THE THREE M’s: Meditation Techniques Explained
Mindfulness, Mantra and Metta
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a form of Buddhist meditation. Traditionally called “Vipassana” (translated to “insight”), the simplicity of mindfulness is really what makes it so beautiful. The practice is to follow the flow of your breath – watching each inhale and each exhale as it travels through your body. Each time you get lost in thought, you gently remind yourself to come back to your breathing. As you breathe, you may start to become aware of all the things going on inside; physically, mentally and emotionally.
With pioneers in the field such as Jon Kabat-Zinn, Jack Kornfield and Sharon Salzberg (just to name a few), mindfulness has become a well-recognized meditation in the Western world. To get a sense of the science, Jon developed the “Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program” (MBSR) – an 8-week series in which participants were asked to practice mindfulness 30 minutes every day for 8 weeks straight. The research found that in this short amount of time, there was an increase in the grey matter of the hippocampus (center of the brain governing memory, emotion regulation and spatial orientation) and a decrease in the amygdala (center of the brain controlling fear, anxiety and stress). Just by sitting and watching your breath you have the capacity to literally change the structure of your brain! This happens all while feeling an emotional release and a sense of deeper well-being & relaxation.
A Note About Thoughts: You’re GOING to have them. This is inevitable. Whether you start daydreaming about something that happened yesterday, last week or 5 years ago (trust me, we’ve all been there!). This is totally ok. And so so normal! We’re human, this is bound to happen. Please don’t feel like you “aren’t meditation right” if you experience any kind of thought, physical sensation or sound. Just remind yourself to come back to your breath with as little judgment as possible. It’s a constant drifting back & forth between stillness & activity, breath & thought.
To recap: mindfulness meditation is placing a soft awareness on your breath + noticing anything that may be showing up for you (thoughts, emotions, sounds, physical sensations, etc.)
Mantra
Mantra meditation is an ancient technique dated back thousands of years ago, in which you recite a word or phrase over & over again throughout the duration of your practice. “Mantra” is a Sanskrit word that can be translated to “mind instrument” or “mind vehicle”. Man meaning ‘mind’ and Tra meaning ‘instrument’. Like all meditation techniques, it is used to slowly quiet the fluctuations of the mind, taking you deeper into a place of stillness and silence.
Mantras can either be words of meaning or of no meaning. Traditionally, you would choose a mantra with no meaning, used only for its vibrational quality. For example; Om or So Hum. An example of a mantra with meaning could be something along the lines of; Peace or Patience. Just like music can remind you of specific times in your life, mantras with meaning can spark inner dialogue during your meditation. In meditation, we are cultivating our ability to witness…not so much conversing with all the thoughts in our head which is why traditionalists choose mantras for their vibration, rather than their English translation.
Mantras with meaning can also be referred to as affirmations. They are words that have meaning and affirm a way of being you’d like to embody. For example; I am strong. May I be filled with joy, etc. Mantras with deep personal meaning can be SO powerful in taking steps towards feeling the way you want to feel outside of the meditation practice and in the real world.
Meaning or no meaning…choose what feels right to you. This can change on any given day. Give yourself permission for your mediation practice to evolve, just as you evolve.
To recap: mantra meditation is reciting a word or phrase over & over again for the duration of your practice
Metta: Loving Kindness
If you’re looking for a meditation that reminds you of a warm cup of tea, this one is for you! Metta (commonly referred to as Loving Kindness) is all about sending well-wishes to yourself and those around you. You start by sending love inwards and move through sending that same love to a variety of individuals in your life; family, friends, strangers, people you have grievances with, anyone who needs support, etc.
One of my meditation teachers, Lauren Eckstrom, often says that “gratitude is a medicinal emotion” and it couldn’t be more true. Taking time out of your day to send energetic love notes from a genuine space is a total heart opener. Over time, these feelings of compassion & empathy - for yourself and all those you come into contact with - will only grow.
The rundown of a loving kindness meditation will normally look something like this:
choose a phrase of loving kindness to repeat: ex. ‘May you be healthy and happy’
silently repeat those words to yourself: ‘May I be healthy and happy’
send that same phrase out to others, repeating silently ‘May you be healthy and happy’
picturing in your mind’s eye: someone you love. Sending them the wish of health & happiness
someone neutral (a co-worker, your local grocery store clerk, the stranger who smiled at you on the street)
someone who needs it
someone you have a grievance or difficulty with (this can be tough. try regardless)
take a really deep breath in. a really deep breath out. release your practice
The great thing about loving kindness is that it doesn’t just have to take place in your formal meditation. It can be sprinkled throughout your day. Before you leave a room, silently say ‘may everyone who enters this room be blessed with their hearts desire’. To the person driving their car beside you ‘may you get to where you’re going safely’. To the people you interact with on the daily ‘may you feel loved’. Internal, silent blessings. Because sometimes silence speaks louder than words.
