Types of Meditation
@Rosie_Scope and @Kookee and I were talking about meditation in another thread, and I suggested that I start this thread so people can talk about the different types of meditation they've done. Just a disclaimer here that I am simply a meditation consumer - not an expert or advocate or therapist or specialist or anything exciting. Just a regular gal with a longstanding history of mental health issues. The word meditate has come to mean so many things. It's like the word therapy has come to mean so many things. I like one of the definitions of meditate in the Oxford Dictionary, which is, "to think deeply about (something)."
BODY SCAN: My first experience with meditation was after my first psychiatric hospitalisation at the age of 19, when my psychiatrist handed me a meditation cassette tape (yeah, it was a really long time ago! LOL!). It was a body scan meditation, and I used it every night for about 10 years. That was back in 1984, when pills and a cassette tape were the only therapy available. Truth be told, I was really lucky to get a cassette tape - that was new thinking for that time. Body scan meditations are everywhere now as they're very, very effective for treating insomnia and body-mind dissociation and anxiety and many other things. They're not a cure-all, but they certainly have a place for many people as part of many different treatments. A body scan is where you put your concentration on different parts of your body to help them relax.
MINDFULNESS MEDITATION: In the 90s, CDs were taking the world by storm, and people started releasing meditations in this new format. The sound was impeccable - perfect for meditation. That's when I started dabbling in mindfulness meditation, namely Thich Nhat Hnah and Jon Kabat-Zinn. They were and are so incredibly amazing and extremely popular for a reason. They have beautiful, calm voices and the most wise, kind words. In a nutshell, mindfulness meditation teaches you how to focus, to be present, in something. That something might be a thought, an emotion, a physical feeling, a sound, etc. ' or a combination thereof. The bottom line is you learn to focus. Mindfulness is also a way of living - something that I have learned over the decades - to be present in the moment. In fact, the body scan meditation is a form of mindfulness meditation, so that was really my start of mindfulness.
GUIDED IMAGERY: In the early 2000s, I came across another form of meditation on CD called guided imagery meditation. I was taught it in the context of treating trauma. The author is Belleruth Naparstek. I listened to it back then, and am listening to it again now as trauma issues have resurfaced with my recent immobility issues. In a nutshell, guided imagery uses images to guide your thoughts and emotions.
CBT PLUS MINDFULNESS MEDITATION: In about 2008, I learned cognitive behavioural therapy through a course with a psychiatrist, and after that I combined what I learned with mindfulness meditation by reading a book about this potent combination therapy.
MINDFULNESS MEDITATION FOR PAIN: A couple of years ago, when my immobility took a firm hold, I undertook a program by Jon Kabat-Zinn of mindfulness meditations used to treat pain. We now live in a time of audiobooks, so that audiobook is what got me started on audiobooks.
BREATH MEDITATIONS: I didn't know until I started the pain audiobook that there are meditations on the breath. I mean, I had heard them here and there, but they never really stuck. And breath is a part of all the meditations I have done, but not the focus of the meditation. So I bought an old audiobook by an author who I am familiar with through the CBT-mindfulness book, namely Dr. Andrew Weil. His book has a load of different breath meditations, which really help manage my pain. There are only a couple of the breath meditations that I don't like.
Well, that's a wrap for now. I'm too tired to give suggestions for the above meditations, so I'll come back soon to post them, in case anyone is interested in any of these.
Perhaps other forum members would like to chime in about your meditation experiences?
Comments
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Amazing, thank you @StarryEyed This is one of my absolute favourite topics too. It’s late now so I won’t post now but I’ll definitely be back tomorrow!
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Wow you really done alot ive had a lifetime of mental health so much therapy I would just zone out absorb noting but id say of last few months ive had an awakening been really strange I started grounding taking shoes off hug trees mantras I am strong I am powerful I am in control daily telling myself lose the fear lose the fear as would spend most days in my room in bed scared to get out of bed shaking I started reading about sound frequencies and how they affect our bodies how we have been filled with mentals toxins in our water food its like im waking up im trying to connect to myself ive started remembering how strong I am how ive overcome so much I wont be controlled by fear anymore ps ive gone so off topic sorry my brain has ten conversations at once but yes definitely alot to be said for meditation id love to go to a Buddhist retreat
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I've been excited to see this post @StarryEyed! Thanks for putting so much thought and effort into it 😊
I used to work with primary school children and we'd used the body scan as a cool-down for after PE. It worked really well! We also used guided imagery when they were getting a bit restless.
