One size does not fit all for meditation

Ever felt like meditation was that cool thing everyone talks about, but you're not quite sure why because you feel like it’s just not for you? Trust me, I've been there—thoughts keep racing, “am I doing this right?” what’s the point, I can’t sit still. Maybe you thought, "My mind's too busy for this," or "Meditation? Good for those people but not for me" But hey, what if there's a whole playlist of meditation styles waiting for you? Imagine it like trying on different shoes until you find the comfiest pair. Each meditation technique offering a unique pathway to inner peace and mindfulness.

As part of my yoga therapy training I had to take a few months of rotating different meditation techniques incorporating them on the daily, and keep a journal sharing my thoughts. The reason for this was, to share these techniques with others it is important to have experience with them. I’m happy to share my findings here with you today! Of course these are just my findings and experience, I encourage you to try them out for yourself too. This is certainly not a comprehensive list, but the first in a series exploring a handful of techniques to get started.

First up - breath meditation

I find this one of the simplest yet effective practices, that is accessible to all! Find a comfortable position to relax in and begin to observe your breath without changing it. Pay attention to the space right under your nostrils. Spend a few minutes doing that and then shift your focus to abdomen - does it move as you inhale and exhale? Spend a few minutes or as long as you’d like with your attention on your abdomen as you breathe, again still just letting your breath be. Alternating focus between the abdomen and nose can infuse a different energy in this practice - see what works best for you. It's my go-to for on-the-go serenity, a simple yet effective practice that turns attention inward, providing a moment of peace in the chaos of daily life.

Next is Metta Meditation - loving kindness meditation.

Originating from the Buddhist tradition, Metta, or lovingkindness meditation, is a practice in self-love and extending that love to others. Beyond personal relationships, it acts as a gentle reminder of love's power. One of the things I love most about this technique is that it eventually serves as a form of self guided meditation once you are familiar with it.

There are different variations of this meditation but what they have in common is wishing for happiness, freedom, and love for you, those you love, neutral parties, and people who are difficult in your life.

Here’s one simple version I incorporate into my meditation practice. Sitting comfortably, option to place your hands over your heart, and repeating silently to yourself “May I be happy, may I be free, may I be loved” as many times as you’d like. Then you bring about the image of someone you love and silently repeat to yourself “May they be happy, may they be free, may they be loved”. Sometimes I take extra time here and wish this individually for my loved ones in my life. Next bringing about the image of someone who is neutral to you in your life, and wish for them “may they be happy, may they be free, and may they be loved”. After that, we finish with perhaps the most challenging aspect of this meditation. Next you will bring about the image of someone who is difficult to get along with in your life or someone you have negative feelings about and wish for them “may they be happy, may they be free, may they be loved”.

Once you get the hang of this, it’s a really simple practice to bring you back into love and balance when negativity creeps in and infusing your daily life with a spirit of compassion.

Japa Meditation - repetition of a mantra

In Japa meditation, you choose the mantra or affirmation that you would like to repeat. Whether you want to do this silently in your mind, or out loud. Doing it out loud introduces a vibrational aspect to the practice and helps to regulate the nervous system. Some easy go to’s can be the sound of “Om” or “Om Namah Shivaya” or a simple phrase like “I am bliss” “I am love” “peace” or something that is specifically meaningful to you.

I find japa meditation to be really helpful in drowning out the intrusive and disruptive thoughts, and easy to get back to if you lose your focus. I love the customization of it and that on the most basic level you don’t need anything else to do this meditation. If you’d like to try something different, you can do it with a recording of the mantra you choose, or use mala beads like in the picture and repeat the mantra and pass one bead through your fingers until you reach the end. I like this option because it helps me to stay on track.

Meditation on your thoughts

Another simple meditation that you can do anywhere. With this technique you’ll work on navigating the mind's endless waves. Observing thoughts rise and fall, this meditation highlights the transient nature of our mental chatter. It's a powerful practice, teaching detachment from overwhelming thought patterns. Its simplicity and adaptability make it suitable for weaving into daily tasks.

If you’re brand new to meditation or have a very full fast paced mind, this may be an overwhelming technique for you. My suggestion would be to start with the meditations above if that’s you and then ease into this one.

Spine Meditation

This technique was fairly new to me when I was tasked with the goal of incorporating these different techniques into my daily routine, but I really enjoyed it.

Focusing on the spine as the central channel, this meditation involves the rhythmic movement of attention with the breath. Inhaling energy downward, exhaling upward to the crown. What I can appreciate most about this technique is after sharing the technique, you can run with it on your own. Following the energy and the breath in a rhythmic way gives you a place to keep your attention on and to bring it back to if you lose your focus.

Like I mentioned before, this is not a comprehensive list this is just the beginning. I featured some of the simpler practices here today that you can take with you and easily try on your own.

If one technique doesn’t resonate with you I encourage you to try another. Although some of these meditation techniques have overlapping qualities they are unique just like you. If one doesn’t work for you, try not to be discouraged - instead try something new.

At the end of it all, remember it’s a practice not a perfect. What you may start to experience is small flashes of calm and quiet in your mind that eventually will expand and fill up more of your day. Meditation is a way to see yourself and the world more clearly, don’t get too caught up in the how.

Meditation has changed my life and I am happy to share these tools with you. Let me know what you think of these different techniques and which ones you enjoy the most.

Hi, I’m Lauren Reek. I’m a Yoga, Meditation, and Breathwork Teacher and Holistic Wellness Coach located on Long Island. I have dedicated my life to helping people navigate the ups and downs of life and create a toolbox of tools they can continue to go back to when things don’t go as planned.

My mission is to be a supportive guide and resource for others on their journey towards total wellness and personal development, and embarking or currently on the path of yoga. I want to make feeling good accessible, informative, and fun.

My approach to yoga is a holistic and adaptive one, inspired by the lineage of Ashtanga Yoga (eight limb path of yoga) and yoga therapy, where I help make the poses and techniques fit to you and find your version of the practice rather than fitting you into a pose.

Grab the meditation freebie above, and f you want more personalized support at your most convenient times to explore different meditation, breathwork, and yoga techniques schedule your free consultation call today.

Join me for a yoga class virtually or in person in massapequa every week where we infuse meditation techniques into the practice, and create a moving meditation while flowing with the breath.