If you were to do a google search and type in “What kind of meditation I should use” the list would be endless, to the point of becoming overwhelming. Everyone loves to put their own spin on one type of meditation or the other, and as they should. Over the years I have found that there are really only three kinds of meditations with a lot of grey area in-between or variations.

They are as follows.

Focused Attention Meditation: This is where you are focusing on a single object, action, sensation, mantra, or voice. This is one of the most common meditations used by beginners and is also used as a guided meditation, and healing. In the future, this is a stepping stone for a mindfulness meditation.

Open Monitoring Meditation: Instead of focusing the attention on any one object, we keep it open, monitoring all aspects of our experience without attachment (getting stuck in thought or sensation) and without judgment (not being thrown off by a negative thought that pops up.)

Effortless Presence: This is one of the more difficult meditation practices and can take some years to master.  At this level you are not focused on anything in particular, quiet, empty, steady. At this level some refer to it as “Choice-less Awareness” or “Pure Being”.

Understanding that the above three are only categories and you’re not captive to stay in one category for an entire meditation will help streamline things for you.

In the beginning most people will start with a guided meditation, this will of course be a “Focused Attention Meditation” but there are some that give you moments of stillness; Or common in mine, is that I will give you a few moments to experience something or look for something. In that moment, I am switching you to an “Open Monitor Meditation” then once something catches your attention or intent, you will naturally switch back to a “Focused Attention Meditation”. This is very common for the first two to shake hands in many different kinds of practices.