I try my best to be mindful and try to practise grounding. I think making a cup of tea is good for being in the moment. You can focus on the sounds of the kettle, the heat from the steam, and the changing colour of the water. I drink redbush tea and I love watching the water as the tea diffuses into it, it's beautiful.
I've never got along with breath meditations. I find they make me dizzy, but maybe I'm breathing too hard!
Look forward to hearing your suggestions 😊
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@Kookee you're welcome. It is a bit too long, but that's what fell out of me. :) I look forward to your post.
@Catherine21 there are so many different frequencies on this planet! YouTube has a lot of great videos with different sound frequencies. I'm happy to hear you're vibrating in a frequency that you like, that has reduced your fear. Yay! Self-confidence can be so fragile.
@Rachel_Scope that's so cool that they use these meditations with kids. Fabulous! Yes, your being present with tea making is exactly what I mean by mindful living. You can also be mindful in treatment of others, mindful of your thoughts and emotions, mindful of forest sounds…. With my trauma background it's easy for me to disconnect; that's actually my default mode. So mindfulness techniques counter that disconnect tendency. Dizziness in meditation could also come from breathing too quickly or too deeply or not enough. For what reason would you like to meditate? Perhaps I can recommend something? Or maybe someone else can?
Now I'll post the meditation info ...
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So now I come to post and I don’t know where to start or how much to share on my personal experiences!
Okay, so I don’t get in with breath meditations as they make me anxious and I discovered I can’t visualise and that’s actually a thing (aphantasia).
Here’s some meditations/techniques that haven’t been mentioned already which I have found useful in my years of meditation.
Binaural beats
They create an auditory illusion where the brain hears two slightly different tones in each ear through headphones. They can be used for relaxation, focus, sleep, and can help you enter a meditative state.
Music
Such as classical, Mai-Lan, ambient can help with meditation. In my experience it can help bring emotions to the fore, promote healing, connect you to the divine and help you melt into nothingness. Centring Prayer
Developed by Thomas Keating, it involves choosing a "sacred word" to symbolise your intention to consent to God's presence and gently returning to it whenever your mind wanders.
Listening to the teaching of mystics
I listen and meditate to Wisdom of Mystics to deepen my understanding of the self. The most wonderful channel can be found here: https://m.youtube.com/@SamaneriJayasara
Affirmation meditation
A practice where you repeat positive statements to cultivate a more optimistic mindset and rewire negative thought patterns. I find this particularly useful when I’m depressed or having feelings of unworthiness, negativity, low self esteem etc.
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For body scan meditation there are a ton of options on YouTube and CDs. Here's an example of a relaxing scan for sleep...
Here's a 5-minute mindfulness meditation by Jon Kabat-Zinn:
The rest are screenshots of audiobooks on Audible that I mentioned in my first post. Note that dates of audiobooks are often later than the original publication date. (The dates aren't in these screenshots.)
Guided imagery for trauma:
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) mixed with mindfulness to treat depression:
Mindfulness meditations for pain:
Breath meditations:
That's it!
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@Kookee what an interesting post! Thank you soooo much for all your suggestions. I'll take a deep dive in that tomorrow. For now, off to sleep. Good night. 🌷😊🌷
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Well done for being the last person to post on a thread yesterday
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@Catherine21 love your experience with awakening ☺️
@Rachel_Scope thank you for sharing. I think mindfulness is life as meditation! ☺️
@StarryEyed thank you for sharing your thoughts and resources (which I’ll have look at soon). ☺️
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@Kookee good morning and you're welcome. Take your time. The post isn't going anywhere - I hope. ☺️
Here is a beautiful song from U2 and Leonard Cohen, 'Tower of Song'. It's a beautiful song and video - a great way to start the mind and heart in the morning.
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Beautiful song @StarryEyed
Here’s just one of the songs I love to listen to, lose myself to
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This is great! Thanks so much for sharing so much information. I'm going to come back to it later but for now, as we're sharing songs I thought I'd share one of my favourite spine-tingling songs. I love a live orchestra and this song is just so beautiful. I hope you like it.
