People have been using meditation for thousands of years to free their minds from stress, worries and other forms of mental clutter. Yoga and meditation go hand in hand, but you don't have to attend a yoga class or buy a meditation DVD to receive its benefits. Plenty of free yoga-based meditation techniques are available online, and you can do them at home, your office or just about anywhere else.
Calm Heart Meditation
This meditation is designed to combat feelings of being overwhelmed or unstable. Take a comfortable seated position, and set a timer for 10, 20 or 30 minutes. Place your hands on your knees, palms up, with your thumbs and index fingers forming circles. Turn the palms down if you feel a need to calm your mind. Begin to repeat the sound "Om" with each exhalation, either silently or out loud. Feel the Oms widening your heart and allow any emotions that rise to be carried by the sound. End the meditation with hands in prayer position and a moment of gratitude, reflection or prayer.
Cross-Heart Kirtan Kriya Meditation
This Kundalini-based meditation encourages a sense of peace and balance. Sit in easy pose with a straight spine and keep your eyes open just slightly. Stare at the top of your nose and cross your hands in front of your chest. Chant the mantra "Saa-Taa-Naa-Maa," which means Infinity, Life, Transformation and Rebirth, in the following pattern:
Saa - touch thumb tips to index fingers
Taa - touch thumb tips to middle fingers
Naa - touch thumb tips to ring fingers
Maa - touch thumb tips to pinkie fingers
Continue for 11 minutes, and then end the meditation by closing your eyes and coming to complete stillness.
Intuition Meditation
This meditation helps you hear and follow your inner sense of guidance. Start by writing down a situation you need help finding a solution to. Take a comfortable seated position and let the question linger in your mind or say it out loud. Sink your attention deeper by focusing on your heart center or belly center or by imagining yourself descending a staircase into a dark, quiet cave. Ask the question again. If the answer does not come right away, be mindful during the next 24 to 48 hours, as it may eventually emerge.
Mantra Meditation
Mantras help you tune into your internal stillness. Select a favorite word or phrase to meditate on. Take a comfortable seated position and begin breathing deeply. Slowly repeat your mantra for three to five minutes, syncing it with your inhalations and exhalations. After 10 repetitions, begin to repeat it silently with your lips moving; after another 10 repetitions, repeat it internally only. Continue for up to 15 minutes, or longer if you wish. Take a few deep breaths to end the meditation.
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