With so many meditation systems out there how do you even know where to start?

Before choosing and sticking with any system probably the most important question is to ask yourself: what do I want from meditation?

You see, with so many different types of meditation there are also many, many different purposes to those meditations.

There are meditations for relaxation, health, strength, martial arts, Spiritual growth, manifestation, magical ritual, Shamanism, devotion, religion, goal achievement and many more.

On top of this there are meditations that involve visualization, feeling, chanting, breathing, moving, shaking, sitting still, building energy, letting go of energy, relaxing, tensing, eyes open, eyes closed and again – many more.

If you were going to enroll in a university course an important question might be: what do you want to get out of this course?

The same question applies to meditation.

Contrary to some beliefs there will not necessarily be shared commonalities between all meditation systems. Some systems require concentration, others ask that you let go of everything including concentration. Some require devotion, others none at all. Some methods are very good for feeling energy while doing others you may feel none at all.

Furthermore, while some meditations are very good for releasing stress, some actually can enhance your stress levels!

It all comes back to what you want.

In general meditations that involve relaxation, gentle breathing and releasing tension will be good for stress relief. Meditation with deep controlled breathing is good for energy building but can also bring up agitated emotions which can be stressful. Following these types of meditation with gentle meditation can help alleviate this.

Meditations that involve mindfulness and awareness are good for personal growth as they foster a keen knowledge of one self. At the same time without the requisite levels of concentration and letting go a person can bring up more than they are ready to deal with. So it’s important to self regulate and notice what is going on.

Mantra meditations and concentrating on objects like candles are very good for concentration but can reach the point where they block out other things that may be going on.

Meditation with the eyes closed can allow someone to go very deep but eyes open meditation is a more direct way to integrating meditation in the external world.

Sitting meditation is also good for going deep into the mind while standing meditation helps to maintain the meditation state in the body while you are going about your daily business.

Look closely at what you want to get out of meditation and then choose appropriately.

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