The most common Buddhist meditation method is the watching of the breath, but there are several others that the Buddha taught. Firstly, an alternative meditation technique can sometimes suite a person better than the breath meditation. Secondly, if we find ourselves struggling with our regular meditation method then a different technique may be more suitable in the short or long term.
Knee, leg or neck pain might make a sitting posture unsuitable. Considerations like stress or tiredness can drastically impact our meditations. Instead of skipping meditation for the day or struggling with it, an alternate technique may be the solution.
So let us look at the list.
ANAPANASATI (Breath meditation)
All too often when we learn how to meditate, we are simply told to “watch the breath” and when stories come up, to let them go and return to the breath.
The Buddha set out how to use the breath in meditation in the Anapanasati Sutta. It contains 16 steps but unless one is a professional meditator (i.e. monk or nun) then steps 1 to 7 are all that concern us. The steps take us through the long breath, the short breath, breath in the entire body, calming the body and then the good stuff of joy, happiness and equanimity. It is much more than “watching the breath” as it gives a sign-posted path on how to progress.
There are many e-books on it with one of the best being:
• Breathing Like a Buddha by Ajahn Sucitto (available in Lotus Library)
WALKING MEDITATION
Although often considered the little brother to sitting meditations, it is a vital part of most serious meditators’ repertoire. It is unhealthy to continuously do sitting meditation so the usual instruction is to do an hour of sitting and then an hour of walking. This helps prevent sloth and torpor and enhances our mindfulness so that we go back to the cushion refreshed.
Specific instructions on how to do walking meditation do not exist in the suttas so there is a bit of variety in instructions that we are given. Best is to trial different ones and practice the one that appeals most.
The Buddha did tell us that walking meditation was good for five reasons:
1. Improves endurance
2. Improves striving in meditation practice
3. Protects from illness
4. Assists digestion
5. Improves mindfulness!!!
Restlessness is more easily overcome with walking meditation. When I started a daily practice, my sitting meditation was very restless. It was only by doing walking meditation for over 10 years that I maintained my practice.
e-Books on walking meditation in Lotus Library include:
• Walking Meditation by Nyanadhammo (compiler)
• Walking With Awareness by Luang Por Liem
• A Guide to Walking Meditation by Thich Nhat Hanh
• The Benefits of Walking Meditation by Sayadaw U Silananda
MANTRA MEDITATION
This is a simpler form of meditation that only takes in the concentration side of the coin and lacks the mindfulness aspect on the flip side. Often the mantra used is the word “Budho” or something like the famous Sanskrit chant “Om mani padme hum”.
A good reference book is:
• Seeking Budho by Ajahn Anan Akincano (available in Lotus Library of course)
STANDING MEDITATION
Not a bad way to initiate sitting or walking meditation. The act of standing still is symbolically a form of intentional balance and stability. As such it can be used for a few minutes at the start of a sitting or walking meditation to ground us and send ourselves the signal that our serious meditation is about to start.
It can also be used as a respite from sitting meditation to relieve bodily discomfort.
Often, our walking meditation takes us back and forth along a path. It can be useful to do a short standing meditation at each end of the path. This gives some variety to the meditation and thus protects us from boredom setting in with the resultant story-lines.
Standing is not recommended though for extended lengths of time as standing still for long periods is not good for the body.
The focus while standing is to be mindful of the pressure of your weight on the feet.
A good reference (available again in the Lotus Library) is:
• On Your Own Two Feet by Ajahn Sucitto
LYING DOWN MEDITATION
Not a recommended meditation as there is always the chance of drifting off to sleep. It still can be useful for those of us with back problems or those who find themselves confined to a bed. We do have to be careful of sloth and torpor though.
The focus here does not have to be the pressure of the body on the floor/bed as we can use it as our posture to do breathing or mantra meditation.
METTA MEDITATION
The word Metta is a Pali word meaning loving-kindness. In this meditation practice we send thoughts of metta to various individuals or groups.
This is done by repeating set phrases like:
May XYZ be safe. May they be well. May they be peaceful.
If done over a period of time it can have a softening effect on the mind.
Some Lotus Library reference books include:
• Meditation on Loving-Kindness by Venerable Sujiva
• Metta by Sayadaw U Indaka
• Metta Bhavana by Jeff Oliver
COLOUR KASINA MEDITATION
Here we have something like a circular, coloured piece of cardboard and focus on it. A bonus is we get to choose our favourite colour, although red and white are the favoured colours. Then we close our eyes and imagine seeing the colour in our mind’s eye. Luckily, there will always be a ghost view of the colour to start with.
The practice is to try to go from a coloured dot to a larger view. When deeper meditation levels are reached, feelings of joy and equanimity are experienced and then instead of being mindful of the colour, we are mindful of the joy or equanimity.
Reference books in Lotus Library are:
• Colour Kasina Meditation by Bhikkhu Thitapunna
• Kasina Meditation by Bhikkhu Thitanana
• Light of Wisdom by Pa Auk Tawya Sayadaw (chapter 4)
FIRE KASINA MEDITATION
Here is a form of Kasina that focuses on a candle flame. This meditation style can lead to very deep concentration levels and these have been touted by some to lead to supernormal powers.
Below is a reference book that deals with the two authors’ experiences on a fire kasina retreat.
• The Fire Kasina by Shannon Stein and Daniel Ingram
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Later Meditation Additions that were not taught by the Buddha include Nada Meditation and a cheeky little number called Bus Meditation.
NADA MEDITATION
This is a form of meditation re-invented by the famous Theravada monk, Ajahn Sumedho. Apparently, nada yoga has existed for centuries so it is a RE-invention for a Buddhist audience.
It is a meditation on the Inner Sound, which is a high-pitched ringing tone. I personally find it easy to practice as am a sufferer of tinnitus. When a story comes up during meditation, I often switch to my tinnitus and then equate the two as the same. Both are meaningless and both are useless. The only differing features of stories is that they have Words and Emotions.
From discussions with monastics, it seems one will either like this meditation or find it fruitless. Give it a go?
A good reference book is:
• Inner Listening by Ajahn Amaro
BUS MEDITATION (Train too)
I know I am putting myself in with very illustrious company but here goes with my invention.
Firstly, a little history of how I stumbled on it. I often visited my sister who lived about 1000 km away and one year I decided to take a bus instead of driving. The bus left at 3pm and arrived at 4am which concerned me. However, being arrogant and intrepid I surmised that if I could not sleep on the bus then I could do breath meditation. Was I wrong! The bus roared along through the night (as there were no traffic police) and screamed around corners. There was no sleeping or meditation.
This perplexed me and I pondered a solution over the following months. Then I decided that all I needed for meditation was a focus. In the bus trip my body was being tossed from left to right and up and down when a bump was hit. I had my focus – the movement of my head.
So, one sits and as much as possible relaxes the body with special attention to the neck muscles. Then one closes the eyes and is mindful of how the head moves. The movement of the head is the meditation focus.
It might not be as amusing as watching cat videos on a phone but it is more productive and more relaxing.
Would mention that this method can be used on trains too. Would not recommend it for car voyages though as the relaxed muscles could possibly lead to whip-lash if there was a car accident.
You have made it to the end. Well done! Hope you enjoyed the blog and that it inspired you to explore other meditation methods.
B@Ease
Terry
(January 2025)