Other Meditation Types to Try

Of course, there are more than eight types of meditation. But here, you might find a lesser-known style of meditating that appeals more to you:

• Acem Meditation: A simple Norwegian technique that helps you relax and reflect by focusing on your thoughts non-confrontationally.
• Biofeedback Meditation: This uses technology to show you real-time data about your body, like your heart rate or muscle tension. It helps you relax by learning to control your body’s responses.
• Chakra Meditation: Involves focusing on the body’s different chakras (energy centers) to achieve balance and healing.
• Dance Meditation: This form of movement meditation combines dance and meditation. As you dance, you express yourself and find a sense of calm and peace.
• Eating Meditation: It’s about eating slowly and mindfully, paying attention to the taste and texture of your food, and enjoying each bite.
• Forest Meditation: It involves simply being in nature, taking in the sights and sounds of the forest to relax and feel more grounded.
• Gazing Meditation (Trataka): Involves staring at a single point, such as a small object, black dot, or candle flame, to improve focus and calm your mind.
• Loving-Kindness (Metta) Meditation: Focuses on developing an attitude of love and kindness towards everything, even sources of stress. 
• Pranayama Meditation: This is a part of yoga that focuses on breath control to improve physical and mental well-being.
• Qigong Meditation: A Chinese practice that combines meditation, relaxation, and physical movement for balance.
• Sufi Meditation: Focuses on deepening your spiritual relationship with God through love and devotion, often with dance and music.
• Vedic Meditation: Similar to Transcendental Meditation, this practice uses a mantra to help you relax, reduce stress, and achieve self-realization.
• Zen Meditation (Zazen): A form of seated meditation that is a foundational practice of Zen Buddhism, focused on sitting in awareness and observing your thoughts without judgment.

It only takes a few minutes a day to get started, but once you find a meditation practice that works for you, you have the chance to reap life-long benefits.