Different Forms of Meditation
For those that don’t like to meditate!
If you hear the word meditation and envision a monk sitting cross legged, transcending reality through days of sitting in a cave, this post will bust that picture. Or if you’ve tried meditation after hearing the mental and physical health benefits but couldn’t get through it, you’re not alone. There are many alternative forms of meditation that can be used to reduce stress and anxiety, bring about relaxation and calm and help you to connect to your wisdom and intuition!
Meditation exists in many cultures and belief systems with so many different variations and types. There is meditation that can be done alone, or through guided journeys or group chanting, and some have a specific goal (like achieving enlightenment or helping you develop discipline), while others are more intended for relaxation and calming the nervous system (reducing anxiety and stress). Mantra based meditations are also very popular, as reciting a specific phrase gives the mind something to focus on and the effect can be so relaxing that an almost trance-like state can be achieved.
Let me explain that as a very spiritual person I have never really enjoyed the traditional form of meditation. Meaning, sitting cross legged and quieting the mind for a certain amount of time. The benefits are very well studied and published though. To improving concentration and focus, easing anxiety, improving sleep, and improving one’s outlook on life. And yet considering all of that I have never been interested in practicing it daily! Rigid timed activities work for many people but if you are like me and prefer something more fluid, there are many other ways to meditate! I realized that I have been meditating in alternative ways for years, and there is a type of meditation that can work for just about everyone.
Reasons to meditate in a style that workS for you
Trying to force yourself into an activity that you do not enjoy normally does not work and likely won’t bring the benefits you’re looking for. Meditating in the style that you enjoy can help you with:
Improved body/felt-sense and sensation awareness and connection
Improved sense of well-being and satisfaction with your life
Bigger capacity for resiliency and patience
Enhanced ability to hear your intuition and inner knowing
Deeper connection with Spirit, God, Source, or Creator (your connection with the energy of life)
Different Types of Meditation
My favorite alternative forms of meditation are working/cleaning and walking meditations as they allow me to clear my mind and let go of frustrations while also being fully present in the moment. These intentional actions where you are fully present in what you are doing, being mindful and careful, bring about more peace and ease into your life. Here is an outline of some of the different ways you can meditate, which is not an exhaustive list and with names and descriptions that make the most sense to me, so feel free to adjust according to what would work most for you.
Working or Cleaning Meditation
In this type of meditation, you go about your tasks such as house cleaning, dishes, yard work etc. with intentional mindfulness. When doing this kind of meditation, you are making a devotional intention to clear and clean your space, allowing yourself to be present in the moment of what you are doing. As you go about your task, you allow any thoughts or emotions to move through you, without dwelling on stories or experiences.
This is one of my favorite ways to meditate as it connects me closely with my home, my living space and how it feels. I use it most often when I am feeling frustrated, angry, or confused and always find that afterwards I am calm, levelheaded, and free of the frustrations that were bothering me. I normally end it by lighting some incense and wafting it around my home, to enhance the clearing benefits. Cleaning itself, has a therapeutic effect on the mind. Have you heard the saying that your physical space represents your mental state? If you have a chaotic mind, cleaning your living space can help to clear out the ‘mental’ clutter.
Walking Meditation
I learned about this meditation while on a Buddhist retreat years ago. We walked through the surrounding area, over hills and through fields, keeping our gaze a few feet in front of us. A key thing here is to do so without distractions like your phone. This may seem like an overly simple thing to do, but have you ever gone for a walk without looking at your phone?!
In this type of meditation, the same intention applies where you will allow any thoughts, feelings, or personal stories to move through you, and instead focus on your surroundings and how you relate to them. Hearing the sounds, smelling the air and being fully present as your steps take you calmly through your walk. Again, this can do wonders to clear your mind and help you release and let go of frustrations or challenges. You may even have an epiphany or two about what you need or find a solution to a problem. Walking outside and being open to your environment can also help you connect with nature and feel the interconnection we share with it, and all of life.
Body Scanning
This form of meditation helps you to identify what is going on in your own body and where imbalances may be present. You can do this lying down or sitting (I have used this to help me fall asleep at night!). You can start with your eyes closed and your arms and hands relaxed, beginning at your toes, and sensing into the energy and presence of how they feel. Gently move up to your feet, your ankles and so on, going slow and allowing the felt sense of each area of your body to come through.
If you want to, you can focus on a specific area that feels tense, painful or like it is holding heavy or negative energy and send love, forgiveness, and light to it. This type of practice can raise your vibrations and bring on a deep sense of peace and calm, while also teaching you awareness about your body and where you are holding tension.
Earth Grounding Meditation
There are many different forms of this meditation, and it is one type that can be adjusted easily depending on what works for you! In Earth Grounding Meditation you can lay down on the ground or sit, but the closer to the Earth the better.
Next you will imagine a cord of light coming out of your body and spreading out and down into the Earth. As this cord, or link moves deeper down, feel the layers of dirt, rock, sand, water, crystals and finally the core of the Earth and feel how your energy becomes deeply rooted beneath you.
At this point you can draw in the neutral energy of Mother Earth up through the cord and into your body or you can sit with the grounded feeling. This works wonders if you are feeling disconnected or lonely. It is also great for calming stress and a frazzled nervous system.
Visualization Meditation
In visualization meditation you will take the time to visualize a specific place, outcome or feeling and all the specific details that go with it.
This can be a powerful tool for manifestation or mindset shifts, as well as helping to bring focus to something that is not clear. There are no hard rules with this one! Simply get comfortable, close your eyes and begin to visualize and image what your intention is, taking time to picture details, specific feelings, and the surroundings. The more specific the better!
For example, you may be working on a specific goal in your life, like a new job, home or a general sense of how you want to feel. As you visualize you will picture what you look like in this desired state, what you are wearing, how your body feels to you, who is around you, what textures/smells are present. The more you can visualize, the more you increase the energy around that intent.
Give it a try! This type of meditation is used as a tool for manifestation, timeline jumping and the rewriting of negative thought patterns!
Guided Meditations and Drum Journeys
For many these types of meditations can be very helpful with quieting the mind and guiding a direction. In Shamanic medicine Drum Journeys are used to connect with Spirit, our guides and Power Animals and bring in guidance and wisdom from these supports. It is said in some Indigenous cultures that the sound of the drum is the sound we heard in our mother’s wombs and therefore the sound of Mother Earth’s heartbeat! Drumming is used worldwide to connect with the Creator, God or Source, and so has a powerful effect on the human mind and emotional state. There are many videos online that you can work with at home!
Guided Meditations give you a specific journey to follow and are great for helping you to let go and simply be present in the experience. There may be music, crystal bowls or other instruments used to assist with the relaxation effect and there are many apps, videos and in-person events where guided meditations are used. Find one that you enjoy and inspires you to connect with yourself and your spirituality!
Hopefully, as you have read this, you have found that meditation can be an accessible tool. There are many options out there to fit your preferences. Practices such as these are beneficial for our mental and emotional health and assist greatly with developing our own unique attunement to intuition and wisdom.
If you are interested in a guided meditation to help you connect with your womb space, your center of power and your wisdom, grab my Womb Activation Meditation here. You can get the meditation alone or get a copy of my Foundations of Womb Care E-Book which includes the meditation as well!
With Love,
Ash