many as are reasonable, and what I will do is to put this small yoga graphic;--  before each one, so if you are 'scanning through' you will easily be able to find the online meditations
Each will be sort of like a free online meditation class so that you will learn how to meditate in many different styles !
... where you will see links to all of them, ... and then on the bottom of each of these pages there are similar links to all of the others.
Active MeditationsThese Active (or also called Dynamic) meditations are those that use some sort of movement as part of the meditation. (That I personally associate with the color red !) They may include any of the following types of movement;- Any set of stretching exercises - as in Yoga. A set of kicks, punches and so on - as in the Martial Arts. Some kind of dancing - as with some of the Sufis, or African or Voodoo, or the kind of Shamanistic dance as described by Carlos Castaneda. Meditation when used for control of pain.
So the different types of meditation that we will be looking at individually from the Active Meditation page will include;- Several different styles of Yoga....Karate....Kung Fu....Aikido....Kendo....Taekwondo....Muay Thai (Thai kickboxing)....Kenjutsu....Capoeira....Sufi dancing....African and Voodoo dancing....Shamanistic dancing....Firewalking....N. American Indian Sundance....Body piercing rituals and a few others.
Passive Meditations
These are the meditations that use no (or minimal) movement whilst meditating. Many of them use mental imagery or guided thoughts as most of the meditation. Others use special pictures or designs or sacred scriptures or statues as tools to help with the meditations. (These are more relaxed meditations that I therefore associate with the color blue !). Styles that we will be looking at from this page will include;- Buddhist.... Tibetan.... Baha'i.... Christian.... Islamic.... Zen and Taoist meditation forms...Jainism.....Use of Yantra..Mantra..Tanka and Tantra forms...and a few others.
Between Active and PassiveWe will only be discussing three types of meditation in this section---Tai Chi, Qi Gong (also known as Chi Gung), and Taoism.
They fall somewhere between the Active and Passive types, so they will have a section for themselves (as they are somewhere in between, I have put the color orange ! ). They involve both movement and internal meditations at the same time. Some people have called Tai chi as..."Stillness in Movement" and on the other hand Qi Gong as..."Movement in Stillness". They both have very different approaches, as we shall see. Similarly, Taoism is not quite Active - not quite Passive.
Sounds Used in MeditationsHere we will be talking about different kinds of sounds when used as a tool for some types of meditation.
These will include drums, bells, gongs and other musical instruments. (These are usually performed outdoors, and often in a natural setting, so I have given the color green !)
There are several types of meditation systems that use these tools, for example;- Tibetan Tantric or Vajrayana....Christian....North American Indian....African and Voodoo....Sufi....and some other New Age Meditations. Guided MeditationsThese are free meditation texts - for you to try yourself - you will need a friend to very slowly read the Guided Meditation instructions and text to you - as you meditate. (Then maybe change places !)
There are several of them - and more will be added as time goes by - so "keep an eye out" - or better yet, sign up for my MeditatEzine, which will give you monthly updates as to what is new in this Website.
To get more information about the MeditatEzine, click
These Guided Meditations are all fairly short, but are a good introduction to the practice of Meditation - but if you want to get more into it - and experience deep meditations, then the next section is the one for you - - that gives information about different Pre-Recorded CD and MP3 download meditations that I have created!
Pre-recorded Guided Meditation CDs and MP3 downloadsThis is the section that really lets you experience very Deep Meditations - almost like a Tibetan Monk who has been meditating for years.
They have all been Pre-Recorded by me personally, and they all have been embedded with Entrainment Beats, - that automatically and effortlessly take you down into deep meditative levels, even from the first time that you listen to them !
Entrainment Beats are an incredible technique - that are explained fully in my Webpage called (Click on the name to go there and learn more)
I am convinced that this is the very Easiest, Most Powerful and Best Way to learn and get maximum benefits of meditating from the very start - ... and saves you all the months of time you would normally need to get gradually more efficient at any other type of meditation ! …truly a Win/Win situation !
Fantasy Guided Meditation MP3sIntroducing these Exceptional and Unique Meditations that I have only recently created.
In short they are made with their prime focus being on Relaxed Enjoyment – …almost like a “Mental Holiday” from the somewhat seriousness of regular meditation.
They are Highest Quality Pre-Recorded Guided Meditations that use Advanced ‘Cutting Edge’ Entrainment Techniques to give you a Magical Mystery Tour !
Each one takes you on a separate incredible “Out of Body” kind of Adventure, using first class Visualization techniques – …that truly become Outstanding because of the unique Entrainment used in them.
Intrigued ?
- what clothing should I wear for meditation, - what positions should I use for meditation, - what room should I meditate in, - what should I do with my hands (Mudras), - and so on, that will make life easier for you whilst you are learning how to meditate - These are detailed in an attached page called CLOTHING, that you can access by clicking HERE Do you have an all out favourite type of meditation ?
WHY is this type of meditation your favourite ? What Other Visitors Have Said about their FavouritesClick below to see contributions from other visitors to this page... Passive Meditation I have been involved with passive meditation for a little over two years and could not imagine living without it, daily. I "sit" for 30-60 minutes a day....
Tassajara Zen Centre
Hi there Ian, So, let's move on ! On some of the pages there is an anonymous Survey form for ideas you may have for further subjects to be included in this website - please give me your thoughts on this.
Also, as I mentioned above, I am sending updates about the growth of this website to anyone who wishes, ... as there will be new and different pages added to this website from time to time.
It is like an Ezine, ( I call it MeditatEzine) and there is a new one once every month.
To find out more about this, and where to sign up - click HERE Click to go from Types of Meditation to The Meditation Home page Click to go to Yoga and Meditation - Active Meditation 1
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