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Thanks for sharing this Rachel, it's beautiful, listened to it twice, I'm mesmerised by the flute so loved this piece.
My favourites (I'm no expert in classical music but love waltz especially), are 'And the Waltz goes on' composed by Anthony Hopkins in c the 1960s (he was a musician prior to acting) and arranged and performed for the first time by Andre Rieu in 2011.
And 'The Second Waltz' composed by Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich in the mid '50's and performed by Andre Rieu. This was the last piece of music I danced to with my mum and took her to see Andre Rieu in 2014 where we danced in the aisle. We played it at her funeral in 2022 but I don't think it's depressing at all.
Sorry I don't know how to attach videos.
My friend in London was a professional flautist and cello player, she was very talented, wish I could play the flute! I listen to Classic Fm/have the radio on all night that helps me sleep apart from 0030hrs when it's too dramatic and I turn to Smooth FM.
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I had no idea Anthony Hopkins was a musician! You learn something new every day. I'm glad you can still listen to the waltz and it be a happy memory. I'm a classical pianist so I love lots of classical music. My mum always has Classic FM playing and it's so relaxing, except if it's sunday show tunes! Not sure if that's still a thing, but I'd always turn it off!
I'm very jealous of your friend. I'd love to play the flute or clarinet. Can you play any instruments? I find playing very relaxing and you can lose yourself in it. Could that be a type of meditation!?
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Oh wow a classical pianist I'm in awe, I love the piano. I can only play very limited number of things, mainly because I've only mostly played 'Imagine' which my dogs love. I kept thinking I'd go back to it but don't want to irritate my neighbour or one of my dogs who squeals.
I can't read music but fancied learning the ukekele.
Jonathan Ross presented a show I think it was Classics from the movies on a Fri night but some of that was too dramatic for me.
I wish I'd gone to the Vienna State Opera and especially to go to the New Year's waltzes. I like Elgar too that's very relaxing I find. Don't know where we'd be without music I have something on around the clock if I'm not watching TV!
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@StarryEyed I think I want to just switch off from worries for a while but that's what I really struggle with which is why I'm a bit apprehensive that meditation, in the traditional sense, might not work for me.
@Santosha12 I love that the dogs enjoy your playing! Don't worry about the neighbours, enjoy yourself 😊 The ukelele is great to play. I can't play it well but I find it really fun. I once taught a last minute ukelele class when I was teaching in primary schools and I ended up performing 'You are my sunshine'. I was clearly running on nervous energy! I went to see Muppets Christmas Carol with a live orchestra a couple of years ago and it was beautiful. I always have something playing too: it's currently Alanis Morisette.
I'm learning so much in this post! @Kookee I try to do a daily affirmation but I'm thinking I should give the affirmation meditation a go.
Has anyone listened to ASMR? If you're not sure what it is, it's someone whispering into the microphone, or making quiet noises with different objects, there's a keyboard typing one that I really like. There's a lot on youtube. Some of them get you to follow a small light around and I suppose it's like a guided meditation. I find them incredibly relaxing.
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@Rachel_Scope what a beautiful piece - thank you. Love that you’re a classical pianist! I think playing music is definitely meditation. Just like drawing, or dance, or writing etc. Anything we love doing and where we enter into a flow state.
I used to listen to ASMR but not in a while.
It sounds as though you’re living a pretty meditative life already. And not to worry if you don’t think traditional meditation is for you, that’s perfectly okay!0 -
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@Kookee and @Rachel_Scope thank you for your gorgeous songs!
@Rachel_Scope would you say you want a meditation that will create a distance from the chatter and noise in your mind? I've never heard of ASMR. Will check it out. Thank you!
@Kookee I only discovered binaural beats a few months ago and they're a game changer. I listen to them combined with music on "bilateral music". Have you tried that? It's funny you should mention consent to divine powers because I've been contemplating that very thing the past few weeks. Wow! I am also a huuuuuuge music fan. It pick music both to deepen or change my thoughts and/or emotions. Music is such a gift!
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@Santosha12 what a beautiful post about your Mom. 🥰 In order to post a video, copy the link from YouTube, click the third icon on the bottom left of your comment screen (a box with opposite arrows), then post it in the popup box. In case you can't figure it out, here are the songs you mentioned in your post ...
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