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Understand the practice · Lesson 6 of 11

Types of Meditation: How to Choose One That Suits You

See how the many named types of meditation fit into three families, and choose one by the skill you want to build.

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There are many named types of meditation. In this lesson you see how they fit into a few families, and how to choose one that suits you. If you are new, a simple rule helps: pick by the skill you want to build.

Three families

Most types belong to one of three families. Some steady or widen your attention. Some build a quality, such as kindness. And some look closely at how your thoughts and sense of self are put together.

Three cards: a target labeled Attention, a glowing heart labeled Build a quality, and a head with a magnifying glass labeled Look closely at experience.(opens the full-size picture)
Attention, a quality, or a close look.

Focused or open

Within attention, there are two styles. Focused attention holds one thing, like the breath: when you drift, you notice and come back. Open monitoring notices whatever comes and goes, like watching people pass from a park bench. It usually comes after focused attention, once that has steadied the mind.

Two cards. Focused: one thing shows a glowing circle with a curved return arrow. Open: whatever comes and goes shows a person on a park bench watching three people pass. An arrow below says Usually comes after.(opens the full-size picture)
One anchor, or a bench watching things pass.

Common practices

You will meet a few common practices. Breath focus rests on the feel of breathing. A body scan moves slowly through the body. A mantra repeats a word or sound. Loving-kindness offers good wishes. Walking meditation follows each step. You will try three of these later in the course.

Five cards with drawings: Breath focus with a glowing circle, Body scan with a body outline, Mantra with a speech bubble and a circular arrow, Loving-kindness with a heart, and Walking with footprints.(opens the full-size picture)
Five practices you will often hear about.

Choose by the skill

So choose by the skill you want. For steadier attention, try breath focus. For warmth toward yourself and others, try a kindness practice. And if sitting still is hard, try walking meditation.

A table with the headings I want and Try. Steadier attention points to Breath focus, Warmth points to Kindness practice, and Sitting still is hard points to Walking.(opens the full-size picture)
Name the skill first, then pick the practice.

A fair test

If you are new, start with focused attention on the breath. Give one practice about two weeks, with short sessions tied to a fixed point in your day, such as your first coffee. Then ask whether the skill has moved in daily life, not whether sessions felt pleasant. Then keep it, adjust it, or switch.

A two-week calendar full of check marks, labeled About two weeks, beside a coffee cup labeled Fixed point in your day. A box asks Has the skill moved? and crosses out Did it feel pleasant? Three chips say Keep, Adjust and Switch.(opens the full-size picture)
Two weeks, then judge the skill.

Big promises

Be careful with courses that promise a benefit only their method can give. Ask whether independent trials back it. You don’t need a paid course to repeat a word or sound.

A parcel with a price tag and a warning sign, labeled Only our method. Beside it, a magnifying glass is labeled Independent trials?, and a chip says A mantra needs no paid course.(opens the full-size picture)
Ask whether independent trials back the promise.

YOUR TURN

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Read the full lesson script

There are many named types of meditation. In this lesson, you'll see how they fit into a few families, and how to choose one that suits you.

Most types belong to one of three families. Some steady or widen your attention. Some build a quality, such as kindness. And some look closely at how your thoughts and sense of self are put together.

Within attention, there are two styles. Focused attention holds one thing, like the breath: when you drift, you notice and come back. Open monitoring notices whatever comes and goes, like watching people pass from a park bench. It usually comes after focused attention.

You'll meet a few common practices. Breath focus rests on the feel of breathing. A body scan moves slowly through the body. A mantra repeats a word or sound. Loving-kindness offers good wishes. Walking meditation follows each step.

So choose by the skill you want. For steadier attention, try breath focus. For warmth toward yourself and others, try a kindness practice. And if sitting still is hard, try walking meditation.

If you're new, start with focused attention on the breath. Give one practice about two weeks, with short sessions tied to a fixed point in your day. Then ask whether the skill has moved in daily life, not whether sessions felt pleasant. Then keep it, adjust it, or switch.

Be careful with courses that promise a benefit only their method can give. Ask whether independent trials back it. You don't need a paid course to repeat a word or sound.

So remember: three families, choose by the skill you want, and give one practice two weeks. Before the next lesson, write down the one skill you want to build. Next, you'll try a body scan.