There are so many types of meditation out there, it can be hard to figure out which ones are right for you. Guided, Zazen, mindfulness, Transcendental, Vipassana, loving kindness, mantra, Taoist – the list goes on. While the focus here at Simple Mindfulness is on a mindfulness meditation, it’s not a one size fits all.
Meditation isn’t complicated, and it doesn’t have to take up a big chunk of your day. Even five minutes can make a real difference in how you think and feel.
If you’ve never meditated before, I suggest sitting with your eyes closed while you breathe deeply for thirty seconds. Don’t try to go any longer. Just thirty seconds each day for five days in a row. Then move up to a minute, two minutes, five, ten then twenty. It took me years to work up from five to twenty minutes so be kind to yourself. It’s a practice, not a race.
To learn more about meditation in general, read my post: Everything You Need to Start Your Meditation Practice which includes a link to a free resource guide that I put together.
If you’re wondering what type of meditation you should practice, take this quiz to find your personal meditation style:
What Type of Meditator Are You?
Leave a comment below to let me know how accurate it was. Then share this with a friend and find out what their results are.
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The law of attraction suggests that our positive or negative thoughts bring about positive or negative experiences. My latest book, The Mindful Guide to Law of Attraction, pairs that belief with the powerful practices of mindfulness. Through intentional breathing, writing, and engaging, you’ll hone a method for manifesting health, wealth, and love―the elements of happiness.
Let the law of attraction work for you by adopting its basic steps of identifying and visualizing the things you desire. Then use 45 practical meditation techniques included in the book to achieve awareness. By concentrating your positive energy on obtaining your wants, you’ll give yourself permission to receive them.
To your happiness! ~Paige
You can find this book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Indigo.
The Mindful Living Guide
Recently I’ve been enjoying transcendental meditation each day, and then EFT tapping meditation/therapy, and EMDR eye moment desensitization. This has helped me so much with resolving trauma, and especially, forgiving myself. These past five years have been a bit difficult, but I see myself flowering. It’s also taken some hard work in avoiding more things like alcohol, and I see my health improving.
I’m excited to see where my meditation journey takes me, as I’m just getting started!
Mmm, mine said aural meditator, but I really dislike this type of meditations.
I occasionally listen to classical music as a meditation, but never guided. Usually, I tune out very fast from the voice or I get so annoyed that I toss away the headphones.
Must be a little bug, but it’s always fun doing this surveys 😉
This was fascinating! I’m apparently a visual meditator—which, although I’d never given it much thought, feels just right. Yes, watching waves at the ocean or a candle flame—I have gotten lost in thought so many times doing both of these. I’m going to start incorporating visual elements into my meditation, and I have the feeling it’s going to make a world of difference. Thanks so much for this, Paige! And also for the visit and lovely comment over at Vidya’s for my guest post last week; really very, very much appreciated 🙂
Loved connecting with you!
Guilie
Thank you Guilie! Loved your post about how we can learn from dogs how to be happier! Our family rescues cats (house cats and mountain lions) so I completely understand your feelings. Big hugs!!
Mindful meditator for me…which is absolutely the truth. I often turn my daily activities into mini meditations and awareness. Fun quiz Paige.
I do too, Elle. By being present for those daily activities, I also look for what I can be grateful for in the little aspects of the day.
I came up as “mental meditator.” I don’t meditate that way at all and I’m not inclined to try it. At least for me, meditation is a way to let go of the fabrications of mind, not create more!
Hmmm. Yes, I would have guessed that you would have been a ‘mindful meditator’ too, Sandra. I use the musings of my mind as something to mindfully, objectively observe during meditation. Then I let them go. We’re always evolving…
Mindful Meditator- so happy all the mindful meditation etc is paying off. that was fun
Thanks Suzie! I had the same thought when my result was ‘mindful meditator.’ I’m looking for more of these quizzes to post.
I’m an Aural Meditator. I don’t usually meditate with music, but I’ll give it a try. Thank you, Paige.
It’s always interesting what these quizzes can tell us.
Mine said I was a “mental meditator.” I’m just curious, what other kind is there? 🙂
Fun little quiz!
Not surprisingly, mine came up a “mindful meditator,” so there is quite a variety. Another is aural. We’re all very different. Thanks for sharing yours Debbie!
Very interesting quiz. My result is that I am a mental meditator. I do count my breath to get to sleep sometimes and also I focus on my breath while meditating. I also play sounds/music to certain frequencies which I can focus on and also entrain to.
Thanks for sharing your results Leo! And thank you for sharing your other helpful techniques. I’m sure they’ll help others in their meditation journey.
Questions were interesting & the results are revealing.I enjoyed it. Thank you. I must check & see if it works.
So glad you found it helpful Marie!