Meditation, like other forms of self-healing practices, is diverse across cultures and techniques. Methods that are easily implemented for some can be less beneficial to others. Depending on your individual type and state of mind, there are certain meditation practices that may be more balancing to you. The ancient creative science of life, Ayurveda, explains that we all have unique mind-body types, constitutions, or better yet doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. For this reason, calming the mind is aided by meditation based on one's constitution. Ayurveda encourages us to follow the meditative practices that we are naturally inclined to and that balance our current state (vikruti) and doshic constitution (prakruti). You can find your unique constitution by taking our What's My Dosha Quiz.

Dhyana translates to meditation from Sanskrit. This is a state of mental stability, secure in unwavering peace that ultimately leads to liberation from suffering, samadhi. According to the Eight Limbs of Yoga, dhyana is the seventh step along the yogic path to a powerful state of equanimity, tranquility, full understanding, and real happiness, an energy which is shared with all we come to contact.

The benefits of meditation are vast from improved focus, sleep, and digestion to reduced stress, pain, and risk of disease. For a general guideline of how to meditate, we've posted an article with step-by-step explanations, but encourage you to practice in a way that feels most natural to your mind and body.

Vata Types - Grounding Meditation

Vata types tend to struggle with restless, overactive minds, due to their nature of movement in air and ether. Meditation can be very helpful for them to overcome tendencies towards fear and anxiety, when practiced with the right intentions. Meditation techniques that prioritize emptying the mind can cause vata types to become more spaced out and confused. However, grounding meditations that focus on stability and connection to the earth through affirmations, mantras, or visualizations can help balance their natural tendencies and ground their mind.

Affirmations that call upon traits of fearlessness and security in self can ease anxiety. Words of affirmation that connect vata types to their dharma, life's purpose or duty, can help them remain grounded in their truth and faith. Words of affirmation can be as simple as "I am here to create," "I am here to understand," or "I release all fear and doubt" while imagining all worry leaving your body with each out-breath. The vata dosha is the easiest dosha to move out of balance, as it is representative of mobility and wind. To counteract feeling of ungrounded, try envisioning your body is heavy, feel the weight of gravity pulling you towards the earth. Connect to the earth through the sensations you feel on the ground, under your legs if seated or beneath your feet if standing.

Pitta Types - Cooling Meditation

Meditation can be helpful for pitta people to release anger and judgement. The fiery ambitious nature of pitta types can make them inclined to turn meditation into an achievement or conquest to control the mind. It's nice to remember that the object of meditation is to practice peacefully, and there's no need for competition. Many pitta types focus in meditation more easily because of their capacity for strong concentration. This focus on controlling the mind can be hypercritical, and place limitations on expanding their awareness. For this reason, setting an intention before meditation to release tension, and embody a cooling, calming mindset may be a good technique for them to channel their energy towards.

Pitta types can benefit from meditating on an the infinite and expansive love in consciousness. Affirmations that invoke compassion, love and surrender anger will be balancing to those with pitta prakruti, constitution, or vikruti, those in a pitta state of mind. A good mantra to mentally repeat for calming a pitta mind is "don't follow your thoughts, don't resist your thoughts, don't create new thoughts." Try placing your attention in the center of your forehead while internally speaking this mantra.

Kapha types - Stimulating Meditation

Kapha tendencies towards emotional attachment and mental stagnation makes their meditation well supported by an emphasis on creating space for stimulating and moving energy. Their natural inclinations to cultivate love and care for others may also make them inclined to group meditations, and often great leaders in meditation. To counter lethargy and remove mental stagnation, meditation followed by other asanas (postures) and more heating pranayama (breath control) techniques may be useful for Kapha people. One mantra that can balance Kapha types is "in my true Self I am independent, free, and of the nature of space."

Using meditation as a means to let go of attachments and unite with the divine could be especially good for Kapha minds. Kapha types are very loving people, and naturally find ease in devotion, therefore cultivating a relationship with a form of God, Goddess, or spirit can uplift their consciousness.

Extra Tips for Meditation

Consistency is key, it's more worthwhile to meditate a little every day than to practice for a long period of time on an irregular basis.
Meditation should not be done immediately after eating, especially is it is a heavy meal.
The ideal time for meditation is before sunrise and before sunset.

Meditation helps us become more understanding and comfortable in our inner world, allowing us to feel fullness without craving for more than what we already have within. Dhyana guides us to freedom from suffering, granting us the ability to live with qualities of mind that are good willed, pure, and lovingly beneficial to others without expecting anything in return. The true experience of dhyana is a state of consciousness, not a technique, many of the methods described here are associated with pratyahara, control of the senses, and dharana, control of the mind. Dhyana can be rather difficult to sustain, though with good intention and practice of the prior limbs of yoga, we can experience it as a natural and easeful state of being.