Comparing Meditation Techniques
Many meditation techniques are available today. Contrary to common belief there are distinct differences between techniques, such as the effort involved, their impact on the brain, and whether or not they result in verifiable benefits.
A study published in the journal Consciousness and Cognition identified the following three meditation categories, based on measured brain wave differences:
- Concentration or focus : Zen, Vipassana, etc.
- Open monitoring : Mindfulness, Kriya Yoga, etc.
- Self-transcending : Transcendental Meditation
Meditation techniques and their impact on the brain
Form of meditation | Transcendental Meditation | Mindfulness (monitoring of thoughts) |
Concentration or Focus |
---|---|---|---|
Brain wave activity | Alpha | Theta | Beta |
Brain wave description | “Relaxed, happy, focused” — Mayo Clinic |
“Dream-like” — Mayo Clinic |
“Logical-thinking, problem-solving” — Mayo Clinic |
EEG image | ![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Mental effort | Effortless | Moderate effort | Strong effort |
Why do people who have tried other techniques find TM to be completely different?
Absolutely effortless
- No concentrating
- No control of the mind
- No mindfulness (monitoring of thoughts)
- No trying to “empty the mind”
Proven effective
TM has been proven effective for stress and anxiety, clarity of mind, and more.