I’m sure you’ve tried meditation in the past but never stuck with it. I know some of you think Meditation is so hard; what else can I try? The answer is anything. It’s important, and you must keep trying until you find something that works for you. In this post, you’ll find information on Walking Meditation (yes, you can do both at the same time) as well as a mantra meditation and some apps that will assist you with meditating.
First is the Walking Meditation. I’m not going to write about how to do it here because I have a previous post, Are You on the Path of Meditation, that gives specific instructions. What I will say is that I love doing this one when I’m walking or hiking a familiar path. Sometimes I even use the counting technique from this walking meditation while I’m doing a seated one.
Meditation Apps and Websites
I love using different apps and websites that are available. Some are just timers, and some are guided ones that will keep you focused or guide you during your meditation.
My favorite App is the Insight Timer. If all you do is use the timer aspect, you’ll still gain experience. You can set up your timer to use bells, chimes, or gongs to take you into and out of your meditations. There are also guided meditations for almost any category you can think of.
There are 60,000 free (yes, free!) guided meditations. You should be able to find one that you connect with. There is also a paid aspect to this app, but you’ll be able to find a lot of options that are free. We follow one specific person and use several of her guided meditations including one for focus and one for sleep. We like her soothing voice. The app allows us to donate directly to her but you can also pay for the app and get access to all the meditations and courses.
There’s also the HeadSpace app. You can try it free for seven days, and it’s very popular. There are different guided meditations and small bite-sized stories to get your day going on a positive note.
Another app is Calm. It’s been downloaded by over 75 million people, and they’re currently working on expanding their website options so it won’t just be an app. They even have an option for businesses to bring calm into their workplace.
There are many other apps in both Android and iOS Play Stores. Just search for meditation and find something that you connect with. Or search online for options and/or teachers in your local area. Nothing beats going to a class to learn more about meditating, I’ve taken several. There is also
one-on-one teaching available.
One of my favorite guided meditations is the Golden Light meditation by White Crane. It’s short, only 7 minutes long, but boosts your energy in a positive manner.
Mantra Meditation
One other form of meditation is using a mantra. It’s using words or phrases to focus your attention. You might say that the Counting Meditation is itself a mantra meditation because you’re repeating the same numbers over and over. Mantras can be spoken or chanted, or even repeated in your mind instead of out loud.
Some famous mantras include Alleluia, Om Namah Shivaya, Om, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, and others. Robert Gass has a CD Enchanted: Best Of Robert Gass that includes a beautiful rendition of the Alleluia chant.
The Dali Llama recommends the Green Tara mantra as something to chant during troubling times like now. Tara is the Mother of Liberation and is a bodhisattva of compassion and action. Her green form represents peacefulness and enlightenment. The Tara mantra is oṃ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā. A beautiful rendition by Deva Premal is Om Tare Tuttare, which is below. The Tibetan version is oṃ tāre tu tāre ture soha as heard in the Green Tara mantra by the Dali Llama.
I love Calm! Sometimes I like a background score to meditate and sometimes I find music distracting and prefer to listen to the sounds around.
I have some friends who just meditate the same way every day, it’s disciplined – they get up and meditate, for the same amount of time, in the exact same manner each time. For me, it’s more fluid. Some days, I get up and just feel that it’s the perfect time to work on my current project. Other times, I like to start the day with meditation. And while I don’t usually end the day with meditation, sometimes there is nothing better than doing that, because it helps do calm me down and makes it easier for me to sleep.
Love the walking meditation. I try and do that everyday. If the weather’s not good outside, I walk inside! It’s funny how much you see when you quiet your mind.
I’ve got to get back into meditating. I always felt like walking was my meditation before and need to get back to that too. Great list of options.
Thanks for the information. I completed the Dean Ornish heart program in March. One of its components is meditation and yoga for an hour a day. I do some, but not usually an hour every day. It’s such a great program. I lost 20 pounds by switching to a plant-based diet.
Congratulations on losing the 20 lbs. My husband and I try to remember to meditate each day. Usually we’re doing one of the guided meditations from the Insight Timer app. I really recommend them.
Although I enjoyed the meditation part of my yoga classes, I could never get ‘into it’. But I have found that walking meditation works for me. Enjoy the calm state it puts my mind in, the exercise, and fresh air.
I love walking meditations.