By George A. Boyd © 2009
There are many types of meditation. Seekers are often not aware that there are so many ways to meditate. They might have learned only one type of meditation, and were told by the teacher that initiated them that this is the “only true way to meditate.” They might have learned a single mantra, to watch their breath, or to contemplate an inner image. But they are not aware that each type of meditation directs awareness differently. For example, here are 35 different ways that people meditate:
- Concentration (focusing attention on an inner focal point)
- Fine Concentration (finely focusing attention to become minutely aware of the content of a vehicle)
- Contemplation (awareness of content after focusing the attention on a point)
- Mindfulness (awareness of content in the present time, mental monitoring of content as it arises)
- Absorption (in breath, sensory or energetic streams (passive) – no control over depth of immersion
- Following breath (active) so that one deepens into awareness to a specified level, then emerges
- Absorption in sensory or energetic stream using concentration (active) so that the depth of immersion in this stream is controlled
- Mental suggestion (suggestion with the attention; repeating a mantra with the attention)
- Mental listening (asking a question, listening for the answer)
- Mental striking or knocking (directing the attention to strike a certain center or inner door); or rotation (directing the attention to turn an inner wheel)
- Mental scanning (content) noticing all of the content of the awakened portion of a vehicle
- Mental scanning (structure) noticing the structure of the vehicle itself as form, shape, dimensions
- Mental scanning (background) noticing the content of the unawakened portion of the mind in which the vehicle is embedded
- Mental scanning (origin) noticing where the vehicle originates out of Spirit
- Attentional principle creation, visual (visualization)
- Attentional principle creation, auditory (giving a voice to an entity)
- Attentional principle creation, thaumaturgic (sending light or thought to an inner vehicle or to a mantra)
- Vocal utterance (structured, aloud) – used in chanting or singing
- Vocal utterance (structured, whispered) – used in prayer and mantra repetition
- Vocal utterance (unstructured, aloud) – used in intoning, making a sound from an inner vehicle
- Vocal utterance (unstructured, whispered) – used in making the breath audible
- Vocal attentional click – used to “push off” in direct projection
- Movement (structured) – used in sacred dance or martial arts
- Movement (unstructured) – free movement used in contact improvisation and movement meditation
- Movement (structured, subtle) – movement of astral body using suggestion: parts of astral body, movement of the whole astral body to a spatial or dimensional location; movement of the whole astral body in time
- Movement (unstructured, subtle) – movement of the astral body as generated by random sounds, falling, sudden shock, or use of anesthetic stimulant or psychedelic drugs
- Volitional command – directing movement or operation of the body or inner vehicle
- Volitional suspension – turning off the operation of the body or inner vehicle
- Repose in Being or Voidness (Nirvanic dwelling) holding the attention in inner voidness
- Dialog – inner dialog with a subpersonality, major integrating center (ego, Self) or spiritual essence (attentional principle, spirit, or Soul)
- Communion – inner dialog with a spiritual Guide, with the Holy Spirit, an angel, or the Divine
- Inspiration or channeling (active) – receiving telepathic information from a guide, the Holy Spirit, an angel, the Divine, capturing it by writing or speaking
- Inspiration or channeling (passive) – receiving telepathic communication from a guide, the Holy Spirit, an angel, or the Divine, and simply remembering it
- Being present as the fullness of Being (darshan) – revealing your inmost, eternal nature
- Grace-Bestowing – radiating Light or Shakti from the presence of Being (Shaktipat)
We suggest that seekers will benefit from becoming familiar with each of these other types of meditation and their uses. No more than you would use only a hammer to do a variety of household repair tasks, neither should you have only one or two meditation “tools” at your disposal to carry out inner work. It would be superior to have a wide variety of tools to permit you to do exactly what you need to do for personal and spiritual development— this is what you learn in the Mudrashram® system of Integral meditation.
In the Introduction to Meditation Program, you learn techniques 1, 3, 4, 6, 9. 29, and 30.
In the Accelerated Meditation Program, you learn techniques 1, 3, 4,6,7, 8, 9, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 29, and 30.
In the Mudrashram® Advanced Course in Meditation, you learn techniques 1, 2, 3, 10, 12, 12, 13, 15, 15, 19, 21, and 31.
