Sound/Mantra/Words

• Mantra Meditation (Hinduism & Buddhism)

  • ​​A form of meditation that involves constant repetition of a word, phrase, or sound to focus the mind and achieve a state of inner peace and calm.

  • ​https://www.calm.com and/or https://healthline.com

• Lectio Divina/Contemplative Prayer (Christian)

  •  A meditative reading of scripture involving four steps: reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation. 

  • https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/lectio-divina-beginners-guide 

• Shamanic Drumming (Native American, African)  

  • ​​​Use of rhythmic drumming to enter altered states of consciousness for healing and insight.

  • https://shamanicdrumming.com/​​

• Centering Prayer (Christian)​ ​

  • ​A receptive method of Christian silent prayer in which the indwelling Presence of God is touched through the holding of a single related word in one's mind.

  • https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org 

• Chanting:

  • Dhikr (Islam) ​

    • The repetitive chanting of God's names or attributes in order to attain spiritual tranquility and mindfulness.

    • https://simplyislam.academy/blog/how-to-perform-dhikr

  • Gregorian (Roman Catholic Christian)

    • ​A monophonic, unaccompanied, unmetered form of sacred song (usually in Latin) that creates a peaceful, meditative state in mind and body.

    • Learn

    • Listen

• Vocal Toning (worldwide traditions)

  • ​Slightly different from mantra or chanting, it is the creation of an always externally heard spoken sound using the voice – generally a single vowel – which then resonates throughout the rest of the physical body as well as the mind, creating peace on all levels. 

  • Vocal toning

• Griot Storytelling (prehistoric West Africa)

  • Meditative listening and reflection on moral and communal lessons through oral tradition.

  • Griot storytelling

• Singing Bowl Meditation (pre-Buddhist Tibet)
  • ​When struck or rimmed, singing bowls (metal or crystal) create tones that can calm  both mind and body, increasing the sense of spiritual wellbeing and peace.
  • Learn
  • Listen

• See also "Music" and "Nature" sections on the BE INSPIRED page of our website. 

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​Breath/Body Awareness

• Zazen Meditation (Japanese Buddhism)​

  • Seated meditation focusing on posture, breath, and awareness to cultivate mindfulness and insight.

  • https://zmm.org/teachings-and-training/meditation-instructions/

• Vipassana Meditation (Indian Buddhism)

  • Insight meditation emphasizing awareness of bodily sensations and mental states to develop equanimity and clarity.

  • https://www.lionsroar.com/how-to-practice-vipassana-insight-meditation

• Pranayama Meditation/Breath Control Yoga (Hinduism)

  • ​A cornerstone of yoga, Pranayama involves controlled breathing exercises aimed at enhancing physical and mental well-being.

  • https://www.healthline.com/health/pranayama-benefits 

• Holotropic Breathwork (California USA - Stanislov & Christina Grof)

  • ​A therapeutic technique involving accelerated breathing patterns to access altered states of consciousness, facilitating emotional release and self-awareness

  • https://www.verywellmind.com/holotropic-breathwork-4175431

Body Movement

• Walking Meditation (Buddhism)

  • ​A practice that combines movement with mindfulness, walking meditation helps in grounding and calming the mind.

  • https://www.tm.org/blog/walking-meditation

• Labyrinth Walking (prehistoric India & Europe; Greece & Rome; Christian Europe)

  • ​Walking a labyrinth offers a contemplative pathway that can lead to emotional and spiritual experiences.

  • Labyrinth walking as a contemplative pathway

• Sufi Whirling (Turkey, Middle East)​ 

  • ​A form of physically active meditation involving spinning to achieve spiritual ecstasy and inner peace.

  • https://danceofoneness.org/sufi-dance-qa/

• Qigong (China) 

  • ​A practice integrating movement, breath control, and meditation to cultivate and balance the body's energy.

  • https://www.springforestqigong.com/what-is-qigong/

• Tai Chi (China)

  • A gentle martial art combining slow, deliberate movements with deep breathing to enhance balance, flexibility, and tranquility.

  • https://taichiforhealthinstitute.org/programs/tai-chi-for-beginners/

• Dance/Drumming Rituals

  • Rhythmic, repetitive practices to synchronize body, mind, and spirit

  • https://kripalu.org/living-kripalu/benefits-drumming-body-mind-and-spirit

Visual

• Mandala Creation & Use (Hinduism & Buddhism) - A mandala can serve as a calming creative expression or be used repeatedly as a meditative practice.   https://kripalu.org/living-kripalu/using-mandalas-practice-gratitude-and-mindfulness

  • Mandala Creation 

    • The process of creating a mandala can itself be a pathway for meditation and centering. It facilitates imaginative expression while soothing and nourishing the psyche and spirit.

    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIkHE7hh41Q

  • Ongoing Mandala Use 

    • ​As a mandala is repeatedly contemplated to the point of saturation, all the details of the image – shapes, patterns, colors – eventually become fully internalized as symbols of the practitioner’s initially chosen peaceful intention for the meditation.

    • https://modernyogi.gr/en/mandala-meditatione-en/

• Deity Meditation (Tibetan Buddhism)

  • ​In this tantric practice, the meditator visualizes him/herself as an awakened being, usually as sitting among those who appear in an embellished celestial mansion at the center  of a mandala.

  • Introduction to deity yoga​

• Christian Orthodox Icon Meditation​
  • Icons (of Christ and/or saints) are considered powerful tools that link the practitioner to the spiritual world, providing a meditative bridge to the icon's true persona in a realm beyond space and time.
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9lTwlRd1Po&t=76s
• Dream Yoga (Tibetan Buddhism)

  • A Tantric Buddhist meditative practice that utilizes insights received in lucid dreams to bring noticeably positive and peaceful changes into the participant’s waking life.​​

  • https://resources.soundstrue.com/transcript/andrew-holecek-the-path-of-dream-yoga/ 

• Stoic Reflection (ancient Greece & Rome)

  • Philosophical practice involving journaling and contemplation to develop resilience and inner peace.​​

  • https://strongstoic.substack.com/p/the-stoic-guide-to-self-reflection 

• Ignatian Contemplation / Imaginative Prayer  (Roman Catholic Christian)

  • A practice in which the participant imagines themselves actually being inside one of the Christian Gospel stories so that the events of Jesus’ life become extremely real, poignant, and meaningful and they feel a deep closeness to God.

  • Ignatian contemplation-imaginative prayer 

Temperature

• Sweat Lodge Ceremony (Native American)​

  • A purification ritual involving steam and prayer to cleanse the body and spirit.

  • https://saunamarketplace.com/the-native-american-sweat-lodge/

• Inner Fire / Tummo Meditation (Tibetan Buddhism)

  • ​Tummo is a powerful practice in Tibetan tantric Buddhism that uses breath, visualization, and physical-body techniques to generate inner heat that can then clear energy blockages, calm the mind, and lead to states of clarity, peace, and bliss.  A teacher or mentor is needed to facilitate this advanced practice.​

  • Inner fire meditation with Tulku Lobsang Rinpoche

• Wim Hof Method (Netherlands - athlete Wim Hof)​​​

  • ​Combines specific breathing techniques, cold exposure, and meditation to improve physical and mental health.

  • https://www.wimhofmethod.com/