Introduced by Bhagwan Shri Rajneesh or 'Osho' as he was called, active meditation is widely practiced today by millions of people across the world. The core belief behind active meditation is that it is not essential to be stationary or sit in one place to achieve the benefits of mediation. It is possible to meditate just as effectively by being involved in physical and emotional activity, since meditation simply involves reaching a mental state where the mind is free of thought, while being alert to what is happening around you.

How It Works

The Osho active meditation techniques are based on scientific research and take into account that it is not always possible for every individual to sit still for long lengths of time as in traditional meditation. Some people become even more uncomfortable at the end of the meditation, than before. Therefore, Osho active meditation begins with some kind of activity that helps loosen your body, relaxing it and clearing your mind gradually. People who are naturally restless can get rid of this restlessness through activities allowing them to unwind their mind. This leads to a state of calm and quiet.

Active Meditation Techniques

There are seven active meditation techniques. Let us take a brief look at what each technique involves:

1. Dynamic Meditation is best done in the early hours of the morning. It takes about an hour and involves five stages to release tension and gather the energy needed to keep the individual refreshed throughout the day.

2. Kundalini Meditation involves an hour consisting of four stages. This is a great stress reliever that lets you unwind at the end of the day.

3. Nataraj Meditation has three stages stretching through sixty-five minutes that requires you to dance your tension away, letting you gradually 'turn in' to yourself to inner peace.

4. Nadabrahma Meditation involves sitting for an hour where you hum along with hand movements. The aim of this is to reach an inner equilibrium and calmness.

5. Gourishankar Meditation is best done at night and involves breathing methods as you steadily look at a light performing slow body actions.

6. Mandala Meditation techniques aim at creating a full circle of energy resulting in quiet at the center.

7. Whirling Meditation or Sufi whirling is very active meditation.

All of these include some form of activity that could be jogging, singing, dancing and laughing aloud, shouting, etc so that the individual can transit to the passive stage with ease. Another technique used by Osho Active meditation is 'gibberish' where you use sound combined with movements of the body to cleanse the mind and lead it to relaxation.

The Advantages Of Active Meditation

Everyone experiences stress that prevents him or her from functioning at optimum levels. The aim of active meditation is to refresh our energies whenever required and to get into a state of calm and relaxation. By doing this, we recognize the abilities hidden within us and make the effort to grow to our full potential.

Through constant practice, it is possible to feel the effects of active meditation throughout the day even while not meditating, no matter where you are. In fact, active meditation can also be practiced when you are sick and confined to your bed with concentrated breathing.